“THE STAR”, Wednesday, June 11, 2014 - PAGE 23
Comment on Cuttriss Street BASS Coast Shire Council is seeking community comment on the draft Inverloch Foreshore: Cuttriss Street Activity Area Plan Option D.
The plan provides a vision for a popular section of the Inverloch Foreshore located near Cuttriss Street and the Anderson Inlet Angling Club. Townsend Ward Councillor Jordan Crugnale said the plan was initially developed in consultation with the community in 2009 and 2010, and this is an opportunity to check back in with the community prior to final adoption. The plan will be used by council and its partners to seek funding for the various projects. “It contains a range of different improvement options for the Cuttriss Street area of the Inverloch foreshore including
the provision or upgrade of a number of facilities such as beach access ramps, car parking, public toilets and picnic/barbecue facilities,” Cr Crugnale said. “The range of activities in this area is indicative of how active we are as a community and how appreciative we are of our stunning inlet surrounds. “Walkers, riders, anglers, wind and kite surfers, summer VICSWIM programs for kids are just some examples. “It is also the beginning of our most popular and renowned walk – the Screw Creek trail to Townsend Bluff.” Cr Crugnale said it was time to activate this end of town and provide facilities to compliment the varied users and user groups. “I ask people to think about how we can best integrate the infrastructure into our natural surrounds,
Mayor’s message Cr Neil Rankine
THIS council has been in place for a year and a half and committed, above all, to be community focussed and engaged. Each councillor will have stood for election wanting to see good community outcomes. Despite having spent the first six months doing extensive consultation to generally understand the communities concerns, we‘ve overlooked perhaps the most important thing – that is the communication processes themselves between council and the community. Recently the Stand Alone group on Phillip Island has identified service level concerns, but also a sense of being powerless and voiceless. We’ve been willing to meet the group from day one, and will meet with them in the near future to work through the issues identified. However, I’m concerned this and other recent campaigns have begun to tear the community apart shirewide, and create an ‘us versus them’ attitude. We are here to strengthen and enhance our community, not see it dissolve. Council has made some tough decisions since being elected; many of them on legacy issues. Although they may only be stepping stones to a bigger project, we are putting plans in place for the future. On Phillip Island alone we have established a waste facility, introduced a kerbside green waste collection trial, continued to advocate for a primary health care centre to be built on land purchased by council and committed to an aquatic facility on the Island. Admittedly, we have a long way to go, but we are certainly progressing and have definite plans for the future. There have been a few bumps in the road and I acknowledge we do have issues we need to address; the first and foremost being communication between council and the community. Communication is however a two-way street, and as much as we need to work with the community, we need the community to work with us. These days, it is easier to criticise than to work constructively with council, but we want to listen to and understand the concerns of not only the Phillip Island community, but the entire Bass Coast community. We are willing to tackle the tough issues, but we need your input. We want to connect with all people; not just those who have the confidence to voice their opinions in a public forum, but those who are harder to reach and whose values are as equally important. We will continue to work closely with all residents and improve council’s relationship with the community, with a focus on finding the right solutions and making a real difference Cr Neil Rankine, mayor.
the types of preferred materials, the layout, movement between them and priority order. This could well be a staged project,” Cr Crugnale said. “We want to know if these are improvement options people want, and if so, which ones are more important. If we were successful in obtaining funding, which one would people like to see implemented first?” The Inverloch design framework highlights public art, sustainable design and creative community infrastructure as important to our community, and now we have the opportunity to make this happen and bring colour to this part of town. Copies of the draft plan are available from the shire. A survey is also available on council’s website during this period to provide feedback. Submissions must be made in writing and contain the name and contact details of the person making the submission, and must be received by council by Monday, June 23.
Thank you: the boys in Jagnaya love their toy cars purchased through local donations.
Wonthaggi backs typhoon victims By Tayla Kershaw WONTHAGGI’S House of Blanche held a high tea recently to raise money for the Barangay. Barangay is a local committee dedicated to supporting the areas devastated by the typhoon in The Philippines. The word Barangay means small village. Specifically, the committee is supporting Jagnaya, the hometown of Wonthaggi’s Leo Lacanaria. Most of the houses in Jagnaya were destroyed and
11 people were killed. The goal is to raise money to purchase a jeepney for Jagnaya. There is no transport in any of the villages along the east coast. They will need $3500 to achieve their goal and they are halfway there through garage sales and fundraising. Around 30 people can fit in a jeepney. Five villages are set to benefit. Mr Lacanaria went to The Philippines last year, a week after the devastation. “There was enormous damage,” he said. “It was the first time I had seen the coconut trees
uprooted and moved.” Many were forced to take shelter in a school, far away from the beach. Mr Lacanaria was among those who helped shift the debris and was there for up to a month. The village is still in need of a clean up. “I heard from my parents an international organisation is helping to rebuild,” he said. “They will have to relocate and build the houses on a new site further inland.” Whilst Mr Lacanaria was overseas, his wife Michelle formed the Barangay committee. They now work
closely together to raise money for the towns that would usually be the last to receive government support. “Aid usually go to the bigger towns,” Mr Lacanaria said. “But whatever we raise here goes straight to the Jagnaya.” Mr Lacanaria and three other people hope to go back to Jagnaya in June to present the jeepney on behalf of Australia. Once a year, Barangay will send money for maintenance of the jeepney. Collection of funds is ongoing.
Wonthaggi welcomes refugees RESIDENTS from Venus Bay and Cowes joined Wonthaggi locals to march in support of the right of refugees to claim asylum in Australia. The Wonthaggi rally included support from Bass Coast Shire Council mayor Cr Neil Rankine and others who told of their concern about the inhumane treatment of refugees and their families, imprisoned in onshore and off-shore detention centres. Bass Coast Shire is a Refugee Welcome Zone. Special guest Aran Mylvaganam from the Tamil Refugee Council told the rally how he saw his brother, cousins and school mates killed and maimed when the Sri Lankan Air Force bombed their school in 1995. After fleeing further bombing, he left his country, arriving alone at the age of 13 in Australia, separated from the world
he knew. After suffering severe depression, his family was allowed to join him four years later. Now
Aran works full time as a union organiser, and raises awareness of the many members of the Tamil community still in indefi-
nite detention here. Later in the evening, a variety night with live music and a quiz raised $438 for RISE, a refugee support
group in Melbourne. Information on future activities from South Gippsland Rural Australians for Refugees sgrar07@gmail.com
Speaking out: the crowd listens to Richard Kentwell, one of the refugee rally organisers, supported by special guest Aran Mylvaganam from the Tamil Refugee Council and Bass Coast Shire Council mayor Cr Neil Rankine.
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