Nepean’s Redistribution

Photo credits Phoebe Billing

Following the coast of the Mornington Peninsula and crossing through the lush bush of Red Hill to the bay of Somers, the Nepean district currently covers about 429.91 square kilometres of the Mornington Peninsula, but is being redistributed by this November election.  

Members of the Somers and Balnarring townships, which together have a population of about 4,000 people according to the 2021 census, will now be redistributed to the Hastings District. 

The Nepean state seat is currently held by Labor MP Chris Brayne who won the State Election in 2018, breaking a historic pattern of Liberal victory. 

Previously, the seat of Nepean had only been held by the Labor Party once before in the last 100 years, from 1982 to 1986. 

The Nepean district falls under one of Victoria's 12 green wedge zones, a protection placed on non-urban land which restricts the certain kind of development that can take place in the area. 

Currently this green wedge status is being disputed, Brayne says  that the push to make the Mornington Peninsula a part of Regional Victoria will override its green wedge status. 

“The push for the Mornington Peninsula to become regional is coming from business lobby groups,” says Brayne, “We can not allow for this to happen in order to retain the green wedge.”

In a press release from March 11, 2022, former Flinders MP and Health Minister Greg Hunt and eight Liberal members issued a joint statement saying, “The Mornington Peninsula's sacred green wedge classification has come under threat.”

Also saying that it was “openly threatened that the Victorian government would act to rescind the Mornington Peninsula green wedge if the decision to classify the area as regional is approved”.

The release said that classifying the Peninsula as regional would only “Secure regional funding for regional problems’. 

Liberal Member Sam Groth who is running to contest the seat of Nepean also had his name on this media release.

In a facebook post on March 11, Groth said, “I am a strong supporter of the Mornington Peninsula being designated as regional whilst maintaining protections for the green wedge.”

Since being elected in 2018, Brayne has made addressing the Mornington Peninsulas public transport crisis one of his major priorities as listed on his profile via the Victorian Government website. 

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council says, “Public Transport on the Mornington Peninsula is suffering greatly from a prolonged legacy of under-investment.”

Currently the Mornington Peninsula has the second lowest provision of public transport per person in metropolitan Melbourne and 82% of the community has no access to public transport, says a study conducted by the Shire Council. 

When asked how he would change this, Brayne said, “It's not an easy solution”. “The best public transport we can have is buses.” 

Brayne says that the frequency of buses is where the issue mostly lies, that’s why the FlexiRide on demand bus service was implemented in February of this year to the 787 route which services Sorrento to Rosebud. 

If re-elected Braynes next step would be to possibly introduce a cross peninsula bus service, “it's the next piece of the puzzle.”

Both Liberal candidate for Nepean Sam Groth and sitting MP Chris Brayne list the need for better facilities and funding for Mornington Peninsula schools  in their separate profiles on the Victorian Government website. 

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 13 770 families had children under the age of 15 or dependent students enrolled in education facilities on the Mornington Peninsula. 

“Mornington Peninsula schools miss out on funding,” said Brayne. Also saying he feels “obligated” to ensure that these schools are rebuilt with “New modern facilities” that are “Fit for purpose”. 

Brayne says these facilities are “An absolute necessity” and will “Give students the opportunity to succeed”. 

The upgrades of Rosebud Primary School, Dromana Primary School and Rosebud Secondary are already underway. 

Liberal Candidate Sam Groth has supported Matthew Guy’s $3.2 million commitment “To upgrade Somers Primary School as part of our plan to Recover. Rebuild” a release on Matthew Guys webpage said. 

“Now, more than ever, parents need certainty and the confidence their children will not fall further behind at school, which includes having the best facilities available,” the release said. 

Groth, a former professional tennis player who currently holds the record for the world's fastest tennis serve, turned politician has outlined that upgrading the Rosebud Hospital with a $340 million investment is a main priority. 

Rosebud Hospital is the only Hospital in the Nepean District.

“Health as always is a huge issue and our commitment to Rosebud Hospital is being well received,” said Groth in a Facebook post. 

When asked why members of Nepean should vote for him, Chris Brayne said “We on the Mornington Peninsula have been taken for granted,” urging voters to “Use this role to get stuff done”. 

Sam Groth was unavailable for comment.

Another Version Published via The Junction https://junctionjournalism.com/2022/08/29/nepeans-redistribution/