Toast in red from Green Wedge

TWO retiring Victorian MPs re-ceived some of Narre Warren’s finest wine when they called it a day in politics recently.
Former ALP planning minister Mary Delahunty and former Opposition deputy leader Phil Honeywood were presented with a bottle of Woongarra Estate shiraz from the local winery.
The wine was made from grapes grown in the vineyard of Bruce and Mary Jones at Narre Warren East in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. The winery is also in the Southern Ranges Green Wedge zone.
Ms Delahunty and Mr Honeywood were presented with the wine and a certificate of appreciation from the Green Wedges Coalition – an organisation the former MPs supported during their time in politics.
Rosalie Counsell, Green Wedges Coalition Southern Ranges delegate, said Ms Delahunty was a driving force behind the historic green wedge legislative and planning protection package through her role in the State Cabinet.
“Without this protection package, we believe the green wedges would now be in tatters, and we will not forget her vision, support and courageous efforts,” Ms Counsell said.
She also paid tribute to Mr Honeywood and said he was also an excellent campaigner for all the green wedges around Melbourne.
“Thanks to his carriage of green wedges as a Liberal tradition, we had bipartisan support for the green wedge protection legislation introduced into Parliament before the 2002 election,” she said.