Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENTS TO COUNCIL ITEMS

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI01

Light Vehicle Fleet Management

TERMS OF REFERENCE – PLANT COMMITTEE DATE APRIL 2015 / VERSION 2

Shire of Irwin Plant Committee – Terms of Reference April 2015

1 Context The Plant Committee was established as a standing committee of Council in terms of clause 5.10 of the Local Government Act 1995 in order to promote an “Appropriate Practice” approach to fleet management across the organisation.

2 Function of the Plant Committee The Shire of Irwin is committed to fleet management as a whole of organisation approach. Fleet management needs to be integral with the overall corporate planning process, aligned with the strategic business planning of Council and needs commitment from across the whole organisation to be successful. Formulation of a Plant Committee (Committee) will ensure an appropriate framework is in place and fleet management planning is done in an integrated manner.

3 Objectives of the Plant Committee The objective of the Committee is to advise Council on matters within the scope of the Committee’s duties and responsibilities.

4 Duties and responsibilities of the Plant Committee The duties and responsibilities of the Plant Committee are:

4.1 Governance

• Corporate governance framework and policies

• Strategic direction and organisational sustainability

• Legal matters

• Regional initiatives and partnerships

• Other matters that may be referred by the Shire President or Chief Executive Officer

4.2 Acquisition and Disposal

• Buy/Hire Assessments

• Approve a Light Fleet Vehicle Pool

• Recommend a Heavy Plant Replacement Program

5 General 5.1 Membership

The Plant Committee shall be comprised of:

• Shire President

Shire of Irwin Plant Committee – Terms of Reference April 2015

• Three Councillors

• Chief Executive Officer (or nominee)

• Director Planning and Infrastructure

• Manager Works and Services

The Committee may call in the expert advice of any other Shire officer, as and when required.

Membership of the committee continues until:

• the person no longer holds the office by virtue of which the person became a member;

• the person resigns from membership of the committee;

• the committee is disbanded; or

• the next ordinary elections day, whichever happens first.

5.2 Chair

The appointed Chair shall conduct and coordinate the Plant Committee meetings and functions in an orderly manner in accordance with the Shire of Irwin Standing Orders Local Law 2000.

5.3 Agenda Items

The Minute Taker will work closely with the Chair and Director Planning and Infrastructure in the preparation and distribution of agendas and minutes for the meeting.

5.4 Minutes

The minutes of each AMT meeting will be prepared and distributed by the Minute Taker.

5.5 Frequency of Meetings

The Plant Committee shall meet monthly on the Monday afternoon before Ordinary Council Meeting at 4pm.

5.6 Quorum

The quorum for meetings is half of the membership plus one.

5.7 Review of Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference must be reviewed and amended, where appropriate, on an annual basis.

PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PI# LIGHT VEHICLE FLEET

PURPOSE

To maintain a light vehicle fleet necessary to meet the operational and service delivery requirements of its daily functions, whilst ensuring the optimum use of vehicles through management practices that are effective, efficient, sustainable, equitable and accountable.

POLICY

The Chief Executive Officer will ensure that the light vehicle fleet is optimised at all times by:

• Minimising the whole of life costs of the light vehicle fleet;

• Developing and maintaining guidelines in relation to the acquisition and disposal of the light vehicle fleet; and

• Developing and maintaining guidelines in relation to the conditions of use of vehicles in the light vehicle fleet.

All existing, new and renewed employment contracts/agreements shall comply with this Policy and associated Guidelines. Where any inconsistencies between the Policy documents and current employments contracts/agreements exist, the employment agreements shall prevail.

RISK IMPLICATIONS

The likelihood of risk arising from Council adopting the policy is expected to be rare and the consequences would be positive. Therefore the risk is low.

STATUTORY REFERENCE

Local Government Act 1995

Date of Adoption – 28 April 2015 Minute No

1 | P a g e

PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PI# LIGHT VEHICLE FLEET - ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL GUIDELINES

PURPOSE

The Light Vehicle Fleet – Acquisition and Disposal Guidelines define the process for the acquisition and disposal of light motor vehicles.

VEHICLE ACQUISITION

Selection

The Director Planning and Infrastructure will develop a pool of vehicles for purchase as a new or replacement vehicle within the light vehicle fleet. The Shire of Irwin Plant Committee will approve the list of vehicles selected to the pool. Where a request is received for a vehicle that is not identified within the approved pool, the Shire of Irwin Plant Committee will determine the suitability of the vehicle against the selection criteria.

The approved vehicle pool shall encompass the categories of:

• Chief Executive Officer;

• Director;

• Manager;

• Special Purpose Vehicle; and

• General Use Vehicles.

The following Selection Criteria will be used when determining suitable vehicles for inclusion in the pool:

• Whole of Life Cost: The assessment of the whole of life cost for each vehicle shall include a review of the likely difference between purchase and sale price and the running and maintenance costs. The approved vehicle pool shall include the best performers in the category. The assessment shall be based on vehicles fitted with the minimum required equipment addressing the safety, business, environmental and re-sale objectives of the Shire.

• Range (versatility): The range of vehicles assessed for inclusion in the pool will be dependent on the category and will generally provide a diverse range of choice in terms of capability and versatility (i.e. one tonne utilities, wagons and sedans).

• Delivery Time: Where the normal delivery time for a vehicle is considered excessive, that vehicle will be excluded from the pool unless the Chief Executive Officer considers the delivery time to be acceptable.

2 | P a g e

• Fit for Purpose: The pool will consider a range of vehicles for each category so that a vehicle ‘fit-for-purpose’ can be found for individual applications. Approved vehicles will also be determined for specialised positions, eg Ranger and Emergency Service.

• Environmental Impact: Within budget constraints, emphasis will be placed on best performing vehicles in terms of fuel economy, carbon emissions and air pollution. Except where a specialised vehicle is required, the minimum acceptable standard for fuel economy shall be 12l/100kms and an overall star rating of no less than 3 stars (as specified in the Green Vehicle Guide – www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au).

• Safety: All vehicles assessed for the pool shall have a minimum of a 4 star NCAP safety rating and shall be assessed on the basis of the vehicle being fitted with the minimum safety features of ABS braking and dual airbags.

• Fuel Type: While all fuel alternatives should be assessed, emphasis should be placed on assessment of turbo-diesel vehicles, depending on the vehicle’s primary use. Other alternative fuel options will be assessed as they are released to the market. Duel-fuel options for operations utilities are an option for special consideration by the Plant Committee.

• Colour: Where possible, light coloured metallic paint vehicles are to be encouraged in order to reduce heat absorption and subsequent excessive use of air conditioners. All vehicles in the Special Purpose Vehicle and General Use Vehicle categories shall be white in colour.

• Accessories: Accessories such as automatic transmission, rubber floor mats, metallic paint, air conditioning, driver and passenger air bags, cruise control, mud flaps front and rear, ABS Braking and Stability Control generally contribute to the resale value and are recommended for purchase. Accessories such as tow packs (unless required for business use), tinted windows (after market), headlight and bonnet protectors, weather shields, bull and roo bars (except for 4x4 vehicles) reverse warning alarms, manual transmission detract from resale value and are not recommended. Unless specified as standard equipment and subject to the vehicle category, the purchase of accessories can be considered by the Chief Executive Officer if it can be demonstrated that an absence of such accessory would detract from quality of life eg to participate in sport or leisure pursuits.

Purchase

The following process will be followed when a vehicle is to be acquired for the light vehicle fleet.

• At least once a month the Director Planning and Infrastructure will monitor the data collected on all light vehicles in the fleet.

• At least three months before replacement of the vehicle is due, the Director Planning and Infrastructure shall inform the relevant officer that a new vehicle is required. The Director Planning and Infrastructure shall provide a list of approved vehicles in the pool and will inform the officer of any requirement for the vehicle to be traded.

3 | P a g e

• The officer requiring the vehicle will select the vehicle from the approved pool and will determine the required accessories in accordance with the Light Vehicle Fleet – Acquisition and Disposal Guidelines. The officer will arrange quotes in accordance with the Shire’s Purchasing Policy and request any dealer to take into consideration the State Government Vehicle Tender discounts.

• Where the required vehicle does not already exist in the approved vehicle pool, the service area Director will request the Director Planning and Infrastructure to refer the preferred vehicle to the Plant Committee to determine the suitability of the vehicle for inclusion in the light vehicle fleet. To determine whether to include the vehicle, the Plant Committee will require a written recommendation from the Director Planning and Infrastructure on the suitability of the vehicle for inclusion in the light vehicle fleet, based on an assessment against the selection criteria.

• On completion of quoting requirements, a ‘Request to Purchase a Light Vehicle’ form will be completed and provided to the Director Planning and Infrastructure.

• Where a number of vehicles are to be replaced concurrently, the Director of Planning and Infrastructure may contact relevant dealers to organise the simultaneous provision of quotes.

• The Director Planning and Infrastructure will authorise the raising of a purchase order for the required vehicle and will arrange for delivery.

On receipt of the new vehicle, the Director Planning and Infrastructure will arrange for the transfer of any required equipment from the old vehicle to the new vehicle and the subsequent disposal of the old vehicle.

DISPOSAL

Light motor vehicles can be disposed off in one of the following ways:

• Tender • Auction • Trade in

The Director Planning and Infrastructure shall determine the most appropriate method of disposal by taking into consideration the following factors:

• Market conditions • Benchmark value of the vehicle

At least once a year, the Director Planning and Infrastructure shall compare auction valuations against trade valuations for all light vehicles in the approved pool and update the pool where necessary.

At least once a year the Director of Corporate and Community will adapt the replacement values in the Annual Budget in accordance with market conditions.

1 | P a g e

PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PI# LIGHT VEHICLE FLEET – CONDITIONS OF USE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

PURPOSE

The Light Vehicle Fleet – Conditions of Use Guidelines define the protocols for the use of light motor vehicles.

CATEGORIES OF USE

Category – Chief Executive Officer

Eligibility – Chief Executive Officer

Vehicle Type – In accordance with the adopted vehicle pool

Rationale – Provided as part of employment contract; staff attraction and retention

Conditions – Unrestricted private use of a fully maintained motor vehicle as per the terms and conditions set out in the Light Vehicle Fleet Policy and supplementary Guidelines, unless otherwise specified in employment contract

Availability – Vehicle available for Chief Executive Officer’s use at all times. Vehicle forms part of the general fleet at the Chief Executive Officer’s sole discretion

Category – Director

Eligibility – Director

Vehicle Type – In accordance with the adopted vehicle pool

Rationale – Provided as part of employment contract; staff attraction and retention

Conditions – Unrestricted private use of a fully maintained motor vehicle as per the terms and conditions set out in the Light Vehicle Fleet Policy and supplementary Guidelines, unless otherwise specified in employment contract

Availability – Vehicle forms part of the general fleet only when all other vehicles are unavailable

Category – Manager

Eligibility – Managers with a vehicle allocation in line with employment contracts/agreements

Vehicle Type – In accordance with the adopted vehicle pool

Rationale – In accordance with employment contract or letter of employment; staff attraction and retention

2 | P a g e

Conditions – Unrestricted private use of a fully maintained motor vehicle as per the terms and conditions set out in the Light Vehicle Fleet Policy and supplementary Guidelines, unless otherwise specified in letter of employment

Availability – Vehicle forms part of the general fleet and must be made available during all hours required to deliver an effective service to the community

Category – Special Purpose Vehicles

Eligibility – Employees who need access to operations utility vehicles fitted with special equipment to perform their duty eg Ranger, Leading Hands, etc

Vehicle Type – In accordance with the adopted vehicle pool

Rationale – Provided as part of employment conditions

Conditions – Commuter/Restricted Private Use of a fully maintained motor vehicle as per the terms and conditions set out in the Light Vehicle Fleet Policy and supplementary Guidelines, unless otherwise specified in letter of employment

Availability – All vehicles form part of the general fleet and must be made available at all times

Category – General Use Vehicles

Eligibility – General office and commuter use by employees without a specific vehicle allocation

Vehicle Type – In accordance with the adopted vehicle pool

Rationale – Provided for use in cases where specific vehicles have not been allocated as part of employment conditions; business continuity

Conditions – Use of a Council supplied motor vehicle for authorised Council business, including occasional commuter use where circumstances warrant

Availability – Forms part of general fleet

VEHICLE AVAILABILITY

Council vehicles must be treated as pool vehicles and made available for normal duties within Council hours and in accordance with the Categories of Use. Under no circumstances is the employee to assert any right of ownership or control over the use of the vehicle, which would reduce the vehicle’s availability for use on Council business.

Lunchtime is deemed to be during normal working hours. However, if the vehicle is not required for any business use during that period, then the employee is entitled to use the vehicle for private use, however this is only allowed where a private use agreement is in place.

Council will endeavour to provide a substitute vehicle (including a hire vehicle) in the event of a vehicle being un-roadworthy for any reason. In the event a substitute or courtesy vehicle is not available, the appropriate adjustment will be made to the employee in accordance with charge out rates applicable at that time.

3 | P a g e

Councillors, through the office of the Chief Executive Officer, may at any time apply to use a Council owned light fleet vehicle for official commuter use.

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE

All employees allocated a Council vehicle for business and / or private use, are responsible for ensuring that the vehicle is serviced at the intervals as specified in the manufacturer’s service handbook. The responsible employee must notify Council's workshop when their vehicle odometer reading is within one thousand kilometres of each scheduled service.

In addition, the following minimum details must be provided:

• the make / model of the vehicle and the odometer reading • any problems, faults or damage associated with the vehicle • suitable dates to conduct the service (Arrangements should be made approximately

one week in advance to ensure that a suitable time can be arranged).

The Mechanic will be responsible for co-ordinating the servicing of all vehicles, including transportation to and from the service facility.

The first service for new vehicles is typically provided by the dealer free of charge. Where possible, employees responsible for vehicles need to check and coordinate this visit to the dealer with other Shire business so as to use their time effectively.

