The Western Port News this week featured information about the rapidly-approaching submission deadline for public comments on the AGL EES scoping. You can read about it right here in our news item from last week. Time's running out.
Commercial Exploitation
of Westernport Bay
SaveWesternport acknowledges that the lands and waters of Westernport belong to the Bunnerong (Boon Wurrung) Peoples of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respects to their Aboriginal Elders past and emerging, and recognise their continuing contribution to caring for Country.
We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.
Latest News
New Community Meetings from AGL, APA and DELWP – Please Attend!
December 6, 2018New Community Drop-In Sessions have just been announced for next week! You can view the notice by clicking here. Local residents will be able to ask questions of AGL, APA and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) at Cardinia and Hastings: Put these on your calendar: Monday 10 December, 7:30 - 9:00pm Venue: Cardinia Hall, 2401 Ballarto Road, Cardinia Tuesday 11 December, 7:30 - 9:00pm Venue: Hastings Hall, 3 High Street Hastings The two community drop-in sessions have been organised to inform our community about the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process, Draft Scoping Requirements, proposed studies and further updates on the AGL and APA project. Local residents are encouraged to attend these Drop-In Sessions to learn more about the AGL Gas Import Jetty and Pipeline Project and ask questions of the experts in attendance at Cardinia and Hastings. Public comments on the Draft Scoping Requirements are now open until 5:00pm on Wednesday 19 December. Send an email to DELWP to voice your concerns in writing: environment.assessment@delwp.vic.gov.au You can find the 29 page "Draft Scoping Requirements" document on the Victoria Environment, Land, Water and Planning site. You can download a copy of the PDF to read the proposed scoping requirements to make...
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You’re Invited To Join the Celebration!
December 2, 2018Happy Holidays Everyone! Come and join us on Sunday 16th December at 3PM for our End of Year Gathering for a Woolley's Beach Reserve BBQ! All Supporters are Welcome! WOW! The Holidays are almost upon us—that happened quickly! And what a year... SO many twists and turns in the tale of our battle to protect this beautiful, rich Westernport environment from further harms. It’s head spinning, and you definitely know you’re alive! Our progress has exceeded expectations. Many of you will know that we managed to create the conditions for an Environmental Effects Statement (EES) to occur before the AGL project can begin. This is a really big win and will delay the project date considerably, giving us valuable time to strengthen the opposition to AGL's damaging and, frankly, absurd plan for our bay. Your support has been invaluable in every way—writing letters and contacting AGL and relevant government bodies, being involved with our website and social media, creating videos, sending photos, helping with podcasts, and many other actions. You are helping in this important cause to protect Westernport Bay and its special ecology, now and into the future. Your involvement also gives the core group, pushing on week-in-and-week-out, providing...
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More News From Canberra – APA Gas Pipeline Now Requires Environmental Assessment!
November 30, 2018BREAKING NEWS – Following on the heels of yesterday's announcement, the Department of the Environment and Energy in Canberra has decided that the proposed APA Gas Pipeline project will also need to be assessed and approved under the Federal Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) before it can proceed! Currently taking part in the Victorian Government's Environment Effects Statement (EES), APA will now need to provide further information such as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Under the EPBC Act, wetlands of international importance and listed threatened species and communities will be a focus of the APA environmental assessment. Thank you again to everybody who made an EPBC submission on the proposed APA Gas Pipeline project between Crib Point and Pakenham - your voices have been heard! You can find the announcement itself on the Department of Environment and Energy EPBC Notices website.
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Breaking News – AGL Project Requires Environmental Assessment Under Federal EPBC Act!
November 29, 2018BREAKING NEWS - The Department of the Environment and Energy in Canberra has just announced that the AGL Gas Import Jetty project will need to be assessed and approved under the federal EPBC Act before it can proceed. As well as taking part in the Victorian Environment Effects Study (EES) already underway, AGL will also need to provide further information such as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Thank you to everybody who recently made an EPBC submission to make the Federal Government aware of the significant environmental impacts of this AGL gas project! Save Westernport will keep you informed of further developments including a possible public inquiry into the AGL project in 2019. You can find the announcement itself on the Department of Environment and Energy EBPC Notices website. Here is a link so you can look at the PDF.
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Harry Shares His Concerns About AGL’s Project
October 24, 2018Westernport's agribusinesses, and the contribution they make to Victoria's food production are under threat from AGL's polluting gas import facility. Local seafood producer Harry shares his concerns about the AGL proposal at Crib Point, and the threats currently facing Westernport from the gas processing plant. Flinders aquiculturalist Harry grows mussels at Flinders in the clear waters of Westernport Bay. Aquiculture is a sustainable combination of farming and fishing, and Harry's seafood contributes to the successful food producing economy of the area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1s1V7L_mUs As populations increase, so does the importance of devising innovative and sustainable ways to produce our food. As Harry says, aquaculture ticks all the boxes. There is little doubt that the future of aquaculture in Westernport is dependent on its healthy marine environment. Its clean green setting also contributes to its success as a food producing area. In 2018, the Mornington Peninsula was awarded the title Australia's Most Outstanding Region in the renowned Delicious Produce Awards. That kind of recognition is priceless. It relies on a region's healthy reputation, which can take decades to establish. There's no doubt that Westernport is the lesser known coast of the Mornington Peninsula, and while part of the bay has been used as...
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The Strange Case For Gas Import
October 21, 2018One of the most confounding aspects the Crib Point gas import terminal is the very idea of gas import itself. This is especially true considering Australia's status as a top ranking gas exporter. The Port of Hastings media release (available here) that introduced the AGL proposal at Crib Point last year is typical of information used to explain the apparent need to import gas. It quoted the Australian Energy Market Operator AEMO report at the time, which predicted shortfalls in the domestic supply of gas: The Australian Energy Market Operator’s March 2018 Victorian Gas Planning Report highlights a potential shortfall in gas supply during peak gas demand in 2021 and a potential shortfall in total supply in 2022. Remediation work needs to start now so that, should AGL obtain the required project approvals and make the decision to proceed, Berth No.2 is available in time to meet this forecast shortfall. Because Australia has a ready supply of LNG it is among the top producers of the commodity in the world, and yet the forecast was that there would not be enough to supply our needs in the coming years unless a new source was brought on line. How did we...
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New Thinking Required
October 11, 2018Jack, a local surfer and environmental scientist, points out old thinking and questions, "why trash a resource when it is the greatest asset we have?" Old corporate thinking exploits resources—use it up and move on—as if there is an infinite supply, when in fact the environment is finite. Once gone that’s it. Westernport is productive as a destination. It is the foundation of the local economy and it earns an income for locals, sustainably. That is new thinking: Working with and looking after a resource. It’s obvious. There is only one earth. https://youtu.be/zVS_-tDi8O8
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If you want to get involved, find out what you can do. We maintain an "Action" page dedicated to giving you up-to-date information about what you can do, and how.