Worried about Westernport....Browned off with Baillieu
Today we’ve released a joint media statement endorsed again by the sixteen national and local community groups who joined together last November.
Back then, in a pre-election statement, we asked the then Brumby government and the Baillieu led Coalition to commit to halting any further expansion of the Port of Hastings. See today’s Media Release and our November 2010 statement at: http://vnpa.org.au/page/publications/media-releases/westernport-bay-legislation-sets-government-on-collision-course-with-environment-and-community-groups
But, in legislation being debated today, it looks like things would get a whole lot worse if Mr. Baillieu’s plans for the de-merging of the Ports of Hastings and Melbourne go ahead. The two port corporations only merged a few months ago, in the dying days of the Brumby government.
Mr. Baillieu and his Ports Minister Dr. Denis Napthine now say that the Brumby government was dragging its heels on port expansion – they weren’t doing it fast enough! The Baillieu government says it’s going to “fast track” the Port of Hastings, so it can compete with the Port of Melbourne. Their Port of Hastings Amendment Bill will allow that. This could mean hundreds more ships per year through Westernport and thousands of trucks per day emanating from the Port of Hastings...... the pleasant seaside village of Hastings and its hinterland would be no more.
We thought things were bad back in 2004 when we adopted the slogan ‘Don’t Bugger the Bay Bracks’ …… then Brumby.
But, now our Westernport Blue Wedge is also under threat; along with Mr. Baillieu’s recently announced assault on our Green Wedges.
Perhaps our slogan should now be ‘Baillieu Buggers Bush and Bays’.
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