NEWS DESK
Bays health report ‘a wake up call’ THE release of a State of the Bays report is regarded as a “critical first step in securing the good health of our marine environments”, according to the Victorian National Parks Association. “Port Phillip and Western Port are under increasing pressure as the populations of Melbourne, Geelong and the bays’ catchments continue to grow,” the association’s marine and coastal campaigner Chris Smyth said. “As a result, urban and industrial development, climate change, introduced marine pests, fishing and shipping will continue to threaten the health of the bays.” The report studied the health of both waterways, providing a stocktake of the current knowledge of ecosystems, habitats and species. It also analysed water quality, seagrass and fish species. Victorian Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the report was a “critical piece of work to help us better understand the challenges we face in protecting our bays in the face of a changing climate”. “It found that water quality was generally good across most indicators and, despite their proximity to major urban centres and significant development catchments, both Port Phillip Bay and Western Port have healthy marine ecosystems.” Mr Smyth said by synthesising the available scientific data and identifying key environmental issues, health indicators and knowledge gaps, the report would, hopefully, motivate decision makers to do the right thing by our bays. “Successive governments have failed to establish a comprehensive and integrated research and monitoring regime for Victoria’s marine environments,” he said. “This report is a wake-up call – the time to do it is now.” Stephen Taylor
Educate to protect the environment Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au IF there was just one thing that Greg Hunt the retiring executive officer of the South East Council Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA), could proclaim as the best way to protect the environment for future generations, it is “education”. The former science teacher with a passion for the natural world has spent his 43-year career advocating for change in the way individuals and organisations manage resources. Education has always been a huge part of that process, whether it’s investigating options for energy conservation, or promoting broader thinking on energy use. Hunt has a varied employment background, but the environment has always been his mainstay. He spent his first 14 working years with the education department teaching young people about the world around them, before moving on to various environmental organisations where he was able to draw on his education and advocacy background to implement change. While he has spent the past 10 years at SECCCA working closely with local governments to try to reduce the impacts of a changing climate and dwindling resources, he is quick to point out that it’s certainly not a problem specific to government. To sum up Hunt’s mantra on the environment – it’s “everybody’s problem”. In fact it is one of his proudest achievements so far that he and his SECCCA colleagues have been able to drive the point that climate change is everybody’s problem – not just that of governments to “react”, but up to every individual and every organisation to rethink how they use resources and how they can do it better. Although he will continue to advocate for the environment as a consultant and public speaker after leaving SECCCA, it is the ground-breaking projects he oversaw while at the alliance that
Greg Hunt may be retiring from the South East Council Climate Change Alliance but will retain a keen interest in the welfare of the environment. Picture: Keith Platt
will be his legacy. These include the Eco Driver program, a much lauded, nationally-recognised program to help drivers use their vehicles more efficiently; the Energy Saver Study, which involved reducing the energy use of households while increasing the “comfort and health” of residents; the Save it for the Game program, which helped sports clubs and organisations recognise and make changes to energy consumption; and the ‘Financial risk and Adaptation program, which was geared towards energy-saving measures for councils. While he loved the job at SECCCA, Hunt says it’s time to move on, as he’s not “getting any younger”. He feels happy with what he has been able to oversee at SECCCA, but would like governments, particularly federal, to step up and provide “leadership” with ongoing investment and policy consistency.
While he had a great working relationship with the former environment minister with who he shares the name Greg Hunt, he would love to be able encourage politicians to “swim against the tide” and not let politics intrude on what they should be doing. “There is no substitute for change.” As for retirement, Hunt is heavily involved in consultancy work, public speaking and strategic planning, and in his spare time travels the state to pursue his love of birds, both as a watcher and a researcher. “To see a male splendid wren in full breeding plumage is a sight to behold. We are so lucky, but that might not be available to future generations.” ECCCA is an incorporated body and a network of nine councils with a mission to investigate and deliver projects and research programs at a regional level.
Dam discussion by shire ‘next year’ MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has confirmed it will discuss the future of the former South East Water reservoir in Kunyung Rd, Mt Eliza, with the water authority early next year. At last week’s council meeting, Mt Eliza resident and planning activist Rebecca Taylor asked the council whether it could confirm that “preserving the Kunyung reservoir as a public conservation and recreation zone (PCR2) will be formally tabled at the next meeting to be dealt with early next year”. Ms Taylor, who started the Kunyung Says No residents’ group and an online petition to save the land, has been pushing for the council to be “transparent” about its dealings with South East Water. Chief operating officer Alison Leighton told the meeting the coun-
cil’s planning team had committed to “consultation” with South East Water regarding the future of that land, and the matter would be “dealt with” in the New Year. President of the South Eastern Centre for Sustainability, Steve Karakitsos, said he was hopeful that “constructive dialogue” can begin to resolve the land’s future and protect it from development. In early 2014 the water authority asked the shire to rezone its 2.8 hectare reservoir land on the corner of Barmah and Kanya roads, east of Kunyung Rd, for 24 housing blocks of about 1000 square metres each, worth about $450,000 a block or $10.8 million. The dam was decommissioned in 1999 and has become a haven for wildlife. Liz Bell
Planning committee on agenda OFFICERS will report to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council about forming a planning committee so councillors can be pre-briefed on planning applications and future planning scheme amendments before they are debated at public meetings. The report will be tabled at next year’s March council meeting after councillors unanimously backed Cr David Gill’s notice of motion to have council officers look at options for a planning committee. Cr Gill had previously voiced frustration at being unable to have a notion of motion heard to investigate the formation of a planning committee.
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“We don’t have the ability to have a planning committee because even a notice of motion is rejected by the CEO when I try to raise this issue,” Cr Gill said at November’s public council meeting. At last Monday’s council meeting, CEO Carl Cowie wondered “what in particular is broken for council that requires such a planning committee”. Cr Gill said democratically-elected councillors “do not have enough time” at public council meetings to discuss town planning matters and any help from council officers to set aside more time for planning discussions would be beneficial.
20 December 2016
MEL Ryan is one of the Salvos volunteers helping out in main St, Mornington. Picture: Yanni
Salvos’ set safety zone for Main St A BRIGHT yellow food van is at the centre of a fourhour safety zone at the corner of Main and Barkly streets, Mornington. The Main St Salvos will be in the zone until the end of February handing out free bottles of water and sweet to revellers on their way out or on their way home. “We have a few new additions this time round,” the Salvos Sean Mapleback said. “We have a generator which allows us be mobile if needed, we have music to create some atmosphere, additional lighting and phone chargers if people have a flat battery and need to call a
mate or a taxi.” The Salvos will be trialling a four-person team to walk up and down the shopping strip with water and sweets. “We understand that summer is a busy time for Main St and we want people to know that we are here for them,” Lieutenant Mapleback said. “We offer a safe place to come if people need to talk to someone, or simply need a break or some time out.” The Main St Salvos will operate 10pm-2am, New Year’s Eve and 11pm-3am Saturday nights.