Mornington Peninsula metropolitan designation
Mr MORRIS (Mornington) (09:57): I have lost count of the number of times that I have either raised in this house or written to ministers, and particularly the Premier, regarding the failure of the government to change to regional status the Mornington Peninsula. In every response there has been absolutely no justification for the fact that Geelong has regional status but the peninsula does not. Now the Mornington Peninsula shire, who have previously been staunch supporters of moving to regional status, have decided they want a new classification: periregional status. The mayor says that that would allow the shire to access metropolitan funding as well as regional funding. It suggests it is a win-win. In fact it is not a win-win, it is double dipping. You are either regional or you are metropolitan, you cannot be both; you do not get two bites of the cherry. Unfortunately the mayor has also suggested that there is some credibility to Labor’s claim that the green wedge is in danger should regional status be conferred. This is simply propaganda trotted out by Labor. We have now got the Greens chiming in as well, suggesting that the Liberals are all about subdividing the peninsula. That is simply a lie; it is an absolute lie. The fact is that the only people that have been trying to protect the peninsula—
The SPEAKER: The member will not use that language in Parliament.
Mr MORRIS: I am sorry, Speaker, it is a lie. It is absolutely—
The SPEAKER: The member for Mornington is using unparliamentary language.
Mr MORRIS: I am not accusing anyone in here of lying or being liars, I am talking about—
The SPEAKER: The use of the word is unparliamentary.
Mr MORRIS: Fine. I surrender.