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LONG-TIME Peninsula Aero Club mem-ber Jim Wickham is a little bit upset about the dramatic fi nish to his return fl ight from a central NSW fl ying event on Sunday morning.

Half way along the Tyabb airfi eld runway a wheel of his replica Russian Yakovlev Yak 9 slipped into soft turf at the side of the bitumen causing it to veer off course. Both wheels then dug into the grass and the plane slowly rose up and gradually fl ipped over onto its back. It was left with damage to its wheel, wing, propeller and rudder.

Mr Wickham, of Moorooduc, was unhurt but trapped inside the cockpit until freed by emergency services.

Straight afterwards he reportedly had his screwdriver out and was removing parts to disconnect the battery.

Mr Wickham, in his 60s, got bogged in the same aircraft at the clubs 2012 air show but with less dramatic results.

Aero club president Peter Bernardi said we dont know exactly what happened.

Perhaps there was a gust of wind from the west that set him off course. Once he got one wheel in the grass it pulled him over.

It happened slowly and he had time to put his head between his knees and just let it go over.

He got out without even a scratch but, of course, he was a little bit upset. Hes a very fastidious person and had prepared the aircraft well.

Mr Wickham was assessed at the scene by emergency services but did not require treatment. He is tipped to be busy this week fi xing the damage to his aircraft.

Mr Bernardi described the strongly-built single-engine fi ghter aircraft as being formidable fi ghting aircraft when used against the Luftwaffe in World War II later against Australia and the United States in the Korean War. Mr Wickhams plane was built in 2002 but with a larger US-made en-gine.

Mr Wickham has two other Yaks, two Mustang replicas, a Spitfi re replica and a helicopter. On Sunday 9 August Carl Solomons, 59, of Patterson Lakes, died when his Cava-lon twin-seater aircraft hit power lines and crashed into shallow water on a fl ight between Tyabb airfi eld and Tooradin. His passenger, 37, was taken to the Royal Mel-bourne Hospital with serious injuries.

Off runway: The Yak 9 which fl ipped after landing at Tyabb airfi eld on Sunday. No one was injured in the crash. Pictures: Gary Sissons

Landing flip ends interstate outingStephen Taylorsteve@mpnews.com.au

PAGE 2 Western Port News 8 September 2015

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FLINDERS MP and Environment Minister Greg Hunt has condemned aggressive behaviour by protesters towards staff at his Hastings offi ce.

Mr Hunt said the behaviour of two men during an anti-coal mine protest organised by GetUp on Wednesday was utterly unacceptable.

A member of staff was deeply upset and in-timidated by two of the protesters, Mr Hunt said.

This aggressive behaviour by two male pro-testers towards a female staff member is utterly unacceptable and should be condemned by Get-Up.

I certainly hope their behaviour is not repre-sentative of the organisation and did not represent the general behaviour of the delegation.

A letter from Simon Hawking, Somers pub-lished in Saturdays The Age said he had been one of two adults who carried a crate of coal into Mr Hunts offi ce as a symbolic manifestation of what the minister was consigning the nation to [by permitting the Adani Mining coal mine in Queensland].

We were equal parts astonished, amused and despairing to be asked indignantly, So youre going to pollute our offi ce with coal?

Mr Hawking said the one concession was the welcoming, by Mr Hunts offi ce staff, of children bearing gifts in the form of animal-shaped bal-loons representing the Great Barrier Reef marine life.

Mr Hunt said the Coalition government inher-ited a reef from Labor that was on the watch list and on the way to being listed as in-danger.

Government efforts since then to protect reef had led to it being removed from the in-danger

listing by the World Heritage Committee.The committee praised Australia as a global

leader in its management of the reef, Mr Hunt said.

Protesters are fi ghting against the Indian-based Adani Minings plans for Carmichael open cut coal mine near Moranbah in central Queensland and the export of coal from the Abbot Point port, near the Great Barrier Reef.

The governments approval for the mine was set aside by the Federal Court in August after be-ing presented with evidence of a bungle within Mr Hunts department which meant there were no provisions to protect the endangered yakka skink and ornamental snake.

As a result, the government wants to change the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act that grants a right of legal ap-peal to third parties.

However, the falling price of coal and an an-nouncement by the Commonwealth bank of its withdrawal as Adanis advisor may mean that the projects lifetime resource value of at least $300 billion may stay in the ground.

Mr Hunt, although asked by The News, did not comment on the banks action or provide an es-timate of the number of jobs likely to be created by the coalmine.

The organiser of the GetUp protest outside Mr Hunts offi ce did not respond to a call from The News, which was also unable to contact Simon Hawking.

GetUp describes itself as one of Australia's largest campaigning communities and claims to have more than 800,000 members.

We're an independent, grassroots, community advocacy organisation that seeks to build a more progressive Australia and hold politicians to ac-count.

Staff upset, intimidated by coal protesters MPKeith Plattkeith@mpnews.com.au

PENINSULA primary school marine ambas-sadors helped a Melbourne Water maintenance crew inspect and remove rubbish from a litter net at Tanti Creek Wetlands, Mornington, last week.

It was part of the Dolphin Research Institutes hands-on I sea, I care program.

The pupils examined the types of litter caught in the net and learned about the institutes

catchment to coast initiative which teaches them that litter dropped on the street can end up in the bay, posing a threat to marine animals, like the dolphin.

They also learned about stormwater harvesting and completed some water quality testing.

In the afternoon the pupils visited Schnapper Point to learn how to survey for dolphins and litter.

Positive message: Taeheisha, from Our Lady Fatima Primary School, Rosebud, Georgia (Red Hill Consolidated), Brodie (Hastings), Ajarnae (Mt Martha) and Ash (Crib Point) relate to the I see, I care message. The excavator in the background is lifting litter traps. Picture: Gary Sissons

Marine care on the syllabus

PAGE 4 Western Port News 8 September 2015

POWERFUL owls might be 60 centi-metre s tall and have white plumage, but they are rarely seen; heard maybe, but not seen.

Being a nocturnal bird of prey they are most active at night and make themselves scarce during the day.

They are the largest of the avian night hunters and, as their name sug-gests, capable of preying on medium to large tree-dwelling mammals: ringtail possum and great glider. They also take roosting birds and animals on the ground, such as rabbits and small marsupials.

Despite their strength and hunting prowess, powerful owls are listed as being endangered.

The Mornington Peninsula has been identifi ed as one area where several families do exist and Mornington Peninsula Shire and the local branch of Birdlife Australia are trying to fi nd out where they live and roost.

