Rosebud foreshore threatened by mega complex

Anton Vigenser, the Greens Candidate for Nepean, believes the foreshore is the wrong location for the Southern Peninsula Aquatic Centre (SPA).

“Why can’t the Shire and our local MPs do the research that the Minister for Environment Gavin Jennings requested in 2007 about viable alternative sites?” asked Mr Vigenser.

“We need the SPA now in a convenient and appropriate area. We don’t want a mega complex on our beautiful foreshore which would destroy current community activities and amenities such as the iconic Rosebud Carnival, the scout hall, impose on the heritage listed Sound Shell and encroach on our Village Green,” said Mr. Vigenser.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council 2005 feasibility study showed widespread support from the community for the Aquatic Centre. Mr Vigenser said: “I share the frustrations of the community about the delays. The project could already be going ahead on an alternate appropriate site.”

Mr Vigenser said “The focus to date has been on building the SPA on the foreshore yet on November 27th, 2006 in a letter to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, the Department of Sustainability and Environment advised that siting the SPA on the foreshore would contradict the Victorian Coastal Management Act and would not be supported.”

The letter, obtained under FOI, clearly stated the case against the location:

• The proposed facility is not coastal dependent and could be located in a non coastal location;
  
  
• Potential detrimental impact on pedestrian and visual access and amenity; and
  
  
• Potential detrimental impact of construction and operation on vulnerable coastal vegetation and dune systems.
  

Mr. Vigenser said: “There are also many unanswered questions about the project coming from the community including the Mornington Peninsula Rate Payers and Residents Association. Concerns have been about sea level rise, increased traffic on the highway and setting a precedent on our coastlines which destroys vulnerable vegetation and dune systems.”

“The Shadow Climate Change Minister Greg Hunt and local Liberal MP Martin Dixon are supporting the location of the SPA on the foreshore, yet their campaign platform includes protecting Victorian coastlines” said Mr. Vigenser.

In the Southern Peninsula News (02/11) Martin Dixon was quoted saying: “If elected, we'll give immediate consent for it to go on the foreshore. People have got sick of waiting. I never thought I'd be going to the election with this as a policy”.

“Immediate consent effectively means Dixon and the Liberals would make a major, alarming change in the current Victorian coastal legislation so this inappropriate development can go ahead on our precious coast. This could open up the Peninsula foreshore to wholesale development - the Gold Coast comes to the Peninsula” said Mr. Vigenser.

For more details, contact Anton Vigenser 0435 588 503
or Samantha Dunn 0429 29 29 04 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au