Speaker welcomes Bass Coast councillors to Parliament

THE SPEAKER of the House of Representatives in the Australian Parliament, no less, the Hon Milton Dick, took time out during a particularly combative Question Time on Thursday, August 13 to welcome special guests to the parliament, Bass Coast Mayor Cr Brett Tesari and Deputy Mayor Cr Ronnie Bauer.

It’s an honour usually reserved for heads of state and other illustrious dignitaries.

“I'm pleased to advise the House that we have Councillor Brett Tessari, the mayor, and Councillor Ron Bauer, the deputy mayor, of Bass Coast Shire Council as guests for the Member for Monash in the gallery today. Welcome to question time.”

Honourable members responded with a hearty “Hear, hear!”

It was quite a welcome.

But there was still plenty of time for the work of the day, advocating to Monash MP Mary Aldred on a range of council’s pet projects, and hopefully meeting with ministers and ministerial advisors along the way.

“We discussed a few priorities,” acknowledged Ms Aldred.

“First up I updated them on the briefing I had with Ministers Julie Collins MP and Senator Murray Watt, the Chief Vet, and senior departmental officials about H5 bird flu.

“During this briefing I raised the Phillip Island penguins, critically engaged bird life and our local poultry sector. The briefing was important and I thanked the ministers for the opportunity.

“We also discussed the Wonthaggi pool, road upgrades, major event opportunities and improving phone connectivity,” she said, topical given the release of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Systemic Insights Report ‘Left behind: Experiences of telco consumers living in regional, rural and remote Australia’ on the day of the visit.

Reports of the meeting with Ms Aldred, to discuss the shire’s priorities, wasn’t lost on some locals who responded to the posting of a photo of the two Bass Coast councillors in Ms Aldred’s Canberra office.

Rohan Florence: And the Phillip Island Recreational Reserve? Top of the list for decades and still not delivered.

Graham Jolly: A new football oval for Cowes is a top priority. Not a dogs’ off-leash dog park. The rezoning of the two properties is critical. But what’s happening with the council project to the old Wonthaggi College under review and the federal government $632,000 grant for a property council does not own?

Kerry McKean: And what about Phillip Island's pool! Where is it!

Judy Foden: How about discussing the Phillip Island pool, for which we have been waiting about 25 years.

Reply Mary Aldred MP: I did raise it, Judy.

It’s interesting to note that on the same day the local councillors were discussing priorities, a sign went up at the front of the Hilton Chadwick Reserve, on the edge of Cowes declaring ‘Future home of the Phillip Island Sporting Precinct’.

Council is pitching for funds from both State and Federal governments towards what is anticipated to be a $63 development of the Phillip Island Recreation Precinct greenfield site to include:

• 2 x Football and cricket ovals
• Multi-use Pavilion
• Soccer pitches
• Multipurpose and flexible sports fields
• Netball and tennis courts
• Athletics facilities
• Skate Park
• Playspace
• Fenced off-leash dog park
• Bushland areas with walking paths and picnic facilities

“The Master Plan was completed in September 2023 will guide the development of the reserve through a staged process over the next 20 plus years that reflects community sporting and recreation needs and the likely incremental availability of capital funds,” says council in its advocacy strategy.

The sports precinct is planned to ultimately host an aquatic centre although such a project is not even on the council’s priority list at the present moment.

Council is seeking “at least $30 million” from state and federal sources for the Bass Coast Aquatic and Leisure Centre (BCALC) in Wonthaggi.