The monitoring program could reveal habitat critical to their survival that needs protecting.

Adult powerful owls are dark brown with a white and brown fl ecked underside with yellow eyes. They can be heard calling at night and their voice is described as a deep double hoot.

This time of year, the young owls be-gin emerging from the nest and can be heard trilling to be fed just after dusk.

Shire conservation ranger Josh Gunn is asking for reports of sight-ings or observations of powerful owls so the locations can be included in future surveys and to broaden the

Keeping track of night hunter

knowledge of the species' distribution on the peninsula.

Max Burrows of Birdlife Australia said the powerful owls are a top level predator that was necessary to balance the ecosystem.

"Recent surveys by the state govern-ment identifi ed signifi cant numbers of owls on the peninsula and we're want-ing to keep up to date with sightings

and, in particular, breeding locations so they can be properly protected for the future generations of this endan-gered species," he said.

Powerful owl sightings can be emailed to powerfulowl@mornpen.vic.gov.au or call 5950 1274. For details about the powerful owl visit: www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Ninox-strenua Keith Platt

Giving a hoot: A survey is underway to keep track of where powerful owls live on the Mornington Peninsula so that their habitats can be protected.

Local news for local peopleWe stand as the only locally owned and operated community newspaper on the peninsula.

We are dedicated to the belief that a strong community newspaper is essential for a strong community.We exist to serve residents, community groups and businesses and ask for their support in return.

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REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: David Harrison, Barry Irving, Cliff Ellen, Peter McCullough, Stuart McCullough, Andrew Hurst.ADDRESS: Mornington Peninsula News GroupPO Box 588 Hastings 3915Email: team@mpnews.com.au Web: www.mpnews.com.auDEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 1PM ON THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBERNEXT ISSUE PUBLICATION DATE: TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

Journalists: Mike Hast, Stephen Taylor, Neil Walker 5973 6424Photographers: Gary Sissons, YanniAdvertising Sales: Val Bravo 0407 396 824Real Estate Account Manager: Jason Richardson 0421 190 318Production/Graphic design: Marcus Pettifer, Maria MirabellaGroup Editor: Keith Platt 0439 394 707 Publisher: Cameron McCullough

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Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 5

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A CRASH between two cars on the Western Port Highway, between Bungower and Eramosa roads, Somerville, last week claimed the life of a 19-year-old Western Australian woman who died at the scene.

Police have been told her car was travelling on Dandenong-Hastings Rd when she collided with an oncoming car about 5.30pm.

The male driver of the second car was taken to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries.

Five CFA units attended, as well as ambulance and police.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and will prepare a report for the coroner. The road toll stands at 173. This time last year it was 165.

Woman dies in collision

Appeal changeMOTORISTS will soon no longer be able to apply for an offi cial warning based on a good driving record if they are caught speeding at more than 10kph over the limit.

However, motorists will still be able to apply for an offi cial warning under provisions for special or exceptional circumstances.

A good driving record will remain a basis for appeal for motorists detected speeding by less than 10kph over the limit.

The changes to the offi cial warning notice cri-teria come into effect on Monday 21 September.

I think the community will agree that a motorist caught speeding at 54 km/h in a school zone shouldnt be eligible for a warning, road policing command Superintendent Kevin Sheri-dan said.

Speeding remains one of the biggest killers on our roads and this is a reminder for drivers that they are responsible for making sure they are aware of their surroundings, including speed limits, at all times.

POLICE say they are no further ad-vanced in their investigations into a home invasion in Hastings, Tuesday last week, when a shot was fi red inside a house in the early hours.

The police Major Crime Unit visited the house in Spring St and spoke to the occupants: a couple with a young child, but no charges have been laid.

It appears no one was injured in the 12.05am incident and nothing stolen. The three offenders report-edly drove off at high speed in a silver car, possibly a Holden, waking neighbours who called 000.

Forensic police later took photos and looked for clues at the house, where four cars, trailer and a moped, were parked in the front yard and driveway.

Close up: Forensic detectives search for evidence after a gun was fi red at the Spring St, Hastings, house. Picture: Gary Sissons

No answers over shot in Hastings houseDam, no escapeTHE freezing waters of a Tyabb dam might not be everyones idea of a good hiding place, but they appealed to a man running from police on Monday.

Highway patrol police identifi ed the Hastings man, 30, in ONeills Rd as someone we would like to speak to, but he ran off, overland, when approached.

Sergeant Simon Noonan, of Hast-ings police, said the fugitive went to ground in a dam until police called in the dog squad which was nearby. Without hesitation one of the dogs jumped in, swam out and seized him by the arm, and brought him back to the bank. The man was taken to Frankston hospital to be treated for hyperthermia. Sergeant Noonan said he was expected to be charged with traffi c matters.

PAGE 6 Western Port News 8 September 2015

NEWS DESK

Shire goes to court over bush block clearingMike Hastmike@mpnews.com.au

THE shire has charged the owner of a bush block in Main Ridge with illegal clearing under the En-vironment and Planning Act.

The matter will come before Frankston Magis-trates Court next week. The owner faces a maxi-mum penalty of $180,000 per offence but any fi ne is likely to be much lower.

If the prosecution is successful, the fi ne would likely be in the range of $5000 to $50,000. The matter of remediation will be pursued separately. About a third of the 16-hectare block was cleared in January by a contractor.

A shire spokesman told The News the owner had been charged with removing vegetation without a planning permit. The fi rst mention hearing is 17 September.

The shires manager of planning compliance, Paul Lewis, said his department had commenced 30 enforcement actions this calendar year six of these being vegetation-related.

The landlocked block at 2 Barkers Rd off Mornington-Flinders Rd was in the news ear-lier in the year when Antoinette Noronho asked Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Parks Victoria to allow her to build an access road to her land through Main Ridge Nature Conserva-tion Reserve.

She has been accessing it via a track through the reserve and had to seek permission from Parks Victoria each time.

Ms Noronho bought the 16-hectare (40-acre) block with no access road for $425,000 in Janu-ary 2013 at a mortgagees sale. The property had been bought by Peter Quinn in 2007 for $975,000 but he failed to win approval for a road.

In December, the council voted to discontin-ue 130 metres of Barkers Rd in what appeared to be a trade-off for allowing a road through part of the reserve, which was approved by councillors in June despite the opposition of 12 neighbours who said the reserve was home to swamp walla-bies, echidnas, antechinus (a small marsupial) as well as 60 species of birds. At least two migratory species, rufus whistler and rufus fantail, nest in the reserve.

