Wonthaggi action group calls Sunday, June 30 rally

UNHAPPY with the lack of response from government to their calls to have retrospective Environmental Audit Overlays removed from more than 600 properties in Wonthaggi’s North-East, the ‘Save Wonthaggi’ action group has called a public rally for Sunday, June 30.

As well as highlighting their own on-going plight, the group believes the State Government’s action’s here leaves it open for highly-restrictive environmental overlays to be introduced elsewhere.

“Wonthaggi and Bass Coast Shire residents have been crippled financially and personally by a retrospectively applied Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO),” said Save Wonthaggi North-East Community Action Committee Chair John Duscher.

“Ordered by the Environmental Protection Authority, their land and homes, their biggest current or future asset, has plunged in value in a matter of weeks.

“Either halted before building, shut out of occupying their newly built homes, access to finance blocked, or, for retirees, their ability to obtain a redraw on their home equity to fund their retirement; residents are in financial freefall through no fault of their own.

“Locally it has also plunged the local business community into an economic downturn, that some have likened to the Global Financial Crisis.

“If this precedent of retrospectively applying EAOs on properties remains, it means that any property in Victoria could be subject to this.”

Mr Duscher went on to say that as well as starting a home, the overlay blocked any kind of work on sites including adding an undercover wheelchair ramp, extension, patio, shed, or even to lay an extra metre of concrete on their driveway, “without spending $15k minimum for a desktop audit and upwards of $80k if auditors deem a full audit is needed, plus extra for remediation action that must be taken”.

“The lack of immediate and active response to written requests to understand the plight of the community, to support the constituents they are elected to represent, and to remove this outrageous blight, has been frustrating, and this inaction leaves the community no choice,” he said.

“Whilst commitment to cover the initial costs of desktop audits known as PSRAs has been announced by the Bass Coast Shire, there is no commitment by the Council or the Government to pay for the more expensive full Environmental Audits if they are required.”

The ‘Save Wonthaggi North-East’ rally will be held on Sunday, June 30 at 2pm, in Wishart Reserve opposite the Bass Coast Shire Council Offices, 76 McBride Ave Wonthaggi.