All vehicles owned by Council are to be kept in a clean and tidy condition at the cost of the employee to ensure that a professional image of the Council is presented at all times. Where the vehicle is an operations utility, the employee will ensure that it is satisfactorily cleaned, with Council’s preferred standards as follows:

• litter removed from the vehicle daily • floors and seats vacuumed weekly • internal upholstery wiped with a damp cloth at least fortnightly • windows cleaned on a weekly basis • exterior of the vehicle washed on a weekly basis

Where the vehicle is a sedan, SUV or wagon, the employee will ensure that it is satisfactorily cleaned, with Council’s preferred standards as follows:

• litter removed from the vehicle daily • floors and seats vacuumed fortnightly • internal upholstery wiped with a damp cloth at least monthly • windows cleaned on a fortnightly basis • exterior of the vehicle washed on a fortnightly basis. • Council will not reimburse costs related to the cleaning of vehicles such as car

washes etc. • Facilities at the Depot may be used to clean the vehicle free of charge, subject to

Depot OSH rules and regulations being adhered to

Where the vehicle is in the General Use Category the following standards will apply:

• During the week it will be parked in its allocated parking bay under the carport. It will under no circumstances be left in the sun.

4 | P a g e

• The vehicle will be taken to the Depot by Administration on a Friday for safe keeping over the weekend.

• On a Monday morning the Mechanic will wash the vehicle and check that it is roadworthy and safe for general use for the next week, eg. oil, fuel, tyres, water, window washing liquid, coolant, brake fluid, etc. (Use checklist)

• The Mechanic will return the vehicle to Administration once the maintenance check has been completed.

• If any maintenance or repair work is required, the Mechanic will inform the Administration Office immediately.

• When the vehicle is required for long distance commute, which is defined as 100km radius from the Shire’s Administration building, the driver is responsible to ensure the general roadworthiness of the vehicle and its suitability for each leg of the trip to be undertaken. This include the checking of fuel, oil, lights, windscreen washers, water, battery and tyre tread and pressure and taking corrective action where necessary. On return to Dongara, the relevant person is responsible to wash the vehicle and park it in the allocated parking bay under the carport.

Any person, who uses a Council vehicle allocated to another person for its care and use, will leave that vehicle in the state and condition equal to which it was received.

Any vehicle which is stored overnight at the home of a Council employee due to on call requirements, or the existence of a commuter or private use agreement, should be parked off-street, where possible.

All operations utility vehicles and general use vehicles shall display the official Shire logo during office hours and/or while on Shire business. No other stickers or signage can be attached to a vehicle unless approval has been granted by the Chief Executive Officer.

AUTHORISED DRIVERS

A Council vehicle may be driven by the following:

• a Council employee for Council business, including an employee who holds a Learner or Provisional Licence

• a spouse, partner or nominated relative of an employee • a Councillor for Council business, including a Councillor who holds a Learner or

Provisional Licence • a licensed driver in emergency situations, being defined as when a Council employee

or Councillor is unable to drive the vehicle due to personal difficulties, injury or illness

DRIVER RESPONSIBILITIES

Each driver of a Council vehicle is responsible to ensure that they:

• hold and carry a current driver’s licence applicable to the type of vehicle to be driven, evidence of which must be provided upon commencement of employment, and a copy provided to Human Resources on renewal

• notify their supervisor/manager immediately of any suspension or cancellation (either in whole or in part) of that licence, and cease to drive the Council vehicle immediately

• drive the vehicle in a safe and responsible manner, with due regard to road and traffic conditions

5 | P a g e

• do not drive the vehicle if affected by drugs or alcohol • participate in any safe driving/defensive driving programs and/or assessments

initiated by Council • comply with all other legislation associated with vehicle use

In addition, prior to each trip, the driver is responsible to ensure the general roadworthiness of the vehicle and its suitability for the trip/work to be undertaken. This may include the checking of fuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid, lights, windscreen washers, water, battery and tyre tread and pressure and taking corrective action where necessary.

TRAFFIC OFFENCES

Council employees will be responsible for parking and traffic fines or infringements arising from the use of the vehicle incurred whilst the vehicle is under their control. Under control will be recognised by the signing of the ‘Vehicle Driver Register” which is to be maintained for all Council vehicles.

If the driver register has not been signed, the Chief Executive Officer will determine responsibility for fines or infringements based on the available information for the vehicle.

FUEL

Only manufacturer’s specified fuel is to be used in Council vehicles. Fuel may be supplied through Council’s depot fuel facilities or through fuel cards at participating dealers only. The use of credit cards for fuel is not encouraged.

Employees must retain a copy of all purchase receipts and submit these to Council's accounts section for reconciliation of the fuel account. The current odometer reading of the vehicle is to be provided on all occasions when fuel is added to the vehicle using the depot facilities or fuel card.

LOAD RESTRAINTS

Employees are required to correctly secure loads on vehicles to minimise the risk of accidents and injuries to employees and to the public. The correct restraint appropriate for the load must be assessed prior to transport.

ACCIDENTS

Should any Council vehicle be involved in an accident (however minor), the driver is to stop immediately and make the accident scene as safe as possible. In addition, the driver must:

• ensure Police and/or Ambulance are called if: o a person is killed or injured o a person fails to stop and/or exchange information o a vehicle is required to be towed away

• provide the other driver with his/her name and Council contact details • obtain details from the other party, including:

o name, address and licence number o telephone number o vehicle registration o make of vehicle

6 | P a g e

o colour o nature of damage to other party’s vehicle o insurance details if available

• take photos to demonstrate damage to vehicles • avoid making any comment to the other party with regard to the cause of the accident

or fault of either party • provide any information and co-operation required by emergency services authorities

who may attend the scene of the accident.

Should either party to the incident sustain an injury, however minor, the driver must contact the relevant Director/Human Resources as soon as possible.

Each accident that results in damage to vehicles is to be reported within 24 hours by completing an “Accident/Incident Report Form” and forwarding to the Director Planning and Infrastructure. All accidents will be investigated by the Director Planning and Infrastructure in conjunction with Council’s Work Health and Safety officers to assist with accident prevention strategies.

Depending on the incident, employees may also be directed to complete an insurance claim form. Should a pattern of recurrent damage and/or negligence by an employee to a Council vehicle or third party property be substantiated, the Chief Executive Officer may, in consultation with the employee and relevant Director, direct the employee to:

• pay any insurance excess OR • pay the cost of repair for incidents:

o up to the value of the insurance excess of the current Council motor vehicle insurance policy for each incidence of damage or

o in full if the insurer reasonably refuses liability.

Where it is determined by Council’s insurer that there is no insurance coverage (i.e. employee under the influence of an illegal substance or over the legal alcohol limit) then the employee will be liable for all costs related to the repair of the vehicle and will be subject to disciplinary action.

USES NOT- PERMITTED

Smoking is not permitted in any vehicle at any time.

Unless specifically permitted by the Chief Executive Officer, no vehicle will be used in/for:

• a car rally or a competition • for a commercial purpose • for off-road recreational purposes • for any other purpose which may reasonably be expected to cause damage or undue

wear and tear on the vehicle

LOG BOOKS

The Chief Executive Officer can, at any time, require the completion of a vehicle log book for a specified time (typically 12 weeks).

7 | P a g e

DOCUMENT REVIEWS

The Chief Executive Officer reserves the right to review and amend this document as required. As a minimum this document should be reviewed annually.

TAXATION IMPLICATIONS

The Shire of Irwin takes no responsibility for any personal taxation liability arising from the signing of a private or commuter use agreement. It is the responsibility of the employee to seek their own financial advice as to any personal taxation implications that may arise from entering into an agreement.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The Chief Executive Officer reserves the right to conduct an investigation, which may lead to disciplinary action taken, in any event where abuse of a Council vehicle is suspected. Disciplinary action shall be taken in accordance with Award requirements or employment contracts.

DISPUTES

Any disputes will be negotiated where possible between the employee and the Chief Executive Officer. Where necessary, the Chief Executive Officer will make the final decision with regard to disputes. The Chief Executive Officer will ensure all disputes are managed in accordance with Award requirements or employment contracts.

FEES

The fees payable for commuter and private use will be calculated in an attempt to ensure all private use is paid for by the employee, as per employment conditions. The fees will be reviewed at least annually, and further reviews may be conducted if the assumptions on which the calculations are based vary during the year. Extra weekly fees may be charged for employees who reside outside a 40 km radius from their normal place of work.

TERMINATION

Commuter and Restricted Private Use agreements can be terminated with 12 month’s written notice by the Shire or with six month’s notice by the employee, subject to any relevant Award provisions or existing employment conditions.

The above mentioned periods will not apply in instances where an employee leaves the employment of Council, changes positions within Council to a role where a car is not allocated, or has access to a vehicle removed as part of a disciplinary process or as a result of a driving related conviction.

A notice period of three months will apply where an employee requests to change from one type of vehicle use to another and only in the case of extenuating circumstances. The Chief Executive Officer shall the sole determinant of those extenuating circumstances.

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI02

2015 Australian Coastal Councils Conference

   

             

                 

Conference  Report      

19  March  2015    

   

     

Conference  held  at    RACV  Resort,  Trent  Jones  Drive  Cape  Schanck,  Victoria    

from  Wednesday  11  to  Friday  13  March  2015        

Organised  by:    

  1  

Summary    The  2015  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  was  convened  by  the  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce  at  the  RACV  Resort,  Cape  Schanck,  on  Victoria’s  Mornington  Peninsula,  from  11  to  13  March.  It  was  attended  by  representatives  of  coastal  councils  from  all  states,  in  addition  to  members  of  the  coastal  research  community  and  representatives  of  relevant  government  agencies.  Highlights  of  the  2015  conference  included  the  following:    The  Hon  Lisa  Neville  MP,  the  Victorian  Minister  for  Environment,  Climate  Change  and  Water,  presented  a  keynote  address  on  the  newly-­‐elected  Victorian  State  Government’s  approach  to  coastal  planning  and  management  and  the  government’s  future  coastal  policy  directions.    Dr  John  Church,  CSIRO  Fellow  with  the  Centre  for  Australian  Weather  and  Climate,  presented  a  keynote  address  on  sea  level  rise  and  projections  for  the  future.  Dr  Church  was  the  coordinating  lead  author  for  the  chapter  on  sea  level  rise  in  the  5th  Assessment  Report  of  the  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change  (IPCC).    Mr  Andrew  Howe,  Senior  Demographer,  Regional  Population  Unit,  Australian  Bureau  of  Statistics,  presented  a  keynote  address  on  demographic  trends  in  coastal  areas  and  case  studies  on  selected  individual  coastal  communities.    Mr  Andrew  Coghlan,  National  Manager  Emergency  Services  with  Australian  Red  Cross,  made  a  presentation  on  the  Productivity  Commission  inquiry  into  Natural  Disaster  Funding.  The  report  recommended  a  number  of  changes  to  current  funding  arrangements,  including  reducing  the  Commonwealth  share  of  disaster  recovery  costs.      Professor  Barbara  Norman,  Head  of  Urban  and  Regional  Planning  at  the  University  of  Canberra,  presented  the  findings  of  a  recent  research  report  that  found  continuing  urban  growth  and  the  projected  impacts  of  climate  change  are  likely  to  expose  an  increasing  number  of  people  in  Australia’s  coastal  areas  to  the  risk  of  bushfire.  Professor  Norman  also  facilitated  a  workshop  on  the  issue.    Ms  Kate  Sullivan,  Director  of  Planning  and  Development,  presented  a  paper  on  an  economic  report  commissioned  by  the  Council,  which  identified  that  the  surf  industry  is  a  key  contributor  to  the  local  economy.    Mr  Gary  Evershed,  CEO  of  Augusta  Margaret  River  Shire,  in  Western  Australia,  presented  a  paper  on  the  redevelopment  of  the  Margaret  River  Surfers  Point  foreshore  into  what  has  been  described  as  the  ‘best  ampitheatre  for  surfing  in  the  world’.  The  area  had  been  devastated  by  fire  in  November  2011.    A  Welcome  Reception  for  delegates  was  held  on  Wednesday  11  March  at  the  RACV  Resort  Cape  Schanck,  and  the  Conference  Dinner  was  held  on  Thursday  12  March  at  the  Safety  Beach  Sailing  Club.  The  dinner  included  presentation  of  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Awards.    A  copy  of  the  final  program  for  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  is  provided  in  the  following  pages,  together  with  additional  information  on  the  presentations  made  at  the  event.        

  2  

AUSTRALIAN  COASTAL  COUNCILS  CONFERENCE  RACV  RESORT,  CAPE  SCHANCK  11-­‐13  March  2015  

COMMUNIQUÉ      

Preamble  Representatives  of  Australian  coastal  councils  and  other  coastal  stakeholders  attending  the  final  session  of  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  at  Cape  Schanck,  Victoria,  on  13  March  2015,  considered  the  current  proposal  to  curtail  the  national  Census  in  its  existing  form  and  agreed  to  issue  the  following  communiqué  in  response  to  the  proposal.    Communiqué  We  call  on  the  Australian  Government  to  retain  the  National  Census  in  its  existing  form  to  ensure  that  Australia’s  councils  have  access  to  detailed  demographic  data  which  is  essential  for  the  future  planning  and  resourcing  of  their  communities.      The  current  national  Census  provides  comprehensive  information  about  where  Australians  live,  their  place  of  birth,  the  composition  of  their  families  and  the  sort  of  work  they  do,  which  is  vital  to  the  task  of  projecting  future  population  growth  and  meeting  the  increase  in  demand  for  infrastructure  and  services.    We  are  particularly  concerned  that  the  loss  of  small  area  data,  which  is  currently  collected  in  the  Census,  will  significantly  affect  the  capacity  of  regional  councils  to  track  the  increase  in  demand  for  community  services  and  facilities  that  is  experienced  in  most  coastal  communities.  This  data  is  critical  to  ensuring  that  councils  have  access  to  an  appropriate  share  of  Financial  Assistance  Grants,  which  are  adjusted  on  the  basis  of  Census  data,  to  take  into  account  continuing  population  growth  in  Australia’s  coastal  local  government  areas.    We  believe  that  the  alternative  method  proposed  to  replace  the  Census  with  smaller  sample  surveys  will  be  inadequate  to  collect  accurate  demographic  data  and  to  regularly  update  this  data  to  enable  future  planning  and  resource  allocation.    

