Coal Creek Strategic Plan draft goes out for community comment

COMMUNITY members can now comment on the draft Strategic Plan outlining Coal Creek’s future direction but need to be quick with the recently opened consultation period ending on August 1, with one South Gippsland Shire Councillor hitting out at the process informing the draft plan’s creation.

Feedback will be considered when preparing the final Strategic Plan that is set to go before councillors for approval at the August council meeting.

There was a generally upbeat tone among councillors speaking about the plans for Coal Creek’s future during Wednesday’s July council meeting, while the many challenges involved were acknowledged and community members were encouraged to have their say.

The councillor’s vote on whether to put the draft plan out for community consultation was emphatically in favour of doing so, with eight voting in support.

Only Cr Adrian Darakai struck a different note, abstaining from voting after declaring the community has been duped through inadequate information being provided on the option of closing Coal Creek.

He acknowledged the draft Strategic Plan presents a future for Coal Creek but stressed late last year that he expressed dismay at the process on which it is based.

“It is fatally floored because it did not accurately or reasonably present in the same light as the other options the possibility of closing Coal Creek and what that would mean for our community,” Cr Darakai said on Wednesday.

He questioned the information members of the Coal Creek Community Assembly and the broader community were provided with before making recommendations or submissions on the tourist park’s future that informed the content of the draft Strategic Plan.

Cr Darakai argued that during consultation prior to the plan’s development, there was a need for long-term outlooks to be given to the community on how money saved by closing Coal Creek could provide benefits throughout South Gippsland Shire.

As an example, he suggested council may be better positioned to meet the needs of Community Grant applicants.

Believing millions of dollars could be freed up without the costs of running Coal Creek, Cr Darakai also floated the possibility of associated savings contributing to fundamental services such as fixing roads.

He explained his decision to abstain from voting on whether to put the draft Strategic Plan out for community feedback, saying that voting yes would show support for the flawed process behind it, and voting no would be an immature response to a process that has taken place and little can now be done about.

“But I would honestly be advocating that we revert back to the entire consultation process and redo that to ensure that it is an effective, evidence-based and reasonable process where the community is not hoodwinked,” he said, clearly accepting the reality that won’t happen.

Chatting to the Sentinel-Times on Thursday, Cr Darakai explained he is not calling for the tourist attraction to be closed but is highlighting the shortcomings in the process he considers skewed feedback in favour of options to keep Coal Creek running.

Contrastingly, Cr Jenni Keerie, during the meeting, described it as an exciting time for Coal Creek, Korumburra and the South Gippsland Shire, arguing Coal Creek offers potential economic benefits for the entire shire, not just one town.

She said the Strategic Plan will help action ideas for the tourist park and will provide a basis for securing external funding needed to help make improvements.

Cr John Schelling said Coal Creek has long been placed in the “too hard basket” and he looks forward to seeing a resolution to the challenges it presents.

Deputy Mayor Nathan Hersey declared himself happy to put the draft Strategic Plan out to the community for comment, noting the two-week feedback time is shorter than he would usually like and urging people to have their say.

Budgetary constraints on council were acknowledged by Cr Sarah Gilligan, saying the new direction proposed for Coal Creek will require real innovation because council is not increasing the amount of funding for the site.

She noted council has allocated $50,000 to commence implementation of the finalised Strategic Plan, including detailed financial modelling and business case development and looks forward to hearing the views of people throughout the shire on what constitutes financial sustainability for Coal Creek.

Speaking after Cr Darakai, Mayor Clare Williams encouraged community members to ask questions of council on anything they are unsure of in relation to Coal Creek so they can provide informed submissions on the draft Strategic Plan.

“That’s the beauty of consultation; we’re asking you for your feedback, so please give it,” Cr Williams said.

Cr Keerie then spoke again, stating members of the Coal Creek Community Assembly made it clear they were satisfied with the information they were provided with and the opportunities they were afforded to ask questions, and they ultimately reached a consensus to recommend taking Coal Creek in a new direction.

“I don’t think Coal Creek has been given its opportunity to be what it can be for the shire and this is a Strategic Plan to help us get there,” she said.

Visit yoursay.southgippsland.vic.gov.au to view the draft Coal Creek Community Park and Museum Strategic Plan and to express your views.