Moorabool News 25 Jan 2022

News

Page 8 The Moorabool News – 25 January, 2022

Koala petitions heading to Parliaments

By Lachlan Ellis

News A new chapter in the ‘Save Logging plans threaten koalas Gordon Koalas’ campaign is set to begin next month, with twin e-petitions heading to the State and Federal Parliaments.

The two petitions concern a 16-hectare blue gum plantation in Gordon, which Central Highlands Water (CHW) plans to log later this year due to future irrigation plans.

Members of the Save Gordon Koalas campaign argue that blue gum plantation is a vital habitat for local koalas, and koalas don’t have adequate legal protections.

Does Council culture need to improve?

The State petition calls on the State Government to block the clear-felling of the Cartons Road blue gum plantation, while the Federal petition requests that the House Representatives CULTUREof – ‘role, responsibilities and supporting mechanisms’ “fund and oversee research to establish accurate data on koala population, health and habitat ‘councillor journey’ in Victoria, and establish a National Koala Protection Act to protect koalas inconflict’. all states with ‘dispute resolution & resolving koala populations”.

Heidi Johnson is the principal petitioner for the State petition, and said members of the Save Gordon Koalas campaign were frustrated by a lack of political action.

“DELWP’s Office of Chief Conservator, and somebody representing [Victorian Environment] Minister Lily D'Ambrosio, responded to various letters we've sent, very disappointingly, basically running the line of "they're not technically breaking the law, so they are entitled to destroy the plantation". We are furious, but we understand it's not the fault of DELWP employees, who can only operate within the confines of current legislation, which is hopelessly insufficient,” Ms Johnson said.

“We do however hold Minister D'Ambrosio responsible, because she can use her ministerial discretion to intervene to save our koalas - but she won't. She won't even do us the courtesy of responding directly, but instead fobs us off like some annoying fly, to be swatted by her underlings.”

The State Parliament petition, titled ‘Stop koala habitat loss in Gordon’, was sponsored by Animal Justice Party MLC Andy Meddick, and will close for signatures on 7 February.

Mr Meddick said the petition (State), which at the time of writing has 113 signatures, showed there was significant support from the Gordon community to protect local koalas.

“The surrounding forest creates an important wildlife corridor that connects vital habitat.

Local rescuers are desperate to prevent animals entering major roads and the trees that help these animals cross safely are lifesaving,” Mr Meddick told the Moorabool News.

“This petition represents overwhelming support from the public to protect koalas and their habitat. I have called on the Minister for Environment to intervene now, before these vulnerable animals lose their homes.

“This area is also home to sugar gliders, tawny frogmouth, feathertail gliders and owls. Our constant disturbance of flourishing habitat has severe consequences. The survival of native species is dependent on our response to situations like this one.”

The Federal Parliament petition has 124 signatures at the time of writing, and will close for signatures on 9 February.

To view and/or sign the online petitions, visit ‘E-Petitions - View & Sign e-petitions - Stop koala habitat loss in Gordon’ at parliament.vic.gov.au/council/petitions (State), or search ‘Action on saving Victorian koalas’ at aph.gov.au/e-petitions (Federal).

Page 10 The Moorabool News – 11 January, 2022

Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au

By Lachlan Ellis

Plans to harvest a local blue gum plantation have environmentalists concerned over the removal of koala habitat, despite plans to mitigate the impact on local koalas.

The blue gum plantation on Cartons Road, Gordon is owned by woodfibre processor Midway Pty Ltd, on land leased from Central Highlands Water (CHW).

Gordon residents were recently informed that the 16-hectare site was planned to be logged, raising concerns for the koalas that live in the plantation.

A spokesperson for CHW told the Moorabool News that the company had engaged with the community and the relevant authorities, and was working on plans to care for the area’s koalas.

“The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has provided approval to the plantation owner, Midway Pty Ltd, regarding their Koala Management Plan. This plan will ensure that any koalas identified in the plantation are cared for during the planned timber harvest,” CHW’s spokesperson said.

