Press Releases
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Guy Coalition Government ‘WILL’ Not Narrow Beach Road
April 09, 2018
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Where is the independent safety audit report?
March 21, 2018
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Crime up in Victoria - Residents in fear
March 15, 2018
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Stay Safe by the Water
March 06, 2018
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Stay Safe by the Water
March 06, 2018
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Grade Separation at the Park Road Level Crossing - Government could not organise a chook raffle
March 05, 2018
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Making Victorians Safe Within Community Hubs
March 01, 2018
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Clean Up Australia Day 2018
February 27, 2018
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Reliable Power Supply for Victorians
February 07, 2018
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SANDRINGHAM GOLF LINKS
February 01, 2018
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Fire threatens homes in Cheltenham and destroys home in Sandringham
December 28, 2017
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Lock up your house!
December 21, 2017
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STOP THE NARROWING OF BEACH ROAD
November 22, 2017
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100th Anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba
October 31, 2017
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VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING BILL 2017 - OPENING SPEECH
October 17, 2017
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101 Victorian Oncologists AGAINST the proposed Victorian Assisted Dying Bill 2017
September 20, 2017
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Local Member slams massive increase in crime in the Bayside region
August 30, 2017
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$140 Million funding boost for Palliative Care
August 23, 2017
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Bayside Bay Trail
August 10, 2017
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“Lunacy” according to key stakeholder
August 07, 2017
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Protecting the Heritage and Maintaining the Contribution of the Beaumaris RSL
August 07, 2017
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Beaumaris RSL Parliamentary Debate 22 February 2017
August 04, 2017
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Funding Boost for Sandringham Electorate Sporting Clubs
June 28, 2017
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FUNDING BOOST FOR SANDRINGHAM ELECTORATE VOLUNTEERS
June 19, 2017
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Crime Increasing in Kingston
June 15, 2017
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Crime Increasing in Bayside
June 15, 2017
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Flooding Issues on the Sandringham Line
June 01, 2017
The Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson today called upon the Minister for Public Transport to allocate funds to address flooding issues at the Prahran railway station. Recently multiple services have been cancelled on the Sandringham line due to flooding which has severely delayed railway commuters. The inconvenience caused to Sandringham electorate residents as a consequence of not being able to meet personal, work, school, or medical appointments is significant.
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Ban of Synthetic Drugs
April 07, 2017
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Plan For More Action
March 28, 2017
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PLAN TO ERADICATE ONGOING GRAFFITI ATTACKS IN HAMPTON
March 21, 2017
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MORE COMMUTER CAR PARKING NEEDED AT MENTONE AND CHELTENHAM STATIONS
March 07, 2017
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Victory for Community Advocacy
February 20, 2017
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Protecting residential amenity
December 23, 2016
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Cost Benefit Analysis for Grade Separation Works on the Frankston Line
December 21, 2016
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Anti-Skyrail Rally at Victorian Parliament
December 16, 2016
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MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT MAKING A STAND
December 14, 2016
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LATROBE STREET MENTONE CROSSING
November 24, 2016
Yesterday the Member for Sandringham, Murray Thompson, raised the following Constituency Question in the Victorian Parliament:-
My constituency question is directed to the Minister for Public Transport. The Latrobe Street crossing in Mentone on the Frankston line is a very important local transport conduit. It distributes traffic better within the area, providing access to Nepean Highway and the local suburbs of Cheltenham and Mentone and whenever Balcombe Road might be built up. In traffic it provides another traffic course. My question to the Minister for Public Transport is: will the minister take into account the weight of public opinion and the importance of continuing to provide transport access routes as Melbourne's population doubles rather than seeing the closure of the crossing as a good outcome, which has been mooted in some public discussions?
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STATEMENT FROM THE MEMBER FOR SANDRINGHAM
November 23, 2016
On Monday night I informed my local electorate conference that I do not intend to seek a further term as the Member for Sandringham at the November 2018 State Election.
It has been a great honour to serve the people of Sandringham for over 24 years in the Victorian Parliament.
I am proud to have been a member of three reforming Liberal National Governments that grew and strengthened the Victorian economy, developed export markets and built infrastructure to enable the provision of world-class services including the important areas of health, education and public transport. More than $1 billion has been expended in services and infrastructure provision in the Sandringham electorate during my time as the member.
