HASTINGS — Public support for the Hastings Club has intensified following STPL News’ recent report on the club’s closure and on-air coverage from RPP FM radio, with hundreds of residents expressing frustration at the Mornington Peninsula Shire and rallying behind club volunteers and members.
Amid the outpouring of support, one Hastings resident shared an email from local MP Paul Mercurio, in which the state member described the club not as a community-run organisation but as a “fully commercial enterprise.”
“Just so you are aware the club is not a ‘not for profit’ club. It is a fully commercial enterprise,”
Mr Mercurio wrote.
The statement has caused confusion among residents and stakeholders, many of whom consider the club to be a long-standing not-for-profit organisation rooted in community service and local sport.
Club Response: “We Reject That Claim”
In response, STPL News contacted Kevin Miles, who issued a formal statement on behalf of the Hastings Club.
“We reject that we are not a not for profit. Our charter is to put our profits towards the sporting clubs connected to the Hastings Club as well as any other community club that seeks financial assistance,”
He said.
Mr Miles also said he had personally spoken with Mr Mercurio following the email. According to Miles, the MP acknowledged the issue and advised that he would take the matter up with the Minister for Consumer Affairs.
ABN Records Confirm Not-for-Profit Status
According to publicly available data from the Australian Business Register, the Hastings Club is officially listed under the entity name Hastings Cricket and Football Social Club Inc.
- Entity type: Other Incorporated Entity
- Status: Active since 8 March 2000
- GST Registered: Since 1 July 2000
- Trading name: The Hastings Club
An incorporated entity is a recognised structure for not-for-profit organisations under Victorian law. These entities are prohibited from distributing profits to members and must reinvest earnings into the organisation’s stated purpose.
“Incorporated associations are not-for-profit organisations set up to help people with a common interest.”
– Consumer Affairs Victoria – consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-and-fundraising/incorporated-associations
Shire Accused of Misrepresentation
Kevin Miles also told STPL News that Mornington Peninsula Shire has repeatedly misrepresented the club as a for-profit business, both publicly and in private discussions with officials. He said this mischaracterisation has been used to justify their inaction.
“We are not a business that makes profits for individuals,”
“We exist to serve the community, and it’s disappointing that we’ve been portrayed otherwise.”
He said.
A Question of Responsibility
In the same email, Mr Mercurio described the club’s closure as “terrible and incredibly sad for those who built it with their own hands and money,” but stated the matter was a council issue, not a state or federal one.
That distinction has sparked further debate among community members, some of whom believe the state still has a role to play—particularly in advocating for local not-for-profits and facilitating solutions for long-standing community-owned assets.