In June, councillors were told the access road sought would do far less damage than the pos-sible alternative an extension of Barkers Rd, which would destroy a fern gully down the slope of Manton Creek and would require a bridge over the creek.

Although the previous owner could not gain ac-cess to the land, councillors were told that every owner of land that is landlocked has the right to apply to the Supreme Court to have a right of ac-cess granted.

Swings and roundabouts: The property known as 2 Barkers Rd, Main Ridge, had no road access until shire councillors and Parks Victoria gave the owner permission to build a road through part of a conservation reserve. Now the owner has been charged with illegal clearing and faces court this month. Picture supplied

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WESTERN Port Secondary Col-lege student Matt Foy, pictured, is off to Brisbane this month to play with the Victoria Country under-17 cricket team.

Matt, of the Hastings Cricket Club, plays with South East Coun-try Sharks and this season will be playing premier cricket with Frankston Peninsula.

He and Tom Ewing, of Mt Eliza Cricket Club, have been chosen in the state country team to play eight one-day matches, 28 Sep-tember-8 October.

Matts father, Pat, is a former Sydney Swans player and a former captain-coach of Hastings Football Club who took the team to a pre-miership in 1992.

The year 10 student has been picked as the teams wicketkeeper, but his father reckons hes all right with the bat; hes more a batsman than wicketkeeper, rather than the other way around. It will be a great experience for him.

Cricketers off to Brisbane

Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 7

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CRIME gangs with a disciplined culture and abil-ity to plan and set targets has given a new poten-cy to crime in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula.

The tech savvy gangs use social media, includ-ing Facebook, and encryption apps to co-ordinate activities, allowing their members to mobilise and disperse quickly, recruit members and plan their next hit.

Easy access to stolen cars and quicker freeway travel times mean that our once sleepy hamlets are now high on the agenda of the often race-re-lated gangs who regard slap on the wrist penal-ties as green cards to commit more crimes.

Mornington Detective Sergeant Nick Vallas said recent raids on the peninsula could be linked to a crime gang from Dandenong.

We cant say they are defi nitely gang mem-bers, but they probably are, he said. They adopt a common theme before committing crimes, which they call missioning. This may be to break into a car and steal it, or, if the cars locked, to break into the house and steal the cars keys and then steal it. The stolen cars are then used to rob other cars.

Its this willingness to go to any lengths to achieve their aim that worries us.

Car owners are making it easy for thieves. On Saturday night, 22 August, eight cars were bro-ken into in Bentons and Dunns roads, Mt Martha, with thieves stealing a Subaru later recovered in Frankston North and loose change.

Detective Sergeant Jason Hocking, of Morn-ington CIU, said all the cars are believed to have been unlocked.

We go on about it, but people are still making it easy for thieves. He said the incidents are not believed to be gang related.

In Mt Martha the same night, up to four men burgled a house on The Esplanade, at 3am Sun-day 23 August, frightening a couple who woke to fi nd them rifl ing through bedside cupboards and draws.

The men, described as African or islander in ap-pearance, were using mobile-phones as torches, going from room to room searching for valuables. They left with jewellery valued at $20,000 when the couple raised the alarm.

A Hampton Park man, 24, believed to be the get-away driver, was arrested by Mornington po-lice and, although not being charged with any of-fence on the night, may be charged at a later date.

Frankston Embona Detective Sergeant Marty OBrien said gangs with names such as Apex, Y2K and YKK were making life very busy for detectives. He said racially linked members

coming to Frankston from Dandenong and Narre Warren some aged as young as 13 were a huge problem.

Crimes by these groups have risen 10-fold over the past few years, he said. And 90 per cent of it relates to the Polynesians.

They get straight off the plane and are straight into it. We know who they are but we cant do much about them.

Police are frustrated by lights sentences handed down by the courts.

One guy charged with 14 counts of armed robbery was granted bail, Detective Sergeant OBrien said. Why a court would even entertain the idea of bail I dont know.

A Melbourne police taskforce formed to tackle the threat from gangs has charged more than 70 young men over a six-month crime spree, includ-ing crimes in Frankston and on the peninsula.

The youths, aged 14-24, were charged with more than 400 serious offences ranging from armed robbery to commercial burglary, car theft, driving offences and illegal gun possession.

The six-month police investigation, established to target mid-level organised crime, revealed that two syndicates based in Melbourne's northern suburbs had targeted department stores and to-bacconists all the way down to Frankston.

Three violent thieves, who police later identi-fi ed as gang members, raided two 24-hour ser-vice stations, at Dromana and Rosebud, on 29 July. The trio, with one member aged 15, stormed counters and terrorised staff with an axe and a handgun in the early morning raids.

CCTV footage shows them smashing glass counters, destroying computer equipment, rifl ing cupboards and pointing a handgun in the face of the lone attendant before repeating the vicious-ness 15 minutes later at the next service station. Money and cigarettes were stolen at both prem-ises.

Six of the gang were apprehended within the week and the youngest is now out on bail.

Their arrests form part of a bigger picture, with up to 25 offenders nabbed over a spate of ag-gravated burglaries, vandalism, thefts from and of cars, deceptions, petrol drive offs and armed robberies across the southern suburbs in the past few weeks.

They knew each other and were acting to-gether; there was defi nitely a level of planning and organisation, Frankston Embona Detective Sergeant Alistair Hanson said.

The same gang is believed responsible for smashing up to 25 car windscreens and rear and side windows in Cheltenham. Two vandals in two cars used golf clubs and a hammer to smash the windows of cars parked in streets off Centre Dan-denong Rd, causing $25,000 damage. Other cars were damaged in Armadale and Caulfi eld.

Stephen Taylorsteve@mpnews.com.au

Police concerns over gangs coming south

Animals live on A TAXIDERMY exhibition by 11-year-old Tyabb Primary School pupil Xavier Noonan will feature at the Hastings-Western Port Historical Society Museum, noon-4pm, 12-13 September and 19-20 September.

President Andy Tredwell said visitors would fi nd the show at the museum, at the corner of Marine Parade and Skinner St, Hastings, interesting.

Xavier has featured on TVs Channel 31 Antiques with Attitude program and is now on its season two introductory promotion.

His career highlight so far has been a personal tour of the taxidermy department at Melbourne Museum after he answered their call for a taxidermist. Undeterred by his tender years, Xavier applied for the position only to be knocked back.

They were very impressed by him and took him on the tour which he found fascinating, his mum Kellie said.

