Correspondence
Letters written during May:
Walter to Dr Ian Chubb CSIRO re Coalition Govt lack of Minister for Science, reduction in CSIRO budget.
Letter of thanks from Dr Chubb to Walter. PPCC Secretary J. Warfe to Kingston Council re ‘no tree planting on the foreshore.
Stephen to Murray Thompson MP re Kingston Bay Trail to be routed onto foreshore Crown land for a width of 1.8 metres for 130 metres along Beach Road from Mentone LSC to Plummer Road.
Mary to Ryan Smith, Minister for Environment and c.c to Angela Charles, DEPI, re ‘KCC ‘no trees to be planted on the foreshore.”
Incoming: – material from JE re KCC planting Malea street trees and subsequently suckers emerging under trees.
Planning Melbourne Panel
Planning Melbourne Panel held at Kingston Council 12-16th May. Nina and Mary attended and presented submissions to the panel. Developers and consultants also attended objecting to middlering councils designating areas of Neighburhood Residential Zones(NRZ) by many middle ring councils in order to retain a diversity of housing and family homes with backyards.
Friends of Bradshaw Park
Friends of Bradshaw Park are requesting a name change to Bradshaw Bushland Reserve. The request is with the Victorian Geographic place names Committee.
History of Mordialloc
Kingston historian, Grahame Whitehead , has produced a book on Mordialloc similar to his book on Cheltenham history. The book is at the publishers.
Friends of Mordialloc Creek
Friends of Mordialloc Creek carried out plantings 3rd May on north bank of the creek on the former Living Links site. Grasses, rushes and shrubs were planted thanks to a Melbourne Water grant. On the 28th May Kingston Council, in cooperation with local Aborigines, organised a Heritage walk along the creek banks. Unfortunately there have been two large fires in industrial sites on the north bank of the creek during April and May. The April fire, in the Bolwell factory in Wells Road, involved toxic plastic fumes spreading over south eastern suburbs and water used in extinguishing the fire flowing into the creek across the road from the factory. In May two factories in Canterbury Road , in the industrial area on the north side of the creek, would have also resulted in water from dousing the fire flowing into the creek via Dunlop’s drain.
Beach Pollution
Port Phillip Baykeeper, Neil Blake spoke to environment groups during the May meeting of KCEC about the need for ‘citizen scientists’, otherwise known as volunteers, to help researchers collect plastic from beaches in Melbourne as part of a study that will investigate how micro-organisms interact with plastic pollutants in coastal marine habitats.
Beaumaris Fossil Cliffs and Sea Ledges
While Judy continues work on a submission to include the fossil cliffs and sea ledges on the Victorian Heritage List, palaeontologists around Australia are voicing concern over what they see as a lack of protection for significant fossil deposits in Australia. These concerns are echoed by Dr Eric Fitzgerald, Senior Curator Museum of Victoria. (Age May 24, 2014)
Cuts to CSIRO
The Coalition Government’s failure to appoint a Minister for Science and lack of support for alternative energy initiatives have been compounded by cuts to the CSIRO. Closure or relocation of the Aspendale Atmospheric Research Centre at a time when research into marine biodiversity and monitoring the impact of climate change on vulnerable coastal areas has never been more important is inexcusable. The intention to close the irrigation research laboratory in Griffith, and concentrate on development of coal seam gas is disastrous since fracking especially, but mining of all types, uses and contaminants vast quantities of water which Australia can ill afford to lose – especially in an irrigation for food producing area like Griffith. (Age 28 May 2014)
Mordialloc Bypass
There must be an election in the offing – the Mordialloc Bypass is on the Libs agenda again – trotted out prior to elections over the last thirty years. While there has been a reserve set aside (in the Green Wedge) for the proposed freeway considerable residential development has occurred along the south bank of Mordialloc Creek up to Springvale Road. Waterways and Royal Palms residential estates will be affected by a bridge or flyover over the creek. Using Springvale Road as an alternative route for a bypass would remove the need for a costly, unnecessary freeway.
Mordialloc Masonic Hall
The future use of the hall goes to Council in May. Council’s Youth Services are keen to use the whole building but many people surveyed wanted the building to be retained for community use, for meetings with the upstairs section making a great quiet space for games e.g chess- a use suggested by a mens’s group. This area would also be ideal for a reading room with computers, magazines and possibly books since Mordialloc doesn’t have a library. Sandringham uses its Masonic Hall for community events including a monthly craft market.
Village Committee’s Demise
When amalgamation of councils was introduced by the Kennett govt. in 1994, the Commissioners overseeing amalgamations decided that since Kingston would become a large suburb/council, so-called village committees could convey to busy councillors problems arising in local areas that they may be unaware of . Each Committee would have a council officer chairing the monthly meetings with a council minute- taker keeping a record. The committees would be an advisory body only although a dangerous traffic issue, or need for a park or playground, was often acted upon by Council as result of the matter raised at the meetings. However these outcomes often resulted on the amount of interest shown by the council officer attending. Mordialloc Village Committee has been blessed with an excellent officer over the last three years who was prepared to give advice and information and follow up serious/dangerous matters raised be members. Over the last 20 years Mordialloc Village Committee meetings have been harmonious and achieved many successful outcomes -until this year when the composition of the committee changed with the election of one member with a political agenda. Two councillors with the same political agenda also began attending Village Committee meetings although not required to do so. Since these councillors are the voting majority in Kingston Council the Village Committees are to disbanded as of June 4th meeting. Environment groups are fortunate to have the Collins Report at each MBCL meeting otherwise information, or meetings organised by Council’s Environment Department, are sadly lacking and will be more so with the loss of the Village Committees.
Good News!!
Deutsche Bank, one of the world’s biggest investment banks, has ruled out funding the huge Abbot Point expansion on the Great Barrier Reef coastline!!!