Date: February 2008
Submission to the – as follows:
Draft Victorian Coastal
Strategy
(October 2007)
Please acknowledge receipt of this submission on the Draft
Victorian Coastal Strategy October 2007, and thank you for extending the
submission deadline to late February.
And please convey my congratulations to the authors of this
comprehensive, well-considered strategy for strategic planning and management
of Victoria’s magnificent coast.
I greatly value the natural environment along Victoria’s
coast. I have enjoyed the coast and
hinterland on numerous family holidays and outings, my husband and I live near
Port Phillip Bay and enjoy the local foreshore, and I am a local conservation
volunteer in the City of Kingston. My
comments come from the perspective of a coastal resident, a local conservation
volunteer, and from a passion for the natural environment everywhere, the
health of which is so vital for all living things.
Overall, this strategy is very heartening because of the emphasis
on protecting and improving natural and cultural heritage and features along
the Victorian coast, whilst allowing some increased development and activities.
Especially pleasing is the proposed increase in the number of, or
extent of, marine parks and sanctuaries, which will help to protect marine
flora and fauna habitats. Given that the
world’s oceans are generally overfished, additional local sanctuaries will
provide conditions likely to increase local fish stocks, which may reduce the
need for aquaculture and their environmental impact. Perhaps marine habitat corridors could also
be considered, where possible.
Also welcome is the emphasis on and consideration of the impact of
climate change on the Victorian coast.
I make the point, however, that whilst most of the Policies,
Outcomes and Actions are pleasing, they are useless if resources are lacking,
so the Victorian Government must allocate adequate funding and resources for
this Strategy to be effective. Adequate
funding and resources for the Victorian Coastal Strategy is a legitimate,
important and appropriate use of tax revenue, because the natural environment,
our climate, and all Victorians benefit from proper care and management of the
coast.
There are some aspects of
this Strategy that seem contradictory, concerning or missing:
Contradictory intentions.
There is a contradiction between the emphasis on protecting or improving
the natural coastal environment, and increasing eco-tourism, visitor numbers
and experiences which can result in ‘loving the coast to death’, as one
resident ‘voice’ identified (p.14).
Wherever people go, innocently or deliberately, disturbance and
degradation inevitably follows, so generous areas of the land and marine coast
need to be people-free sanctuaries.
Overemphasis on value of the coast to people.
There is an overemphasis on the value of the
coast to people, often implied by the language used, e.g. Vision, p7: ‘…coastal
and marine environment for “our” use
and enjoyment…’, and “our”
children’. Whilst words such as ‘our’
can foster a sense of ownership, belonging and, hopefully, responsibility, they
may give the impression that only humans are deserving. Such language use may foster a lack of
respect, value for, and a right-to-exist, for all other species, which is the
fundamental reason for species decline and extinction. Please be mindful of the psychological impact
of language-use in this Strategy and use wording, such as ‘for all species’, that reminds people the coast is equally home to
plants and animals, including people.
Some of the coastal residents’ ‘voices’ should refer to the coast as a
place for land and marine vegetation and wildlife.
Education. Education is vital for the
general community, in order to understand, appreciate and help conserve the
natural coastal environment and processes, including education about the impact
of feral pests and invasive species on the natural environment. I would like to see greater emphasis in this
Strategy on the role of education and communication in schools, institutions,
organisations, businesses, local and State government agencies, and the general
community.
Vegetation versus coastal views.
This Strategy should discuss and recommend ways of solving this
environmental versus social (or rights versus responsibility) problem. In settled and visitor areas, there is increasing
conflict between demand for views, and the needs of the natural coastal
environment. In their ignorance,
individuals, planners and landscape designers often vandalise or dispense with
trees so that views can be obtained.
Trees and tall shrubs are an essential and integral part of coastal
ecosystems and biodiversity—they provide shade, shelter, habitat (for example,
the majority of birds live within 2m of the ground) and corridors for movement
of species; their roots bind soil and absorb ground water and prevent erosion. Views are important to people, and occasional
views are desirable, but uninterrupted views along coastlines are really
unnecessary. Partial or occasional views
create a greater sense of mystery and expectation; we all appreciate a scene
much more when we suddenly come across a view.
Unfortunately, few people understand the role of coastal vegetation and
how necessary it is. So I strongly
suggest this Strategy recommends ways of reducing vandalism of vegetation
through education, screens, warnings, and fines; and recommends a mandatory
proportion of tree and tall shrub cover in settled and visitor areas.
Excessive night lighting.
