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A chat with Matt

2/6/2022

12 Comments

 
PictureNeil Daly is ready and willing to help Opposition Leader Matthew Guy ‘Recover and Rebuild Victoria’.
​By Neil Daly

HAVE you ever had a chat with Matt?
 
I haven’t, though he invited me, and I imagine many others, to contact him.  His email of April 23 2022 said:
 
“Dear Neil,
As Victoria heads towards a State Election in November this year, it is more important than ever that I hear from you on what matters most and how we can rebuild following two years of lockdowns, lost learning, a mental health crisis, cost of living pressures and attacks on small business.” 

At last I thought I may get to talk to the aspiring premier, for up until now he had ignored my emails about the need for a Western Port Strategic Management Plan (WPSMP). Armed with the email, I wrote:
Dear Mr Guy
Thank you for the invitation to ask you a question.  I have via your parliamentary email address, asked you on four occasions if your party was prepared to develop a “Western Port Strategic Management Plan” prior to the upcoming state election.  The last email was dated 07/02/2022; subject heading: WPSMP_ Article: “It’s time to set the agenda”.  To date, there has been no reply to any of my emails.  I might add that the leader of the Nationals has also ignored my requests about the same subject.  My question in the emails to you still stands.  The readers of the Bass Coast Post would also be interested in your reply.  Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely
Neil Daly
23/04/2022

Within minutes of sending my epistle, back came the reply.  I was amazed until I read the response:
“Thank you for emailing the Office of Matthew Guy MP, Leader of the Opposition.
It's great to hear from you. We have received your email.
All emails are reviewed by our team and we will respond as appropriate.
Due to the volume of correspondence we receive, it may take a little bit of time for us to get back to you.
To keep up with the latest on our plan to Recover and Rebuild Victoria, please go to https://www.matthewguy.com.au/our-plan
Kind regards,
The Office of the Leader of the Opposition.”

As I “go to print”, still no chat with Matt!

I’ve been prompted to tell you about my experience for Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s decision to approve a massive expansion of Grantville’s sand mining operation flies in the face of the environment message that Meryl Tobin presented at the public hearings.
Meryl recently commented, “Doing things piecemeal doesn’t work with the environment.  We need to look at the whole picture.”

Meryl succinctly sums up where the government has gone wrong with its ‘sand decision’ and ignored its own PR messaging.  For example in the Strategic Extractive Resource Areas Information for community and landholders (SERA) it says: “SERAs aim to get the right balance so that communities can continue to develop, but not too close to where quarries are or to where important areas of sand, stone and gravel resource can be found for use in the future.”

In Grantville’s case, it’s now up to the community to put up with an expanding quarry on its doorstep and any fauna that doesn’t like it – move!

It’s a pity that as yet flora and fauna are not represented in parliament, but perhaps that day will come for the Australian Earth Laws Centre is “working to create and promote Earth centred law and regulation, including (but not limited to):
  • the theory and practice of Earth jurisprudence
  • Earth laws and Indigenous First Laws
  • ecological law and governance
  • rights of nature
  • the law of ecocide
  • Greenprints and Earth-centred bioregional law.”

In the meantime, while the battle goes on, I would suggest more than ever we need a WPSMP to protect this region from further extractive exploitation, primarily geared to satisfy Melbourne’s expansionary needs – ‘miles away’ from this quarry. 

If I ever get to chat with Matt, I’ll mention this; I’ll also say that if he’s still keen to “Recover and Rebuild Victoria”, he has a chance to take up the challenge to devise an ecosystem-based business plan for the Western Port region.  I would add that he and the Nationals’ leader should listen to people like Meryl, for any ‘recover and rebuild’ plan cannot ignore this region’s history and its contribution to Victoria’s environmental wellbeing.

If looking for further guidance, the Healthy Waterways Strategy and, in particular, the “Overview” in the publication “Co-Designed Catchment Program for the Westernport and Mornington Peninsula Region”, is a valuable insight to the region’s attributes.  It promotes the concept that by “Working together, the full environmental, social, cultural and economic values of the region’s waterways can be realised.”

The same message goes to the state government as they have not come forward with a strategic management plan, and have now shied away from the holistic approach they should have embraced if they truly believe in an equitable and sustainable future for this region.

