State News - July 2006

Back to :- News Reports Index | Back to:Teachers for Forests Home Page | State News

27/07/06 Port security best it's been: MP - Julie McNamara - http://www.geelonginfo.com.au

26/07/06 Protesters storm port - Julie McNamara http://www.geelonginfo.com.au

19/07/06 Ted Bailieu, Opposition Leader, (Geelong Advertiser Fri 14^th July) claims the Newlingrook Aquifer, which extends southwest of Gellibrand River, can provide 70,000megalitres/year and be used to supply water to Geelong. - Letter to the Editor - Fiona Nelson-Otways ; - July 06

10/07/06 Nats to shake-up environment bureaucracy - our highlighting Peter Ryan - Media Release -

Port security best it's been: MP

Thursday, July 27, our highlighting
JULIE McNAMARA

GEELONG Port managers say the harbour's security levels are adequate despite the fact 15 protesters managed to board a docked ship on Tuesday.

The city's Labor MP Ian Trezise, who is the port's former shipping manager, also defended security in the area saying it had come forward in ``leaps and bounds'' in the past five years.

Toll Geelong Port general manager Lindsay Ward said the port had a detailed and appropriate maritime security plan in place which more than adequately dealt with Tuesday's incident where conservationists were protesting against export of woodchips.

Six people were charged after latching themselves to the deck and conveyor belt of the woodchip-laden Meridian.

Tuesday's protests followed an incident last month where a ship's skipper issued the highest security alert possible after a drunk sailor threatened to blow up a vessel in Corio Bay which was carrying more than 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

Mr Ward said security wouldn't alter their response if the same scenario which occurred on Tuesday happened again.

``At level one security there is a negligible security threat and the security resources in place are appropriate to that level of security,'' Mr Ward said.

``Quite simply we were dealing with a small group of protesters. It was a police matter and police dealt with them appropriately.''

Mr Ward said the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services advised Toll Geelong Port of the level of security they needed to apply to situations and told them to maintain security at level one, the lowest possible, for Tuesday's incident.

``At level one security the procedure is to contact police and to seek their assistance to deal with trespassers of that nature,'' he said.

``If the situation was to change and DOTARS advised us we were to move to level two we would respond with appropriate additional security resources.

Protesters storm port

These two women were among four protesters who yesterday locked themselves to a Japanese ship docked in Geelong Port.

Wednesday, July 26
Julie McNamara

WOODCHIPPING protesters caused Geelong port's second security scare in just over a month when 15 conservationists managed to board a vessel bound for Japan yesterday.

Six of the protesters were charged after police search and rescue units travelled from Melbourne to cut them from the Meridian loaded with 40,000 tonnes of woodchips.

Last month a ship's skipper issued the highest security alert possible after a drunk sailor threatened to blow up a vessel in Corio Bay which was carrying more than 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

Four of the conservationists yesterday latched themselves to the woodchip-laden ship using metal sleeves, while two more chained themselves to its conveyor belt.

A police media spokeswoman said the six people were charged with numerous offences relating to trespassing under the Maritime Security Act and had been bailed to appear in Geelong Magistrates' Court on August 18.

Those charged were two men aged 21 and 30 from Warrnambool, a 23-year-old North Carlton man, 21-year-old Northcote man and two West Brunswick women aged 16 and 24.

Other protesters waiting outside the dock's gates yesterday said they had already exited the ship after helping chain their friends to the vessel about 5.30am.

Police didn't cut the chains of the remaining protesters until 12pm.

Speaking on his mobile phone while still chained on the Meridian, protester David Hammerton said the group wasn't worried about being arrested.

``It's pretty clear that we are going to be arrested and I think all of us are willing to take responsibility for our actions,`` Mr Hammerton said.

``We are taking a stand to say that Steve Bracks should take responsibility for his actions in destroying our native and old growth forest.''

Mr Hammerton refused to comment on how they boarded the ship but general manager of Toll Geelong Port Lindsay Ward said the protesters gained entry via the gangway.

``Port security was certainly aware of the protesters' presence before they gained entry and police were alerted and the port's standard operating procedures were acted in accordance with these types of protests, which are not uncommon,'' he said.

``During these types of protest the primary aim is to ensure safety of port personnel and the protesters is maintained at all times.''

Mr Ward said the incident didn't require heightened security and had had minimal impact on the port's operation as the ship wasn't due to depart until today.

``Obviously we've informed the Department of Transport of the protesters but port security has remained the same at level one,'' he said. ``It's a small group of protesters who do not constitute a security threat.''

Protest group spokesman Mark Tyler said the Bracks Government needed to act by protecting native forests from the export woodchipping industry before it was too late.

A Midway spokeswoman said the company had no comment to make yesterday.

Ted Bailieu, Opposition Leader, (Geelong Advertiser Fri 14^th July) claims the Newlingrook Aquifer, which extends southwest of Gellibrand River, can provide 70,000megalitres/year and be used to supply water to Geelong.

