Thursday, 5 February 2026

 Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:02): I would like to send my congratulations to all the award winners but also to the nominees in each category of the Frankston City Council community awards. First up, Community Group of the Year was Peninsula Community Legal Centre, headed up by the formidable Jackie Galloway, recognised for their 40-plus years of providing accessible legal services to the south-east community, including innovative preventative projects like This Is Not Who I Want to Be and expanded outreach for family violence, tenancy and social justice. Young Citizen of the Year was awarded to Quinney Brownfield. He is a passionate advocate for youth mental health. Quinney is part of the Frankston Headspace youth advisory council and youth service organisation Rotaract, where he has been involved in community development projects both locally and internationally. 2026 Citizen of the Year was awarded to Peter Talbot for his unwavering commitment to environmental conservation. Since 2017 Peter has headed up 3199 Frankston Beach Patrol, and he does everything from organising the beach clean-ups and school group engagement to advocating for litter reduction initiatives, playing a vital role in protecting Frankston’s 11-kilometre coastline. Peter inspires countless volunteers, fostering a strong and passionate network dedicated to sustainability by removing harmful waste and creating lasting positive impacts on the local environment and the community. I really look forward to going and spending a day down at Frankston Beach with Peter to clean up.