It has been an extraordinary privilege to have the opportunity to give voice to the concerns of individuals and groups in my electorate that otherwise would not have been heard. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the myriad of constituents and community groups that I have worked with to make the Sandringham electorate a better place to live and raise a family.
Highlights of my time as the Member for Sandringham have been securing funding for ongoing health services at Sandringham Hospital, pivotal advocacy for development of the Sandringham Police Station, the rebuilding of Hampton Beach, establishing a marine sanctuary at Ricketts Point, re-opening the New Street gates (in concert with the Member for Brighton),achieving the implementation of height controls in Mentone and neighbourhood amenity protection for 83% of Bayside, campaigning for Mental Health Services in the Middle South, provision of public open space at the CSIRO land in Highett together with the Federal Member, establishing the Bay Trail Bike Path, building coastal infrastructure, supporting heritage protection for Mentone Station and Gardens and the Mentone Hotel, protecting Black Rock House and supporting grounds expansion, supporting Zone 1 and 2 travel for the cost of a Zone 1 fare and leveraging a record election commitment in 2014 from the Liberal Nationals for investment in schools in Sandringham and Beaumaris together with the Melbourne Cricket Club.
Events co-convened include:-
• Visit to Victorian Parliament by Lech Walesa, Nobel Prize Winner, Time Man of the Year, former President of Poland and Gdansk Shipyard worker attributed as being a key catalyst in the fall of the Iron Curtain.
• Marking the 200th Anniversary of the 1807 abolition of the Slave Trade through the presentation of the Wilberforce Awards at the Victorian Parliament.
• Marking the 150th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address.
• Working with members of Victoria’s multicultural and wider communities to recognise the best ‘Home Grown’ and ‘Mediterranean’ productive backyard gardens in Melbourne.I am particularly proud of the legislative reforms that were initiated through discussions with members of the community in my electorate office such as changing the law to allow Victoria Police to question offenders currently serving prison sentences.
During my time in the Victorian Parliament, I have been privileged to serve as a Shadow Minister in various portfolios including Housing, Veterans, Aboriginal and Multicultural Affairs as well as undertake strong committee work as Chairman of the Law Reform and Road Safety committees.
I would like to thank my parliamentary colleagues and all members of the Liberal Party who have sought to advance our values to make Victoria and our Nation a better place.
I thank my hard working staff for their front line support to so many constituents and helping to wisely navigate best possible outcomes. Their dedication and loyalty is deeply valued.I will continue to serve alongside my Parliamentary colleagues as the Member for Sandringham until the next state election and look forward to supporting the election of a Liberal Nationals Coalition Government under the leadership of Matthew Guy in 2018.
Finally, my greatest thanks go to my wife Theana and children Alex, Alithea and Theo who have supported me steadfastly and sacrificially so that I could better serve the people of Sandringham and the State of Victoria.
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Frankston line elevated rail proposal
November 16, 2016
The Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson delivered the following Adjournment Debate in the Parliament of Victoria:
Frankston line elevated rail proposalMr THOMPSON (Sandringham)—(11 950) The
matter I wish to raise this evening is for the attention of
the Minister for Public Transport, and the action I seek
is clarification by her of statements made earlier in the
year that there will be no sky rail on the Frankston line
and the comments by Kevin Devlin, the head of the
Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) to a
Committee for Economic Development of Australia
(CEDA) function on 4 November 2016, as reported in
the Age newspaper of 5 November, that:… the ‘best outcome’ for commuters might involve upsetting
locals who don’t want sky rail.The issue regarding improved public transport
infrastructure is a very important one for the people of
Melbourne, not just on the Frankston line but also in
other areas of Melbourne, as Melbourne’s population is
projected to grow to more than double its present size
over the next 30 years or thereabouts. There are a
number of anomalies in relation to public transport
infrastructure provision that I alluded to in the house
earlier today, including the lack of provision for car
parking into the future. The plans modelled for the
Mentone and Cheltenham railway stations, on my
reading, are quite explicit: there will not be one new car
park provided beyond maintaining the existing number
of car parks. This is an extraordinary position given
population growth. One of the most frequent concerns
raised by people within my electorate, and I understand
across Melbourne, has been the lack of parking
provision. There was a $20 million fund announced at
the last election by the government but that will spread
very thinly over metropolitan Melbourne with a couple
of hundred stations concerned.