Xavier also has works on show at the Vintage Shed and Tyabb Packing House, in Mornington-Tyabb Rd, Tyabb.

Almost alive: Xavier Noonan will show off his hobby at the Hastings-Western Port Historical Society Museum. Picture: Gary Sissons

PAGE 8 Western Port News 8 September 2015

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By David HarrisonI BEGAN my career in journalism about the same time as Alan Morison, half a century ago at the afternoon newspaper, The Herald, in Melbourne, Australia.

It sold more than half a million cop-ies a day. It was a force in the city. It was listened to by politicians, by busi-ness people, by judges and lawyers, and was loved and respected by its readers.

Its journalists did not set out con-sciously each day to seek that appro-bation of its readers, who comprised about one in fi ve of Melbournes popu-lation.

They simply, like blind Justice, did their job to discover and bring to the public the news of the day, whatever that news happened to be.

Nor did we concern ourselves much with what public reaction might be to what we wrote. We knew we had the support of our journalistic seniors and

the public. We were part of what was then called the Fourth Estate, a term born in 18th century Britain to describe the huge infl uence of newspapers in the life of the nation.

Originally the press the Fourth Es-tate ranked with the other three es-tates.

These were the British parliamentary estates known as the Lords spiritual, the Lords temporal and the members of the House of Commons. That is, the press and its journalists ranked along-side the unelected members of the British House of Lords, both church-men and the nobility, and the elected members of the Commons. The press had and wielded the power to bring down governments, to change govern-ment policy, and to rein in government power.

Generally it used this power respon-sibly.

This was the environment in which young journalists learned their trade.

Alan has continued to do this through-out his working life, in the fi nest tradi-tions of the press.

He now publishes his news in the new medium of the world wide web. He is part of the new fabric of news dissemination.

He and his very impressive colleague Chutima Sidasathian have published news on their Phuketwan website that is certainly not to the taste of everyone who reads it.

News has been defi ned as some-thing that someone, somewhere, does not want published. All the rest is ad-vertising.

Alan and Chutima do not deal in ad-vertising or seek to please their read-ers. They simply seek out the truth and disseminate it. The consequences in the case of their reporting of people smuggling in Thailand have been very serious indeed. Both face the possibil-ity of jail.

For what? Has anyone challenged

the truth of their reporting? No. They have been faithful to the best centuries-old traditions of their calling. They are in the legal position they face because their facts have annoyed people in power in Thailand.

These facts meet the classic defi ni-tion they were something that some people did not want printed. They were embarrassing, they were seen to dimin-ish the standing of powerful people in a powerful social institution, the Royal Thai Navy, which was not mentioned in the report against which they took offence.

The facts were not challenged Alan and Chutimas resolve to publish them, and therefore to shine a spotlight on a great and deeply troubling social issue, was under challenge. They were to be crushed as an example to others for their bold impertinence.

The original publisher of the words that drew the navys response were not sued. They were too big and powerful.

Shame on Reuters for abandoning Phuketwan to its fate.

In the long term such facts must must be published. The public has a right to know. All around the world, journalists daily pay for this demand on them with their freedom, sometimes their lives.

Thailand needs more journalists, and more media proprietors, who will take the risk of a backlash from powerful people and institutions in what they present to the community, whatever the risk and consequence.

It is vital to strong democracies for this to be done. It is vital for Thailands future that its powerful institutions re-spect the Fourth Estate and its practi-tioners for doing their job.

The nation will never develop into a strong democracy without letting the facts diligently gathered and respon-sibly reported from being freely dis-seminated. It is the test every govern-ing regime faces, and must pass.

MP News Group journalist David Harrison is in Thailand supporting his mate Alan Morison and his wife Chutima Sidasathian, who were charged in late 2013 with criminal defamation and computer crime over a story they published on their online website Phuketwan about abuses against Rohingya migrants in Thailand.

The charges centred on a paragraph in Phuketwan on 17 July 2013 citing an investigative report by Reuters alleging that some navy offi cials were involved with traffi cking Rohingya Muslims fl eeing Myanmar (Burma). The trial generated widespread condemnation from human rights groups and the United Nations.

Morison and Sidasathian faced up to seven years in jail but last week were found not guilty of all charges. The Thai navy has until the end of September to appeal. Harrison has been supporting the two journalists by organising fundraisers, a petition and a rally in Melbourne. He attended the court case in Phuket in July and returned for last weeks judgment. This article has been posted on Phuketwan and has generated worldwide interest.

Why good journalism matters

Making news: Alan Morison, right, and Chutima Sidasathian, centre, face the media during their trial in Thailand. They were cleared of criminal defamation charges last week. Picture supplied

Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 9

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ANALYSISMike HastRUMOURS of BlueScope Steel clos-ing its Port Kembla blast furnace in Wollongong and reorganising its Aus-tralian fl at steel production could ben-efi t the companys plant at Hastings.

BlueScope announced a full-year profi t of $136.3 million on 24 August an improvement on last years loss of $83 million and even larger losses in recent years and its share price went up but these are worrying times for the nations biggest steel producer, its workers and other stakeholders.

The fi nancial result came out on the day the Australian share market suf-fered its worst fall since the global fi -nancial crisis but the companys shares rose almost 9 per cent as it confronted its steelmaking mortality.

BlueScope produces 2.6 million tonnes of steel each year at Wollon-gong, once called Steeltown when about 25,000 people worked there in the early 1980s.

Now its 5000 workers make 500,000 tonnes more than the domestic market can take each year, so it is exported at a loss of $200 a tonne.

In June, the Illawarra Mercury was fi rst to report the shutdown rumour but it was denied by the company while conceding it was looking at options including importing steel rather than manufacturing at Port Kembla.

Two weeks ago BlueScopes outgo-ing CEO Paul OMalley said the com-

Demise of NSWs Steeltown could benefit BlueScopes Western Port plant

pany would be forced to close its last blast furnace if it could not fi nd $200 million in savings.

In July, ABC News reporter Stephen Letts said the closure of the remaining blast furnace and a restructure focus-ing on imports and the higher-margin painted products Colorbond business could slash capital expenditure from $200 million a year to about $50 mil-lion.

Using cheaper imported steel would

increase profi tability by 50 per cent, while profi tability across the entire company could increase by 70 to 140 per cent, another analyst said.

Under this scenario, hot rolled coil would be sourced not from Port Kem-bla but from overseas for the Western Port plant, which makes profi table building products such as Colorbond and Zincalume on its rolling and paint-ing lines.

