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

portsea beach, more like an ocean beach

Follow this link to look at the video made out at Portsea Beach last week with Greens MP, Sue Pennicuik and candidate for Nepean, Anton Vigenser.

that's not a beach, it's an embankment

Samantha Dunn - candidate for Eastern Victoria

Anton Vigenser - candidate for Nepean

28 October 2010

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Samantha Dunn and Anton Vigenser, the swells now being experiences at Portsea beach have turned it into an ocean beach, I wouldn't let my young son in the water here anymore.

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“Recent erosion at Portsea Beach demands serious study by Government and the Port of Melbourne Corporation,” says Anton Vigenser, Greens candidate for Nepean.

“The beach is now looking worse than when the erosion began. The area has become a construction zone with all the associated rubbish. Wire, plastic and materials that can cause harm to marine wildlife are lying on the beach. With summer one month away the pressure to ‘fix’ the beach is mounting. Corners cannot be cut.”

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Portsea beach has changed from a beautiful bay beach to a man made construction zone, no longer a beach in the true sense, it's more like an embankment.

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Greens Candidate for Eastern Victoria, Samantha Dunn said “The changes are recent and aren't because of seasonal storms, locals report to me we’ve seen our beach and the bay change before our very eyes.”

“Locals and tourists are gob-smacked. Our once natural beach is now fast becoming ‘man-made’. Many are seriously worried about the scale and planning behind the earth works, and doubt it will even work,” Anton Vigenser said.

“Sue Pennicuik, Greens upper house MP released a report which analysed tidal data from the Port of Melbourne and the research supports what so many residents, swimmers, divers and other businesses in the southern part of part Phillip Bay have been reporting since channel deepening: that tides are higher in the south of the Bay.”

“Despite this, the Port Authority still denies any links, pointing the finger solely at weather. Preliminary analysis of wind data from the past ten years suggests that wind beach erosion, particularly at Portsea was not caused by seasonal weather events alone.”

“A lack of evidence is not a reason to dismiss the erosion. The government was warned by scientists at the time. The government picked and chose what to use in the Environmental Effects Statement. Now our beaches are under increased threat.”

“The surging swells at Portsea have impacted our tourism industry, and will make it less safe for swimming this summer. Swell will also be the greatest problem to overcome when attempting to fix our beach,” Anton Vigenser said, “This is a burden that has cost our community more than just money.”

“We desperately need more data about tides, swells, currents and weather events,to know for certain what is happening,” said Samantha Dunn , “The tragedy is the five metres of sea bed and rock can't be replaced at the entrance and Port Phillip Bay and Portsea Front Beach may be permanently damaged".

out and about on the peninsula

Today Greens candidates gathered in the peninsula for a public Meet the Candidates forum in the Dromana Community Hall. I was joined by Richard Di Natale – Victorian Senate candidate, Anton Vigenser – State candidate for Nepean and Robert Brown – Federal candidate for Flinders.

Pictured left to right: Robert Brown - federal candidate for Flinders, Samantha Dunn - state candidate for Eastern Victoria, Anton Vigenser - state candidate for Nepean and Richard di Natale - federal senate candidate for Victoria.

It was a terrific turn out with community members from around the district keen to hear about Greens policies and talk about the things that mattered most to them.

It was a good opportunity to introduce candidates to the local community and shed some light on our background and why we're members of the Greens. Candidates used the question and answer time to highlight Greens policies which set forward a positive plan for Victoria and Australia.

It's a passionate community concerned about the future of their region and generations to come, it was great to be able to have some good in depth conversations with them.

If you'd like to know more about the campaign trail visit

Samantha Dunn for Eastern Victoria (state)

and

Richard di Natale for Victoria (federal) .