Candidates hear passionate Western Port Woodlands’ plea

IN AN election race that sits on a knife-edge, the issuing of a ‘how to vote card’ by the members of the ‘Save the Western Port Woodlands’ group could prove crucial in the pivotal race for Bass.

And the group will use the responses by Bass candidates who attended their one-issue forum at the Corinella Public Hall last Saturday afternoon when formulating their voting guide.

It’s likely to come out strongly in favour of Greens’ candidate Callum Bugbird, who was both forceful and unequivocal in his opposition to the ruination of the Western Port Woodlands for sand extraction.

Both the independent Jenni Jobe and the Nationals’ candidate Brett Tessari backed a moratorium on future expansion, until a proper impact assessment is completed.

Aaron Brown for the Liberals said he had received a commitment from the relevant Coalition Shadow Ministers, including Shadow Minister for Planning, Ryan Smith, and Shadow Minister for Resources, Richard Riordan, that they would “update the 1996 Extractive Industries document for Lang Lang to Grantville including the Gurdies, ensuring it balances the needs of the resources sector with the need to protect the unique environment in the Bass Coast and Cardinia Shires”.

Jordan Crugnale, the Labor incumbent, expressed her concerns and listed the advocacy work she had done on behalf of the community.

Around 200 people crowded into the Corinella Hall to hear the latest in the campaign to Save the Western Port Woodlands.

As well as the Bass candidates, Austin Cram (Animal Justice Party Eastern Victoria candidate) attended while the group’s Bass candidate is appointed.

The Save Western Port Woodlands group is calling for:
• A moratorium on any new mines in the Woodlands.
• An Environmental Significance Overlay to be placed over the Woodlands, and for
• The woodlands to be excluded from Extractive Industry Interest Areas.

Convenor of the event, Catherine Watson, listed some of the actions of the group to date and while they were disappointed with the response to the area in the government’s draft Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Plan, the group was “nervously optimistic that something good is about to happen” in that regard.

South Gippsland Conservation Society representative Gerard Drew spoke about the Woodlands as a significant refuge for native flora and fauna.

“There’s quite a lot of sand mines already dotted throughout but the one that has really got us scared is the expansion of the mines,” he said showing a devastating map of future sandpit expansion.

Geologist Ted Minty said there were numerous places around Victoria, close to rail and major highways with suitable sand resources, raising concerns about up to 5000 sand truck movements-a-day on the Bass Highway at the height of future sand mine expansion.

Other speakers followed before Mayor Cr Michael Whelan spoke, saying the council had concerns on two fronts about the expansion of extractive industries in the area including the loss of the woodlands and danger of leachate getting into Western Port.

He said the council had written to the Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek with concerns under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Jane Jobe Vice President of the Phillip Island Conservation Society said Western Port has lost its liver when the Koo Wee Rup Swamp was drained and was now at risk of losing its kidneys as well.

“The water quality of Western Port is threatened by these sand mines,” she said, likening the fight to save the Western Port Wetlands as being as serious as the threat posed by AGL’s gas project.

More candidates’ forums:

• Thursday, November 3 Anzac Room Phillip Island RSL Cowes 6pm-7.30pm

• Friday, November 11 Corinella Public Hall 6.30pm-9.30pm.