The matter that I have drawn attention to and seek
response from the minister on relates to the very keen
community input. I have attended community debates
and forums put on by the LXRA and met with local
traders and local residents, and the overwhelming
weight of community opinion regarding the new
railway infrastructure is that the trench method, or
cut-and-cover method, is one that is strongly favoured
into the future. There is a concern about the economic
modelling that will be used and the amortisation of
costs, whether it be over 50 or 100 years, to produce the
best result, and that elevated rail will cost more. I look
forward to the minister responding to this very, very
important issue that is of great interest to members of
the community along the Frankston railway line and
more particularly within the areas of the Sandringham
electorate at Cheltenham and Mentone.On that same day, the following extract from his contribution to the Transport Integration amendment (Head, Transport for Victoria and other Governance Reforms) Bill 2016 was also delivered in the Parliament of Victoria:
I would now like to return to the comments of
Mr Kevin Devlin as reported in the Age newspaper of
5 November. They were comments made to a
Committee for Economic Development of Australia
(CEDA) function on 4 November 2016:… hinting that the ‘best outcome’ for commuters might
involve upsetting locals who don’t want sky rail.I place that comment in contrast to statements made by
the federal member for Isaacs on 13 June 2016 when
there was the republication of a statement by the
Minister for Public Transport, as I understand, that
there will be no sky rail along the Frankston line. I seek
clarification really on this very important point in the
summary of this debate: will there be sky rail on the
Frankston line or will there not be sky rail on the
Frankston line? A new turn of phrase has entered the
debate—sky bridges, rail bridges—but if you add the
distance in Cheltenham of a sky bridge and then the
distance in Mentone of a sky bridge, you get over
2 kilometres of elevated rail. The juxtaposition of those
remarks by the federal member for Isaacs with the
statement by the head of the Level Crossing Removal
Authority (LXRA) will send panic into the minds of
many, many people who will be adversely affected by a
policy that they did not have the opportunity to vote
upon. They did not have the opportunity to choose
whether there would be a sky rail. -
Sandringham Electorate
November 16, 2016
The Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson delivered the following Constituency Question in the Parliament of Victoria:
Sandringham electorateMr THOMPSON (Sandringham)—(11 967) My
constituency question is directed to the Minister for
Public Transport. My question to the minister is: does
the government have any plans to expand car parking
around Sandringham electorate railway stations? The
lack of parking, with Melbourne’s population doubling
over the next 30 years, is a major, major issue. There is
a massive shortage of parking at the Sandringham,
Highett, Cheltenham and Mentone railway stations,
which has forced elderly residents at times to park up to
a kilometre away from the stations. With Melbourne’s
population projected to double, there being no increase
in parking in the Sandringham electorate is a grievous
issue for many people. I would welcome the advice of
the minister in relation to the Sandringham electorate
specifically. -
Media Release: Beaumaris High School tree removal works : Constituency Question and Adjournment
October 26, 2016
The Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson delivered the following speeches in the Parliament of Victoria:
CONSTITUENCY QUESTION - Sandringham electorateMr THOMPSON (Sandringham)—(11 857) My question is to the Minister for Education. Last Tuesday I wrote to the Premier and the Minister for Education on behalf of many members of the Beaumaris community, calling for a cessation of tree-removal works at the Beaumaris High School site pending better consultation with key stakeholders, which include the Bayside council, the Beaumaris Conservation Society, site neighbours, the wider Beaumaris community and local members of Parliament. The Herald Sun reports today that the president of the Beaumaris Conservation Society told the crowd that contractors had agreed to stop work until community consultation had taken place. But the Education Minister said the trees would need to go as the government pushed ahead with its commitment to build a new secondary school for 650 students.
I ask the minister: will there be a genuine consultation process or has it been overruled, noting that reinvestment in the Beaumaris High School site is supported by everyone and must carefully balance the interests of the school, the sporting co-contributor and the local community?
