“The Numbers Are Going to Grow”
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SouthCoastTaxiPHILLIP ISLAND & SAN REMO DVERTISESouthCoastTaxi AYour Community Voice! WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2020 R $1.40 Incl. GST For 27 years, John Clarke appeared on Australian television conducting mock interviews and skewering politicians with his comedy partner, Bryan Dawe. He was a devoted conservationist, dedicating his off-air time to protect- ing Phillip Island’s environment. Once-in-a- lifetime land donation at Rhyll In one of the most generous land donations in living memory, an eight- hectare property at Rhyll has been gifted for environmental protection. The land, adjoining Conservation Hill Reserve overlooking the Rhyll Inlet, was bought by satirist and co- Lockdown median John Clarke and his wife Helen McDonald in 1999, with the couple – up until John’s death in 2017 – working hard to rehabilitate it. Last week Helen, who has contin- ued this conservation work, donated the million-dollar site to Trust for and cover up Nature, a Victorian not-for-profi t that partners with private landholders to protect the environment. Trust for Nature’s Port Phillip and Westernport manager Ben Cullen told the Advertiser the land would now be preserved for the island’s internation- Stage 3 restrictions are back and face masks are mandatory, as the government imposes further measures to try and control the spread of COVID-19. ally signifi cant fl ora and fauna species. On Monday, local students Lily and Maya Huther and Sophie Gysberts wore their masks to school for the fi rst time, but it was their last trip to “Phillip Island is an important school for a long time, with students across the state returning to online learning. place for conservation on the plan- et – a signifi cant site for migratory birds and a globally signifi cant wet- land – and it needs as much help as it can get,” Ben said. “This is a substantial donation by any standards. It’s a gift that gives new hope “The numbers are going to grow” for threatened species in the area.” Ben said details about the future As Victoria declares a state of di- As of Monday, there were four ac- ing people in the community. tients hospitalised in the area how- work on the land would be decided by saster and Stage 3 restrictions return tive cases recorded in the area, a rise “We’re making sure we are in con- ever one of the cases had continued the Trust for Nature board, but they to Bass Coast, Jan Child CEO of Bass of three in a week. tact with anyone who has tested pos- to test positive after four weeks. would be guided by Helen’s wishes. Coast Health has a blunt message. “If people think we don’t have a itive and connecting the dots.” Ms Child said it was foolish to as- “It is Helen’s wish the land be used “We absolutely have community problem here, they need to rethink.” Staff are contact-tracing seven sume because Bass Coast was an hour for environmental and educational transmission here.” Ms Child said there was still the ca- days a week, in tandem with DHHS, and a half from Melbourne, there was purposes, with close consultation As the number of active cases report- pacity to control the spread, but every- working with 10 or 15 groups of peo- no threat to the local community. from the Bunurong Land Council ed in Bass Coast continues to rise, Ms one needed to take the threat seriously. ple, who were either contacts or had “People should be thinking that (the Bunurong are the traditional Child said transmission was occurring “We have three staff working full tested positive. anywhere they go could have COVID. owners of Phillip Island).” in most of the key suburbs and towns. time on contact tracing and support- There are currently no COVID pa- Continued page 16 Continued page 3 COWESBOAT COWES CARAVANRVSTORAGE SELF STORAGE NOW AVAILABLE – Solar power to each unit for 24 hr Video Surveillance LK00068AA battery charging. No extra cost. 52-54 Thompson Ave, Cowes 5952 5100 Call Mike Foenander 0408 547 677 or Rental Office 5952 6633 THE ADVERTISER, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2020 - PAGE 1 WED Aug 5 THUR Aug 6 FRI Aug 7 SAT Aug 8 SUN Aug 9 MON Aug 10 TUE Aug 11 PHILLIP ISLAND Showers easing Possible shower Possible shower Possible shower Possible shower Partly cloudy Partly cloudy 7 DAY WEATHER FORECAST 6° 12° 8° 12° 6° 13° 8° 14° 8° 13° 8° 12° 8° 13° LK00146AA Bass Coast COVID-19 update* Thumbs down to budget: Budget at 9 Local residents 5779 tested positive community watchdogs tests done locally Community groups have Council’s intention to con- out. How does Council justify a glance 4 rated Bass Coast Shire’s tinue pursuing similar mas- the 16 per cent interest costs Active cases 2020/21 draft budget as “dis- sive budget increases, which shown in this budget? What The shire’s draft budget for 2020/21 includes: appointing”. are well in excess of the pre- timeframe is envisaged for • A two per cent increase on rates, in keep- *From BCH Assessment clinics only since March. Island Voice in its submis- vailing infl ation rate, into the these borrowings to be repaid ing with the state government’s rate cap. In sion to the budget hearings future?” in full?” real terms, total rates – including the garbage last week said the two per He said the association was charge – will be 3.3 per cent. The average rates cent rate charges was an “im- concerned about the “reliabili- Incomes not keeping bill will be $1544. position” on the hip pocket of ty” of budget forecasting, with pace with rates • The garbage charge cops an 11 per cent in- ratepayers, while Bass Coast confusing fi gures. As detailed in last month’s crease to $496.50. Ratepayers and Residents “The current draft budget Advertiser, ratepayer group • Those hit by the economic impact of Coro- Association said the budget shows that in 2018/19 Coun- Island Voice was concerned navirus will have further fi nancial support, to- “largely failed to meet the ex- cil budgeted for $808,000 un- ratepayers’ average incomes talling $4 million. pectation” of the community. derlying surplus. However, in were not keeping pace with • $28 million into capital works, including: BCRRA president Kevin last year’s (2019/20) budget property value increases, Aquatics planning and design (Phillip Island Griffi n, in his budget submis- this surplus was revised to be making Bass Coast Shire’s and Wonthaggi) – $3.08 million; Phillip Island sion, said while there were reversed into a defi cit of $3.2 annual rate charges an “impo- recreation reserve planning (the proposed aspects of the budget which million. sition” on the hip pocket. sports hub on the ‘carnival land’) – $150,000; were “laudable”, overall the “But astonishingly the latest In the submission, Island Cowes Cultural and Community Centre re- budget lacked “suffi cient dis- draft budget shows council Voice secretary Linda Mar- development – $4 million (being the initial cipline in consideration of actually delivered a defi cit of ston stated while the shire has funding for a $19 million project); Phillip Is- PHILLIP ISLAND & SAN REMO ratepayers, and it is therefore $9.55 million for 2018/19. adhered to a two per cent rate land Transfer Station planning and design – deemed to be a disappointing “BCRRA requests a full pub- increase, this was based on $250,000 and Gap Road assessment and plan ADVERTISER budget”. lic explanation from council revaluations of property that (to determine use for the remainder of the Mr Griffi n said while coun- as to reasons and causes that “have increased signifi cantly 45ha site) – $100,000; Anderson Road boat cillors acknowledged low led to this massive and detri- in value over the last decade”. ramp east carpark upgrade, Cowes – $380,000; CONTACT US: household incomes, “the draft mental turnaround.” “For long standing residents, Bass Coast dinosaur trail plan – $250,000. budget seeks nonetheless to Mr Griffi n also pointed to or those on fi xed incomes, this • About 16 senior shire staff have foregone Classifi eds: [email protected] deliver a whopping increase increased borrowings by al- has led to a signifi cant growth an annual salary increase in response to CO- Editorial: [email protected] in rates and charges at more most $20 million at a cost of in assets but not necessarily VID-19. Employee costs remained stable at than double the rate of infl a- $3.2 million, or 16 per cent. in disposable income,” Linda $29.6 million. Advertising: [email protected] tion”. “During recent meetings said. • A revaluation of all properties was carried Sport: [email protected] “BCRRA questions if per- some councillors have pro- “A large proportion of Shire out in January and will apply for the 2020/21 haps some councillors, when claimed to the community residents are employed in the year, with an average four per cent rise. Suite 2, 60 Chapel Street, Cowes, 3922. seeking to impose the mas- money is now cheap and tourism and retail industries • A total operating income of $82.5 million and receive lower rates of pay and total operating expenditure of $79.4 mil- Phone (03) 5952 3201 sive increases, have not given therefore this is the time to genuine and due and proper borrow. and indeed many may have lost lion, with an underlying surplus of $200,000. Fax (03) 5952 3024 consideration to the impacts “Your budget is forecast- their jobs during the pandemic. Debt servicing alone will cost $12.5 million, these costs will have on ing to leave ratepayers with “At this time any increases with $5.5 million in new borrowings to fund the households,” Mr Griffi n said.