 The  delegates  attending  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  call  on  the  Australian  Government,  in  the  national  interest,  to  retain  the  Census  in  its  existing  form  to  enable  the  Australian  Bureau  of  Statistics  to  proceed  with  conducting  the  next  scheduled  Census  in  2016.          

  3  

2015  AUSTRALIAN  COASTAL  AWARDS      

The  2015  Australian  Coastal  Awards  were  announced  on  12  March  at  the  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference,  held  at  Cape  Schanck,  on  Victoria’s  Mornington  Peninsula.    The  Awards  were  established  in  2014  to  acknowledge  the  achievement  of  individuals  and  organisations  that  have  made  a  significant  contribution  to  the  Australian  coastal  environment,  settlements  and  sustainability.  They  are  intended  to  raise  community  awareness  of  the  importance  of  the  coastal  zone  and  to  encourage  coastal  planning  and  management  practitioners  to  strive  for  excellence.      Barry  Sammels,  Chair  of  the  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce,  said  the  standard  of  nominations  for  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Awards  was  particularly  high.  “Many  of  the  people  who  took  part  in  the  projects  that  received  awards  are  not  well  known  public  figures,”  he  said.  “They  are  community  volunteers,  council  officers,  researchers  and  others  who  are  working  on  these  projects  behind  the  scenes,  out  of  public  sight.  But  the  work  they  are  doing  is  vital.”    WINNERS  -­‐  2015  AUSTRALIAN  COASTAL  AWARDS      Climate  Adaptation    The  Award  in  this  category  is  made  to  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership  for  its  integrated  and  strategic  approach  to  the  management  and  implementation  of  coastal  adaptation  in  the  region  from  Cape  Peron  to  Cape  Naturaliste  in  the  southwest  of  Western  Australia.  The  partnership  represents  a  collaboration  between  nine  coastal  councils  in  the  region  and  in  the  view  of  the  judges  is  an  exemplar  for  how  adaptation  could  be  addressed  in  other  Australian  coastal  regions.  The  judges  noted  the  partnership  was  established  for  the  specific  purpose  of  addressing  climate  change  adaptation  and  that  it  assists  participating  councils  in  implementing  effective  responses  to  climate  risks  including  sea  level  rise,  coastal  erosion,  inundation,  fires,  extreme  heat  and  loss  of  biodiversity.    Highly  commended  in  the  Climate  Adaptation  category  were  Eurobodalla  Shire  Council,  Shoalhaven  City  Council  and  Whitehead  &  Associates  Environmental  Consultants  for  their  entry  –  South  Coast  Regional  Sea  Level  Rise  Policy  and  Planning  Framework.  This  commendation  acknowledges  the  initiative  of  the  two  councils  and  their  environmental  consultant  in  developing  a  flexible  and  adaptive  policy  response  to  sea  level  rise  following  a  decision  by  the  State  Government  to  withdraw  existing  sea  level  rise  policy  in  September  2012.  The  innovative  approach  adopted  by  the  project  partners  to  deal  with  the  withdrawal  of  state  government  guidance  on  this  issue  was  considered  noteworthy  by  the  judges  and  is  being  considered  for  adoption  by  several  other  NSW  coastal  councils.    Community  Engagement    The  Award  in  this  category  was  jointly  awarded  to  the  Griffith  Centre  for  Coastal  Management  for  its  Coastal  Community  Engagement  Program  and  to  Coastcare  Victoria  for  its  Coastcare  Victoria  Program.  The  judges  noted  that  these  two  programs  represent  significant,  on-­‐going  initiatives  that  are  broad  in  scope  and  have  involved  engagement  with  communities  at  an  extensive  scale.      The  Griffith  Centre  operates  two  community  engagement  programs:  the  CoastEd  program,  now  in  its  14th  year,  was  developed  to  increase  awareness  among  children,  adults  and  community  groups  of  the  actions  needed  to  protect  the  coastline  of  the  Gold  Coast.  The  

  4  

BeachCare  program,  which  is  now  in  its  10th  year,  was  developed  to  provide  an  opportunity  for  community  volunteers  to  participate  in  caring  for  the  region’s  prime  asset  –  the  42km  stretch  of  beaches  from  Paradise  Point  to  Rainbow  Bay  on  the  Gold  Coast.    The  other  joint  award  recipient  is  Coastcare  Victoria  for  its  Coastcare  Victoria  Program,  which  is  now  in  its  21st  year.  The  program  was  initiated  to  provide  support  to  volunteers  and  community  groups  involved  in  coastal  management,  protection  and  conservation  activities.  It  was  the  first  State  government  program  set  up  to  support  coastal  volunteers  and  was  adopted  nationally  in  1995.  There  are  currently  some  20,000  people  participating  in  the  program  who  are  supported  by  four  Coastcare  facilitators  and  a  State  coordinator.  

Highly  commended  in  this  category  were  the  Nyangumarta  Warrarn  Aboriginal  Corporation  and  Yamatji  Marlpa  Aboriginal  Corporation  for  their  entry  Nyangumarta  Warrarn  Indigenous  Protected  Area  Planning  –  Eighty  Mile  Beach.  In  a  process  that  commenced  five  years  ago,  the  Aboriginal  Corporations  consulted  extensively  with  the  traditional  owners  of  an  area  of  land  including  110  kms  of  coastline,  stretching  between  Broome  and  Port  Hedland  in  north-­‐west  Western  Australia.  This  process  has  resulted  in  a  plan  to  manage  and  protect  the  Eighty  Mile  Beach,  which  is  recognised  under  the  Ramsar  Convention  as  one  of  the  most  important  habitats  for  migratory  birds  in  the  Asian-­‐Australasian  flyway.  The  plan  is  aimed  at  addressing  key  threats,  such  as  unregulated  access  to  sites  of  cultural  significance,  and  visitor  impact  on  the  landscape,  plants  and  animals  within  the  Nyangumarta  country,  including  water  bird  and  flatback  turtle  nesting  sites.  An  important  part  of  the  project  is  to  collect  the  Nyangumarta  people’s  knowledge  of  the  local  environment  so  that  the  knowledge  can  be  used  to  manage  and  care  for  the  areas  and  be  passed  down  to  future  generations.    

Planning  and  Management  –    The  Award  in  this  category  is  made  to  Phillip  Island  Nature  Parks  for  the  entry  –  Saving  Summerland:  A  Peninsula  For  The  Penguins.  In  the  view  of  the  judges  this  project,  now  in  its  30th  year,  has  achieved  its  objective  of  saving  the  last  remaining  colony  of  penguins  on  the  Phillip  Island  coastline.  In  the  1980s,  penguins  on  the  Summerland  Peninsula  were  facing  extinction  as  a  result  of  development  pressures,  loss  of  habitat,  predation  by  dogs  and  foxes  and  weed  infestation.  The  project  set  out  to  address  these  issues  through  a  combination  of  long-­‐term  monitoring,  an  extensive  buy-­‐back  program  of  residential  housing  and  allotments,  conservation  of  an  entire  coastal  landscape  and  effective  predator  control.  Penguin  population  in  the  colony  is  now  estimated  at  32,000  adult  birds,  the  Summerland  Housing  Estate  has  been  relocated,  the  habitat  has  been  restored,  and  there  have  been  no  recorded  deaths  caused  by  foxes  for  more  than  five  years.      Augusta  Margaret  River  Shire,  in  Western  Australia,  was  Highly  Commended  for  its  entry  titled  Surfers  Point  Redevelopment  Project.  This  project  represents  a  significant  coastal  infrastructure  project  in  the  South  West  region  of  Western  Australia,  which  has  produced  what  the  Association  of  Surfing  Professionals  has  called  ‘the  best  ampitheatre  for  surfing  in  the  world’.  The  Surfers  Point  Precinct  Redevelopment  was  identified  as  a  priority  project  in  the  Margaret  River  Growth  Plan  and  Economic  Development  Plan.  It  was  developed  in  conjunction  with  the  organisers  of  a  pro  surfing  event  to  increase  capacity  to  stage  major  state,  national  and  international  surfing  events,  and  to  provide  improved  foreshore  infrastructure  and  enhanced  protection  of  natural  habitats.  The  completion  of  the  project  is  estimated  to  have  contributed  to  a  33%  increase  in  visitors  from  outside  the  region.      

  5  

Research    The  Award  in  this  category  is  made  to  the  Griffith  Centre  for  Coastal  Management  for  its  role  in  providing  advice  on  the  application  of  science  to  coastal  management  in  Queensland.  Since  commencing  operations  in  1999,  the  Centre  has  produced  170  coastal  research  reports,  165  research  partnerships,  and  250  peer-­‐reviewed  publications.  In  particular,  the  judges  have  noted  the  significance  of  the  QSurge  hazard-­‐forecasting  tool,  which  was  developed  by  the  centre  to  enable  emergency  management  officers  to  assess  the  storm  tide  risk  hazard  during  a  cyclone  event.  The  challenge  for  councils  in  responding  to  cyclones  is  to  make  a  decision  as  early  as  possible  about  whether  a  settlement  needs  to  be  evacuated.  In  the  past  this  decision  often  had  to  be  made  before  estimates  of  storm  tide  inundation  became  available.  The  QSurge  tool  utilizes  high-­‐performance  computing  technology  to  provide  council  disaster  managers  with  storm  tide  inundation  at  a  much  earlier  phase  of  the  cyclone’s  track  towards  the  coast.  The  tool  is  of  state-­‐wide  relevance  and  has  the  potential  to  be  of  national  and  international  significance.      CSIRO  was  Highly  Commended  for  its  entry  titled  Australia-­‐wide  Marine  Debris  Project.  This  three-­‐year  study  which  was  led  by  CSIRO  in  partnership  with  Earthwatch  was  the  largest  survey  of  marine  debris  ever  undertaken.  It  has  been  highly  successful  in  raising  community  awareness  of  the  need  for  increased  efforts  to  tackle  the  threat  of  marine  debris  to  native  wildlife  and  to  marine,  coastal  and  estuarine  ecosystems.  The  survey  involved  sampling  35,000kms  of  coastline  at  100km  intervals.  The  results  of  the  survey  were  combined  with  ocean  modelling  and  wildlife  distribution  patterns  to  map  the  density  and  distribution  of  marine  rubbish  and  identify  major  threats  to  native  wildlife  associated  with  debris.  This  innovative  national  partnership  has  involved  the  participation  of  thousands  of  ‘citizen  scientists’,  including  students  and  their  teachers.    Annual  Achievement  -­‐  There  were  few  nominations  received  in  this  category  and  in  the  view  of  the  judges  the  nominations  received  did  not  fully  address  the  criteria  for  the  award.  Accordingly  the  judges  recommended  that  the  award  in  this  category  not  be  made  in  2015.  It  is  anticipated  that  a  more  representative  sample  of  projects  will  be  nominated  in  this  category  in  future  years.        

  6  

WEDNESDAY  11  MARCH  2015     CONFERENCE  DAY  ONE    09:00   WELCOME  and  INTRODUCTION  –  Mayor  Barry  Sammels,  Chair,  National  Sea  

Change  Taskforce  and  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Rockingham  (WA)    09:05   WELCOME  FROM  VICTORIA'S  MARINE  TREASURES       ‘I  sea,  I  care’  Ambassador  program.  Presenters  –  Tiana  Atkinson,  Amy  Stone  and  

Charlotte  Swayn    09:15     INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  REGION  

An  overview  of  the  local  region  by  Mayor  Bev  Colomb,  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council  and  Michael  Papageorgiou  on  behalf  of  Mayor  Sandra  Mayer,  Frankston  City  Council        

     9:30     CASE  STUDY:  Regional  Tourism    

Presenter  –  Ms  Tracey  Cooper,  Executive  Chair,  Mornington  Peninsula  Regional  Tourism  Board  

     9:45     Port  Phillip  Regional  Coastal  Adaptation  Plan    

Presenter  -­‐  Mr  Bernie  Cotter,  Executive  Officer,  Association  of  Bayside  Municipalities  

 10:00     PANEL  DISCUSSION:  COASTAL  ISSUES  AND  CHALLENGES    

Professor  Bruce  Thom  AM,  Wentworth  Group  of  Concerned  Scientists,  Emeritus  Professor,  University  of  Sydney,  Mr  Jon  Hickman,  Chair,  Victorian  Coastal  Council,  and  Mr  Bernie  Cotter,  Executive  Officer,  Association  of  Bayside  Municipalities  

10:30     Morning  tea      11:00     KEYNOTE  ADDRESS  AND  DISCUSSION:  SEA  LEVEL  RISE  AND  PROJECTIONS  FOR  

THE  FUTURE        Presenter  -­‐  Dr  John  Church,  CSIRO  Fellow  with  the  Centre  for  Australian  Weather  and  Climate  Research    

 11:30     COASTAL  RESEARCH  FORUM  AND  DISCUSSION:      

The  Scope  of  Liability  for  decision-­‐making  in  coastal  areas:  how  far  do  protections  extend?    Presenter  -­‐  Dr  Justine  Bell,  TC  Beirne  School  of  Law,  University  of  Queensland  

 Measuring  the  Social,  Cultural  and  Economic  Indicators  for  the  First  Gladstone  Healthy  Harbours  Partnership  Report  Card  Presenter  -­‐  Dr  Sean  Pascoe,  Team  Leader  –  Marine  Resource  Economics  Team,  CSIRO  Oceans  &  Atmosphere  Research    