ADJOURNMENT - Beaumaris Secondary College
Mr THOMPSON (Sandringham)—(11 871) The matter I wish to raise is for the attention of the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for him to direct the Victorian School Building Authority and the school working group for the new Beaumaris high school to meet with the Bayside council, the Beaumaris Conservation Society, adjoining residential and community group neighbours and members of the wider Beaumaris community, including local members, to consult on the new school. Reinvestment in the Beaumaris high school site is supported by everyone and must carefully balance the interests of the school, the Melbourne Cricket Club as the sporting co-investor, philanthropic purposes and the local community. Beaumaris is defined by its trees, and it is argued by many that no tree should be removed without specific justification for works to proceed or an independent analysis of the arborist’s report.
Last week I also posed a number of questions to the government: one, which trees are being removed; two, is the arborist’s report available for independent review; three, have abutting property owners been consulted; and four, where is the final landscaping plan available for inspection? I also posed the question of whether representatives from the department and the government would meet with members of the local community last Thursday. What scope is there for wider local community input into site development and access? What community access is planned? Finally, will the government, the school building authority and the school working group commit to there being no tree removal by chainsaw until more detailed community consultation has taken place with the wider Beaumaris community and other community groups aforementioned?At the last election the coalition committed to the greatest level of capital investment in the site for education and sporting purposes. The hard work of many good people in the community and the bipartisan support for reinvestment ought be acknowledged in order to take the project strongly forward.
The action that I seek, again on behalf of members of the Beaumaris community, is for there to be detailed consultation. I note that a number of years ago there were community group discussions but the final proposals have not been clearly presented to stakeholder groups. There are unique environmental features that start with the Balcombe Park precinct and a watercourse that flows down through the school in which there are some self-sown red gums and also, according to the advice of the Beaumaris Conservation Society’s arborist, a 200-year-old red gum. It has been commented by a member for Southern Metropolitan Region in the other place that you cannot buy a 200-year-old red gum at Bunnings. There are many values that need to be preserved within the precinct to realise the dream of many.
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HALT THE CHAIN SAWS - REMOVAL OF TREES FROM THE BEAUMARIS HIGH SCHOOL SITE
October 19, 2016
The Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson calls upon the Andrews’ Labor Government to immediately cease its scorched earth approach to the removal of natural vegetation from the Beaumaris High School site at the corner of Reserve Road and Balcombe Road Beaumaris and to properly consult with the Beaumaris Community.
The destruction of 229 trees including 200 year old River Red Gums without proper community consultation must not be tolerated.Following the meeting held in the school grounds at 5.00 pm on Tuesday the 18th October 2016 the Beaumaris community seeks answers to the following questions:-
1. Which trees are being removed?
2. Is the arborist’s report available for independent review?
3. Have abutting property owners been consulted?
4. Where is the final landscaping plan available for inspection?
5. Will representatives from the department and the Government meet with members of the local Community on Thursday 20 October 2016 at the school (Balcombe Rd. entrance) at 5.30 pm and again at 7pm to explain the landscaping plan?
6. What scope is there for wider local community input into site development and access? What community access is planned?
7. Will the Government, the School Building Authority and the school working group commit to no chain saw tree removal until more detailed community consultation has taken place with the wider Beaumaris community, Council and local MP's?The Chair of the New School Planning Group has stated that “We are committed to replacing any removed vegetation with a minimum of 2 to 1”.
Such a program will not replace the 200 year old River Red Gums and other mature vegetation which provides an important corridor habitat for native birds and wild life. Such trees are not available at Bunnings.
Beaumaris is defined by its trees. No trees should be removed without specific justification for works to proceed or on the basis of independent analysis of the arborist’s report.
Reinvestment in the Beaumaris High School site, which is supported by everyone, must carefully balance the interests of the school, the MCC and the local community.
Yesterday I invited the Minister for Education or his delegates to attend a meeting on the Beaumaris school site on Thursday 20 October 2016 at 5.30 pm (and again at 7.00 pm) with members and representatives of the local community to outline and discuss relevant arborist reports, landscape plans, requirement for tree removal and replanting options for the site and related issues prior to the chainsaws starting.
All interested stakeholders are welcome to attend.
Unless satisfactory answers are received to the above questions I invite the Beaumaris community to attend a community protest at the school from 6.45 am on Monday the 24 October 2016 to HALT THE CHAIN SAWS.
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Rising Crime in Bayside and Kingston
October 10, 2016
Murray Thompson, Member for Sandringham today called upon the Victorian Government to stop the rising crime in the Bayside and Kingston region of Melbourne.
