Pack of whingers? Why Bass MP and the local council are at odds

A SQUABBLE has broken out between out-going Bass MP Jordan Crugnale and the Bass Coast Shire Council over protection of the Western Port Woodlands, and who should pay for it.

What promoted the tiff is a statement by Ms Crugnale where she commends the council for starting work on documenting the environmental significance of the Westernport Woodlands, but also criticising them for “always calling for more funding, in particular with projects in their responsibility area”.

Council has bristled at the remarks, hitting back by widening the funding dispute with comments about the aging pool at Wonthaggi, partial funding for the hospital and the loss of the Phillip Island GP.

It comes within days of an announcement by the State Government, to approve three new Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERAs), including one at Lang Lang (Cardinia Shire) and one at  Trafalgar (Baw Baw Shire) which have been hailed by the Save Western Port Woodlands group as “a milestone” announcement.

Spokesperson for the group, Catherine Watson, said the gazetting of the new SERAs would clear the way for decisive action to be taken by the government to protect the woodlands ahead of the next election.

“The gazetting of Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERAs) by the Planning Minister last Friday is a milestone in the long campaign to protect the Western Port Woodlands,” said Ms Watson.

“The Cardinia SERA identifies substantial sand resources on cleared farmland north of Lang Lang, close to Melbourne.

“It provides a clear pathway for the industry to access resources without further loss of high-value native vegetation in the Western Port Woodlands.

“It means the Extraction Industry Interest Area (EIIA) designation that has hung over the woodlands for decades can finally be removed.

“When we started our campaign more than six years ago, this was one of our main aims,” she said.

“We’re asking the State Government to remove the EIIA before the election.

So, while the Save Western Port Woodlands group is popping the champagne corks, the shire council and Ms Crugnale are boxing on.

Here’s what Jordan Crugnale had to say

“I commend Bass Coast Shire Council for starting the work required to determine the environmental significance of the Westernport Woodlands to support an overlay, work which is the responsibility of the Local Council.

“The Allan Labor Government declared the Bass Coast a Distinctive and Area Landscape (DAL) in 2019, and in 2025, the Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) was endorsed.

“As indicated in the Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy, there is a need to identify and confirm if there are areas with high biodiversity value within the Western Port Woodlands, to help conserve them and inform land use planning, including planning for managing strategic extractive resources.

“Further investigative work is needed to understand the intrinsic values of the woodlands and the efficacy of current protections.

“I strongly urge council to complete this work as soon as possible so that the appropriate protection mechanism can be placed over this important region of biodiversity.

“Council know that it is in their remit to do and resource this work themselves – we have enabled this very important planning scheme amendment step having the DAL in place, and in addition the work we have done to remove the SERA from the Bass Coast.

“I absolutely agree the ESO needs to happen and have said this all along.

“An interim ESO was raised numerous times with the Minister and her office and the advice and rationale why this was not possible at the time which I relayed to Council back in July 2025.

“I have always said that we would support and assist council in the ESO process through departmental expertise and resources made available to them.

“Council also well know there is no specific grant program or funding mechanism to cover the work they need to do.

“Given council are undertaking the preliminary work (i.e. the boundary of the woodlands, flora/fauna that can be protected under state legislation), the threshold issues of whether the Woodlands should be protected, what is being protected, and whether an ESO is the best mechanism for protection would need to be resolved.

“After some work - if council can demonstrate the need for an interim ESO, they can submit the planning scheme amendment to DTP for authorisation/approval. Council should get moving on it as soon as possible,” said Ms Crugnale, going on to criticise the council for having its hand out for grant funding for projects that were their own responsibility.

What Bass Coast had to say

The Bass Coast Shire Council has been quick to respond.

Here is the statement signed off by new Bass Coast Shire Council Mayor Cr Brett Tessari:

“Today the Member for Bass issued a statement on the Westernport Woodlands that contained some disappointment and inaccurate statements.

“One thing we both agree on is that the Westernport Woodlands need to be protected. It seems that is where our agreement ends.

“While the Member for Bass tries to shift the responsibility for State planning overlays solely to Council, the Minister for Planning – a senior member of the same Government - has written to Council to acknowledge that protection of the Woodlands is a shared responsibility.