     12:30     Lunch      CONCURRENT  SESSIONS         CONCURRENT  SESSION  ONE-­‐  Part  1:  COASTAL  ADAPTATION    13:30       Bowie  Room,  RACV  Cape  Schanck  Resort    

Managing  Coastal  Assets  and  Erosion  Management    Presenter  -­‐  Ms  Jeska  Dee,  Team  Leader  Foreshore,  Frankston  City  Council  

 Estimating  Future  Coastal  Inundation  and  Erosion  Hazards    Presenter  –  Dr  Andrew  McCowan,  Managing  Director,  Water  Technology  Pty  Ltd  

  7  

 Planning  for  our  coastal  communities  in  a  changing  climate:  a  pathways  approach  Presenter  –  Mrs  Ellen  Witte,  Associate  Policy  Advisory,  SGS  Economics  &  Planning  

 Volunteer  group  leading  community  engagement  projects  towards  coastal  adaptation    Presenter  –  Ms  Silvia  De  San  Laureano  Quiñones,  Environment  Project  Officer,  Moyne  Shire  Council    

15:00       Afternoon  tea      15.30       CONCURRENT  SESSION  ONE  –  Part  2  -­‐  PRACTICAL  ACTION  TO  MANAGE  

COASTAL  CLIMATE  RISKS      Workshop  conducted  by  Dr  Dave  Rissik,  National  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Research  Facility  

 17:00       CONCURRENT  SESSION  ONE  CONCLUDES      

CONCURRENT  SESSION  TWO  –  Field  Tour:  Western  Port  Departs  13:30   Hosted  by  Allan  Cowley,  Manager  Strategic  Planning,  Mornington  Peninsula         Shire  this  tour  provided  information  on  coastal  issues  at  sites  along  the         Western  Port  shoreline.    16:00     CONCURRENT  SESSION  TWO  CONCLUDES    

CONCURRENT  SESSION  THREE  –  Field  Tour:  Port  Phillip  Bay    

Departs  13:30   Hosted  by  Virginia  Brook  and  Neil  Daykin,  Coastal  Planners,  Mornington         Peninsula  Shire  this  tour  provided  information  on  coastal  issues  at  sites  along       the  Port  Phillip  Bay  shoreline.    16:45     CONCURRENT  SESSION  THREE  CONCLUDES      18:45  –  20:30   WELCOME  RECEPTION     Function  Room,  RACV  Cape  Schanck  Resort     Hosted  by  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  and  Frankston  City  Councils  the  Welcome  

Reception  showcased  of  from  the  Mornington  Peninsula  Region  and  premium  canapés    

   

   

  8  

THURSDAY  12  MARCH  2014  -­‐  CONFERENCE  DAY  TWO    09:00     SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  COASTAL  POPULATIONS:  PLANNING  FOR  THE  

FUTURE  -­‐  Trends  in  coastal  populations  with  input  from  the  ABS  and  case  studies    Presenter  –  Mr  Andrew  Howe,  Senior  Demographer,  Regional  Population  Unit,  Australian  Bureau  of  Statistics  

   09:30   RESEARCH  FORUM  AND  DISCUSSION:  CLIMATE  ADAPTATION      

Developing  a  Framework  for  Managing  Coastal  Climate  Risk  in  Australia  Presenter  -­‐  Dr  David  Rissik,  Deputy  Director,  National  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Research  Facility  

    Social,  Economic  and  Institutional  Dimensions  of  Climate  Change  Adaptation  

Presenter  –  Prof  Tim  Smith,  Director,  Sustainability  Research  Centre,  University  of  the  Sunshine  Coast  

 10:10    SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  CLIMATE  ADAPTATION  CASE  STUDY       Coastal  Adaptation  –  A  Cooperative  Regional  Approach         Presenter  -­‐  Ms  Joanne  Ludbrook,  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Coordinator,  Peron       Naturaliste  Partnership          10:30       Morning  tea      11:00     SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  MANAGING  AND  FUNDING  NATURAL  DISASTERS  IN  

COASTAL  AUSTRALIA    Presenter  -­‐  Mr  Andrew  Coghlan,  National  Manager  Emergency  Services,  Australian  Red  Cross    

 11:30     RESEARCH  FORUM  AND  DISCUSSION:  Presentations  and  panel           discussion  on  research  on  coastal  Australia    

Overview  of  national  research  programs  relevant  to  coastal  councils    Presenter  -­‐  Dr  Andy  Steven,  Research  Director,  CSIRO  Coastal,  Oceans  &  Atmosphere  Flagship  

 Slipping  through  the  net:  the  impact  of  incremental  development  on  the  built  and  natural  environments  of  coastal  towns    Presenter  –  Dr  David  Beynon,  School  of  Architecture  and  Built  Environment,  Deakin  University  

 Planning  and  bushfire  risk  in  a  changing  climate    Presenter  –  Prof  Barbara  Norman,  University  of  Canberra  

 12:30     SPECIAL  GENERAL  MEETING  –  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce      12:30     Lunch            CONCURRENT  SESSIONS          13:30     CONCURRENT  SESSION  FOUR  –  Part  One:  COASTAL  MANAGEMENT        

Development  of  Frankston  Coastal  Management  Plan      Presenter  –  Ms  Simone  Bonella,  Leisure  Planner,  Frankston  City  Council    

  9  

Check  list  for  Environmental  Governance  of  Coasts    Presenter  –  Dr  Janette  Shaw,  Institute  for  Marine  and  Antarctic  Studies,  University  of  Tasmania        

      Beach  System  Ecoservices,  Economic  Value  and  Coastal  Management    

Presenter  -­‐  Dr  Boyd  Blackwell,  Research  Fellow,  University  of  New  England        

Coastal  Planning  “Matters”    Presenter  –  Ms  Virginia  Brook,  Strategic  Planner  –  Coastal,  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council  

 15:00       Afternoon  tea    15:30   CONCURRENT  SESSION  FOUR  –  Part  2  -­‐  PLANNING  AND  BUSHFIRE  RISK  IN  A  

CHANGING  CLIMATE  WORKSHOP          Conducted  by  Prof  Barbara  Norman,  University  of  Canberra  

 17:00       CONCURRENT  SESSION  FOUR  CONCLUDES      

CONCURRENT  SESSION  FIVE  –  Field  Tour:  Frankston  Departs  13:15   Hosted  by  Frankston  City  Council  this  tour  will  provide  information  on  coastal       issues  at  sites  along  the  Frankston  area  shoreline.    17:00     Arrive  RACV  Cape  Schanck  Resort      19.00     GALA  CONFERENCE  DINNER  including  the  presentation  of  the  2015  AUSTRALIAN  

COASTAL  AWARDS         Safety  Beach  Sailing  Club          

  10  

FRIDAY  13  MARCH  2014  -­‐  CONFERENCE  DAY  THREE      09:00   KEYNOTE  ADDRESS  AND  DISCUSSION:  VICTORIA’S  APPROACH  TO  COASTAL  

MANAGEMENT  AND  PLANNING    The  Hon  Lisa  Neville  MP,  Victorian  Minister  for  Environment,  Climate  Change  and  Water  

   09:25   SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  HOW  TO  OBTAIN  COASTAL  POLICY  STABILITY  -­‐  

TWENTY  YEARS  OF  THE  VICTORIAN  COASTAL  MANAGEMENT  ACT  1995     Presenters  -­‐  Dr  Geoff  Wescott,  Associate  Professor,  School  of  Life  and  

Environmental  Sciences,  Deakin  University,  and  Mr  Jon  Hickman,  Chair,  Victorian  Coastal  Council    

 10:10     SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT  CASE  STUDY  

Surf  Coast  Surfing  Industry  Report    Presenter  -­‐  Ms  Kate  Sullivan,  Director  of  Planning  and  Environment,  Surf  Coast  Shire  Council      

10:30     Morning  tea      11:00     COASTAL  ISSUES  AND  CHALLENGES  

    Climate  Change  Adaptation  Projects:  A  Local  and  International           Perspective    

Presenter  –  Mr  Oliver  Moles,  Director  Sustainable  Development,  Moyne  Shire  Council  

 Local  government  management  challenges  in  protecting  and  preserving  Indigenous  cultural  heritage  values  along  the  coast  Presenter  –  Mr  Adam  Magennis,  Aboriginal  Cultural  Heritage  Officer,  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council    Coastal  Caravan  Parks  and  Economic  Benefits  of  Climate  Change  Adaptation    Presenter  -­‐  Dr  Boyd  Blackwell,  Research  Fellow,  University  of  New  England  

 The  Phoenix  Rises:  Margaret  River  Surfers  Point  Case  Study  –  Mr  Gary  Evershed,  Chief  Executive  Officer,  Shire  of  Augusta  Margaret  River  

 12:30     Lunch    13:30   FINAL  SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  COASTAL  ISSUES  EXCHANGE  Q  &  A  

    AND  2015  CONFERENCE  COMMUNIQUÉ  A  forum  for  the  exchange  of  relevant  information  between  representatives  of  coastal  councils,  government  agencies,  coastal  researchers  and  others.  The  session  will  also  consider  adoption  of  the  2015  Conference  Communiqué    

15:00     CONFERENCE  CONCLUDES                

   

  11  

2015  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  CONFERENCE  DAY  ONE  –  Wednesday,  11  March  2015        Welcome  –  Barry  Sammels,  Chair  –  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce  At  the  commencement  of  the  conference,  Barry  Sammels  acknowledged  the  Boonwurrung  and  Bunurong  members  of  the  Kulin  Nation,  who  have  traditional  connections  for  the  land  on  which  the  meeting  was  taking  place.    On  behalf  of  the  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce  he  welcomed  delegates  to  the  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  for  2015  and  said  it  is  an  annual  highlight  of  the  year  for  the  Taskforce  and  its  members.    He  said  over  the  course  of  the  next  three  days  delegates  would  be  discussing  some  of  the  issues  that  are  currently  facing  the  coastal  communities  our  councils  represent,  including:      

• The  latest  sea  level  rise  projections,  which  coastal  councils  will  need  to  factor  into  their  future  coastal  planning  decisions;    

• Proposed  changes  to  the  current  arrangements  for  natural  disaster  funding,  which  have  been  recommended  by  the  Productivity  Commission;  

• Identifying  the  priority  issues  that  will  form  the  basis  of  our  future  advocacy  efforts;  and  

• Updates  on  the  major  developments  affecting  coastal  planning  and  management  that  have  occurred  over  the  past  year.  

 He  said  one  of  the  highlights  of  the  event  would  be  the  announcement  of  the  winners  of  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Awards  and  that  another  highlight  was  a  new  session,  called  the  coastal  issues  exchange.  This  is  being  introduced  for  two  important  reasons.  Firstly  he  said  it  was  designed  to  make  the  most  of  the  opportunities  for  networking  among  coastal  councils  that  the  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce  provides  as  if  you  are  facing  a  difficult  challenge  in  your  local  government  area,  the  chances  were  that  other  coastal  councils  are  facing  similar  difficulties  and  that  he  Taskforce  provides  an  opportunity  to  share  ideas  about  these  common  problems  and  possibly  find  new,  effective  ways  of  dealing  with  them.  The  second  reason,  which  is  equally  important,  was  that  the  session  presents  an  opportunity  to  identify    the  current  priority  coastal  issues.  These  issues  then  become  the  starting  point  for  the  process  of    developing  an  updated  policy  agenda,  which  will  form  the  basis  for  the  coastal  advocacy  campaign  in  the  period  leading  up  to  the  next  election.    Barry  Sammels  said  this  highlights  one  of  the  major  differences  between  the  Australian  Coastal  Councils  Conference  and  other  national  conferences  is  that  it  sought  to  focus  on  achieving  outcomes.  He  said  as  a  result  of  previous  conferences,  for  example:    

• The  Taskforce  commissioned  a  study  to  explore  new  methodologies  for  gathering  data  on  tourists  and  other  non-­‐residents  in  coastal  areas;  

• It  commissioned  legal  advice  to  help  member  councils  to  better  manage  their  legal  risks  in  relation  to  climate  change  policy;  and  

• Also  commissioned  a  research  study  to  help  guide  coastal  councils  on  how  to  retain  the  values  and  character  of  their  local  communities.  

  12  

Barry  said  each  one  of  these  initiatives  came  about  as  a  result  of  discussions  that  took  place  at  the  annual  conference  and  also  illustrate  the  benefits  of  taking  collective  action  as  the  costs  involved  in  commissioning  this  sort  of  specialist  research  work  is  sometimes  beyond  the  capacity  of  individual  councils  but  by  pooling  resources  and  sharing  the  costs,  it  is  possible  to  commission  this  sort  of  work  for  the  benefit  of  the  individual  councils  taking  part  in  the  project  and  for  the  benefit  of  coastal  councils  generally.  