According to the latest crime statistics for this quarter, crime in the Bayside region of Melbourne rose by 16.2%. In the previous quarter for Kingston crime rose by 19%.
The recent carjacking at Southland shopping centre and violent robberies at local supermarkets strikes home the frightening reality of the rising tide of lawlessness across Melbourne.
Mr Thompson demanded that “the Victorian Government must act now to restore a sense of safety in our homes, on our streets and in our shopping centres”.
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LACK OF ADEQUATE CAR PARKING AT SANDRINGHAM ELECTORATE STATIONS
September 22, 2016
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Charles Slucki
September 21, 2016
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Spring into your local Op Shop
September 20, 2016
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Grade Separation of Road and Rail
September 08, 2016
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Train Cancellations on the Frankston and Sandringham lines
August 30, 2016
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Height limit for the Mentone Activity Centre
August 17, 2016
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Crime increasing in Bayside
July 12, 2016
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Crime increasing in Kingston
July 11, 2016
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FUTURE COALITION GOVERNMENT COMMITS TO ONGOING 24/7 ED SERVICES AT SANDRINGHAM HOSPITAL
May 11, 2016
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LOCAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM NEEDED
April 26, 2016
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Call to ban all synthetic cannabis
April 14, 2016
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Sandringham Electorate School Funding
March 30, 2016
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Crime Increasing in Bayside and Kingston
March 22, 2016
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Bayside Residents Beware
March 11, 2016
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Clean Up Australia Day 2016
March 02, 2016
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Sandringham College Opening of New Discovery Centre
March 01, 2016
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Keep Mentone Marvellous
February 15, 2016
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2016 Telstra Australian Business Awards
February 03, 2016
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Beaumaris RSL site
December 21, 2015
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Shut down cruel & illegal breeder establishments
December 18, 2015
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Mentone Cricket Club receives boost for new equiptment
December 16, 2015
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Highett Bowls Club
November 23, 2015
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Sandringham Croquet Club
October 01, 2015
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Defibrillators for Sporting Clubs
October 01, 2015
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Blue Ribbon Day
September 22, 2015
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Local History Grant for Beaumaris Primary School
August 20, 2015
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VicHealth Active Club Grants
August 17, 2015
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Second Container Port
August 14, 2015
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Telstra Business Award - Kathy Nunn
July 17, 2015
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Mentone Hotel added to Victorian Heritage Register
June 23, 2015
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East West Link Compensation
June 16, 2015
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Budget Statement
May 06, 2015
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Funding Certainty for Preschools
May 05, 2015
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Labor Fails to Deliver Vital Funding for Sandringham East Primary School
April 10, 2015
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Recommendations for the Mentone Hotel
March 16, 2015
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Mentone Hotel
November 10, 2014
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Napthine Government delivers a Better Bay Plan for Sandringham
November 03, 2014
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Cheltenham company awarded R&D voucher to innovate, develop & grow
October 31, 2014
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Beaumaris sports facilities funded through unique Coalition Government partnership
October 29, 2014
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Innovative bicycle treatment to be delivered in Black Rock
October 27, 2014
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Continuing improvements to Sandringham Hospital performance
October 22, 2014
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A cleaner bay for the Sandringham electorate
October 16, 2014
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Four new jobs, export boost for Cheltenham
October 16, 2014
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Coalition’s $13 million election commitment for Sandringham College
October 15, 2014
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Discounts for working seniors in the Sandringham electorate
October 15, 2014
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Coalition unveils major $13 million investment for Sandringham College
October 13, 2014
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Commuters win - railway car parks for their use only
October 13, 2014
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Mentone protected by new development controls
October 13, 2014
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$10,000 grant to connect Sandringham Primary School students with Chinese peers
October 09, 2014
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Sandringham electorate set for facility boost
October 09, 2014
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Mentone Station now improved thanks to the $115 million Frankston line upgrade
October 09, 2014
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Coalition Government announces Half Moon Bay catwalk to be rebuilt
October 02, 2014
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New mental health and police response kicks off at Monash Health for Sandringham residents
September 24, 2014
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New emergency department at Sandringham opens
September 24, 2014
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Kingston CCTV camera help keep community safer
September 23, 2014
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Celebrating the big difference small business makes
September 22, 2014
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Government helps inform Cheltenham Small Businesses
September 19, 2014