Members of Save Westernport were encouraged by the strong leadership shown by our local Mornington Peninsula Shire Council recently when it followed the lead of Melbourne City Council and other Councils world-wide and voted to implement urgent Climate Emergency measures.
The specter of vast areas of the world’s forests ablaze, and enormous amounts of safely stored carbon being suddenly released into Earth’s atmosphere seems to have made us acutely aware of the decisive action that is so desperately overdue.
Save Westernport welcomes the announcement, and we look forward to seeing Council translate good intentions into meaningful changes in the everyday actions of the Shire and its residents. We want to see real change that will make a difference.
It’s clear that the Shire’s goals are entirely incompatible with any new investment in fossil-fuels, yet AGL is still trying to force its inappropriate industrial proposal on to this community. AGL’s plan to import and process LNG in Westernport Bay is hopelessly out-of-date. The plan requires construction of a 56km gas pipeline that would quickly become another rusting example of poorly planned abandoned industry in the area. This is the last thing that Westernport needs right now that the bay is showing good signs of regeneration since the local oil industry was phased out in the 1980s.
AGL admits that shipping gas from overseas and processing it at the proposed Crib Point factory would produce at least 20% more carbon and methane pollution than regular gas, which is a fossil fuel already dangerously high in greenhouse gases.
In order to align with the aims of the Shire, future industrial proposals will need to be founded on energy from the renewable energy resources that are now available.
It’s been a whole year since Mornington Peninsula Shire Council stated its opposition to the AGL gas proposal and 56km pipeline, yet this inappropriate and deeply unpopular fossil-fuels project is still being forced upon the Westernport community.
There can be no doubt that by its actions AGL is causing irreversible damage to its reputation and brand. It’s widely acknowledged that AGL has failed to show that its plan to import gas is even necessary. They have also failed to achieve the social license needed to operate in this community.
AGL CEO Brett Redman has claimed that social license is among his top strategic goals for the year, yet AGL continues to disregard the widely expressed local opposition by stubbornly pushing ahead with the project.
AGL claims to take its environmental responsibility very seriously. Save Westernport would like to see AGL take advantage of its unique opportunity and demonstrate real corporate integrity by withdrawing from the Crib Point project. We will continue to urge the AGL Board to cooperate with this community and heed its wishes by putting their Crib Point plans in the bin.
Next Friday September 20, Save Westernport will participate in the Schools Strike for Climate in Melbourne. For the first time, school kids have invited adults to join the Strike and support their demands for a better world and immediate action against Climate Change. We invite you to march with Save Westernport. Look out for our SAVE WESTERNPORT – No AGL -banner at 2pm next Friday in the Treasury Gardens.
You can also visit our stall at Balnarring’s Sustainability Fair on Saturday October 12 from 4pm. Come and say hello and pick up our new brochure and some of our new stickers for your wheelie bins. The stickers tell AGL to put their plans for their Crib Point gas factory In The Bin! where they belong.
Remember—You can now hit the TAKE ACTION button on our Home Page and scroll down to Become a Member of Save Westernport for the value price of $10.
Fill in our Online Form or download it, and you’ll receive our regular Save Westernport Newsletter that details our activities and what’s going on locally around Westernport and the Peninsula.
You can also very simply make an online donation.
One more thing— you may receive our regular Save Westernport Newsletters and email updates, but that does not necessarily mean you’re a Member of Save Westernport. Perhaps you signed our petition or filled out a card, or you might’ve given your contact details to go on our mailing list once, but this is different—To become a Member you’ll need to fill out our Membership Form.
Becoming a Member of Save Westernport is a great way for you to make a difference. By taking action you can show your support and help our important work furthering the protection and appreciation of our precious, unique wetland location in beautiful Westernport Bay.
Right now, more than ever we need to keep up the pressure on AGL and the government, and make sure they know that this community rejects inappropriate industry in the Bay, PARTICULARLY the AGL gas import plans at Crib Point.
Save Westernport is a dedicated group of local volunteers, and your support keeps us going! Make an online donation
Or if you’d like to get involved and become a Volunteer we’d love to meet you!
With summer coming up, there will be lots going on, and you can get involved. From helping with market stalls to providing transport, there’s always lots to do. And if you’re a photographer of local landscapes or wildlife, we want to hear from you.
We appreciate your support to Save Westernport!