From the ‘Save our Wonthaggi North East’ Residents Community Action Group
THE Residents Community Action Group Committee representing those affected by the retrospective Environmental Audit Overlay on the land in the Wonthaggi North East Precinct, continue to be very active and is receiving strong support from those affected and the wider community.
In the group's first official statement, ahead of a public rally in Wonthaggi on Sunday, May 26 at 3pm (North View Drive Public Park Wonthaggi), they've accused the State Government, VPA, EPA and council of making the whole rate base of the Bass Coast Shire pay for their planning bungle, retrospectively applying a highly restrictive planning overlay on hundreds of building blocks in Wonthaggi.
At a previous public meeting, on Saturday, May 11, the committee was given the task of lobbying and advocacy to remove this blight and they say the campaign is gaining signifcant momentum.
A petition has been widely circulated. It is available on-line and across Wonthaggi businesses, Inverloch and the district, including Dalyston, Cape Paterson and Kilcunda.
The petition will be available up to the close of business on Tuesday, June 11 when it will then be lodged at State Parliament.
Committee Chair, John Duscher has emphasised the importance of the petition.
“We are getting daily reports and worrying stories of the terrible impact this is having on people’s lives, intolerable stress, injustice, loss of value of their homes and property, building put on hold, people unable to move into their new homes and the inability to secure or access bank loans,” said Mr Duscher.
“All unwarranted, unwanted and unnecessary.
“The committee has called on the Government to remove this retrospective Environment Audit Overlay in the Planning Scheme and your support through the petition is even more essential with the advice received late this week from the EPA through Council which certainly has not helped resolve the problem.
“The EPA has advised that there is not enough justification to amend or alter the Environmental Audit Overlay and their information is insufficient.
“You would think that if there was not enough justification to change the situation, there wasn’t enough information to put this blight on in the first place.
“They recommend a Preliminary Risk Screen Assessment be completed and Council has obviously been given the job of fixing the problem and paying for it, at least partially, which means all ratepayers have been drawn into the cost.
“This hardly seems fair does it!
“The press release says the assessments look at the history of the land over time (predominantly farm land) and again you would think that this should already been done before any subdivision, building permits etc.
“The whole process has been flawed and the effect on the residents a disaster. And still so many questions.
“Will this overlay remain on the land’s title when this proposed audit is done?
“What has been suggested is too slow and these residents simply can’t be made to wait for what will be months or even possibly years.
“We reject this advice and proposed action of the EPA, Victorian Planning Authority and Council outright!
We are not prepared to accept this stopgap move and call on the Government to remove the Environmental Audit Overlay immediately.
“We call on the community to continue to sign the petition and support the action taken to inform our community of this injustice.
“The landowners are very grateful for the growing support received from our local politicians who have vowed to fight on their behalf. Thank you for your interest and support.
“Be assured we will continue to talk to the community at all levels to inform, gather support and strongly advocate for this necessary change,” Mr Duscher said.
