Bass Coast hurry up for Environment Minister

THE Bass Coast Shire Council sent a delegation to meet with the Victorian Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos, on Wednesday last week, to impress on him the need for urgent action on the coastal erosion problems at Inverloch and Silverleaves.

Attending for the Bass Coast Shire Council were the Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead, Deputy Mayor Cr Brett Tessari, the shire CEO Greg Box and Teena Hale Pennington, the shire's General Manager Innovation and Culture.

Speaking about the meeting, also attended by Bass MP Jordan Crugnale, the Bass Coast Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead said the delegation got a good hearing.

“In line with the motion passed by council at the December meeting, to try to get a meeting with the Minister at the earliest opportunity, we met with Minister Dimopoulos yesterday, the head of DEECA and the regional manager to discuss the communities concerns.

“All of the things the community has raised and the council has discussed were discussed and we received a very good hearing from the Minister.”

Cr Halstead said the council was seeking urgent commencement of the large-scale dune restoration at Inverloch, and an urgent commitment to funding the recommended Geotech sandbag revetment solution proposed as interim protection for the Silverleaves foreshore.

Retreat, said Cr Halstead, was not discussed.