Closer to home, I’ve contacted the newly endorsed Liberal party candidates for Bass and Nepean, inviting them to join in the push to devise a WPSMP.  Will they respond?  I guess it all depends on Matt.
12 Comments
Christine Grayden
4/6/2022 11:12:27 am

Yes, unfortunately Neil, we still have a long way to go, both in being able to actively participate in our democracy (e.g. getting response from politicians) and in getting an over-arching plan for Western Port. Way back decades ago in the time of Register of the National Estate, a very strong case was made for WP to be included as a whole area. You can see the list of criteria for qualifying for inclusion on the Register here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Register_of_the_National_Estate#:~:text=The%20expression%20%22national%20estate%22%20was%20first%20used%20by,worthy%20of%20preservation%20for%20a%20variety%20of%20reasons. I'm thinking WP would have qualified for many of them. Unfortunately the RNE was disbanded to be replaced by state registers, which were mainly just for 'heritage'. Such a shame - things would be very different if the registrations had gone through and the RNE survived. It's never too late though, and we are all grateful that so many of you out there are working hard to get sanity to prevail on this issue.

Reply
Peter Bogg
4/6/2022 11:29:13 am

Neil, perhaps a hefty donation to the Liberal Party re-election fund may make Matt sit up and listen to your concerns.

Reply
Julia Stockigt link
4/6/2022 01:10:59 pm

I was grateful to see your article publicising Minister Wynne’s shock approval of expanded sand mining applications on the Bass Coast Neil.
Earlier this year you detailed the many problems of proposed sand mining expansions on the Bass Coast in your article It’s Time We Set the Agenda:
https://www.basscoastpost.com/neil-daly/its-time-we-set-the-agenda

The plan to expand these sand mines is impossible to reconcile with the same Minister’s decision in 2019 to include the Bass Coast in a Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) planning protection policy that’s been under development this year.

A local media report in March this year detailed the Andrews government’s plans to protect the Bass Coast with the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) listing.
“The State Government is protecting the distinctive character of Bass Coast from over-development to ensure the area’s valued rural and coastal landscapes, farmland and biodiversity will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
https://sgst.com.au/2022/03/bass-coast-well-tell-you-how-and-where-to-live/

Without doubt the Minister’s approvals will place the development of the DAL in conflict with his decision to prioritise short term profits, in the form of expanded sand mines, and allow them to take precedence over the protection of the woodlands that the new mines are destined to destroy, if allowed to go ahead.

Information on the Planning Process for the DAL: https://engage.vic.gov.au/project/distinctive-areas-and-landscapes-program/page/bass-coast

It also seems strange that DELWP’s Public consultation for the DAL coincided with the government’s promotion of the SERA, the Strategic Extractive Resource Areas project aimed at protecting the future expansion of sand mining!! https://engage.vic.gov.au/sera-pilot-project

The recent public comments stage of the DAL attracted scores of public submissions against sandmining, and in support of environmental protections of remnant wilderness to be enshrined on the Bass Coast.
Some of these submissions can be read on Save Western Port Woodlands website https://www.savewesternportwoodlands.org/documents.html

Apparent conflicts of interest exist within Victoria’s Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP), due to the competing interests of the state’s Environmental Protection priorities, and the development-focused Planning section at DELWP.

The irreconcilable aims of effective Environmental protections on one hand, and approvals to expand environmentally exploitative industries on the other make you wonder how a single government department like DELWP could possibly fulfill two such conflicting roles.

A scathing new report from the Victorian Auditor General’s Office [VAGO] found that the Andrews govt has “failed to achieve its objective of NO net biodiversity loss from native vegetation clearing...”.

https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/report/offsetting-native-vegetation-loss-private-land#key-facts





Reply
Julia Stockigt link
4/6/2022 01:37:41 pm

The report from the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) said that Budget constraints within the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, [DELWP], and inadequate staff knowledge and resourcing, are blamed for the destruction of 10,380 habitat hectares of native vegetation each year, from a combination of state sanctioned and illegal clearing on private properties across the state.

https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/report/offsetting-native-vegetation-loss-private-land#key-facts

It identified significant problems with both legal and illegal clearing of vegetation, and urged practical interventions to help local Councils to stem the unsustainable loss of habitat and biodiversity across built up and ‘developing’ areas.

“There are currently no quality assurance processes to ensure that recorded information is accurate,” the auditor general said.

The report also attributed responsibility to Shire Councils for not adequately managing native vegetation clearing, both on public and private land, and claimed that they’ve failed to take effective action against unauthorised clearing.

It said DELWP is aware of key reasons why shire councils have failed to implement regulations, noting a reluctance to address the issues or to support the implementation of their own regulations.

It stressed that Councils should only approve the removal of native vegetation as an absolute last resort, and only after confirmation that this option is unavoidable and cannot be further minimised.

It’s alarming that for many shire councils, clearing and offsetting have become the default position.

The destruction of native vegetation must urgently be halted to prevent unsustainable and unnecessary biodiversity loss.

Reply
Anne Heath Mennell
4/6/2022 02:07:54 pm

I only opened this article because you were the author, Neil. A chat with Mr Guy? I think not!
However, I'm glad I did read it as it is yet another witty and timely article from you. Do let us know if you ever get a reply from any of the pollies, other than an auto-response.
Julia, your summary of the story so far is excellent, too. A sad story to date but we have to keep working together to turn it around.

Reply
Meryl Tobin link
4/6/2022 02:49:19 pm

Go for it, Neil, and all others who live in Bass Coast Shire, Western Port Victoria, Australia and indeed the world who want humanity to continue to exist in a liveable world.

In the last Federal election ordinary people told our politicians we need action. For years people like Neil Daly have been asking for action, as he is here. But time is running out.

Powerful people in our world, including leaders, ignore global warning, fire and floods and seem unable to see where we are heading if we continue to consume at the rate we are doing. If they can see but do not care as long as they can rake off what they can in their lifetime, then that is even an worse scenario, as no matter what others say, they will never change.

If we are to survive, we must listen not to these dangerous people but to those like David Attenborough who said, "We can safeguard our planet's diversity but ... what happens next is up to every one of us." He urges us all to look at our current lifestyles and says we have to educate our children on the way Nature works. We have to realise plants are an integral part of our existence. "[Future generations] will look back on our generation with absolute horror," he says. "We are walking a tragic road of extinction."

Now, on June 2, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said much the same (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/2/uns-guterres-demands-end-to-suicidal-war-against-nature). He said we must end this ‘suicidal war against nature’.

Guterres said if global consumption were at the level of the world’s richest countries, “we would need more than three planet Earths”.
He made our immediate concern clear. “There is one thing that threatens all our progress – the climate crisis. Unless we act now, we will not have a livable planet.”

Neil Daly has suggested actions we and our leaders can take now to protect our corner of the world from ‘development’ or rather exploitation/over development/unsustainable development.
As a friend wrote to me recently, “It bothers me a lot that so much more needs to be done to look after our planet. Actually, we all only need to do a tiny bit each, and collectively it would make an absolutely huge difference. I do wish more of the population would get on board.”

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Bernie McComb
4/6/2022 03:13:44 pm

At rate of consumption of renewable earth resources by Australia, it would take 4 planets for us to be sustainable, in the style to which we’re accustomed.

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Deborah
4/6/2022 08:27:42 pm

Neil, did you also email Daniel Andrews? If so, we would like to hear about that result too - considering Daniel is actually in Government and has been - since 2014....

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Neil Daly
5/6/2022 12:21:53 am

Thanks Deborah. Yes the Premier, the acting Premier and other members of the Labor party have been sent emails about the subject. They are up to Update 11 as are all MPs on my contact list. Last year I did receive a letter from the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. On the minister’s behalf, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) thanked me for raising the issue. It repeated the reply given to the Sustainable Australia Party in the Legislative Council last year and went on to say that “All future management planning arrangements for Victoria’s marine and coastal environment are directed by the Marine and Coastal Act 2018.” Recently DELWP, in a letter on behalf of the Minister for Planning (Hon. Richard Wynne), addressed the Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape proposal, the Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land proposal, and the draft Regional Catchment Management Strategy now in the hands of Melbourne Water. I spoke about these issues in my article “Let’s join the dots” (BCP 19/4/2022). The matter goes back to my article “Hello Spring Street, are you listening?” (BCP 10/12/2020) and since then, my other articles in the Post have covered the story. Kind regards.

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Pete Granger
6/6/2022 11:24:26 am

Bass Coast. Sun, surf and sand...mining.
But seriously, the Libs are not interested unless it can be subdivided; the Nats are not interested unless it has an extractable coal seam; and Labor is not interested unless it has a dangerous railway crossing which needs fixing.
Your best hope Neil is the Sex (Reason) Party. We can reasonably assume they will deem it a hole which needs filling

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Pam BANNISTER
7/6/2022 11:03:35 am

Another great article Neil, displaying your great knowledge & sharp wit. More community voices need to take up the cause and as was shown in the recent Fed election, a community fed up with the status quo can work and forge change.....our Western Port environs, flora, fauna & communities deserve to be heard, loud & clear

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Meg
13/6/2022 08:16:03 pm

A chat with Matt, dialogue with Dan! No time for statements of false concern and "motherhood" statements. Ignore the "little people" at your own peril. Voices are growing louder and louder! We won't be silenced.
Thank you Neil. You always seem to nail it. Please keep writing. Also, great responses from all the others.

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