Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 5th February 2014

Correspondence

Kelvin Thomson’s invitation to join Victoria First. Issues to do with population policy. Joining fee $10.

Walter presented a ten page essay dealing with important political issues currently being debated in the community.

Beaumaris Fossils and Sea Ledge

Nomination for Heritage Listing. Letter received from Canberra advising that MBCL nomination did not meet Cultural and Heritage criteria . We believe the nomination did deal with these issues and asked for clarification especially relating to Aboriginal occupation of the foreshore. Celeste Ward, in her research, dealt with sand drifts and tidal flows in Beaumaris Bay and its effects on the Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary . Celeste has given Judy approval to use her material when an application is made for the Beaumaris Cliffs to be included on the Victorian Heritage. Neil Oliver’s Australian version of the BBC program Coasts featured Beaumaris Cliffs!

Public Transport

A new group, STOP, plans to publicise transport issues on the Frankston Line. Concern is that the enormous cost of the east west tunnel, if it is built, will deprive suburban trains, trams and buses of funds to address existing problems such as grade separation at rail crossings or extending train services to Tullamarine, Doncaster or Rowville. STOP plans to lobby passengers at stations and street stalls with information about the cost of the east west tunnel as well as damage to the river environment, Royal Park and Zoo animals. Volunteers are invited to join STOP and assist with lobbying Sandbelt politicians. (Sandbelt Transport Options . STOP)

Friends of the ABC

Friends of the ABC is a group that meets at Café Black Parkdale monthly. The Friends also plan to lobby politicians to prevent privatisation of the ABC, cutting funding and programs. The Abbott Government plans to sell the ABC’s Asia Network which operates on a policy of ‘soft diplomacy’ which aims to show neighbouring countries something of Australian lifestyle and culture.

Mordialloc Creek Advisory Committee

Mordialloc Creek Advisory Committee meeting reported that Section 1, installing mooring poles, is finished. Pontoons still to be completed . Unfortunately upstream and around the launching ramp the creek is silting up. with boats moored downstream also affected. Discussion about the importance of wetlands above Wells Road bridge alleviating the siltation problem. Unfortunately the wetlands won’t be constructed for five years according to recent information received. Council is planning to put the Pompei leases beside the creek out on the open market for Expressions of Interest. At present a member of the Pompeii family is operating a paint distribution business on the bank of the creek formerly used for maintenance for small boats moored in the creek.

Beaumaris Yacht Club Building Bayside

City Council is seeking community views on a proposal for extra uses of the Beaumris Yacht Club building. The Council appears to be following a trend emerging around Port Phillip Bay where local Lifesaving Clubs are having new premises built and intend to make provision for “extra uses “such as a Marine Education Science and Community Centre . At present, Frankston, Seaford, Carrum (and soon Mordialloc) Lifesaving clubs have grand new buildings all of which are offering ‘Coastal research and education centres.’ As Beaumaris Conservation Society states :“The narrow foreshore around Port Phillip Bay has not increased in area since it was established in the 19th Century but pressures on the foreshore are increasing as the population increases.” This applies to all yachting and lifesaving clubs on the eastern side of the Bay -also the most vulnerable coastline because of severe gales which continually erode the foreshore. Climate change will bring fresh challenges to infrastructure around the Bay.

The Bay Trail

The saga of the Bay Trail continues. Dec 16 Council Agenda announced that there would be consultation until Feb 21 2014 concerning the Bay Trail to be built back-of -kerb similar to the just completed Bayside bike trail. This was good news. Something that MBCL had been struggling to persuade Kingston planners to adopt for approx eight years. Aerial coloured photos of the trail, however, didn’t clearly reveal that parallell car parking on the gravel verge would continue even though VicRoads and the current Transport Minister had agreed that the gravel verge could be incorporated into bike path to reduce the amount of foreshore vegetation that would have to be removed to accommodate the bike path. Requests to see detailed plans of the bike path have been denied to MBCL and others requesting information about the trail. There has been no consultation other than those who have a vested interest in maintaining parking on the gravel verge i.e. the Mentone Lifesaving Club and residents living along Beach Road who want vegetation removed to improve “their” views.

Green Wedge

No good news to report on the Kingston’s section of the South East Green Wedge either. Councillors have voted 54 against refusing another concrete crushing business permission to operate in the green wedge. The same five councillors have voted to support Mentone Boy’s Grammar School to sell their playing fields in the Green Wedge for a healthy $60 million dollars. The Infamous Five have voted to have the playing fields rezoned for residential development – in the Green Wedge.

Help protect democracy in Kingston 21st February 2014

One of the Infamous Five has a Motion on Notice for the Council meeting 24 February re Councillor Ward Funds Grants Policy. Point No.2 gives some idea of how this councillor wants to control council decision making.

  1. Council Ward Grants cannot be used to contest or dispute resolutions of Council in any Statutory Review Authority for example VCAT.

The very concerned citizen who alerted people to this Notice of Motion asks “Is this an attempt to stifle legitimate community debate and freedom of speech on any issue that some of the current councillors don’t like? For example if a Men’s Shed , Historical Society, Community Group speaks up, puts forward a view in a letter, submission or newspaper article that certain councillors don’t like, will they then risk losing funding or Ward Grants. ??? The concerned citizen goes on to wonder if there will be a Star Chamber of selected councillors and local politicians demanding to view the membership books and financial records of all clubs and community groups.? Will an individual applying for a grant be expected to sign a form stating that they will not say or do anything that may offend Council or that may be interpreted as “political”?

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

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