He  acknowledged  the  support  received  from  a  number  of  organisations  towards  the  organisation  of  this  conference,  and  specifically  acknowledged:       Frankston  City  Council     Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council       CSIRO    Welcome  from  Victoria’s  Marine  Treasures  Guests  were  welcomed  by  representatives  of  the  ‘I  sea  I  care  ambassador  program,  which  is  a  social  marketing  tool  developed  by  the  Dolphin  Research  Institute.  The  program  is  aimed  at  building  a  strong  sense  of  stewardship  of  the  southern  coasts  and  waterways  among  school  age  children.  The  ‘i  sea,  i  care’  program  is  supported  by  organisations  including  Melbourne  Water,  six  coastal  councils,  Catholic  Education,  the  business  community  and  more  than  100  schools.  Previous  i  sea  i  care  ambassadors  have  now  graduated  and  many  of  them  are  preparing  to  become  the  next  generation  of  environmental  managers.  The  three  ambassadors  involved  in  the  presentation  were  Charlotte  Swayn,  Amy  Stone  and  Tiana  Atkinson.    Introduction  to  the  region  Mayor  Bev  Colomb  welcomed  delegates  to  the  region  on  behalf  of  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  and  in  particular  to  the  beautiful  and  extensive  coasts  and  beaches  of  the  Peninsula.  She  acknowledged  the  Boon  wurrung  and  Bunurong,  members  of  the  Kulin  Nation,  who  have  traditional  connections  for  the  land  on  which  the  meeting  was  being  held  and  acknowledged  her  Councillor  colleagues,  conference  organisers,  and  all  delegates,  to  what  promises  to  be  a  great  and  memorable  conference  experience.    She  said  the  importance  of  the  coasts,  for  residents  and  visitors  alike,  cannot  be  underestimated  in  terms  of  their  value  in  relation  to:    

• The  natural  environment  • Cultural  heritage  • Recreational  amenity  and  • Their  contribution  to  a  unique  ‘sense  of  place’  

 Mayor  Colomb  said  with  192  kms  or  10%  of  Victoria’s  coastline,  managing  these  values  for  their  future  protection  is  vital,  given  the  projected  growth  in  local  and  regional  populations  and  the  likely  increase  in  demand  for  coastal  recreation  in  coming  decades.  The  Mornington  Peninsula  is  often  described  as  Melbourne’s  playground.    The  Peninsula  is  Victoria’s  most  popular  informal  recreation  area;  it  features  magnificent  landscapes,  coasts  and  beaches  that  are  of  State  significance  and  which  attract  7  million  visitors  every  year.      She  said  the  Peninsula  is  also  a  very  popular  holiday  destination,  attracting  visitors  from  across  the  state,  around  the  country  and  all  over  the  world.    Annually,  tourism  on  the  Peninsula  contributes  $1.6  Billion  to  the  $11  Billion  local  economy  and  is  a  significant  employer.        In  partnership,  the  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire,  Frankston  City  Council  and  

  13  

Tourism  Victoria  formed  the  Mornington  Peninsula  Regional  Tourism  Board  to  support  and  promote  this  important  industry.    The  Regional  Tourism  Board  last  year  developed  the  Regional  Destination  Management  Plan  (DMP)  to  help  steer  tourism  in  the  region,  and  the  next  speaker,  Tracey  Cooper,  would  speak  further  on  the  plan  shortly.      The  Shire’s  tourism  attractions  have  been  recognised  both  nationally,  with  winning  entries  in  the    2014  Victorian  Tourism  Awards,  and  internationally,  as  an  inclusion  in  the  National  Geographic’s  Top  20  ‘must  see’  places  of  2015  on  its  esteemed  annual  Best  of  the  World  list.  In  addition,  the  Mornington  Peninsula  is  a  popular  recreational  boating  destination  and  is  home  to  the  largest  concentration  of  registered  recreational  boats  in  the  State  of  Victoria.    In  the  context  of  increasing  visitors,  regional  resident  populations  and  the  increasing  demand  for  recreational  opportunities,  there  is  a  need  to  balance  the  likely  increase  in  demand  for  facilities  and  coastal  recreation  opportunities  with  the  important  environmental  and  social/cultural  values  of  the  coast.    Council’s  four  year  Strategic  Plan,  which  expresses  Council’s  vision,  goals  and  priorities,  had  identified  ‘Enhancing  the  coastal  experience’  as  its  Goal  5.  Mayor  Colomb  said  the  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council  recognised  its  coastal  responsibilities  in  many  ways,  including:  

• a  commitment  to  a  dedicated  coastal  planning  function  within  the  Shire  (coastal  planners);  

• active  contributions  to  the  development  of  coastal  policy  through  advocacy  and  liaison  with  State  Government  agencies;  

• active  participation  in  the  Association  of  Bayside  Municipalities;    and    • the  ongoing  commitment  to  the  maintenance  of  the  coastline.  

 She  said  with  the  increase  in  resident  and  visitor  populations  and  demands  on  the  coast,  a  number  of  critical  issues  are  emerging  which  will  require  careful  planning,  management  and  resourcing.    Included  amongst  these  are:  

• a  clear,  State-­‐wide  policy  and  planning  framework  to  provide  guidance  for  decision-­‐makers;  

• coastal  protection  and  boating  infrastructure  renewal;  and    • funding  for  the  implementation  of  climate  change  adaptation  works  

 Mayor  Colomb  said  she  looked  forward  to  sharing  some  interesting  and  energising  discussions  over  the  next  few  days  and  I  hope  you  take  the  opportunity  of  your  visit  to  the  Peninsula,  to  enjoy  some  of  our  picturesque  wine  and  food  attractions,  as  well  as  enjoying  our  magnificent  coasts.    Michael  Papageorgiou,  of  Frankston  City  Council,  welcomed  delegates  on  behalf  of  Mayor  Sandra  Mayer,  of  Frankston  City,  who  was  an  apology  for  the  event.  He  said  Frankston  and  the  Mornington  Peninsula  are  coastal  jewels  of  the  region,  and  he  hoped  the  delegates  would  thoroughly  enjoy  their  stay.    He  said  coastal  environments  are  important  to  our  communities  for  many  reasons  –  be  they  health,  fitness,  recreation,  tourism,  business  or  the  sheer  natural  beauty  they  share  with  us.  But  our  coastlines  are  constantly  facing  challenges,  both  man-­‐made  and  from  natural  forces,  so  events  like  today  are  vitally  important  to  share  the  latest  knowledge.  

  14  

 Frankston  City’s  coastline  stretches  about  13km  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Port  Phillip,  around  40kms  south-­‐east  of  Melbourne.  Life  Saving  Victoria  has  listed  Frankston  as  the  state’s  most  visited  beach  the  past  two  years.  The  easy  access  via  freeway,  foreshore  facilities,  award  winning  visitor  information  centre  and  picturesque  location  draw  people  from  around  Melbourne.  Michael  Papageorgiou  said  that  level  of  traffic  creates  its  fair  share  of  issues,  and  requires  a  proactive  response  from  Council      He  said  the  City’s  approach  to  cleaning  the  beach  and  removing  litter  from  beach  and  foreshore  areas,  along  with  foreshore  rangers’  partnerships  with  local  community  groups,  has  helped  Frankston  win  Victorian  Clean  Beach  Award  in  2012  and  be  a  finalist  in  2013.      Michael  Papageorgiou  said  the  City  recognised  the  need  to  constantly  improve  our  approach,  and  this  is  in  the  form  of  a  Coastal  Management  Plan,  which  is  currently  being  developed.  The  key  focuses  of  this  plan  would  be  how  to  maximise  usage  of  the  beach  by  visitors  and  locals,  and  maximise  its  potential  for  economic  growth,  while  maintaining  resilient  natural  systems  and  its  natural  beauty.  An  important  part  of  that  will  be  developing  infrastructure  that  enhances  the  attractiveness  of  the  area,  encourages  usage  of  the  foreshore,  but  protects  vulnerable  areas      He  said  another  important  aspect  is  understanding  how  we  can  protect  potentially  vulnerable  areas  from  both  man-­‐made  and  natural  threats  and  developing  a  coordinated,  consistent  plan  across  multiple  Council  departments  and  government  agencies  that  delivers  the  required  results.    He  said  there  were  many  other  challenges  which  delegates  would  be  familiar  with,  such  as:    

• the  best  way  to  provide  infrastructure  for  recreational  boating  without  adversely  impacting  on  the  coastline  

• providing  modern  facilities  for  the  local  Coast  Guard  to  conduct  search  and  rescue  • responding  to  storm  damage  and  fluctuating  sand  migration  and  • responding  to  the  resulting  beach  and  dune  erosion  that  can  damage  both  the  

functionality  and  health  of  our  foreshore    Michael  Papageorgiou  said  the  City’s  beach  is  its  most  precious  and  valuable  asset,  and  this  would  no  doubt  be  the  case  for  many  delegates.      CASE  STUDY:  Regional  Tourism    Delegates  heard  that  tourism  is  one  of  Australia’s  most  important  industry  sectors  and  represents  a  key  segment  of  the  Australian  economy,  contributing  more  than  $35  billion  a  year  to  our  Gross  Domestic  Product.  It  makes  a  particularly  important  contribution  to  regional  Australia,  with  46  cents  in  every  tourism  dollar  spent  outside  the  capital  cities,  and  Coastal  regions  for  many  years  have  been  focused  on  capturing  their  fair  share  of  these  tourism  dollars.    Ms  Tracey  Cooper,  the  Executive  Chair  of  the  Mornington  Peninsula  Regional  Tourism  Board,  presented  a  paper  to  delegates  on  current  visitor  numbers  to  the  region  and  the  Board’s  marketing  and  product  strategies.  

 Port  Phillip  Regional  Coastal  Adaptation  Plan  Mr  Bernie  Cotter,  the  Executive  Officer  of  the  Association  of  Bayside  Municipalities,  which  represents  the  coastal  councils  that  border  on  Port  Phillip  Bay  in  Melbourne,  provided  an  

  15  

outline  of  a  new  study  which  the  Association  has  commissioned  in  partnership  with  State  Government  agencies  and  other  relevant  stakeholders.  The  study  is  focused  on  the  sort  of  changes  Port  Phillip  is  likely  to  experience  over  the  course  of  the  next  40  to  50  years,  in  the  potential  impacts  of  population  growth,  climate  change,  economic  development  and  demand  for  recreational  use  during  the  period  leading  up  to  the  year  2070.      PANEL  DISCUSSION:  Coastal  Issues  and  Challenges  Alan  Stokes,  of  the  National  Sea  Change  Taskforce,  introduced  the  session  which  he  said  would  provide  an  assessment  of  current  coastal  challenges  from  a  panel  of  experts  and  from  delegates  representing  coastal  councils.  The  first  speaker  on  the  panel  was  Professor  Bruce  Thom  AM,  a  member  of  the  Wentworth  Group  of  Concerned  Scientists  and  Emeritus  Professor  at  the  University  of  Sydney.  Panel  members  to  follow  were  Mr.  Jon  Hickman,  the  Chair  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Council,  and  Mr.  Bernie  Cotter,  Executive  Officer  of  the  Association  of  Bayside  Municipalities.    KEYNOTE  ADDRESS:  Sea  Level  Rise  and  Projections  for  the  Future  Delegates  heard  that  one  issue  all  coastal  councils  have  been  attempting  to  deal  with  over  recent  years  is  the  prospect  of  sea  level  rise  associated  with  projected  climate  change  impacts.  It  is  a  hot  topic  that  has  generated  much  public  debate  and  considerable  time,  energy  and  funding  on  the  part  of  all  levels  of  government.  It  has  been  a  particularly  difficult  issue  for  the  local  government  sector  to  come  to  grips  with.    Dr  John  Church  is  an  Oceanographer  and  a  CSIRO  Fellow  with  the  Centre  for  Australian  Weather  and  Climate  Research  and  was  the  coordinating  lead  author  for  the  chapter  on  sea  level  rise  in  the  5th  Assessment  Report  of  the  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change  (IPCC).  He  has  published  widely  across  a  broad  range  of  topics  in  oceanography.  At  the  release  of  the  5th  IPCC  report  he  said  sea  level  is  going  to  rise  more  than  projected  in  the  previous  4th  Assessment  Report,  with  98cms  now  projected  to  be  the  top  of  the  range  of  scenarios  of  sea  level  rise  by  2100  and  the  bottom  of  the  range  now  projected  to  be  more  than  40cms.  Dr  Church’s  address  outlined  the  implications  of  the  latest  IPPC  findings  and  the  revised  projections  of  sea  level  over  the  years  to  come.  (The  PPT  presentation  by  Dr.  Church  is  available  elsewhere  on  this  web  site).      The  Scope  of  liability  for  decision-­‐making  in  coastal  areas:  how  far  to  protections  extend?  Coastal  councils  around  Australia  come  under  considerable  pressure  from  developers  and  state  governments  to  allow  residential  developments  in  areas  that  are  considered  to  be  prime  coastal  locations.  As  the  responsible  authority,  however,  the  council  is  required  to  take  a  risk  management  approach  to  these  planning  decisions  in  order  to  make  sure  that  people  and  their  property  are  not  placed  at  risk  from  the  climate  change  impacts  that  scientists  warn  are  inevitable.    Dr  Justine  Bell,  a  lecturer  in  the  TC  Beirne  School  of  Law  at  the  University  of  Queensland,  presented  a  paper  assessing  how  far  existing  legislative  limitations  of  liability  will  go  to  protect  councils  making  decisions  in  relation  to  development  applications  in  what  may  be  considered  hazardous  areas.  Dr  Bell  recently  published  a  book  on  the  topic,  titled  Climate  Change  and  Coastal  Development  Law  in  Australia.  