BlueScope might restart shipping

hot rolled coil into Western Port this time from Asia.

(The companys ship the Iron Mon-arch made its last delivery to Western Port in October 2011 and BlueScope closed the hot strip mill on 19 October as part of a restructure of its Western Port and Port Kembla sites after post-ing a $1 billion loss and withdrawing from exporting steel products. It re-trenched 2000 workers 200 at Hast-ings plus 70 contractors and closed

one of two blast furnaces at Port Kem-bla. At Hastings it mothballed one of three metal coating lines.)

In future, fl at steel products made in Hastings might be sent overseas by ship instead of being taken from the plant by train and truck for the domes-tic market, as is currently the case.

This could see an increase in em-ployment at the Hastings plant.

BlueScopes corporate affairs man-ager Michael Reay told The News no decisions have yet been made on the future of Port Kembla steelworks so it was too early to speculate about the Western Port plant although he did say With respect to any potential effects on Western Port if the Port Kembla Steelworks was to close, these sce-narios are currently being considered in the strategic review being under-taken.

It is our objective to maintain steel-making at Port Kembla and we are do-ing everything we can to do that and deliver the $200 million of annual cost savings we need to improve competi-tiveness, he said.

The next update on the future of steelmaking at Port Kembla will be around the time of our annual meeting in November.

Asked about recent work at Blue-Scopes wharf, he said: The mainte-nance currently being undertaken ... is routine maintenance unrelated to any potential closure of Port Kembla Steelworks.

Back to the future: BlueScope Steels Western Port plant and wharf at Hastings could become busier if the company decides to close its Port Kembla blast furnace and import hot rolled steel by ship to Hastings. Picture supplied

PAGE 10 Western Port News 8 September 2015

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DROMANAS famous Butterfl y House; war memorials at Somerville, Red Hill and Mornington; the former Sorrento post offi ce; and a slab cottage built in about 1850 at Heronswood are among the places featured at the 2015 Mornington Peninsula Heritage Awards.

The awards are a joint effort of the peninsula branch of National Trust and Mornington Peninsula Shire, and started in 2011.

They were presented on Friday 28 August by shire mayor Cr Bev Colomb and Dr Graeme Blackman, chairman of the National Trust board.

Cr Colomb said the excellent nominations received this year were a good indicator that interest in the awards was as strong as ever.

There are many fascinating and important heritage places on the peninsula and it is encouraging to see owners, heritage professionals and the community coming together to protect them, she said.

Judy Walsh, National Trust branch president, said this years awards were remarkable in their diversity, and congratulated the recipients.

Its very rewarding to see the younger generation involved in heritage conservation in its various aspects including buildings, landscapes, cemeteries, gardens and

objects, she said.It is gratifying to see the strength

of commitment in a community continuing to embrace conservation of heritage places as important and acknowledging their value as cultural assets.WinnersRestoration of a heritage place Somerville war memorial, Fruit Growers Reserve awards presented to stonemason Paul Smith for relocation and restoration of memorial; Brandon Perrett for bespoke manufacture of traditional heritage light installed on top of memorial; and Somerville Historical Society for supply of original plans and specifi cations. Dromana Cenotaph, Memorial Park award to stonemason Howard Patrick of Dromana for restoration. St John the Evangelist Anglican Church hall, King St, Flinders award to St Johns Parish Council. Heronswood 1850s slab house adjacent to main house in La Trobe Pde, Dromana award to carpenter James Webb for restoration of rotted exterior timbers. McCraith House (also known as Dromana Butterfl y House) award to RMIT Universitys property services for asbestos removal and other improvements. The house is used by the university as a writer-in-residence property.Restoration and creative reuse of a

Diversity a feature of award winnersMike Hastmike@mpnews.com.au

heritage placeRestoration of former Sorrento post offi ce awards to building owners Peter Griffi n and Terry Swann; architect Steve Hofer of Williams Kaye Hofer, Mornington; and John James of Joven Building Services. The building is leased to clothing retailer Country Road, which along with adaptation architect Don McQualter of NSW-based Meacham Nockles McQualter, received the Creative reuse of a heritage place award for adapting the building.Excellence in heritage-related interpretative signs Rye history board at Rye post offi ce award to Rye Historical Society.

Fallen Soldiers Memorial at Rye Civic Hall award to Rye Historical Society. Grave of Charles Ah Foo at Sorrento cemetery awards to Sorrento Cemetery Trust and Peter Munro for historical research. Ah Foo was the third burial recorded at the cemetery.Sustainability and/or greening of a heritage placePlanting of Norfolk Island pines to complete missing links in Avenue of Honour, and commemorative plaque, Norman St, Flinders awards to Flinders Historical Society, Flinders Community Association, Flinders RSL, and Flinders Lions Club.Heritage trade skills

Restoration of bronze plaques at Mornington Memorial Park, Barkly St award to metals conservator Paul Hunt of Paul Hunt Restorations.Creation of a heritage place (inaugural award) Red Hill Memorial Garden award to Red Hill Community Association (which is still seeking public donations to meet a target of $55,000. Information at www.redhillcommunityassociation.com or call Felicity Jackson, 0438 425 815. For more information about protection of heritage places on the peninsula, contact the shire on 1300 850 600 or National Trusts peninsula branch on 5988 9853.

Top light: Brandon Perrett used original plans to make light that was on top of Somervilles war memorial when it was fi rst erected after the First World War and has been rewarded for his work at the Mornington Peninsula Heritage Awards. Picture supplied

Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 11

IN January after the murders in Paris at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, Mornington Peninsula pub-lisher, author and artist Fran Henke dispelled her dismay and anger by creating a collage on the theme of the slogan that swept the world Je Suis Charlie (I Am Charlie), including Aussie references.

Ive worked with cartoonists and satiric portraitists over more than 50 years of journalism and the tragedy hit me hard, she said.

She donated her work, Je Suis Ahmed, to Bald Archy Prize organiser Peter Batey, who created the prize in 1994 to take the mickey out of pretentious portrait prizes such as the Archibald Prize.

As the reaction rolled on around the world the most poignant cartoon coming from David Pope of the Canberra Times (He drew fi rst) Mrs Henke emailed Peter Batey suggesting they do a book celebrating Australias satiric portrait painters, the freedom in which they work, and his diverse career.

He agreed, saying it should be launched on 24 July with the an-nouncement of the 2015 Bald Archy winner; it was put together in just fi ve months.

