30 March 2017 Infrastructure Victoria Level 16, 530 Collins St
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30 March 2017 Infrastructure Victoria Level 16, 530 Collins St MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Dear Sir/Madam, Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper Council is pleased to make this submission to Infrastructure Victoria’s Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper and reaffirm its position. Council would like to sincerely thank Infrastructure Victoria for accepting Council’s invitation to present to Councillors and participants of the Port of Hastings Roundtable on 22 March 2017 in Wonthaggi. The discussion was open and informative. Council acknowledges the increased level of transparency through the release of the Discussion Paper, and availability of the supporting studies and information. The structure of Council’s submission sees comment provided on the most relevant sections of the Discussion Paper, primarily the Hastings Port Concept, which would have significant environmental, social and economic impacts on the Bass Coast Shire Community. The Discussion Paper does not present evidence to diminish Councils position or concerns. Council welcomes the opportunity to further advocate for its community on any future expansion of Port of Hastings. I would be pleased to meet and discuss Council’s position and submission further if required. Yours sincerely Cr Pamela Rothfield Mayor Ref: ED17/37881 Encl: Bass Coast Shire Council Submission to Infrastructure Victoria’s Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper. Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper Bass Coast Shire Council, April 2017 Bass Coast Shire Council welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper prepared by Infrastructure Victoria. Bass Coast Shire Council: Acknowledges that the Discussion Paper is not the advice to the Minister, it is information, data and analysis collected to date, and the efforts by Infrastructure Victoria to consult and provide transparency to the process; Highlights the Bay West option: o Is significantly cheaper than the Hastings option; o Has better rail and freight links; o Has a better fit with heavy industry and land supply; Emphasises that the ‘Hastings Port Concept’ has significant environmental impacts as Western Port has higher quality recreational fishing, a more sensitive environment, and includes high volumes of seagrass in a declared Ramsar Wetland and UNESCO Biosphere. Bass Coast Shire Council Position Council has been actively participating in the Infrastructure Victoria process which includes consideration as to whether a second container port might be needed. Council held a Future of Port of Hastings Roundtable in April 2016 with representatives from across the community. The Roundtable developed the Impact of a Hastings Container Port on Bass Coast Shire Council Agreed Principles: Impact of a Hastings Container Port on Bass Coast Shire Council Agreed Principles: 1. Is opposed to any form of capital dredging, widening or deepening of channels in Westernport bay. 2. Any change in, or continuation of, the Port of Hastings operations must result in no net loss for the economy, environment and amenity. 3. The Victorian Government and Infrastructure Victoria must demonstrate and justify the need and timing for a second major container port in Victoria through comprehensive, evidence based assessment, including consideration of the current port capacity in Victoria, and via a national approach. 4. Independently verified, scientific research must form the basis of any recommendation for a second container port location in Victoria to ensure that the environmental impact is known, understood and shared with the community. Of equal importance are economic and social impacts. Specifically, independent research must be undertaken on the impact on: a. Coastline including increased erosion and inundation - 2 - b. Tourism and the impact on visitation c. Fishing and the impact on the recreational fishing industry d. Marine life impact including penguins and whales that enter Western Port 5. All previous research undertaken in relation to the expansion of the Port of Hastings, as well as to project and research scoping material and documents, must be made publically available with full access. 6. The recommendation of Infrastructure Victoria to the Victorian Government on the timing and location of a second container port requires a strategic government approach to fully consider the implications on: a. Tourism impact on domestic and international visitations b. Environment c. Economic development including impact on aquifers that service food production areas d. Fisheries including recreational fishing and the industry it supports e. Recreation In response to the release of the Discussion Paper, at its 22 March 2017 Ordinary Meeting, Council resolved: That Council: 1. Endorses the Impact of a Hastings Container Port on Bass Coast Shire Council Agreed Principles; 2. Reconvene the Future of Port of Hastings Bass Coast Shire Council Community and Industry Roundtable to consider the Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper and help shape Councils submission to the Paper; 3. Invite Infrastructure Victoria to brief the Councillors and stakeholders (nominated by Bass Coast Shire) on the recently released Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper; and 4. Request Infrastructure Victoria hold a community drop-in session in Bass Coast Shire to hear further evidence from the community regarding the Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper. Bass Coast Shire Council Context Bass Coast Shire Council Plan 2013-17 vision, “Bass Coast Shire will be recognised as a unique place of environmental significance where our quality of life and sense of community is balanced by sustainable and sensitive development, population and economic growth”. Bass Coast Shire is located 130 kilometres south east of Melbourne, and is predominantly a coastal municipality with 177 kilometres of unique coastline complimented by a highly - 3 - productive agricultural hinterland. The Shire covers over 860sq km spanning rich farmland, stunning coastline and tranquil hinterland. The main town centres of Wonthaggi, Cowes, Inverloch, San Remo and Grantville provide quality housing, shopping and services. The traditional industries of agriculture and tourism are complemented by growing construction, retail, health, education and emerging technology sectors. The Shire has some of the most diverse well known and well visited coastline in Victoria with extensive waterlines, bounded by Western Port to the west and Bass Strait to the south. Bass Coast Shire’s major natural assets including Western Port (a Ramsar listed wetland site), Anderson Inlet, Bass River, Powlett River, three Marine Parks, Phillip Island Nature Parks and other heath and bushland reserves. Bass Coast is also part of the internationally recognised Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve. A distinctive topographic feature of Bass Coast is Phillip Island, located to the west of the mainland at the entrance to Western Port. Many studies and reports have found that Bass Coast residents, businesses and visitors identify the natural local environment and coastal location as a major lifestyle component and of paramount importance for living, working or visiting Bass Coast. The Development Options for Bass Coast Shire 2005-2030 report by the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research and the State Government’s Provincial Victoria – Emerging trends in jobs and population have both identified that the main reason business and working families will relocate to Bass Coast Shire is for lifestyle, the natural environment being one of the major components of lifestyle Bass Coast has a current population of 31,623 and is projected to have a population of 45,254 by 2031, making it one of Victoria’s fastest growing regional areas. Bass Coast is a popular holiday destination with the population increasing to over 90,000 during the summer months. Over 3.7 million people visit Bass Coast annually which equates to $655 million of direct value to the Victorian economy. Conservative projections demonstrate that by 2035 an additional 4300 people per day will visit Bass Coast Shire during peak periods and the tourism spend will increase by $778 million per annum. Comment on the Discussion Paper Bass Coast Shire Council provides the following comment in response to the Second Container Port Advice – Evidence Base Discussion Paper prepared by Infrastructure Victoria. The comments provided are primarily in response to the ‘Hastings Port Concept’ as detailed in pages 75 – 92 of the Discussion Paper, and focus on three questions. - 4 - 1. What is your feedback on the Hastings Concept? The Discussion Paper does not satisfy Council’s Agreed Principle 1 and 2. The construction of a container port at Hastings would require significant dredging (2.6 million cubic meters) with the spoils being deposited in Bass Strait. This action would have significant environmental impact on Western Port as evidenced by the studies undertaken where seven of the major differentiators where assessed as high or medium risk to the environment (Discussion Paper, p89). Seagrass and intertidal habitat will also be at high risk from indirect impacts related to hydrodynamic changes and turbidity from dredging. The Victorian Coastal Strategy 2014 (p.25) estimates the value of Victorian seagrass meadows at around $1.8 billion per annum.’ Western Port