“CHW have been in consultation with Gordon community members, which include representatives of the Friends of Paddock Creek, Gordon Residents Committee, Friends of the Canadian Corridor (Advisory Committee to the Woowookarung State Park) and the Bunanyung Landscape Alliance. The discussions from these consultation meetings have led to additional environmental commitments by CHW above the requirements of the Koala Management Plan and other associated regulations.

“These additional commitments include a long-term revegetation project on the property for the enhancement of the biodiversity of the area and the retention of a buffer strip on the edge of the plantation while managing the treatment and recycling of reclaimed water. CHW look forward to implementing the first stage of the revegetation project next year.”

But locals are not convinced the current plans do enough to protect Gordon’s koalas.

Chair & Secretary of the Friends of Paddock Creek, Stephen Derrick, is one of these concerned locals.

“The new vegetation [proposed by CHW and Midway Pty Ltd] will not provide habitat or food for koalas for many years – at least 10 to 20 years depending on the species mix planted.

The Local Government sector and community members are invited to have their say on the Local Government Culture Project Discussion Paper.

The Andrews Labor Government commissioned the Local Government Culture Project earlier this year and the paper, released in mid-December 2021, will guide discussions about practical methods to improve culture at Victorian councils.

Three main themes have been identified for discussion including ‘role, responsibilities and supporting mechanisms’; ‘councillor journey’; and ‘dispute resolution and resolving conflict’.

The Local Government Culture Project will promote a more positive environment at councils, create more representative councils, improve governance and enhance public trust.

Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane said Victorians deserve the best from their elected representatives.

“This is an opportunity for the local government sector to work towards improving the culture of councils across the state so that they can best serve their communities,” he said.

“Councils do not get enough credit for the great work they do in their communities, sadly the poor behaviour of a few can taint the whole sector if not properly addressed.”

This work has been undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in partnership with eminent academics Professor Graham Sansom, Adjunct Professor at University of Technology Sydney, and Professor Anona Armstrong AM, Emeritus Professor at the Victoria University College of Law and Justice.

Feedback on the discussion paper is open until 28 February 2022. To read the discussion paper and make a submission visit www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au.

An aerial shot of the blue gum plantation at Gordon. Photo - Stephen Derrick Also, the new vegetation is along an ephemeral creek along the northern edge of the site and a fair distance from the blue gums,” Mr Derrick told the Moorabool News.

“In order to provide suitable habitat for the koalas and other fauna, there will need to be a substantial buffer strip left along the southern boundary adjacent to the Western Freeway and along Cartons Road. There are a wide range of views about how wide and extensive buffer strips should be in order to provide adequate habitat. Some research suggests 20 metres, but this is in circumstances where there are substantial surrounding areas of bush – clearly not the case at the Cartons Road site.

“CHW have not been forthcoming about what buffer width they intend to leave in place.”

Another concerned resident, Heidi Johnson, has been collecting evidence of koala sightings in Gordon for the last two years.

She said Cartons Road was a vital area for the local population that needed protection.

“It's vital that we look after these isolated pockets of healthy populations and do everything possible not only to preserve their habitat, but put in place mitigations against road trauma. The Cartons Road Overpass is crucial to helping our koalas and other small animals such as echidnas safely cross the Western Freeway,” Ms Johnson said.

“Blue gums provide excellent long-term food and shelter for koalas, and are less prone to being damaged by strong storms than manna and swamp gums.”

A community alliance called Save Gordon Koalas has formed to raise awareness of the threats faced by Gordon’s koalas.

If you have photos of koalas in Gordon, you can help by sending them via email to ecosystems@bigpond.com, with details of location and date.

Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au

No shed after deadlock

By Lachlan Ellis

A recommendation for a dwelling, shed and pool to be built at Chapmans Road, Gordon, has been rejected, following a 3-3 deadlock.

Prior to Councillors voting on the recommendation, two speakers addressed Council: the applicant, Pauline Alabakis, and an objector, Mark Weigall.

Ms Alabakis said she had grown up on a market garden, and hoped a successful application would let her pass the lifestyle down to her kids.

“I’ve been a landowner of the property in Gordon alongside my father for 25 years now. I grew up on a market garden, I was raised to work on the land with my family from around 6 years of age,” she said.

“At this point in time the property is vacant, being able to live and build on the land and run a small-scale farm would obviously maximise use of the property.”