In Yer Face The Bald Archy Prize charts the growth of the prize from its start as a one-off celebration to now being Australias most popular tour-ing art exhibition. It shows the sig-nifi cant role humour in art has played through history and in Australia since J F Archibald established The Bulletin in 1880.

A former arts journalist for the

Paris tragedy inspired art humour book

Je Suis Satirists: In Yer Face authors Fran Henke of Hastings and Bald Archy founder Peter Batey of NSW. Picture supplied

National Times and The Australian, Mrs Henke worked with Australias leading cartoonists, developing an appreciation for the nations black and white tradition, and interviewed artists such as Sidney Nolan, Brett

Whitely and, in London, Elmyr de Hory the notorious forger.

As a theatre director, Mr Batey launched Mrs Henkes fi rst book in 1976 so they go back a long way, which informed her tribute to him in

the book. He has written an hilarious account of how the prize came into being. There is also a rare interview with the Bald Archys judge, the elegant and well-informed sulphur-crested cockatoo Maude.

The book includes all winners of the Bald Archy Prize over its 22 years.

Finding the 12 winners one artist has won fi ve times, three others have won twice was a challenge, Mrs Henke said. We found all but one, Peter Wilko Wilkinson. We were particularly worried about an early winner, Alan McClure, who was in his 90s. We discovered he had only recently retired as a cartoonist on the Cootamundra Herald and he has con-tacted. Finding my friend and 2005 winner Tony Sowersby of Seaford was not hard.

I wanted to know who they were, what they did as day jobs. Wonder-ful responses and selfi e drawings started arriving.

A tribute to Peter Batey was im-portant. Peter with Barry Humphries was co-creator of Dame Edna Ever-age. Peter launched my fi rst book in 1976, now 40 years on.

The pair fi nished the book, sent it to the printer and arranged a launch in Sydney. Mrs Henke headed out to Melbourne Airport but missed her fl ight and the launch but arrived in time for lunch. She is a polio survivor and didnt tick the box requesting assistance at the airport for its daunting stairs. In Yer Face The Bald Archy Prize has been published by Fran Henkes imprint Flying Pony Press and costs $30 plus packing and postage of $13. Order inquiries to: fl yingponypress@gmail.com

Bald Archy Prize inquiries to: bal-darchy@westnet.com.au and its on the net at: www.baldarchy.com.au

Mike Hast

Hastings & District Community Bank Branch

An enthusiastic and committed Director is being sought to join the Board of the Hastings Community Bank Branch, a franchise of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, located in the Western Port area, on the Mornington Peninsula.

Hastings Community Bank Branch has been operating in the Western Port area for seven years and has over that time donated/sponsored community projects of around $270,000.

The Hastings Community Bank Branch is well established in the community, supporting and encouraging sustainable and pro table growth for shareholders. The Company Board now seeks to expand into new and exciting areas of business development and is looking for an experienced Director who can help build the business.

We are looking for:

A person who is committed to the Community Bank model

An individual inspired to become a force of positive change in the local community

A desire to build, support and govern a successful and highly respected local business

Enthusiasm, creativity and a willingness to dedicate time to help create a successful business whose mandate is to return pro t to community groups

Willingness to be part of a diverse team of individuals from various sectors

A person who exhibits competent business acumen, highly motivated and well connected in the community

Proven nancial, legal, human resources, marketing or communication skills

A person with a diverse background who represents the demographics of the Mornington Peninsula and who has strong local networks

Experience on Boards while desirable, is not essential.

This is a volunteer position with expenses paid upon approval by the Board.

As a Director you will be expected to attend Board meetings once a month and may be a member of at least one of the Boards sub-committees (Finance, Community Grants/sponsorships,

marketing and development and human resources). Your input into the strategic vision for business development and representing the Company at events is expected.

Training for Company Directors will be provided along with ongoing Bendigo and Adelaide Bank training and development programs and opportunities.

As an ambassador for the Community Bank, you must be committed to our business, which includes using our banking facilities personally and recommending our products and services to others.

Directors are required to undergo a Police check and sign a con dentiality agreement with the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.

If you have any enquiries about the role please contact Pam Ford (Human Resources) on 0408 05 06 17 or via email pam.ford@bigpond.com

Applications addressed to the Chairman Vic Rodwell v.rodwell@bigpond.com are to include an updated CV and a detailed cover letter.

Applications close 30 September 2015

WESTERN PORT COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES LIMITEDBENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK -HASTINGS BRANCH

DIRECTOR PART-TIME HONORARY POSITION

PAGE 12 Western Port News 8 September 2015

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IT might be getting to the pointy end of the season for the AFL, but players were not too busy when asked to sign surfboards for a charity auction.

The players stayed off the fi eld long enough to take turns with black mark-ers to autograph boards made in their team colours for the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula branch.

The auction for the 18 boards starts 2.30pm Sunday 13 September at the Baha taco and music bar, 2201 Point Nepean Rd, Rye.

Bids, starting at $650 a board, will be taken from the fl oor and over the phone. Unsold boards will be auc-tioned later on eBay.

The boards (including a Hawks premiership board) were made at the Trigger Brothers shop, Point Leo.

The 6ft 6in retro single fi n boards were shaped by Simon Forward, glassed by John Jolly and fi nished by Al Francis fi nishing. Burford supplied

the blanks and Nuplex the resins. The DSA hopes to raise $20,000

through the auction which will be spent on improving beach access for the disabled at Point Leo.

The Disabled Surfers Association was established over 25 years ago and has branches in every state.

The Mornington Peninsula branch each year holds several surfi ng days for people with any disability and works to improve access to the beaches.

More than100 disabled surfers and 300 volunteers attend the surfi ng days at Point Leo and other events are held by another DSA branch at Ocean Grove.

To fi nd out more about the DSAMP go http://disabledsurfers.org/vic/morning-peninsula-branch/

To bid for a board go to Baha on the day or register at www.fi rstreef.weebly.com

Keith Platt

Footy stars signing up for surfing

Signed up: Four of the footy boards to be auctioned to raise money for the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula branch with, from left, branch president Joe Hart, Rod Jones (Triple Rs Dr Surf), boardmaker Phil Trigger and committee member John Bowers.

THE state government last week warned Victorians about a long, hot and dry fi re season ahead but made no mention of a key driver of drier con-ditions and hotter temperatures across southeast Australia El Nino.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the El Nino weather pattern now building in the Pacifi c Ocean could be worse

than the record-breaker of 1997-98, which was one of the drivers of the so-called Millennium drought, which lasted from 1995 to 2010 in some parts of Australia.

