STPL News spoke with Councillor Cam Williams to clarify recent concerns and confusion surrounding changes to the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s budget and funding model.
Williams said the restructure aims to create a more equitable system by shifting from automatic, ongoing funding to a merit-based competitive grants process.
“Previously, groups would receive continued funding without reassessment, even after becoming self-sufficient,” he explained. “Under the new system, community groups must apply through one of four grant categories, with funding awarded on merit.”
Williams said the new approach is designed to give all groups a fairer chance and to potentially expand the funding pool available to eligible applicants.
Williams cited a specific example to illustrate the motivation behind the changes.
“For example, we were giving $9,000 to the Friends of Los Palos, which is in East Timor,” he said. “That was like from 25 years ago when the war was going on in there. And they got married up with us because they’re a peninsula, we’re a peninsula. And so, we’ve been giving $9,000 every year to them for like the last 10–15 years.”
“But then the next line is Vinnies Kitchen in Rosebud, who feed our rough sleepers hot meals and our homeless, and give assistance with sleeping bags and stuff — and we only give them $4,200. And you go, hang on. We’re looking after people overseas, which isn’t exactly in our jurisdiction as a Shire, but we’re giving less money to our people who are really struggling, are vulnerable, who are rough sleeping — winter’s upon us, as the old saying goes — and we’re giving over twice as much to an overseas village.”
Addressing concerns about arts and culture funding, Williams clarified that it has not been cut, but restructured into the grants process like other funding areas.
He also pointed to the need to prioritise core services.
Williams added that the grant process still allows for important community projects to receive support — with a potentially larger funding pool and more rigorous process to ensure funds are going to where they are most needed.
“The same people who — if they really need money — they’ll still apply for the grant. And now there’s just a bigger bucket in the grant bucket to actually get money out of, to actually and hopefully help a broader community and a broader range of people.”
According to Williams, the Shire’s new grants model is intended to make community funding fairer, ensuring all groups apply through the same process and are assessed on merit. The goal is to better support those most in need and to stretch the Shire’s budget further.
But whether this approach delivers more equitable outcomes — or risks leaving long-supported groups behind — remains to be seen.
For more on this story, visit stplnews.com.au and follow STPL News on social media or subscribe to stay informed about local issues across the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston.