The property is close to a dam which feeds into Millbrook Lakes, a popular fly-fishing area.

Objector Mark Weigall, who founded Millbrook Lakes over 20 years ago, voiced his concerns that Ms Alabakis’ plans could threaten the nearby environment and water quality, putting his business at risk.

“Millbrook is a long-established fly-fishing lake … we’ve put a great degree of work into the area … the habitat we need to create prime trout fishing waters is totally dependent on what we’ve done to protect them,” Mr Weigall said.

Water usage and the number of animals on the property were major concerns to Mr Weigall.

“The chicken component worries me; the entire watershed ends up in the lake. My concern is that the nitrates, phosphates and water quality from that property would be detrimental to what we’ve built up over the last 25 years,” he said.

“I think if this proceeds, the quality of water we require, the aesthetics will be removed, and in the short and long-term we will have to shut down.”

What followed was over 20 minutes of discussion and debate between Councillors, after Crs Ward and Munari moved the recommendation to approve the application, and Cr Dudzik dissented.

Cr Ward expressed his confidence in reports submitted to Council by Ballarat Soil Testing, Central Vic Planning and SWEP Analytical Laboratories, which he said found the land to be “capable to sustain an agricultural livelihood, and this is supported by officers in the accompanying report”.

Cr Dudzik countered that she was “not convinced there will be enough water supply”, and was “concerned agricultural use could affect the dam which the objector requires for his business”.

When the time came to vote, Crs Edwards, Munari and Ward voted in favour, while Crs Berry, Dudzik and Sullivan voted against.

Cr Tatchell was an apology, and so without a tiebreaking vote, the motion was lost.

Cr Dudzik put forward an alternate motion to reject the application, but Council was informed by Governance that this could not be taken without being foreshadowed earlier.

Cr Sullivan used his discretion as Chair to forward the motion anyway, with the approval of Governance.

The alternate motion also received a vote of 3-3, with Crs Berry, Dudzik and Sullivan voting in favour, and Crs Edwards, Munari and Ward voting against. However, given the Chair (Cr Sullivan) voted in favour of the motion, it was carried, and thus the application was rejected.

Make every drop count In line with the Victorian Government’s Target 155 water conservation program, Greater Western Water along with three other water corporations (Melbourne Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water) are uniting this month to launch Make Every Drop Count.

The water conservation campaign engages the community and water conservation experts to share mindful water saving hacks. It will help households take small, but collectively high-impact, steps to reduce their average daily individual water usage from 159 to 155 litres a day.

The joint initiative also responds to water saving concerns. A recent survey, Saving Water in Melbourne (SWiM) conducted by Melbourne’s water corporations, found: ● Melburnians think water conservation is very or extremely important (80%), yet almost a third admit they don’t think they are doing enough to save water (29%). ● Common methods used by Melburnians to save water include limiting their shower time (38%), installing a watersaving shower head (57%), and always turning off the tap while shaving or brushing their teeth (63%). ● Most Melburnians admit they don’t know the recommended amount of water usage per person per day (61%) or their actual usage per day (62%).

Speaking on behalf of Melbourne’s water corporations, Yarra Valley Water Managing Director, Pat McCafferty, said: “We know Melburnians want to conserve water for future generations and will no doubt rise to the four-litre daily saving challenge. We can't wait to see the creative mindful water-usage tips shared that will collectively make a huge difference.”

With the city’s population forecast to almost double by 2051 and the changing environment affecting water storages over the next 30 years, the 155-litre target is just one of many actions to help secure Melbourne’s water supplies for the future.

Parliamentary Secretary for Water Harriet Shing has commended the four water corporations’ efforts to help Victoria become a leader in water conservation.

“Thanks to the contribution of the Victorian Desalination Plant, and recent wetter than average rainfall, our water storages are currently healthy, but we know we have to do more into the future, including saving water where we can. Target 155 and Make Every Drop Count provide an opportunity to reflect on the small changes we can all make to help save water for years to come,” she said.

Melburnians are invited to share their water-saving tips on social media using the For more water saving tips and information about Make Every Drop Count and why it matters, please visit www. makeeverydropcount.com.au