The drought in Victoria broke in March 2010 when storms pounded the state but it was not declared over until after the fl oods of September that year.

Dams in the state were 70 per cent full by mid-2012, the highest level for 14 years.

Last week the bureau said the warm-ing of the sea surface in the equatorial Pacifi c Ocean was a key indicator of El Nino conditions. It would bring lower rainfall on the east coast and southern Australia.

Last Wednesday, Victorias Emer-

gency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the Southern Aus-tralia Seasonal Bushfi re Outlook 2015-16 predicted an above normal fi re season with an increased bushfi re risk for Victoria.

The government said it had allocated more than $20 million [for] a fl eet of specialist fi refi ghting aircraft to help

keep communities safe this summer.Almost 50 aircraft, including two

large air tankers (the fi rst one to arrive from the United States several years ago was dubbed Elvis), would be on hand to support emergency services.

Some aircraft would have infrared scanners to pick up hot spots not seen by the naked eye. Mike Hast

Early fire warning from government

NEWS DESK

Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 13

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Top turn: Despite the efforts of Adam Morris, Peninsula Surfriders Club has been relegated to B grade after coming fourth in Sundays Victorian Teams Title at Jan Juc.

TORQUAY Boardriders Club won its sixth consecutive Victorian Teams Title on Sunday at its home beach of Jan Juc.

Peninsula Surfriders Club came fourth, behind 13th Beach (second) and Portland (third).

Peninsula will be relegated to B grade for next years competition.

The event combines three divisions, Mens Skins, Womens and Teams requiring all clubs to have depth in their roster to take the win, Surf-ing Victorias Liam Robertson said.

Torquay had dominated the event, winning all three A grade divisions.

The Torquay team included two former World Tour competitors, Troy Brooks and Nic

Muscroft, Qualifying Series surfers, Cahill Bell-Warren and Jack Perry and under-16 Australian team member India Robinson.

In the B grade, South-West Boardriders Club (Warrnambool) came fi rst in front of Point Lonsdale.

South West will surf in A grade next year with Peninsula Surfriders Club being relegated to B grade.

Results:A grade: Torquay Boardriders Club, 5000

points; 13th Beach Boardriders, 4025; Portland Boardriders, 3450; Peninsula Surfriders, 3062.

B Grade: South West Boardriders Club, 4800 points; Pt Lonsdale Boardriders, 4425.

Peninsulas west coast loss

PAGE 14 Western Port News 8 September 2015

LETTERS

Debt, what debt?Barrie Hunt of Mt Eliza castigates the ALP for the Coalition governments current debt (ALPs debt problem Letters 25/8/15). I would remind him that there was a global fi nancial crisis a few years ago which this country sailed through with the ALP in government.

To save us from the woes that other coun-tries were, and still are, experiencing, the ALP showed it was a very good manager of the economy.

The Coalition won the election and told us that the adults were in charge now. It also rattled on about the debt it had been saddled with.

Having tried hard and not managing to con-vince the electorate, suddenly there is no eco-nomic emergency. So much so that tax cuts, the establishment of the Australian Border Force, with its mountainous costs and other schemes costing billions of dollars are waved through.

Is Barrie being a little naive in believing the guff put out by the Coalition?

Bill Payne, Rosebud

Sports risky timeWith the end of the winter sports season near-ing for a variety of sports, many clubs will be considering events such as last game functions, presentation nights, mad Mondays and trips away. Club administrators and participants need to be aware some of the dangers and legal issues that can be prevented.

Clubs need to ensure that any alcohol is served only on the days and at the times allowed in their liquor licence.

Failure to abide by these conditions may at-tract considerable fi nes, possible loss of licence and impact on the clubs income, not to mention poor publicity.

Club administrators need to meet with event organisers to discuss what is planned and iden-tify possible risks and measures to be taken to reduce those risks.

They should ensure no-one under 18 is sup-plied with alcohol by older players or offi cials and clearly explain what the club considers

acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.Unacceptable behaviours should include

drunkenness, damage to property, violence, drink driving, verbal abuse, harassment, any-thing that may bring the image of the club into disrepute and anything against the law.

A court in deciding whether a sporting club would be liable for an injury suffered by a play-er, or damage to property on an end of season trip or event will depend on the circumstances of each case.

Clubs could be liable if they promote and en-dorse these types of activities to their members and fail to warn to of possible risks.

It is no longer appropriate for heavy drinking and sport to go hand in hand, especially at the end of season functions.

Club administrators need to ask themselves: How would I feel if one of our members was

to die, or be seriously injured, as a result of an alcohol related incident run by my club?

Brian Nankervis, Mornington

Bay not too shallowBernie McCombs letter (Bay too shallow, The News 25/8/15) puts two and two together making fi ve again. The Suez Canal has been deepened to 24metres to take ultra large ships carrying oil/ore cargos, not the largest container ships which have a maximum draft of 14.0 me-tres. Again, to compete with Suez why? Our two trades are completely different.

The Western Port entrance channel is two-way and 500 metres wide between the buoys marking straight lines for shipping. There is deep water outside the buoys.

In the 1960s the entrance channel was sur-veyed, required depth was 14.9 metres, a bar

was towed between two tugs, it did not touch anything a declared minimum deep was prom-ulgated.

This channel could take vessels of 18.5metres draft with no dredging to Sandy Point (same draft as coal ships using Newcastle - do we want that trade? I certainly dont). The deepest draft vessel handled in any Victorian port was the BP Achiever on the 16 January 1986, which sailed from Western Port with a draft of 15.5metres.

The courageous Yes Minister type decision required to bring the 180 metre wide Great Ship Channel into Port Philip up to international standard to take 13 metre container ships envis-aged for Australia will undoubtedly increase the tidal range fl ooding many areas.

In the near future vessels will be dumping Victorian containers in Sydney and Adelaide. Businesses will move out of Victoria to reduce their costs, the shorter the land transport dis-tance the cheaper a product when it arrives at the consumer.

The Port Of Hastings Development Author-ity has a Western Port original chart showing natural depths.

Capt Dick Cox, former harbourmasterPort of Hastings

Over protectionThe attempt by our border protection force to randomly check peoples identifi cation smacks of Stalinism or Nazism in days gone by.

The MP for Flinders, Greg Hunt, is propos-ing in federal parliament to change laws that up until now enabled every Australian to have a say in the protection of our environment. Shame Mr Hunt and [Prime Minister Tony] Abbott.