This Strategy should address the problem of excessive night lighting
wherever settlements occur. Night
lighting disturbs nocturnal creatures, exterminates huge numbers of insects
that are essential for pollination and are a food source for animals, prevents
appreciation of the night sky, and unnecessarily contributes to greenhouse
gases if powered by electricity. The
proliferation of spotlights greatly adds to these problems, and can be blinding
for wildlife, and for evening walkers too.
Control of feral animals and domestic cats.
This Strategy should investigate and recommend appropriate actions on
control of feral animals and domestic cats along the Victorian coast. Everyday, unknown numbers of native wildlife
are destroyed by foxes and feral and domestic cats (our small street alone has
eight cats that hunt at night around Mordialloc Creek). Rabbits also cause much environmental damage
near the coast—their burrows hasten erosion, their voracious eating compromises
rejuvenation and revegetation of plant communities, and their droppings spread
weed seeds. Similarly, I have read that
in remote areas of the Otways and Gippsland the hard
hooves of deer and goats trample vegetation and contribute to erosion, and
their droppings spread weed seeds. And
all these introduced animals destroy or displace our native animals or their
habitat. Control of these pests is not
easy but, if we really wish to maintain and improve our ecosystems and
biodiversity, and arrest our appalling record on native wildlife extinction,
then pest control must not be put in the ‘too hard basket’. Research, education campaigns, and actions
must be initiated. Pets are important to
people, but I suggest that people be encouraged to adopt a native pet, such as
the bilby, rather than a beautiful but marauding cat, and that strict night
curfews should be set for domestic cats.
Some have argued that the dingo should be reintroduced to control these
feral and domestic pests.
Melbourne Museum.
The Melbourne Museum is an excellent community resource which should be
mentioned in this strategy.
What is the value of the
coast? (p.6). This is a comprehensive list of natural and
economic values. But, please include a reminding statement about the
conflict between economic gain from coastal values and sustainable use of the
natural coastal environment.
Vision (p.7).
The natural environment exists for all living things, including humans,
and this Vision needs adjusting to reflect this. Please reword, and add, ‘and for all living things’, to read:
‘A biologically rich and
diverse coastal and marine environment for
all living things, and for their use and future generations, including
for our enjoyment today and for our children tomorrow.
Ecosystem-based management
(EBM). Please add ‘and limit’ and ‘dominance’,
to read: ‘…recognising that humans and human needs are an integral part of the
system. It seeks to manage and limit human dominance and impacts in an ecosystem…’.
Who does what along the
coast? (p.10). Because this section has statements about
human ‘owners’ and ‘ownership’, it must also include recognition that
indigenous flora and fauna also have a right to exist where they naturally
occur. Please include this in the
opening statement, to read: ‘Responsible agencies and groups will implement
this strategy using existing statutory mechanisms, whilst recognising and protecting the right of indigenous flora and
fauna to exist where they naturally occur.
Climate change (p.13 & 14). Good and essential information. Adequate tree and vegetation cover that
provides shade, shelter and habitat, reduces moisture loss and erosion is
essential in combating climate change.
To mitigate local warming effects, I strongly advocate a percentage of tree and vegetation cover in
all areas be encouraged or mandatory.
Population and demographic
trends (p.15 &
16). Interesting and essential
information. Suggest that incentives for settlement in inland towns
could reduce population pressure on the coast.
Hierarchy of principles for
coastal, estuarine and marine planning and management (p.18 & 19). In general, I support and agree with these
excellent four principles and stated aims.
Principle 1. Protect
significant environmental and cultural features.
This is the most essential principle, and it is good to see biological
diversity, physical diversity and ecological integrity given importance as the
first principle.
Principle 2. Give clear
direction for the future. Suggest this is listed as
Principle 4, because past and present conditions or actions precede future
ones. I particularly support planning
for possible sea level rises, and the notion of increasing coastal public land
through land swaps, donations and purchases.
Principle 3. Sustainable
use of natural coastal resources. Another essential
principle. This is the second most
important principle so I strongly suggest it becomes Principle 2. For clarity, please
define ‘intergenerational equity’.
Principle 4. Suitable
development on the coast. An important guiding
principle and good aims. Suggest this
becomes Principle 3. I particularly support avoiding linear urban
sprawl and ribbon rural development on or near the coast, which is an act of
‘building over nature’.
1.1 Maintaining and improving coastal biodiversity (p.23).
The Outcome ‘to improve the extent and condition of coastal
biodiversity’, the Policy, and Actions
are all excellent and very welcome.
1.1.2 New
action. Whilst investigating
connectivity, or habitat corridors, between the coast and hinterland is worthy
and essential for the movement of species, please indicate that actions will
follow by adding ‘and prepare actions for’,
to read, ‘Investigate and prepare actions
for a program of large-scale and local-scale connectivity…’.
Ongoing actions.
All three actions are very important, particularly strengthening
planning schemes and the management of invasive species.
Comment on landscape design.
Landscape designers often exclude indigenous vegetation, particularly in
settled areas, and include invasive species.
One way to correct this is for any landscape design to include at least
50% indigenous vegetation, which could form a habitat corridor, and exclude
invasive plants. Creating a ‘showcase’
indigenous plant garden in settled areas may be attractive and appropriate, but
the downside is that people then want or expect the ‘bush’ to look the same and
be ‘tamed’ also! Suggest an additional
New action:
Additional New action. ‘In settled areas, any landscape design must
include at least fifty-percent of indigenous plants and exclude invasive plants’.
Feral animals and domestic
cats. As mentioned previously, control of these
animals is urgent and essential to maintain and improve native wildlife
populations and habitat. Strongly urge
an additional New action:
Additional New action. To assist in maintaining and improving
wildlife populations and their habitat, investigate and prepare actions to
control feral animals (foxes, cats, rabbits, deer and goats), and domestic cats.
1.2 Climate change (p.24). All the statements
are excellent and very welcome. New action 1.1.2 appears to be
duplicated. Reference to educating the
public about climate change is missing and an action should be added.
Additional New action. ‘Provide information, education or workshops
to landholders, community groups, institutions, schools, and the public on the
impacts of climate change on Victoria’s coast and hinterland’.
1.3 Wetlands and estuaries (p.25). The
Outcome, Policy and Actions are all excellent and very pleasing, but the
Outcome could be strengthened:
1.4 Catchment management (p.26). Excellent.
1.5 Information and research (p.26). Excellent
and very necessary—today’s research informs and becomes tomorrow’s actions.
2.1 Maintaining and improving (marine) biodiversity (p.27).
Excellent and very welcome. For
clarity, please add marine to the
heading.
2.2 Climate change (p.28). An excellent and
essential section. It is good that
climate change impact modelling and predictions are being studied for the East
Gippsland coast and Western Port.
However, the coast west of Melbourne also has low lying land, fragile
cliffs and other areas that may also be vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change, so I suggest an additional action:
Additional New action. Begin or plan modelling and predictions of
climate change impacts on the West Victoria coast.
2.3 Integrated planning and management (p.28 & 29). Very good.
However, some Committees of Management seem to initiate actions and
activities that are at variance with protection, or sustainable and appropriate
use, of the coastal environment. Please
include reference to ensuring Crown land Committees of Management are aware of
coastal environmental processes and issues, and aware of their
responsibilities, and that members have the necessary skills, experience and
qualifications to assume this responsibility:
Additional New action
2.3.? Ensure Committees of Management
are aware of coastal environmental processes and issues, and aware of their
environmental responsibilities, and that Committee members have the necessary
skills, experience and qualifications to assume this responsibility.
Also, coastal authorities can act at variance with one another, so
please include a New Action on improving liaison and interaction between
coastal authorities, such as Parks Victoria and Committees of Management:
Additional New Action. Improve liaison and interaction between
coastal authorities (list authorities).
Ongoing actions.
The high-tide/beach mark is a grey area of responsibility between
coastal authorities. Extending the local
government/planning boundaries up to 600m off-shore seems useful. Onshore activities have an impact offshore and
vice-versa, and local governments may have more immediate knowledge of
conditions and would then have control over appropriate actions.
2.4 Identifying priorities
for management and planning (p.29). Very good.
Outcome.
To attract essential and adequate resources, the importance and value of
the marine environment may need to be better promoted generally, especially to
the State Government, and to agencies, business, and the community.
New action 2.4.2.
For clarity, please define ‘market-based instruments’. Presumably, this means seeking private or
business sponsorship for the cost of improving marine management. This can be very positive, for example, Alinta
and Exxon have funded local revegetation projects around Mordialloc. However, caution is needed to avoid
anti-environment ‘strings’ attached, e.g. fast-food advertising on project
signs or Crown land.
2.5 Managing resources and
threats (p.30). Very good.
Outcome.
This is absolutely necessary. For
clarity, please add ‘of the marine
environment’, to read, ‘to manage multiple uses of the marine environment in a long-term sustainability framework.
Policy, dot point 2.
Suggest consideration be given to indigenous revegetation as a means of
filtering and improving the quality of stormwater run-off from urban and
agricultural land near marine and freshwater environments. Property owners and managers could be
encouraged to revegetate land near water.
Additional New action 2.5.? Encourage landholders to revegetate areas
near marine and freshwater environments, to filter and improve the quality of
stormwater run-off.]
New Action 2.5.1.
Regarding a national system to prevent and manage marine pests, I
suggest the pasteurisation of ballast
water be investigated. My husband has
had some involvement with milk-pasteurisation in an accreditation role. He has long advocated pasteurisation of ship
ballast water at point-of-discharge, because few, if any, pests would survive
the temperature required for pasteurisation.
Pasteurisation systems are relatively simple; they could be installed at
appropriate ports and docks, and marine debris filtered out for use as
fertiliser. Please add a New action to
investigate the pasteurisation of ballast water:
Additional New action
2.5.? Investigate the viability of pasteurisation
of ballast water in the control of marine pests.
Marine pest identification.
Clear marine pest identification signage needs to be provided near boat
ramps and fishing platforms, information distributed to coastal community
groups, and frequent messages in the media.
Tragically, boaties and fishers seem confused about sea stars, many of
them hoick the 11-armed native sea star out to dry instead of the invasive
Pacific sea star. Please include an
additional New Action:
Additional New action 2.5.? Provide community education and coastal
signage about identifying, reporting and destroying marine pests.
Marine habitat corridors.
Marine habitat corridors are just as important as terrestrial habitat
corridors in maintaining and improving ecosystems and biodiversity. Please include an additional New Action:
Additional New action
2.5.? Investigate potential marine
habitat corridors, particularly between marine parks and sanctuaries, to enable
the movement and survival of marine plants and animals.
2.6 Informed management (p.31)
Outcome.
Very good to establish a strong scientific base to inform management
processes.
New action 2.6.1.
Support a strategy to guide investment in Victoria’s marine ecosystems,
which could result in positive environmental benefits and educational
opportunities. However, possible
environmental disadvantages from investment must be considered, identified and
included in this Strategy.
3.1 Access
(p.32). A well-considered section.
Challenge.
Please include reference to the
damage that informal ‘goat tracks’ cause to coastal environments.
Outcome.
‘Appropriate’ is the key word here because, as the Challenges statement identifies ‘Some areas can only support
minimal or no access to maintain ecological integrity’. I support access prevention or restriction
where sensitive environments or significant areas occur.
Policy.
Good to read that parallel roads to the coast will be avoided, removed
or relocated. This will help to restrict
access and limit environmental damage to the coast. Please add reference to controlling informal
‘goat tracks’:
Additional Policy point.
Rationalise, limit or remove informal ‘goat tracks’.
Additional New action
3.2.? Recreational activities on coastal
Crown land are to be water-related or not detrimental to the coastal
environment. Commercial activities to be
limited in size, number and location, and market-based fees applied for
commercial activities on coastal Crown land.
3.3 Education, awareness and stewardship (p.33).
This is a very important and essential section. Support the Outcome, Policy and all
Actions. Suggest reference to the need
for interpretive signage as an educational tool:
Additional new action. Investigate and provide interpretive signage
at access points to the coast, to educate the community about coastal processes,
heritage, invasive species, goat tracks, impact of pets, litter and pollution.
Feral animals and domestic
cats. To help conserve our native wildlife along
the Victorian coast, there is an urgent need for coastal landholders, residents
and the general public to be informed about the role of feral animals and
domestic cats in the loss of wildlife and their habitat. Suggest an additional New action:
3.4 Indigenous heritage (p.33). It is wonderful to
see indigenous heritage included in this Strategy. For indigenous heritage to be protected, it
is so important for everyone to recognise and understand the contribution by
indigenous peoples to the shaping and culture of the Victorian coast. However, there may yet be much to discover
about indigenous heritage on or near the coast, so I suggest adding something
about research or investigation in the Outcome, Policy and Actions:
Outcome.
Please add ‘and further research
or investigate’, to read: ‘to better recognise and protect, and further research or investigate
indigenous cultural heritage along the coast’.
Policy—additional point.
Conduct further research or investigation of indigenous cultural
heritage, to add to the body of known heritage.
Additional New action. Together with local aboriginal
representatives, further research or investigate indigenous cultural heritage
through site visits or historical
archives.
3.5 Tourism and visitation (p.34). Agree with
this section, except for the following suggestions:
Challenge.
Please include reference to the impact of tourism activity on the
environment, both for clarity and as a reminder to those using this section of
the Strategy. Whilst tourism and
visitation should be encouraged, unfortunately, the presence of people on the
coast, especially where unrestricted, can cause disruption to wildlife,
trampling of vegetation, the spread of weed seeds, litter and faeces, and
vandalism.
Outcome.
As a reminder that the coast needs protection, please add ‘whilst protecting sensitive and significant
areas’, to read, ‘to improve and enhance the experience and understanding
of tourists and visitors to the coast, whilst
protecting sensitive and significant areas’.
Policy, 3rd
dot point. This statement needs
strengthening because the word ‘avoid’ is too weak. Suggest ‘actively
discourage’, to read, ‘Actively
discourage extending township boundaries for life-style related residential
developments, such as golf courses, marinas and canal estates’.
3.6 Safety, risk and climate change (p.35).
Support all aspects of this good section.
3.7 Beach nourishment and protection (p.35).
Support all aspects of this section.
However, no mention is made of any environmental audit of existing
conditions, natural features, or flora and fauna prior to renourishment or
protection works. Suggest an additional
new action regarding an environmental audit of an area prior to beach
renourishment:
Additional new
action. Conduct an environmental audit
of existing conditions, natural features, flora and fauna of an area prior to
beach renourishment or protection works.
3.8 Boating (p.36). Support all
aspects of this section. However, a
reminder is needed on educating boat users about:
recognising and disposing of marine pest
animals and plants
recognising and conserving native marine
animals and plants
correct disposal of boating
debris.
3.9 Coastal Crown land caravan parks and camping grounds (p.36).
Support all aspects of this section.
To protect the foreshore environment and allow for the impacts of climate
change, suggest that local governments locate caravan parks on the edge of
settlements rather than on Crown land or, where possible, locate coastal
caravan parks at the rear of a foreshore away from the beach:
Additional New Action. To protect the foreshore environment and
allow for the impacts of climate change, investigate and, where possible,
encourage location of coastal caravan parks in settled areas rather than on
Crown land, or at the rear of the foreshore away from the beach.
3.10 Cultural heritage (p.37). Agree with and
support this section. Suggest a preamble
is included about the importance of cultural heritage:
Challenge preamble.
Cultural heritage provides an
important context and understanding that adds value to coastal experiences and
fosters respect for aboriginal culture and heritage sites.
3.11 Coastal management capacity (p. 37).
Support all aspects of this section.
4.1 Planning for use and development (p.38).
The Policy is excellent , the Actions are very good, and Box 3:
Sustainable communities is excellent.
Support most aspects of this section, except:
Outcome.
For clarity, please define ‘properly’, because the statement ‘to
“properly” site and design coastal infrastructure, developments and
settlements’ is ambiguous.
Fig 10.
Some coastal areas definitely have acid sulfate soils, e.g. much of the
former Carrum Carrum swamp from Mordialloc to Frankston and towards
Dandenong. Suggest two colour codes for areas with coastal acid sulfate soils—known and
possible sites, and an additional New action about ensuring coastal
planners and developers are aware of acid-sulphate soil issues and locations.
Additional New action. Ensure coastal planners and developers are
aware of acid-sulphate soil issues and locations.
Control of feral animals and
domestic cats. The mechanism for control of feral animals
and domestic cats urgently needs to be improved somehow. Perhaps various agencies and local
governments can be empowered and urged to develop and activate controls of
feral animals and domestic cats, including informing and educating landholders,
residents, and the general community.
Please include reference to
and appropriate actions for control of feral and domestic pests in the Outcome, Policy, New actions and Box 3: Sustainable communities—for existing
townships and suburbs.
4.2 Climate change (p.40). This is an
excellent and very necessary section.
Regarding planning for climate change, adequate vegetation cover
along the coast, including settled areas, is essential in combating the impacts
of climate change. Unfortunately, as
previously mentioned, indigenous vegetation, especially trees, is often
sacrificed for views or in landscape design.
Please include an additional New action that addresses this problem.
4.3 Infrastructure on the
coast (p.41). Very good.
Ongoing actions.
Suggest seawalls included, to
read ‘Fund the ongoing maintenance of piers, jetties and seawalls’.
4.4 Ports
(p.41). Acceptable.
Outcome.
This Outcome sounds fine but is actually contradictory, because it is
just not possible to deepen Port Phillip Bay channels without detracting from
environmental values, local amenity and recreation!
The environment is more important than local amenity and
recreation , so please place environmental
values first, to read: ‘to have all ports running productively without
detracting from environmental values, local amenity and recreation’.
4.5 Future issues (p.41)
Challenges.
Many issues are listed but not carried through into actions; only two New actions are mentioned—desalination
and a future forum. Suggest the
following issues be better covered or included:
Water.
Supply of water is certainly a future issue with decreasing rainfall and
increasing population. I support
recycling of waste-water, where possible, and consider it should be mandatory
for all new buildings to have rainwater tanks.
I strongly disagree with desalination plants because marine creatures
and plants are destroyed in the filtering process, the concentrated salty
discharge is a risk to marine life, the power usage contributes to greenhouse
gases, they ‘build over nature’ and are a visual blight on the landscape, and
they are very expensive. I urge that
rainwater tanks become mandatory, waste-water is recycled, and the wastage and
leakage of water tackled, then desalination plants would be unnecessary. Therefore, I strongly suggest:
Delete New action 4.5.1 and replace
with a New Action 2.5.1. Investigate
and implement water saving measures, such as mandatory rainwater tanks,
recycling of wastewater, and solving water leakage and wastage.
Ground-water removal.
Regarding land subsidence caused by ground-water removal, I recently
heard an ABC radio report on this topic.
Apparently, if land subsides then rock and clay fissures close up, the
land becomes denser, less rain water seeps into aquifers, and more stormwater
run-off occurs. Subsidence in California
has also caused damage to roads and buildings.
In addition, the Victorian Women’s Trust have produced our water mark (2007), a report on the
state of water in Australia, which points out, among other things, that
ground-water removal reduces river flows and wetland levels.
Additional New action 4.5.? Further investigate land subsidence, river
flows, and changes to wetland levels as a result of ground-water removal, and a
possible cap on extraction.
Wind energy.
Whilst I support sustainable energy systems, there have been some bird
kills, including native birds, at wind farm sites because the blades move too
quickly for birds to see and avoid them.
Strongly suggest bird flight paths investigated prior to a wind farm
proposal so that bird flight paths can be avoided. Data should be gathered and published on bird
kills at wind farm sites.
Additional New action
4.5.? Investigate and avoid bird flight
paths in locating a wind farm, and gather data on bird kills at wind farm
sites.
New action 4.5.1.
As stated above, I strongly oppose a desalination plant and consider it
unnecessary, environmentally damaging, and too expensive.
Coastal Settlement Framework: Spatial
Growth Management
Fig 12a (p.43).
Support Hinterland Settlement
which is likely to reduce population pressure on the coastal environment.
Portland is assigned a High Growth Capacity and it has a deep
water port. Therefore, given that
Portland folk are keen to have a shipping container port to bring much-needed
employment and economic benefit, I strongly urge that Portland be investigated
as an alternative to the Hastings Port development and the deepening of Port
Phillip Bay channels. A rail line from
Portland to Melbourne and Adelaide would also benefit the rural communities
along its route.
Fig 21b (p.44).
Korumburra and Leongatha are both assigned High Spatial Growth. Because of their relative closeness, this may
result in the built environment of the two towns merging, and a linear ‘city’
or ribbon rural development along the South Gippsland Highway. To avoid this possibility, I suggest both
towns be assigned Moderate Growth Capacity or one town assigned a lesser Growth
Capacity.
The role of the lead agent, partner and stakeholder (p.46).
Suggest New actions are strengthened by slight
rewording, from ‘Consider improvements…’, to read:
‘2.3.1 Consider and improve
Victoria’s marine institutional, planning, management and decision-making
framework’.
‘3.11.1 Consider and improve
Victoria’s coastal planning and management arrangements’.
New action 5.1.
For clarity, please define ‘sustainable funding models’.
I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this Victorian
Coastal Strategy and I hope my comments are useful.
Yours faithfully,
Member of the following groups:
Kingston Foreshore Reference Group (City
of Kingston)
Friends of Mordialloc Creek (City of
Kingston)
Friends of Yammerbook Nature Reserve, and
Living Links committee (City of Kingston)
Friends of Bradshaw Park (City of
Kingston)
Mordialloc-Beaumaris Conservation League
Kingston Conservation and Environment
Coalition
Waterwatch (Melbourne Water)
Friends of Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands
(Melbourne Water)
Friends of Braeside Park (Parks Victoria)
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