13 November 2019

NEWS DESK

Award in environment fight THE Save Westernport residents’ group and local environmental groups were acknowledged at Environment Victoria’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in Melbourne recently.

The entire Western Port community was also honoured by Environment Victoria with a special award to recognise many years of “resilience in the face of repeated attempts to destroy the local environment”.

The Save Westernport Inc. residents’ group was formed in April last year to oppose plans by energy company AGL to import and process liquefied natural gas in Western Port Bay and to build a 56km gas pipeline to Pakenham.

“From French Island’s nuclear reactor in the 1970s to the 2014 proposal for an enormous, automated container port, local volunteer groups have fought poorly chosen projects incompatible with Westernport’s protected Ramsar wetlands and UNESCO

Well done: Siri Hayes (collecting the award on behalf of her parents), Phillip Island penguin ranger Graeme Burgan, Save Westernport’s Jeff Nottle, Phillip Island Conservation Society’s Karri Giles, and Western Port Protection Council and former director of Environment Victoria Linda Parlane presenting the award. Picture: Supplied

Biosphere reserve,” Save Westernport member Julia Stockigt said.

“The bay’s remarkable marine and coastal eco-systems, and the endangered species that depend on them, deserve our highest level of protection from exploitation and compromise by inappropriate industry.”

The group is concerned that Western Port’s environment continues to be threatened by industrial proposals that it says “promise few jobs and threaten the region with significant environmental and social impacts with little or no benefit.”

Save Westernport and Environment Victoria have worked to ensure the AGL proposal is the subject of an environment effects statement that will delay its progress for another year while its potential threats are assessed.

“These projects represent an outdated approach to environmental management that prioritises exploiting

natural resources over protecting their true value,” Stockigt said. “The giant rusty oil tanks that were abandoned at BP’s contaminated Crib Point site at Woolleys Beach are a reminder of those days, and they’re the reason we cannot return to them.”

She said she hoped a review of EPA laws and the parliamentary committee announced last week to look at Victoria’s Ramsar wetlands will support communities with their conservation work.

“Western Port’s sensitive ecosystems are regenerating. To ensure this continues we need to be selective about the ways it is used by choosing responsible investment in sustainable industry.”

Save Westernport is hosting a community barbecue at the RW Stone Reserve, Somers, 12pm, Sunday 1 December. All welcome.

Details: Visit savewesternport.org or Facebook

Like minds: Rupert and Mayor Gill see eye-to-eye on saving bees. Picture: Supplied

Rupert’s petition creates a buzz at council A SOMERS Primary School student has been a busy bee gathering more than 100 signatures on his petition to save the bees.

Rupert, 6, made a formal presentation at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s Tuesday 8 October meeting pleading for the council to guard against the poisoning of local bees.

He was backed up by 120 signatures from peninsula school children and residents confirming they support his stand.

Concerns about the safety of bees have been raised over fears Department of Health officers will begin widespread “fogging” of the peninsula’s bushland areas in the fight against the Buruli virus. It is feared bees will become collateral damage.

The mayor Cr David Gill said it was “fantastic to meet such a young

likeminded bee lover exercising his democratic right”.

“As a bee enthusiast and regular speaker about native bees, I applaud Rupert’s initiative and commitment to protecting our precious bee population,” Cr Gill said.

The mayor presented Rupert with a bee hotel which mimics the natural habitat of most types of native bees and counteracts the global decline of bee populations caused by the growth of our towns and cities.

Rupert and his parents met the mayor and CEO at one of the shire’s Meet-the-Mayor sessions where Cr Gill suggested he attend a council meeting to present the petition.

Council moved that Rupert’s petition be presented to the council’s environmental protection unit for review and further comment.

Western Port News

13 November 2019

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