Rupert Steiner, Balnarring Beach

Unwanted high-densityShire councillors from Briars Ward voted to support social housing over wildlife when they dealt with the South East Water application to rezone its old dam near Kunyung Rd, Mt Eliza, for housing late last month. The residents of Kunyung area have not been listened to.

By removing the private house dwelling

By Joan Yalden, U3A MorningtonTHE Mornington Peninsula has been recognised by the National Geograph-ic organisation as one of the most beautiful read must see regions of Australia.

Capitalising on this interest, with a focus on retired or semi-retired peo-ple, the University of the Third Age Mornington has launched fi ve short courses on the peninsulas history of development.

The courses bring together the various geological, botanical and cultural aspects of the history of the Mornington Peninsula, course coor-

dinator Eileen Wilson says. The fi rst course is about the physical

development of the peninsula from pre-European settlement to the pio-neers of the early settlement period. Things got off to a good start on Thursday 3 September at the U3A campus with talks by two guest speak-ers, Ms Wilson said.

Botanist, botanical illustrator and author Leon Costerman discussed the geological origins of the peninsula, and the various constituent landforms that have infl uenced the vegetation and human practices. He is the author of Native Trees and Shrubs of South-

Eastern Australia (1981). Boonwurrung man and archae-

ologist Adam Magennis, a cultural heritage advisor with Mornington Peninsula Shire, spoke on indigenous culture before European settlement.

Coming from a science back-ground, I have a strong interest in geology and eco-systems of fl ora and fauna, class member Lynette Wilks said. Having moved recently from the city to the Mornington Peninsula I now have the time to focus my inter-ests on the region.

U3A tutor Gill Condie said those who had lived on the peninsula all of

their lives would also enjoy the series. It continues throughout October and November discussing fl ora and fauna of the peninsula, bays and beaches, land use, art, culture and tourism.

Details: U3A Mornington Campus offi ce, Currawong St, Mornington, open 10am-2pm weekdays. Call 5975 9773 or visit u3amornington.com.au

History on filmA SHORT fi lm has been created look-ing at the history of Frankston from the early meetings of white settlers and local Aboriginals up until today. This three-minute-41-second produc-

tion A Brief History of Frankston is on Frankston TV and also online at frankston.tv/video/a-brief-history-of-frankston.

Hassan to speakSHERENE Hassan will speak at the WomenConnect lunch, 11.30am, Wednesday 16 September, at Frankston Arts Centre. The director of the Islamic Museum of Australia is a former vice president and secretary of the Islamic Council of Victoria. De-tails and bookings: info@frankston-chamber.com.au or call 9781 1422.

U3A explores history of the peninsula

Mornington PeninsulaNews Group 5983 6006 or 0414 925 587

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NEWS DESK

Western Port News 8 September 2015 PAGE 15

overlay we are now faced with a high-density development that will not meet the needs of open space or preserve the wildlife haven the old reservoir has become.

The shire must now come clean about the old reservoir. Its time we were told what the true story is. Whose interests are councillors Andrew Dixon, Anne Shaw and the mayor Bev Colomb actually advocating for?

To ignore SEW and the panel that recommend-ed not pursuing social housing and to ask the Minister for Planning to be part of a pilot project or some other social housing initiative is more than disappointing.

We have been let down massively, but waiting to vote the councillors out at the next elections will be too late. The horse will have bolted.

This council needs to understand that we dont want opportunist developments on every spare scrap of land.

We dont want social housing or to be part of experimental pilot projects. Equally we dont want mansions. No housing, full stop!

Residents moved to the area to avoid high-density housing and to raise our children or retire in a more natural, clean and quiet environ-ment where we see more than just cats, dogs and starlings.

Rates in the area have increased by more than $200 this year, so we deserve greater value or at least greater advocacy for that investment.

Councillors, if you want to seek responses from relevant parties, come to the reservoir at dusk and hear from those that matter the most.

Rebecca Taylor, Kunyung Residents Group,Mt Eliza

Taxes for the richThe non-action on the super tax on tax-free income fl ows of over $100,000 is obvious.

If there were a tax placed on these earnings (more than most working Australians make) the politicians would have to take a hit being as their entitlements include (in addition to helicopter rentals) a huge pension which delivers well over the $100,000 no tax cap.

According to Treasurer Joe Hockey, who used the lowering interest rates as a reason to not

implement this tax, you would have to have $5 million invested (at 2 per cent) to get $100,000 income.

The logic for those at the bottom of the food chain is that after an asset test you are not eligi-ble for the pension. The theory being that you can cash in your assets to live.

Not so for the politicians and the top end of town.

Oh, I almost forgot that the Abbott govern-ment scrapped the super co-contribution for low income people used to be $1000 under Labor, reduced to $500 under Abbott.

Another oxymoron: The Abbot government is the government of the people, however, if we insert the word rich before people it is no longer an oxymoron.

Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach

Right to objectThe lastest attempts by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to try and renew the dredging around Abbot Point [Queensland], build a railway to the port site and start the proposed Carmichael coal mine has been boosted by our Minister for the Environment [Flinders MP Greg Hunt], with his plans to put before Parliament a proposal to prevent Australians objecting to the mine, unless they are living near the proposed site.

The mining of coal (carbon) and the burning of same will seriously add to the carbon content of our atmosphere, worldwide.

The minister should remember that climate change is the responsibility of every human, no matter where they might live.

I strongly object that an extremely wealthy Indian national should be given preferential treatment by silencing most Australians. If the minister does not realise this, or realise that coal equals climate change, he should resign.

With electronic means of communication, we have a vast amount of knowledge at our disposal. To suggest for one moment we should not express our opinions, even if we live in an-other state, about protecting our environment is absurd. Peter Strickland, Balnarring

Climate for firesThe determination of Environment Minister and Flinders MP Greg Hunt to permit the Carmichael coal mine to proceed astounds me.

Once these coal deposits are developed fi nan-cial interests will ensure that they continue to be mined long after even [Prime Minister] Tony Abbott has recognised the devastating effects of man-made climate change.

In February 2009 173 Victorians, half of them children, lost their lives to bushfi res driven by 100 kph winds and an ambient temperature of 47 degrees.

I believe that due to the decisions of people like Mr Hunt to delay action on the issue of global warming in support of the coal industry, bushfi res like those in 2009 will become more frequent and even more severe, killing many more men, women and children.

I wonder how he would feel about deaths resulting from a bushfi re caused by an extreme weather event.

Peter Holt, Somerville

Marriage problemThe problem confronting me today is marriage. What does it mean?

To most of us marriage involves two people, one male, one f