     

  16  

CONCURRENT  SESSION  ONE-­‐  Part  1:  COASTAL  ADAPTATION      Managing  Coastal  Assets  and  Erosion  Management    Ms.  Jeska  Dee,  the  Foreshore  Team  Leader  with  Frankston  City  Council,  presented  a  paper  outlining  adaptation  measures  adopted  by  local  councils  to  coastal  erosion  and  the  threat  of  climate  change  impacts.  She  began  with  a  case  study,  which  is  relatively  close  at  hand.      Jeska  told  delegates  that  the  Foreshore  Reserves  at  Frankston  and  Seaford  are  11km  long  and  support  the  largest,  contiguous  stretch  of  coastal  vegetation  within  metropolitan  Melbourne.  Most  of  the  Reserve  is  considered  to  be  of  regional  significance  while  a  small  portion  is  considered  to  be  of  state  significance.      She  said  the  Seaford  Foreshore  is  a  prime  asset  attracting  many  visitors  to  the  area,  but  this  stretch  of  beach  has  recently  been  seriously  affected  by  extreme  coastal  erosion,  which  resulted  in  the  collapse  of  dunes  and  damage  to  the  Seaford  Lifesaving  Club  emergency  access  ramp.  Meanwhile,  the  Frankston  foreshore  experienced  extreme  storm  surges  and  high  tides  causing  erosion  around  Frankston  Waterfront  which  led  in  turn  to  the  partial  collapse  of  the  Frankston  Pier.    Estimating  Future  Coastal  Inundation  and  Erosion  Hazards    Dr  Andrew  McCowan,  Managing  Director,  Water  Technology  Pty  Ltd  presented  a  paper  outlining  the  extent  to  which  coastal  hazards  are  already  evident  in  coastal  areas  and  how  sensitive  are  these  hazards  are  to  future  sea  level  rise.  The  paper  was  based  on  a  multi-­‐disciplinary  study  of  three  key  locations  along  the  Victorian  coastline  –  the  Gippsland  Lakes  and  Ninety  Mile  Beach,  Western  Port  and  Phillip  Island.  These  study  areas  were  considered  because  they  are  considered  to  be  at  particular  risk  associated  with  the  effects  of  climate  change.    Planning  for  our  coastal  communities  in  a  changing  climate:  a  pathways  approach  Mrs  Ellen  Witte,  Associate  Policy  Advisory,  SGS  Economics  &  Planning,  presented  a  paper  concerning  adaptation  measures  and  when  they  can  be  considered  successful.  Is  it  when  all  potentially  vulnerable  properties  are  protected  from  coastal  risk  or  is  it  when  the  beaches  and  natural  values  are  maintained?  Ellen  Witte  outlined  the  pathways  approach  the  firm  had  developed  based  on  work  SGS  has  undertaken  for  12  local  councils  in  Tasmania  and  Western  Australia.  The  methodology  is  aimed  at  achieving  an  integrated,  whole-­‐of-­‐community  approach  to  planning  in  coastal  communities.    Volunteer  group  leading  community  engagement  projects  towards  coastal  adaptation  Ms  Silvia  De  San  Laureano  Quiñones,  Environment  Project  Officer,  Moyne  Shire  Council,  presented  a  paper  on  the  important  role  volunteer  groups  play  in  coastal  care  and  management  around  Australia.  She  said  the  scope  of  volunteer  group  activities  is  continuing  to  expand.  At  Port  Fairy,  a  small  coastal  town  on  the  south  west  coast  of  Victoria,  for  example,  a  community  group  called  the  Port  Fairy  Coastal  Group  has  been  working  with  the  local  Moyne  Shire  Council  to  mitigate  the  effects  of  coastal  erosion  on  an  old  municipal  tip  and  night  soil  site.  The  volunteers  involved  have  made  a  major  contribution  to  managing  the  issue.    CONCURRENT  SESSION  ONE  –  Part  2  -­‐  PRACTICAL  ACTION  TO  MANAGE  COASTAL  CLIMATE  RISKS  Workshop  conducted  by  Dr  Dave  Rissik,  National  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Research  Facility.        

  17  

THURSDAY  12  MARCH  2014  -­‐  CONFERENCE  DAY  TWO    PLENARY  SESSION:  Coastal  Populations:  Planning  for  the  Future  –    Mr  Andrew  Howe  is  Senior  Demographer  with  the  Regional  Population  Unit  of  the  Australian  Bureau  of  Statistics.  He  delivered  an  address  outlining  changes  that  are  currently  occurring  in  our  coastal  populations.  He  told  delegates  that  coastal  settlements  not  only  have  consistently  high  rates  of  growth  -­‐  frequently  higher  than  the  national  average  -­‐  they  are  also  at  the  forefront  of  the  ageing  of  the  national  population.      RESEARCH  FORUM  AND  DISCUSSION:  Climate  Adaptation    Developing  a  Framework  for  Managing  Coastal  Climate  Risk  in  Australia  Delegates  heard  there  is  an  ever-­‐increasing  volume  of  advice,  research  studies  and  tools  becoming  available  to  help  planners  and  decision-­‐makers  to  better  manage  the  risks  associated  with  climate  change.  Little  of  this  information,  however,  is  integrated  or  delivered  in  a  way  that  can  be  readily  used  by  councils,  particularly  those  with  limited  resources.  Dr  Dave  Rissik,  Deputy  Director,  of  the  National  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Research  Facility  (NCCARF),  said  it  is  for  that  reason  that  NCCARF  is  currently  developing  a  framework  for  understanding  coastal  climate  risk  –  in  particular  the  risks  associated  with  sea  level  rise  and  storm  surge.  The  framework  is  being  designed  to  help  coastal  decisions  makers  take  practical  actions  to  prepare  for  and  to  manage  those  climate  risks.    Social,  Economic  and  Institutional  Dimensions  of  Climate  Change  Adaptation    Professor  Timothy  Smith,  Director,  Sustainability  Research  Centre,  University  of  the  Sunshine  Coast  presented  a  paper  on  a  new  Social,  Economic  and  Institutional  Dimensions  Research  Network,  which  commenced  operations  in  January  this  year.  He  said  it  represents  a  consortium  of  five  universities  and  the  Girringun  Aboriginal  Corporation,  and  is  led  by  the  University  of  the  Sunshine  Coast.  It  is  one  of  four  adaptation  research  networks  which  are  part  of  a  new  phase  of  activities  initiated  by  the  National  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Research  Facility.  Professor  Smith  said  the  network  will  be  structured  into  themes  that  address  the  specific  concerns  of  industry,  government,  indigenous  communities  and  NGOs.  

 CLIMATE  ADAPTATION  CASE  STUDY:  Coastal  Adaptation  –  A  Cooperative  Regional  Approach    Ms  Joanne  Ludbrook  is  the  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Coordinator  with  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership  in  Western  Australia.  She  said  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership  is  a  collaboration  involving  nine  coastal  councils  along  the  southwest  coast  of  Western  Australia,  from  Cape  Peron  to  Cape  Naturaliste.  It  was  established  in  recognition  of  the  potential  vulnerability  of  the  coastline  to  climate  risks  that  prompted  the  councils  to  come  together  to  establish  the  partnership,  four  years  ago,  in  2011.  Joanne  Ludbrook  said  the  objective  of  the  partnership  is  to  provide  a  regional  mechanism  to  help  facilitate  effective  and  timely  adaptation  responses  to  climate  risks.  Here  to  tell  us  more  is  Joanne  Ludbrook,  the  coordinator  of  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership.    SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  Managing  and  Funding  Natural  Disasters  in  Coastal  Australia    Mr  Andrew  Coghlan  is  National  Manager,  Emergency  Services,  with  Australian  Red  Cross,  which  is  one  of  the  organisations  participating  in  the  Australian  Business  Roundtable  for  Disaster  Resilience  and  Safer  Communities.  Other  participants  include  the  Insurance  Australian  Group,  Westpac,  Optus  Australia,  Munich  Re  and  Investa  Property  Group.  Andrew  Coghlan’s  paper  outlined  how  the  Business  Roundtable  had  conducted  extensive  research  and  made  comprehensive  submissions  in  relation  to  a  Productivity  Commission  inquiry  into  Natural  Disaster  Funding.    

  18  

He  said  the  inquiry  was  established  by  the  Commonwealth  Government  to  report  on  a  broad  range  of  issues  including  -­‐  the  effectiveness  and  sustainability  of  current  arrangements  for  funding  natural  disasters,  risk  management  measures  available  to  asset  owners  and  the  interaction  between  Commonwealth  natural  disaster  funding  arrangements  and  relevant  Commonwealth/State  financial  arrangements.      A  draft  report  by  the  Commission  released  in  September  caused  concern  among  councils  and  State  Governments  with  recommendations  to  reduce  the  Commonwealth  share  of  disaster  recovery  costs  from  75%  to  50%,  and  to  increase  the  allocation  of  funding  for  pre-­‐disaster  mitigation  measures  and  increasing  the  threshold  for  ‘small  disaster  criterion’  payments  from  $240,000  to  $2  million.  Each  of  the  recommendations  would  have  a  substantial  impact  on  the  local  government  sector  and  on  state  and  territory  governments.    RESEARCH  FORUM  AND  DISCUSSION:  Presentations  and  panel  discussion    Overview  of  national  research  programs  relevant  to  coastal  councils    Dr  Andy  Steven  is  Research  Director,  CSIRO  Coastal,  Oceans  &  Atmosphere  Flagship,  presented  a  paper  outlining  the  urban  coastal  environments  whitepaper  of  the  National  Marine  Science  Plan,  which  sets  out  the  ten  priority  science  challenges  and  strategic  research  needed  to  enhance  the  on-­‐going  management  of  coastal  ecosystems.      He  told  delegates  that  Australia’s  urban  coastal  environments  provide  economic,  cultural  and  social  wealth,  as  well  as  being  the  location  for  much  of  the  nation’s  residential,  commercial,  industrial  and  transport  infrastructure.  Our  coasts  also  provide  for  many  of  our  recreational,  aesthetic  and  cultural  needs  as  well  as  playing  a  critical  role  in  primary  production,  nutrient  cycling  and  water  filtration.  Dr  Steven  said  one  of  the  major  challenges  for  policy  makers  and  coastal  managers  is  balancing  these  competing  uses  and  their  cumulative  impacts.    Slipping  through  the  net:  the  impact  of  incremental  development  on  the  built  and  natural  environments  of  coastal  towns    Dr  David  Beynon,  of  the  School  of  Architecture  and  Built  Environment,  Deakin  University,  presented  a  paper  on  a  case  study  which  examined  the  impact  of  incremental  change  to  the  built  and  natural  environment  of  a  coastal  community.  Dr  Beynon  discussed  the  sort  of  impact  this  incremental  development  tends  to  have  on  the  environments  of  coastal  towns.  He  said  residents  in  coastal  areas  are  aware,  and  often  concerned,  at  the  impact  of  sudden  and  dramatic  change  in  their  communities,  such  as  a  major  new  large  development,  which  is  radically  different  in  scale  and  style  to  existing,  neighbouring  structures.  But  he  pointed  out  that  change  is  not  always  associated  with  single  large  developments.  Often  it  occurs  as  a  result  of  a  more  gradual,  incremental  process,  which  sometimes  takes  place,  unnoticed,  over  several  years.    Planning  and  bushfire  risk  in  a  changing  climate  Prof  Barbara  Norman,  Foundation  Chair  of  Urban  and  Regional  Planning  at  the  University  of  Canberra,  outlined  the  findings  of  a  report  titled  Planning  and  Bushfire  Risk  in  a  Changing  Climate.  She  told  delegates  that  many  coastal  areas  around  Australia  are  particularly  susceptible  to  the  risk  of  bushfires,  and  as  the  recent  report  by  a  research  team  at  the  University  of  Canberra  had  found,  continuing  urban  growth  and  the  projected  impacts  of  climate  change  are  likely  to  expose  even  more  people  in  these  areas  to  the  risk  of  bushfire.      

  19  

The  report  noted  that  the  connection  between  urban  and  regional  planning  and  bushfire  risk  management  has  been  highlighted  in  sixteen  major  bushfire  inquiries  in  Australia  conducted  since  1939.  Despite  this,  there  has  been  only  relatively  minor  research  into  the  contribution  of  planning  to  minimise  risk  and  the  connection  between  planning  and  emergency  management  in  relation  to  bushfires.          CONCURRENT  SESSION  FOUR  –  Part  One:  COASTAL  MANAGEMENT    Development  of  Frankston  Coastal  Management  Plan    Ms  Simone  Bonella,  Leisure  Planner,  Frankston  City  Council,  presented  a  paper  outlining  the  development  of  Frankston  City  Council’s  first  Coastal  Management  Plan.  She  said  key  issues  affecting  management  of  the  Frankston  Foreshore  include  how  to  address  competing  and  conflicting  demands  for  use;  maximising  appeal  to  visitors  while  maintaining  resilient  natural  systems;  connecting  Frankston’s  commercial  and  transport  hub  with  the  waterfront;  and  resourcing  new  infrastructure  and  ongoing  maintenance  to  ensure  community  and  visitor  expectations  are  met.      Check  list  for  Environmental  Governance  of  Coasts  Dr  Janette  Shaw  is  an  associate  with  the  Institute  of  Marine  and  Antarctic  Studies  at  the  University  of  Tasmania.  She  presented  a  paper  proposing  a  checklist  for  environmental  governance  of  coasts  which  can  be  used  as  a  guide  to  assess  progress  in  coastal  environmental  management.  She  said  the  Australian  Government’s  State  of  the  Environment  report,  released  in  2011,  recognised  that  ‘our  coasts,  as  well  as  being  some  of  our  most  iconic  natural  areas,  are  some  of  Australia’s  most  heavily  settled  areas’.  She  said  the  report  went  on  to  note  that  a  ‘business  as  usual’  approach  to  continuing  environmental  degradation  in  coastal  regions  is  likely  to  lead  to  undesirable  outcomes.      Beach  System  Ecoservices,  Economic  Value  and  Coastal  Management  Dr  Boyd  Blackwell,  is  a  Research  Fellow  at  the  University  of  New  England.  He  told  delegates  that  the  economic  values  of  the  beach  have  so  far  not  been  adequately  assessed.  In  his  view,  beaches  are  becoming  increasingly  subject  to  a  ‘coastal  squeeze’  between  urban  development  on  the  one  hand  and  rising  sea  levels  on  the  other.  In  a  recent  paper  prepared  in  conjunction  with  researchers  at  the  Australian  Museum  and  the  University  of  the  Sunshine  Coast  he  found  that  ecological  economics  need  to  play  a  mainstream  role  in  developing  coastal  zone  policy.    Coastal  Planning  Matters  Ms  Virginia  Brook  is  Strategic  Planner,  Coastal  with  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council.  She  told  delegates  that  managing  cultural,  recreational  economic  and  other  values  on  the  coast  is  vital.  She  said  there  was  increasing  demand  being  placed  on  the  coastal  areas  by  visitor,  regional  and  resident  populations.    She  presented  examples  of  local  coastal  planning  initiatives  and  the  importance  of  strategic  partnerships  to  illustrate  the  point  that  ‘coastal  planning  matters’,  and  said  that  integrated  coastal  management  and  planning  is  vital  to  addressing  the  complexities  of  the  dynamic  coastal  environment.    CONCURRENT  SESSION  FOUR  –  Part  2  -­‐  PLANNING  AND  BUSHFIRE  RISK  IN  A  CHANGING  CLIMATE  Workshop  conducted  by  Prof  Barbara  Norman,  University  of  Canberra        

  20  

FRIDAY  13  MARCH  2014  -­‐  CONFERENCE  DAY  THREE  

KEYNOTE  ADDRESS:  Victoria’s  Approach  to  Coastal  Management  and  Planning    The  Hon  Lisa  Neville  MP,  Victorian  Minister  for  Environment,  Climate  Change  and  Water,  presented  a  keynote  address  on  the  recently-­‐elected  ALP  State  Government’s  approach  to  Coastal  Policy.      The  following  is  a  transcript  of  her  address.    

