It is a company profile of Mornington Peninsula News Group, a locally owned and independent media business established in 2006. According to that text, the group publishes five weekly community newspapers, including the Western Port News, Mornington News and Frankston Times, along with two glossy magazines, Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids. Because the material provides no details about the shopping centre, the fire, its closure or any response by authorities, no summary of those events can be reliably written from it.
Police are investigating after Victorian emergency services minister Paul Edbrooke found a bullet on his car on Saturday. The bullet was inscribed with the word RAT and his old firefighter number. Mr Edbrooke called it a death threat and said he had reported it to police. The United Firefighters Union condemned the threat and asked police to find the person responsible. Union secretary Peter Marshall later questioned whether the bullet had been placed on the car at all. Victoria Police said its Security Investigation Unit is investigating.
An artificial intelligence system fitted to an RACV roadside assistance van has detected more than 300 road defects across 1,000 kilometres of Victorian roads. The system, called RoughSense, was developed by RMIT University and tested with RACV. It identifies cracking, rutting and emerging potholes as the van completes its normal duties. The highest concentration of defects was found along the Frankston-Flinders Road corridor. Researchers are still assessing the system's accuracy, and the trial runs until January 2027.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
The Local Paper network publishes localised editions across Melbourne, Victoria and selected country areas, with around 40 local editions in total. The publication is produced by Local Media Pty Ltd and is not associated with any other newspaper group. The Melbourne Observer, established in 1969, appears inside each issue and includes several special-interest supplements. The page also sets out the company's office details, the network's editions and heritage titles, and its registered business names. Local Media Pty Ltd claims intellectual property rights over its trading entities and warns that unauthorised use may attract substantial penalties.
The Local Paper network publishes localised editions across Melbourne, Victoria and selected country areas, with its North-West edition covering suburbs such as Brimbank, Hume, Melton and Wyndham. The page is largely publisher information, including office addresses, subscription and classified contacts, editorial standards and a list of the company's websites, registered business names and local newspaper titles. It states that the publisher is bound by the Standards of Practice of the Australian Press Council and that complaints may be made in writing.
PLOS Musical Productions will stage Grease at the Frankston Arts Centre from December 31 to January 10. It is the first of the company's The Next Generation productions. The musical follows young love at Rydell High and includes familiar songs such as Greased Lightnin' and You're the One That I Want. A cast is supported by crews working on lighting, sound, music, make-up, costumes and staging. Performances are scheduled across several afternoons and evenings.
Payal Tiwari, a 45-year-old engineer and former management consultant, is the Greens' candidate for the Victorian state election in the Labor-held seat of Kalkallo. She moved to Australia as a child in 1991 and has worked with organisations addressing family violence. Tiwari's priorities include a Beveridge train station, a hospital at Cloverton, and a high school, citing under-representation of multicultural communities in Victorian politics.
Mornington Lions Club has donated $5000 to the peninsula branch of the Blue Ribbon Foundation. The money helps pay for two new ultrasound machines at Frankston Hospital. The cheque was presented at Mornington Police Station on 16 October. The Lions Club raised the funds for Blue Ribbon Day, held on 29 September, which honours Victoria Police members who have died in the line of duty. Foundation president Rhon Nation said the donation helped the group reach its target. The foundation has given Frankston Hospital more than $1 million over fifteen years.
Bushfires could cost Australia $181bn over the next three decades unless homes are protected and fire risks are cut, a group of former emergency service chiefs has warned. The Emergency Leaders for Climate Action is calling on state and federal governments to fund a national fire-ready plan. A key recommendation is funding to help homeowners retrofit at-risk homes to national bushfire standards, at an estimated average cost of $39,466 per home. The group's founder, Greg Mullins, said the costs could be vastly reduced through investment in prevention.
Melbourne's large retail car parks, including Bunnings sites and shopping centre edges, are being examined as possible housing locations. The state wants 60,000 new homes near public transport, jobs and services. Monash University's Liz Taylor says parking spaces directly trade off against housing. Urbis's Hamish McKnight says market conditions, construction costs and borrowing costs are the biggest constraints. Building apartments above operating shopping centres is possible but among the most expensive options.
A growing number of Victorian councils are moving to ban smart glasses from pools, childcare centres, playgrounds and recreation centres. Sixteen of the state's 79 local authorities are investigating or introducing such measures. Frankston City Council has resolved to look at further restrictions, and the City of Melbourne has installed signs prohibiting smart glasses at its pools and recreation facilities. Disability advocates want exceptions for people with accessibility needs. Behavioural scientist Stephen Fisher says signs and bans are unlikely to deter people who intend to harass or secretly record women.
Wheelchair user and bike rider Dion Woodward has invited State Election candidates in Frankston, Carrum and Hastings to experience the difficulties of a missing shared user path link along Fletcher Road. He says paths often end suddenly, crossings are difficult and busy traffic makes trips unsafe, including for support workers. A connection there would close one of the largest gaps in Frankston's network, linking the city centre with education and health destinations. Frankston City Council has committed $5.85 million to five shared user path projects, including Fletcher Road, and is asking candidates to match that funding.