“The Member for Bass acknowledges that further investigative work is required to understand the intrinsic values of the woodlands the efficacy of current protections. Council applied for grant funding to pursue this work. This State Government said no.

“The Member for Bass also claims to support an ESO. Council is advocating for an interim ESO to protect the woodlands while further assessments can take place. Council tabled a draft ESO with the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Advisory Committee – the State Government said no.

“We have redrafted this ESO so that it can be implemented immediately as an interim measure and attached it for the Minister’s urgent consideration.

“The Minister enjoys broad powers to affect change. We have witnessed this first-hand with the recent planning reforms and the application of interim controls over in Mornington Peninsula in response to the recent McCrae landslide. While Council is one of the planning authorities of the Bass Coast Planning Scheme, it does not enjoy anywhere near the same sweeping powers.

“Council has committed $500,000 in its Long-Term Financial Plan to protect the Westernport Woodlands. There is no financial commitment from the State to protect the woodlands, which are part of the internationally recognised Western Port Biosphere Reserve.

“I would also like to address the Member for Bass’ statement that Council is in the habit for always calling for more funding.

Council makes no apologies for advocating strongly for appropriate State support.

“We have an aging pool in Wonthaggi, a partially funded local hospital, a coastline in crisis, buses that come once in a blue moon and the State has lost one of the region’s biggest economic drivers in the MotoGP.

“As Mayor of Bass Coast, I’ll continue to ask for our fair share of State and Federal funding.

“It’s disappointing that the local Member has sought to shift responsibility and sought to attack Council via the media rather than a constructive conversation. All I am seeking is a shared commitment from all levels of Government to make Bass Coast the best it can be.”

 Additional comments

Here, for the record are the other comments issued by Ms Crugnale on Friday, May 1 but dated Friday, April 24:

“This Council is in the habit of always calling for more funding, in particular with projects in their responsibility area including this planning scheme amendment one.

“Very rarely do they acknowledge the millions they have received over the eight years I have been in this role.

“Let me throw this into the mix as a suggestion for them - there are many instances including a very recent one being where the $1M savings on the Wonthaggi–Inverloch inland path of which let’s just say for arguments sake we go halves meaning $500K is our contribution. Council is seeking a variation to redirect this amount to the Surf Parade path thereby reducing their own allocated budgeted amount for the next stage of this project.

“So, their saving should be put forward to the Woodlands work. This is a priority for them and our community.

Not only but also

Ms Crugnale continued providing a extract of email sent to Council July 2025: Western Port Woodlands - The Western Port Woodlands stretch from Lang Lang to Bass and include both public reserves and private land. There’s no formally defined boundary, and the area extends into the Cardinia and South Gippsland Shires. Some parts are already conservation reserves, but the whole area does not have a single conservation status under respective Victorian and Commonwealth legislation.

The final draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) notes that more work is needed to understand the area’s environmental values and whether current protections are sufficient. This may include:

• A detailed environmental assessment to map biodiversity values.
• Considering which legislation (Victorian or Commonwealth) and tools are best to protect the area.
• A review of current planning controls and industry opportunities in the area.

This work should be undertaken with Traditional Owners, local councils, landowners, community groups, industry, and in partnership with the Victorian Government, Commonwealth Government and local government.

About an 'Interim ESO'

By way of explanation, Ms Crugnale said applying an ESO on an interim basis now is not recommended because:

• The environmental significance of the Woodlands has not been determined and should be investigated through formal conservation processes under fit-for-purpose legislation.
• The Woodlands boundary is undefined and crosses into neighbouring shires with councils, landowners and other stakeholders that haven’t been engaged through the Bass Coast SPP process.
• An ESO may not offer suitable protections due to powers and functions in other legislation (Victorian and Commonwealth).
• An ESO would immediately require permits for works on all affected land, including areas that may not have significant environmental value.

“On this basis, it’s likely premature to consider applying an ESO, even on an interim basis, until the investigations are done to confirm which areas need protection and which tools and legislation are best.

“As part of reviewing any request from Bass Coast Shire Council for Western Port Woodlands planning controls, the above matters would need to be considered.”