Lettter to the Editor, From Otway Environment Council, 19/07/06

Dear Editor,

Ted Bailieu, Opposition Leader, (Geelong Advertiser Fri 14^th July) claims the Newlingrook Aquifer, which extends southwest of Gellibrand River, can provide 70,000megalitres/year and be used to supply water to Geelong. This is INCORRECT. It is estimated that the Newlingrook Aquifer would only provide approximately 16,000 megalitres/year. Such an error as this shows the Liberal Party’s lack of knowledge and credibility to provide a sustainable water plan for Geelong, or for Victoria. Submissions have been made to the Draft Sustainable Water Strategy for Central Region, opposing the use of any more underground water. Our underground water reserves are an integral part of our catchment system and can’t be exploited without affecting the entire ecosystem. A large amount of infrastructure through the Great Otway National Park would be required for Geelong to gain water from the Newlingrook Aquifer and this would be extremely costly. In the Liberal Party’s policy there is no mention of water efficiency measures such as mandatory rainwater tanks or a closed loop system of reusing water for industry. Nor is there mention of returning any water to our stressed rivers. Their policy is to use up as much water as you can and then suffer the consequences. The Liberal Party’s lack of credibility is further shown by Member for Polwarth Terry Mulder’s comments in Colac Herald 17/7 where he claims water from Newlingrook aquifer in the southwest can be accessed at Barwon Downs,in the northeast. The Liberal Party have overlooked the fact that clearfell logging reduces our water supplies. West Barwon Catchment that supplies water to Geelong has been intensively clearfelled over the last 30 or more years as has the Gellibrand River catchment. Gellibrand River catchment, supplying water west to Warrnambool, is also compromised by intensive blue gum pulp plantations that are well-known as a thirsty species, as has been recognised in recent South Australian reports. Clearfell logging of native forest still continues in the Gellibrand River Catchment to supply the last remaining sawlog licence because the licence holder refuses to hand over his licence, like other sawmillers have done. Will the Liberal Party end clearfell logging immediately in the Gellibrand River catchment to secure water supply?

Fiona Nelson

(27Old Coach Rd.

Skenes Creek)

OTWAY CONSERVATION COUNCIL Inc
P.O. Box 192, Apollo Bay 3233
Ph. 5237-7345 / 5263-3443.

Nats to shake-up environment bureaucracy - our highlighting

Peter Ryan - Media Release - Monday, 10 July 2006

The Nationals are pledging an overhaul of the environmental management bureaucracy in Victoria with greater emphasis to be placed on delivering practical projects on the ground.

Leader of The Nationals Peter Ryan today released the party’s environment platform which calls for the disbanding of the Victorian Environment Assessment Council, Victorian Catchment Management Council and the Officer of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.

"We have listened to country Victorians who are telling us that there’s too many layers of bureaucracy and not enough workers on the ground to make real improvements to the environment," Mr Ryan said.

"The streamlining and restructuring of government organisations will not result in loss of jobs, but it will mean fewer people in city offices writing reports and more people in the field achieving practical outcomes."

The Nationals have also adopted a hardline stance on public land management and will oppose the creation of further National Parks, unless appropriate resources are devoted to their management and other areas of public land are set aside for multi-use.

"As a general principle, The Nationals believe that Victoria’s existing 3.6 million hectares of protected areas is enough and if an additional National Park is declared, we will require that an equivalent area of land is excised from the park system and converted to a multi-use reserve," Mr Ryan said.

"We will also ensure enough resourcing of the people and infrastructure needed to allow for proper management.

"We need to start looking after the parks and reserves we have now, before we set aside more areas and prevent reasonable public use. The Bracks Government’s ‘lock it up and leave it’ approach to public land management has resulted in catastrophic bush fires and an invasion of pest plants and animals.

"The Nationals support multiple use of public land including grazing in appropriate areas of the high country and red gum forests."

The Nationals Spokesman for Natural Resources Peter Hall said The Nationals approach to the environment reflected the party’s commitment to common sense and practical outcomes. It also demonstrated the party’s determination to allow for the creation of economic wealth in rural and regional communities.

"The extreme polices of the greens have never created a job in country Victoria," Mr Hall said.

"Sustainable use of natural resources means real employment opportunities for country people. Our environment policy supports a common sense approach to public land management with the emphasis on sustainable use, not locking up land and neglecting it.

"We support the need to provide opportunities and appropriate facilities for a wide range of uses such as bushwalking, camping, hunting, four-wheel-driving, native timber harvesting and cattle grazing in appropriate areas as part of a balanced approach to environmental management.

"Melbourne Labor MPs have become captive to the extreme greens and we are proposing a more practical approach to managing our vast areas of public reserves."

Under The Nationals policy, the Department of Sustainability and Environment would not be responsible for urban planning, the titles office or the valuer-general.

"The DSE would have a single focus of improving public land management," Mr Hall said.

Other key features of The Nationals plan for the environment include:

• Establishing a Centre of Excellence for Forest and Bushland Management;

• Requiring the government car fleet to run on 10% ethanol blended fuel;

• $10 million over four years for the next stage of Gippsland Lakes environmental restoration;

• Providing for a more prominent role for the Department of Primary Industries to make it responsible for all government activity in relation to private land;

• Opposition to the toxic waste dump near Mildura;

• Reintroducing the $10 fox tail bounty;

• Support for aerial baiting of wild dogs; and

• Streamlining native vegetation management legislation.

"Good environmental management and economic growth are not competing objectives," Mr Ryan said.

"The Nationals approach to the environment is science-based and focused on practical outcomes which will deliver real improvements throughout rural and regional Victoria."

Media contact: Darren Chester (03) 9651 8536