“Last week, Australia’s fourth intergenerational report was released. The Commonwealth Government produces the intergenerational report every five years with the purpose to assess the long-term sustainability and impact of current and future Government policies. The previous report in 2010 said ‘if climate change is not addressed, the consequences for the economy, water availability, and Australia’s unique environment will be severe.’ It went on to say ‘success in addressing the economic and fiscal challenges of an ageing population would be hollow if we cannot also move to an environmentally-sustainable economy.’ The 2015 update, suggests that climate change is all of a sudden no longer an issue. And the Commonwealth will roll out of the Emissions Reduction Fund will fix all of our unanswered problems. Now, if only that was the case. I am genuinely astounded that a highly regarded report which is designed to provide a projection in to the future – fails to acknowledge one of the greatest threats our nation faces – climate change. Media reports focused on workforce participation, the Commonwealth Budget and Australia’s ageing population. As policy makers, we have a tendency to always focus on the growth and development of our economy, but if we aren’t doing all we can to tackle climate change we will not see our economy advance. Since November, the Victorian Government is currently working hard to put climate change back on the agenda, after 4 years of inaction. One of my first actions as Minister was to visit our climate change team in the department to tell them that they were allowed to start talking about it again and could stop using the phrase ‘climate variability’ and call it what it is – climate change. This action is going to be a major factor in ensuring we are doing all we can to protect our coasts. Be l la r ine For over 10 years I have represented a coastal seat, Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, South of Geelong. So, I have also seen first-hand the real challenges councils and communities face regarding coastal planning. The Bellarine is an incredibly unique part of Victoria’s coast, it is the beginning of the great ocean road, it forms the western side of the entrance to Port Phillip Bay and has within it environmentally significant RAMSAR listed wetlands. I think we often forget how lucky we are to have areas like the Bellarine Peninsula all around Australia, which are areas of environmental importance and natural beauty, but they are also important to our economy and home to industries like tourism and seafood. They are also home to the vast majority of Australians. 10 years ago, 85% of us lived within 50kms of the coast. Today, this number continues to increase, because our beautiful coasts are becoming increasingly more popular to families. In Victoria, we have 2000km of coastline. We have 23 councils along Victoria’s coast and Victorians alone make, on average, 23 visits to the coast each year. However, this popularity presents many challenges for

  21  

local councils, as well as state and federal governments. We all have to deal with issues such as over development, growing population and impact of climate change. Coasts The Andrews Government is currently working on how we best manage Victoria’s iconic coastal areas, as well as what we can do to tackle climate change, collaboratively. Firstly, we are looking at how we best manage our coastal assets. 96 percent of Victoria’s coast is in public hands, so managing our coastal areas isn’t new but we understand we need to do a better job. We first started doing this in Victoria in 1898, with the beginnings of what became the Wilsons Promontory National Park. Daniel Andrews and I went to the election with a commitment to improve our coastal management and oversight and provide leadership to the various land managers that take stewardship of these areas. By establishing a Marine and Coastal Act, we will bring together both the management and protection of these areas under the one act. This new legislation, for the first time, will look at the many acts and policies that oversee the management of marine, coastal and bay areas, acknowledging that each environment is interlinked. Each area has different Committees of Management, some span several different council areas – all of which are making decisions, in the best of interests, but independently of each other. This will provide better protections for land use around coastal areas, from development to recreational, tourism and agricultural activities. Acknowledging that this along with climate change, is the greatest threat to Australia’s coastal areas. Victoria has a proud history of being a leader in coastal management and planning. The Victorian Coastal Strategy, now in its fourth iteration, has provided a stable, overarching policy framework for the management and planning of our coast. We are currently considering how the current strategy can best support our commitment to improve coastal management and protection through the establishment of a new Marine and Coastal Act. The Coastal Strategy has also been a vital tool for ensuring all coastal policy and planning considers impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels. The strategy includes a clear benchmark which requires that we plan for sea level rise of no less than 0.8m by 2100. C l imate Change We all know that climate change is not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’. It is already happening, and it is threatening to irreversibly impact our communities and the environment we live in – and as coastal communities know, it will hit us hardest. Science tells us that average temperatures will continue to increase. There will be longer hotter and dryer spells, but also more intense, extreme rain. Bushfires will be hotter and harder to contain within seasons that span more of our yearly calendar. For our coasts, sea levels will keep rising, even if we manage to keep global temperature rises to just 2 degrees. Scientists have been telling us for years that Climate change will have devastating impacts on coastal communities. In fact, it already has. Increased ocean temperatures see the decline of aquatic flora and fauna, diminishing ecosystems and depleting species populations, damaging both the ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. Elsewhere in the country we have seen bigger, more ferocious storms and cyclones battering our towns and threatening lives. Increased sea levels means more frequent flooding of coastal and low-lying areas, coastal erosion, destroying beaches and higher storm surges.

  22  

All of these impacts not only affect the environment, they affect our livelihood and the way we live with our families and loved ones. We simply can’t ignore climate change any more. As I said, we are putting climate change back on the agenda in Victoria. In the absence of national leadership on this critical issue, we understand as a State Government we must take the lead on Climate Change and are committed to reinvigorating climate action within our state, and restoring Victoria’s status as a leader in Australia and internationally. Jay Wetherill’s Government in South Australia has pushed hard on introducing more renewable energy, and the NSW Government has been innovative by investing energy efficiency and basing their policies in firm science – this despite being from the same party and state as Tony Abbott. Under the previous Government however, Victoria has been left behind. Councils across Victoria and throughout the country have been doing the heavy lifting, the work on the ground, as have countless community groups, driving community windfarms, coming up with models to tackle climate change and build new economies. But they need leadership – leadership that hasn’t happened in Victoria, or at the national level, for years. Compared with the decisive action that followed the global financial crisis, there has been very little action on climate change – in fact support for action has slipped by 20 percent in the last four years. The reasons for this are many, but we need to recognise that people have a hard to time accepting possible solutions to a problem that is essentially long term one. In fact, we find it easy to ignore or disregard the very clear science that says the problem is no longer a long term one – it is right here, right now. Communities, who are taking action on climate change, need to know their action is part of a bigger picture. We want to create that bigger picture.We must recognise that we have been here before. We tried to create that bigger picture federally and it fell over. What needs to change now is that we need to provide not just a political strategy to roll out with our policies to tackle climate change, but also create a community conversation. Victoria has a proud history of leading the way on tough, often divisive and long term issues. Victoria, introduced the world’s first seatbelt laws in the 70s. Over a decade ago, The Victorian State Government became world leaders on water conservation and water policy. These examples took leadership, talking with our communities we showed that we all had a part to play, from the individual to the largest company and that together we could all make a significant impact. And now we find ourselves faced with a very similar scenario. Another massive problem, climate change, that the scientists tell us will impact every part of our community, on each part of our way of life, on our food supply and our water supply –what can individuals possibly do to tackle such a massive problem? It was a Labor Government who introduced Victoria’s first Climate Change Act . And we are currently reviewing legislation and programs and whether a state carbon emissions reduction target would be effective. We’re also refocusing the role of Sustainability Victoria to assist communities to take practical action locally and assessing the need for additional policies and programs. What we need is not just policy platform and government programs, but talk with our communities across the state to help co-create the behavioural change we need throughout the community. By really working with the community and those close to them – which is to say, councils like you – policy makers can gain a clear understanding of the beliefs that underpin current behaviour, what is preventing them from changing and what positive behaviour is collectively possible. We would not be in the position we are without your work and resilience. The work of local government has established an invaluable foundation for us to lead from and implement a strong model for climate change action. State and Federal Governments need to recognise this, collaborate and strengthen the work councils

  23  

are doing, not just to assist in rolling out the policy of the government of the day, but to better engage and understand the community. That way when we take action on our changing climate, we take it together. We understand that the best way to protect our coasts is collaboration and we will continue to work with councils and communities in doing so.”

 HOW  TO  OBTAIN  COASTAL  POLICY  STABILITY  -­‐  Twenty  years  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Management  Act  1995  Dr  Geoff  Wescott,  Associate  Professor,  School  of  Life  and  Environmental  Sciences,  Deakin  University,  a  member  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Council  and  President  of  the  Australian  Coastal  Society,  and  Mr  Jon  Hickman,  is  the  Chair  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Council.  They  presented  a  report  on  Victoria’s  Coastal  Management  Act,  which  had  been  enacted  by  the  State  Government  in  1995,  commencing  with  Geoff  Wescott,  who  chaired  the  Coastal  Reference  Group  which  made  the  recommendation  to  establish  the  Act  to  the  then  Minister  Mark  Birrell.      Geoff  Wescott  outlined  the  background  and  history  of  the  policy  framework.  He  said  it  had  survived  three  different  governments,  several  government  departmental  changes  (planning,  management,  fisheries,  private-­‐public  land),  and  four  iterations  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Strategy.  Jon  Hickman,  the  Chair  of  the  Victorian  Coastal  Council,  described  the  current  operation  of  the  Act  and  outlined  potential  changes  to  the  Act  and  structure  of  coastal  governance  and  management  that  could  be  considered  in  order  to  address  contemporary  policy  issues  and  to  ensure  that  governing  legislation  is  ‘fit  for  purpose’  for  the  next  20  years.    SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  Economic  Development  Case  Study  Surf  Coast  Surfing  Industry  Report    Ms  Kate  Sullivan  is  Director  of  Planning  and  Environment,  Surf  Coast  Shire  Council,  on  Victoria’s  south  western  coastline.  She  presented  a  paper  on  a  recent  economic  report  commissioned  by  Surf  Coast  Shire  Council,  which  identified  that  the  surf  industry  is  a  key  contributor  to  the  local  economy,  generating  approximately  25%  of  the  Shire’s  industry  value  and  more  than  2,000  FTE  jobs.  She  said  the  report  traced  the  history  of  the  local  surf  industry  back  to  the  late  1960s,  when  major  retail  brands  Rip  Curl  and  Quiksilver  commenced  operations  at  Torquay.  Kate  Sullivan  said  the  report  noted  that  the  council  has  adopted  The  Home  of  Australian  Surfing  as  a  brand,  and  recommended  a  number  of  measures  to  provide  additional  support  the  industry.    COASTAL  ISSUES  AND  CHALLENGES  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Projects:  A  Local  and  International  Perspective  This  paper  was  originally  scheduled  to  be  presented  by  Ebony  Perrin,  Environment  Services  Team  Leader,  with  Moyne  Shire  Council.  Unfortunately,  however,  Ms  Perrin  had  to  leave  the  conference  for  family  reasons.  The  paper  was  delivered  instead  by  Mr  Oliver  Moles,  Director  Sustainable  Development,  Moyne  Shire  Council.  Oliver  Moles  told  delegates  that  Ebony  Perrin  had  received  a  scholarship  from  the  Municipal  Engineering  Foundation  of  Victoria  to  participate  in  an  international  study  tour  to  investigate  how  other  organisations  plan  and  adapt  to  climate  change.  The  paper  explored  the  impact  of  climate  change  on  the  cities  of  Miami,  San  Francisco,  New  York,  Toronto  and  London  and  outlined  how  responses  to  coastal  hazards  in  these  northern  hemisphere  cities  were  applicable  to  the  township  of  Port  Fairy,  on  the  western  Victorian  coast.    

  24  

Local  government  management  challenges  in  protecting  and  preserving  Indigenous  cultural  heritage  values  along  the  coast  Mr  Adam  Magennis,  Aboriginal  Cultural  Heritage  Officer,  with  Mornington  Peninsula  Shire  Council,  presented  a  paper  outlining  how  the  local  indigenous  people  had  long-­‐established  cultural  connections  with  the  land  and  waters  of  the  Mornington  Peninsula  and  had  been  practicing  effective  coastal  management  techniques  for  tens  of  thousands  of  years.  He  said  the  Peninsula  was  particularly  rich  in  Aboriginal  cultural  heritage  values,  with,  for  example,  extensive  coastal  shell  middens,  scar  trees  and  stone  tool  sites.      The  Phoenix  Rises:  Margaret  River  Surfers  Point  Case  Study    Mr  Gary  Evershed,  Chief  Executive  Officer,  of  the  Shire  of  Augusta  Margaret  River,  on  the  south  west  coast  of  Western  Australia,  presented  a  paper  on  the  transformation  of  the  Margaret  River  Surfers  Point  foreshore,  which  had  been  devastated  by  fires  in  November  2011.  On  the  previous  evening  the  project  had  been  highly  commended  in  the  Planning  and  Management  category  of  the  2015  Australian  Coastal  Awards.  Gary  Evershed  outlined  the  work  involved  in  the  redevelopment  of  the  site,  which  had  resulted  in  what  the  Association  of  Surfing  Professionals  had  called  ‘the  best  amphitheatre  for  surfing  in  the  world’.      Coastal  Caravan  Parks  and  Economic  Benefits  of  Climate  Change  Adaptation  Dr  Boyd  Blackwell,  a  Research  Fellow  at  the  University  of  New  England,  presented  a  paper  outlining  how  the  coastal  impacts  of  climate  change  are  expected  to  be  significant  as  a  result  of  storm  surges,  sea  level  rise,  changing  global  currents,  flooding  and  heat  fatigue.    He  said  the  coast  provides  important  recreational,  tourism  and  conservation  goods  and  services  through  facilities  such  as  coastal  camping  and  caravan  parks.  The  number  and  capacity  of  these  facilities  is  in  decline  despite  increasing  domestic  and  international  demand.  The  paper  outlined  the  findings  of  original  research  undertaken  by  the  Western  Coastal  Board  in  Victoria  to  assess  the  value  of  coastal  caravan  parks  on  crown  lands  and  their  associated  beaches.    FINAL  SESSION  AND  DISCUSSION:  Coastal  issues  exchange  and  conference  communiqué  Alan  Stokes,  of  the  Taskforce  secretariat,  said  the  final  session  of  the  conference  was  aimed  at  achieving  a  number  of  outcomes.  First,  he  said,  the  session  was  aimed  at  identifying  priority  coastal  issues  and  putting  people  looking  for  answers  in  relation  to  those  issues  in  touch  with  people  who  have  already  addressed  the  issue.  Secondly,  it  was  intended  to  be  the  first  step  in  development  of  an  updated  policy  agenda  for  the  organisation.  Alan  said  the  issues  identified  in  the  session  would  become  the  starting  point  for  the  process  of    developing  an  updated  policy  agenda,  which  would  form  the  basis  for  the  organisation’s  coastal  advocacy  campaign  in  the  period  leading  up  to  the  next  Federal  election.    The  first  item  to  be  dealt  with,  however,  was  to  consider  a  draft  Conference  communiqué.  A  copy  of  the  draft  communiqué,  calling  on  the  Australian  Government  to  retain  the  national  Census  in  its  existing  form,  was  discussed.  The  draft  was  subsequently  amended  to  incorporate  several  suggestions  by  delegates.  (The  final  version  of  the  communiqué  can  be  found  at  page  2  of  this  report).    Coastal  priority  issues  Alan  Stokes  said  that  most  councils  that  nominated  issues  to  be  considered  in  the  session  had  put  coastal  erosion  at  or  near  the  top  of  their  list.  In  the  view  of  one  council,  the  lack  of  clarity  on  state  and  national  policy  in  relation  to  coastal  erosion  and  sea  level  rise  is  arguably  the  ‘major  coastal  issue  of  the  century’.    The  Issues  suggested  for  consideration  at  the  session  were  summarized  as  follows:  

  25  

• Uncertainty  about  Federal  and  state  Government  funding  support  for  local  government  in  the  future,  given  projected  budget  deficits;  

• The  benefits  and  disadvantages  of  building  sea  walls  to  protect  shorelines;  • The  potential  benefits  of  coastal  councils  pooling  resources  to  address  common  

coastal  issues;    • Coastal  dune  management  and  resolving  conflicts  around  dunes  for  coastal  

protection  against  their  perceived  impact  on  beach  amenity;  • Ad-­‐hoc  private  coastal  protection  works  which  can  adversely  impact  on  beaches,  

parkland  and  other  public  lands;  • Policies  relating  to  opening  estuary  entrances  to  reduce  or  prevent  flooding  of  low-­‐

lying  public  and  private  infrastructure;    • Potential  legal  liability  associated  with  identification  of  coastal  risks  and  associated  

planning  decisions;  and  • Productivity  Commission  recommendations  to  reduce  the  level  of  Commonwealth  

disaster  recovery  funding  available  to  state  and  local  government.    Various  issues  were  then  discussed  by  delegates.    Coastal  erosion  Oliver  Moles,  of  Moyne  Shire  Council,  said  his  council  would  be  pleased  to  provide  support  and  guidance  in  relation  to  engineering  advice  to  any  councils  seeking  assistance  in  managing  coastal  erosion.      Leanne  Barnes,  of  Bega  Valley  Shire  Council,  said  her  Council  had  initiated  preparation  of  a  Coastal  Processes  and  Hazards  Study.  The  council  would  be  pleased  to  provide  relevant  documentation  to  councils  seeking  assistance.  She  suggested  the  Taskforce  could  establish  a  resource  library  where  member  councils  could  submit  reports  on  projects  which  could  be  made  available  to  other  member  councils.  Another  delegate  suggested  that  case  studies  submitted  for  the  Australian  Coastal  Awards  could  be  listed  on  the  web  site  as  best  case  examples.    Joanne  Ludbrook,  of  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership,  offered  to  provide  relevant  information  for  the  benefit  of  other  coastal  councils.  She  had  pointed  out  in  an  earlier  presentation  that  a  regional  or  state-­‐wide  approach  to  adaptation  decisions  was  the  most  effective.  She  offered  to  provide  relevant  contacts  within  West  Australian  councils.    Julia  Leu,  of  Douglas  Shire  Council,  said  her  local  area  had  suffered  significant  erosion  as  a  result  of  Cyclone  Yasi.  She  said  her  council  had  a  study  available  on  rehabilitation  of  the  affected  site.  Other  delegates  indicated  that  access  to  work  on  projects  to  address  estuarine  environments  could  be  helpful.    Sea  grasses  Phil  Watson  of  Clarence  City  Council  pointed  out  that  the  rapid  loss  of  sea  grasses  as  a  result  of  environmental  change  and  nutrient  runoff  was  a  local  problem.  This  was  not  as  evident  to  people  in  local  communities  as  loss  of  trees.  He  said  sea  grasses  were  vital  for  dune  and  coastal  health.    Barry  Sammels  and  Ron  Pease  of  the  City  of  Rockingham  said  information  on  management  of  sea  grasses  in  Cockburn  Sound  was  available  on  the  Council’s  web  site.    

  26  

Jonathan  Hodge  from  CSIRO  said  a  national  sea  grass  habitat  database  is  being  developed.  Information  is  being  collated  through  the  Australian  Coastal  Research  Facility  from  state  and  local  government  sources  and  research  institutes.    Coralie  Tarbotton  of  the  City  of  Busselton  said  the  Vasse  Wonnerup  Estuary  Taskforce  is  undertaking  work  in  relation  to  wetlands  and  sea  grass.  More  information  available  at  –    http://geocatch.asn.au/our-­‐work/vasse-­‐geographe-­‐strategy/vasse-­‐wonnerup-­‐wetlands/    ‘Blue’  carbon    Joanne  Ludbrooke  from  the  Peron  Naturaliste  Partnership  said  she  would  like  to  have  better  access  to  information  on  ‘blue’  carbon.  Jonathan  Hodge  said  CSIRO  is  developing  a  blue  carbon  database  through  the  Blue  Carbon  initiative  -­‐  http://thebluecarboninitiative.org    Funding  issues  Graeme  Maxwell  of  the  City  of  Victor  Harbor  said  local  government  needs  additional  resources  from  State  and  Federal  Governments  in  order  to  deal  with  coastal  management  issues,  including  adaptation.      Delegates  expressed  the  view  that  the  local  government  sector  needs  to  lobby  more  actively  for  the  necessary  funding  and  that  the  pool  of  funding  for  grants  needed  to  be  increased  not  just  reallocated.      

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI03

WALGA Local Government Climate Change Declaration

From: Caroline Perks [mailto:CPerks@walga.asn.au] Sent: Thursday, 5 March 2015 1:53 PM To: Suzette Van Aswegen Subject: ICR1518725 - Climate Change Declaration information Hi Suzette, Thank you so much your feedback on the Local Government and Coastal Land Use Planning Discussion Paper. As we discussed over the phone, I wanted to send you through some information on the Local Government Climate Change Declaration. Currently, 36 Local Governments have signed this Declaration and I wondered if the Shire of Irwin might be interested? I have attached the Declaration wording for you to review. For more information and the list of Local Governments signatories, please visit the Climate Change Management Toolkit. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information for you. Kind Regards,

Caroline Perks | Climate Change Coordinator | WALGA (p) (08) 9213 2049 | (f) (08) 9213 2077 | (e) cperks@walga.asn.au

www.walga.asn.au

This email is private and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise us by return email immediately, and delete the email and any attachments without using or disclosing the contents in any way. The views expressed in this email are those of the author, and do not represent those of the Association unless this is clearly indicated. You should scan this email and any attachments for viruses. The WA Local Government Association accepts no liability for any direct or indirect damage or loss resulting from the use of any attachments to this email.

The Shire of Irwin acknowledges that:

Evidence shows that climate change is occurring.

Climate change will continue to have significant effects on the Western Australian

environment, society and economy, and the Local Government sector.

Human behaviours, pollution and consumption patterns have both immediate and future

impacts on the climate and environment.

The Shire of Irwin supports the:

Environmental, social and economic benefits of addressing climate change

immediately.

Opportunity for Local Government to demonstrate leadership in climate change

management at a community level.

Development of equitable and implementable State and Commonwealth strategies for

climate change management.

The Shire of Irwin commits from date of signing to:

Set an appropriate, individual Local Government emissions reduction target and work

toward its achievement.

Work with State and Federal Government to ensure achievement of greenhouse gas

emissions reduction targets as set out in key National and International agreements.

Work with State and Federal Government to implement key actions and activities for

climate change management at a local level.

Assess the regionally specific risks associated with climate change and implications for

Local Government services, and identify areas where appropriate mitigation and/or

adaptation strategies should be applied.

The Western Australian Local Government Declaration

on Climate Change

Develop an internal Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) for climate change actions

across all Local Government functions, with a focus on the two, five and ten year future.

Ensure that, at appropriate review intervals, the strategic plan and policies for the Local

Government are reviewed and amended to reflect climate change management

priorities and emissions reduction targets.

Encourage and empower the local community and local businesses to adapt to the

impacts of climate change and to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Monitor the progress of climate change initiatives and ensure full communication of

achievements for Council and Community.

Signed:

Shire President - Shire of Irwin

President - Western Australian Local Government Association

Signed:

Date:

Date:

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI04

Local Planning Strategy Review *** A copy has been provided under separate individual cover***

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI05

Draft Local Planning Policy: Wind Turbines

Policy Name Local Planning Policy: Wind Turbines

Purpose To provide a framework for the assessment of proposed small scale Wind Turbines within the Shire of Irwin.

Statutory Compliance

Local Planning Scheme (LPS) No. 5: http://www.irwin.wa.gov.au/planning.aspx

Definitions Wind Turbine: Any equipment, ancillary to existing development, that is used to convert and then store and/or transfer energy from the wind into usable electrical energy. The term includes any equipment used in the activity such as base, blades, generator, pole, tower, transformer, vane, wire, inverter, batteries etc. Domestic Wind Turbine: Any Wind Turbine that is used to generate electricity for domestic energy consumption with a rated capacity of 2.2kW or less. Maximum Height: The vertical height from natural ground level to the highest point of the proposed Wind Turbine e.g. the tip of the generator blade at its highest point.

Policy Objective: To allow for the construction of Wind Turbines, where they are ancillary to existing development, throughout the Shire without compromising the local character and setting of the area or the amenity of neighbouring properties. Policy Provisions: 1. Panning Approval is required for all Wind Turbines. In addition to the completed application form and relevant fee,

applicants must submit a location plan, site plan, elevations and manufacturer’s specifications with a statement demonstrating compliance with the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997.

2. Applications for Wind Turbines located on properties/buildings identified on the Shire’s Heritage List or Municipal Inventory of Heritage Places, shall be require submission of written justification by a suitably qualified person (e.g. a qualified Heritage Advisor).

3. If proposing to connect a Wind Turbine to the electric utility supply, a copy of the agreement between the proponent and the Agency, which demonstrates that the turbine complies with relevant requirements, shall be submitted with the application for planning approval.

4. Wind Turbines and any infrastructure required to support the turbine or allow for its operation must not adversely affect the amenity of the locality by reason of visual impacts or the emission of noise.

5. In the Residential and Town Centre zones only Domestic Wind Turbines are permissible, and such turbines are only permissible on lot sizes of no less than 800m² with a maximum of one turbine per lot. The Maximum Height of Domestic Wind Turbines shall be:

a. 6m for pole mounted turbines; and b. 3m above the roofline for roof mounted turbines.

6. The Maximum Height for Wind Turbines in zones other than the Residential and Town Centre zones shall be: a. 10m for pole mounted turbines; and b. 7.5m above the roofline for roof mounted turbines.

7. Wind Turbines are not permitted between the building and the street alignment and must meet the relevant zone’s side and rear boundary setbacks.

8. All Wind Turbines must be: a. fitted with some form of automatic breaking, manual breaking and speed protection and locked:

i. to allow for maintenance; and ii. to allow the unit to cease operations during noise sensitive periods;

b. maintained to avoid adverse impacts on adjoining properties; and c. constructed of non-reflective materials.

9. Proposed variations to the above provisions must be advertised in accordance with clause 9.4 of LPS No.5.

Guidance: All Wind Turbines are required to comply with the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 and require Building Approval after the issuance of a valid Planning Approval. In addition, wind energy systems that connect to the electric utility supply must comply with the requirements of the relevant public authorities.

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI06

Proposed Road Closure - Unconstructed Road Reserve between Lots 1271, 1325, 1443, 1824 and 1221 Wye Farm Road

RAIL

WA

Y

RAILWAY RAIL

WA

Y

Dongara

LOCALITY MAP

DenisonPort

RAIL

WA

Y

’DONGARA DOWNS’

CONSENT OF THE SHIRE OF IRWIN

FILE: g:\data\planning\1616 irwin\1616shiremap_dongara downs.dgn

SHIRE OF IRWIN

’DONGARA DOWNS’

ROADS AND EASEMENTS

CONSTRUCTED AND UN-CONSTRUCTED

LOT OWNERSHIP CURRENT AS OF 10 September 2012

AERIAL PHOTO- GOOGLE EARTH PRO DATED 30 November 2012

Mr RS Hamilton

Mr CM Saunders

Waylan Crest Pty Ltd

Mr GP McGuiness

Mr ML & