PORT PHILLIP CONSERVATION COUNCIL INC.
	Tel +61395891802, +61429176725	47 Bayview Crescent, BLACK ROCK VIC 3193
	Fax +61395891680	ggd@netspace.net.au
	A0020093K Victoria	www.vicnet.net.au/~phillip
	ABN 46 291 176 191	16th  October 2006
President's Report to 2006 Annual General Meeting
The preceding year has certainly been a very busy time for conservation groups concerned with preserving the coast, and PPCC Inc. and its member groups has taken an interest in some extraordinary assaults on the environs of Port Phillip Bay. Amongst this disconcerting atmosphere however PPCC Inc. received a letter from Deputy Premier the Hon. John Thwaites advising us that the State Government had launched its ‘Our Environment Our Future – Sustainability Action Statement 2006’. Our Environment Our Future proudly announced an investment of over $200 million to help Victorians live more sustainably, and advised that this initiative would also protect our unique environment and maintain and restore our natural assets. With the State election next month it is appropriate to review the Government’s stated commitments and its performance in relation to our special interest – Port Phillip Bay. Here are 10 which spring readily to mind. 1. Channel Deepening: Government is still committed to the original proposal, and has recently announced plans for Westernport which will destroy its natural values 2. Wyndham Cove Marina: Government supporting one of the largest marinas in Australia and its intrusion into the adjacent Green Wedge Zone 3. Frankston Marina: Government is supporting Council’s proposal, which will destroy the natural values of that coastline 4. Safety Beach Marina: Government has supported its ongoing expansion until it now encroaches into a Green Wedge Zone 5. Blairgowrie Marina: Government silent on the Club’s proposed 50% expansion 6. Queenscliff Harbour redevelopment: Government supporting the destruction of traditional boating facilities in favour of intensive commercial and retail development 7. Ansett Estate: Government refused to purchase Ansett Estate, thus passing up the opportunity to return privately owned coastal land to public ownership, and creating a continuous coastal reserve between Melbourne and Portsea. A further 40 hectares of Green Wedge open space land has now been reduced from the Green Wedge minimum subdivision size of 40 hectares, by the sale of 11.7 hectares to a developer. Yet again, Green Wedge land is under siege from development pressure, such as recently occurred in Wyndham Cove and Safety Beach Marinas. This could have been avoided by the State Government using its extensive powers to acquire the land and create a wonderful Coastal Park. 8. Rosebud Foreshore skatepark: Government supported the construction of a 1140 sq. metre skatepark on the Rosebud foreshore 9. Seaford Lifesaving Club: Government supports rebuilding and expansion of the club, development of a 20 seat café, and expansion of the foreshore car park 10. Leopold illegal Marina: Geelong City Council has approved the property being converted to ‘constructed’ wetlands. Council and Government passed up the opportunity to create a publicly-owned coastal reserve between the Mores’ property and high water mark What a sorry story from a Government supposedly committed to the preservation and enhancement of our natural assets. Mr Thwaites's letter concludes: “there is no easy fix to our environmental challenges. The Victorian Government believes that together we can make Victoria a sustainable state and deliver a healthy environment to future generations of Victorians” The decisions I have outlined affect our major interest - Port Phillip Bay. It is likely that similar decision have been made elsewhere which have similarly horrified other concerned citizens. The snapshot of decision making we have just considered should not give government any basis for asserting that they can make our state sustainable, or can protect Port Phillip and its coastline from constant demands to develop and modify it. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the decision-making processes are outmoded and require reform. At a previous general meeting we determined to request that the Government hold a legally binding referendum in conjunction with the forthcoming election on the issue of channel deepening in Port Phillip Bay. The Premier subsequently advised that the Government does not have the power to hold binding referendums. In this increasingly technological age it should be possible to hold continuous referendums on all issues, rather than giving a blank cheque to politicians for 4 years to do as they please. Committee Issues: In February 2006 the Committee appointed Adrian Cerbasi of Beaumaris Conservation Society as PPCC Inc. Treasurer. This followed Mr Des Berry declining further nomination at the 2005 AGM, but agreeing to provide assistance until Adrian was available to formally take over. Thank you Des and Adrian in particular for your commitment. In January 2006, Frank Hart, on behalf of Frankton Beach Association Inc. prepared an excellent response to the Boating Coast Action Plan, which PPCC Inc. also adopted as our submission. In April, PPCC Inc. undertook a VCAT appeal against the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s Rosebud foreshore Skatepark proposal. In May 2006 we were advised that the appeal was not upheld. This decision appeared to ignore the previous VCAT decision of 2003 in which a similar proposal for the nearby Rye foreshore and by the same Council was dismissed at VCAT. That decision upheld the importance of the Victorian Coastal Strategy 2002 Coast dependent provisions. This latest VCAT ruling has left the VCA coastal provisions in tatters and may unfortunately lead to other similarly inappropriate proposals around our coastline. In November 2006, PPCC Inc. will support appellants in their VCAT hearing on the Seaford Lifesaving Club’s inclusion of a 20 seat café into its redevelopment. In September 2006 committee members attended PoMC Channel Deepening Focus groups at Frankston and Brighton. The committee has also agreed to part finance another aerial photographic survey of the coastline of Port Phillip in early 2007. This will be an invaluable resource for our website, and various projects that we and other campaigners become involved in. The last survey in 2002 has been a well used resource and many thanks to photographers Rudi and Alison Kuter and to Geoffrey Goode for his contribution towards its collation and promotion. 2006 certainly has seen some savage plans from the corporate and government sectors for the environs of Port Phillip Bay. We need to maintain and indeed heighten our vigilance and make use of the extensive shared knowledge available to us through our shared supportive networks. United we stand.
Len Warfe, President