Coronavirus Victoria: Petition calls on Daniel Andrews to free Mornington Peninsula

Residents living in an almost virus-free area are urging Dan Andrews to “release” them from restrictions, and that’s not all they want changed.

There are growing calls for the Mornington Peninsula Shire to be excluded from greater Melbourne so its residents can be freed from the city’s punishing coronavirus restrictions.

Almost 3000 people have signed a petition for the seaside municipality to be classified as regional Victoria instead.

It comes as active coronavirus cases have lingered beneath five across the Mornington Peninsula local government area, falling to just two active cases over the weekend.

Blairgowrie resident Phil Haas, who launched the petition, said “common sense needs to prevail” and urged the Premier to rethink Mornington’s association with greater Melbourne.

“The big issue down here is we really need to be treated as a regional part of the state,” he said.

“If you compare us with greater Geelong, who is a regional area and has far more active cases and people compared to our two cases and 165,000 people, it doesn’t make sense, just release us.”

Blairgowrie resident Phil Haas has started a petition calling for Mornington Peninsula Shire to be removed from greater Melbourne.

Mr Haas said residents were isolated, with many of the older community members unable to see grandchildren or play sport in months.

“To keep a local government area in stage-four lockdown when it is on the extreme outskirts of metropolitan Melbourne, and performing admirably, is illogical,” he said.

A total of 2862 people have signed the petition so far.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is adamant there will be no changes to local government boundaries amid COVID restrictions. Picture: Wayne Taylor/NCA NewsWire

When questioned if there was scope to release Mornington Peninsula from strict COVID-19 restrictions, Premier Daniel Andrews said there would be “no changes to individual postcodes, suburbs or local governments”.

Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Sam Hearn is backing calls to remove the local government area from greater Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Mornington mayor Sam Hearn has also written to Mr Andrews outlining concerns from business owners who had not had enough time to open up and prepare for the tourist season.

“There is significant concern with summer being just around the corner that we will be inundated with visitors and we won’t have had the time our (regional) neighbours do to implement the necessary changes outlined in the government’s road map,” he said.