Two Frankston City Council waste projects have been selected as finalists in the 2026 Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards. The council is a finalist for Community Engagement Success of the Year, for its rollout of the FOGO food and garden organic bin service, and for the Operational Excellence Award, for the Frankston Regional Recycling Recovery Centre. Since the FOGO service began, food waste in red household bins has fallen by 20 per cent, and less than 1 per cent of FOGO bin waste is contaminated. The awards gala will be held on Thursday 29 October.
Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Stephen Batty and local psychologist Danielle Jacobs have started a petition calling for urgent safety upgrades at three busy Mt Eliza intersections. The intersections are Volitans Avenue, Mount Eliza Way and Baden Powell Drive. The petition, addressed to the Victorian Parliament, seeks independent safety audits, a review of speed limits, signage, line marking, lighting, vegetation and sightlines, and a clear timetable for any recommendations. Batty said the intersections needed fixing and could not wait. Jacobs said the petition was about neighbours and asked residents to sign and share it.
A community group has questioned the Victorian government’s transparency after the Planning Minister failed to respond to a request for information about changes to a planning permit. Save Our Seat sought details about changes to the Arthurs Seat Eagle’s luge permit conditions, which were reportedly modified before final approval. The group claims the government is withholding information about the process, raising concerns about accountability. The state government declined to comment on the lack of response.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
A men's style guide has picked 10 boat shoes for summer, from classic leather designs to chunkier modern styles. Boat shoes were first made for sailors and are now a common summer choice for smart-casual outfits. The list includes options for offices, weekends and different budgets. Suede styles need extra care around water. The picks are based on product research rather than hands-on testing of every pair.
Greeks in Dandenong marked OXI Day despite rain, holding the annual event organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong and Surrounding Areas. Bad weather moved the wreath-laying ceremony inside the Church of Saint Panteleimon, but the emotional tone remained strong as people honoured those who resisted fascism. Students from the community's Greek School took part, with poems and traditional dances. Community president Stefanos Karamoschos and school principal Niki Farfara Paschou spoke about freedom, dignity and the value of preserving the Greek language.
A four-bedroom home on a 4.71ha bushland property at Macclesfield, in the Dandenong Ranges foothills, has been listed for private sale. Price expectations sit between $2.9m and $3.1m. The property at 88 Kirkpatricks Road has been renovated and extended over two decades by its owner, Paige Fleming, working with architect Mark Burns. Features include landscaped gardens and a black infinity edge pool. Barry Plant Emerald agent Justin Barrot is handling the sale.
The Block host Scott Cam says contestants are heading into the finale with old grudges and fresh revelations. Cam, who will host the auction, said the five Mount Eliza homes each carry a $3.45 million reserve. He said the production team apologised on air after wrongly stating that one couple had overspent their budget, but believes the fallout went further than needed. Cam said he has no idea which team will do well on auction day, as past winners have surprised him. The next season will be filmed at a heritage-listed former asylum in Sunbury.
Workers at eight Victorian councils have rejected a pay offer, continuing protected industrial action that has disrupted services. The councils, including Hume and Merri-bek, are in multi-employer bargaining with unions. The rejected offer included wage increases tied to the rate cap and a $1200 transition payment. The Australian Services Union reported a 98 per cent rejection rate among its members, leading to strike action and service disruptions.
Tensions among The Block contestants are running high ahead of auction day at the Mount Eliza properties. Woman's Day reports that the five teams are divided after months of rivalries, and that end-of-season celebrations have reportedly become chaotic, with separate after-parties being organised. Jolene is reportedly trying to reconnect with Courtney and Sev, while Lisa is said to be less willing. Wyatt and Chantel have reportedly stayed on the Gold Coast, and Rick and Tayla are said to have received encouragement from producers, which some contestants have noticed.
Typical home prices in 18 Melbourne suburbs have moved above the $950,000 cap for the federal first-home buyer scheme, according to new REA Group figures. The cap was lifted by $150,000 last October, but rising prices have pushed these suburbs beyond it again. Templestowe's median unit price now sits $31,500 above the limit. Industry figures say the scheme makes larger mortgages easier to access but does not necessarily make housing more affordable, while one builder reports packages starting at about $450,000.
A match between Ange Postecoglou's Al-Nassr and UAE club Al-Wasl in the Asian Champions League has been postponed. Al-Wasl reported problems arranging flights to Riyadh. Al-Nassr had won four straight matches across all competitions. Elsewhere, Al-Ain beat Tractor 2-1, with Houssine Rahimi scoring the winner, while Al-Ahli came from behind to beat Al-Gharafa 2-1 in Jeddah. The top eight teams from the league phase will advance to knockout rounds held in Saudi Arabia in April and May.
