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No Exclusion With Water Minister Meeting Bass Coast Shire Council met this week with the Minister for Water, Tim Holding, to discuss desalination issues. By Bass Coast Shire Council - 13th February 2009 - Back to News On Tuesday 2 February, Bass Coast Mayor, Cr John Duscher and Chief Exectuive Officer, Allan Bawden, met with the Minister and raised concerns about the proposed exclusion zone on Williamson’s beach.
"Council is very aware of what the community think about the proposed exclusion zone, and we made this very clear to the Minister," explained Mr Bawden.
"The Government has always assured Council and the community that beach access would remain open.
"Council took a stance on the matter at the Council meeting on 28 January 2009, expressing their dismay at the decision to establish an exclusion zone," continued Mr Bawden.
"However, at our meeting, Minister Holding said that there was no definite decision to create an exclusion zone.
"He explained that the decision on an exclusion zone would be made when and if it is needed, for public safety or security reasons. It would then be up to the company who are constructing the plant to enforce the exclusion zone."
A report outlining Council’s response to the Minister for Planning’s assessment and approval of the project as part of the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process was also tabled at the meeting.
"Council remains opposed to desalination," Mr Bawden said.
"However, as the Government has given the green light to the project, Council has put together a package of measures needed to protect our community.
"Our report contains a detailed assessment of the impacts of the project on the Bass Coast community," continued Mr Bawden.
"We made a number of recommendations about how certain outcomes from the Minister’s assessment should be dealt with.
"Many of these issues were identified in Council’s submission to the EES Inquiry, and were supported by the Inquiry and the Minister for Planning," Mr Bawden explained.
"The report we presented to the Minister for Water focused on how these issues can be tackled in the very short times frames for the project."
Council’s report focused on specific infrastructure projects, health, education and emergency services, roads, the development of a housing strategy, impacts on the local economy and the establishment of a Community Reference Group.
A key purpose of the meeting with the Minister was to ensure a prompt Government response to the many issues that now need consideration.
"The Minister had previously given Council assurances of a whole of Government response to the issues that came out of the EES," explained Mr Bawden.
"The Mayor and I requested that the Minister now act quickly to ensure all the relevant Government departments and Ministers are aware of the impact of the project.
"A prompt response is needed to plan for the massive increase in the local workforce. We welcome the commitment from the Minister that all Government departments will focus on this project and Council staff will begin discussing these matters immediately."
A copy of the report presented to the Minister - "Victorian Desalination Plant, response to Ministerial Assessment, February 2009" is available on Council’s website www.basscoast.vic.gov.au.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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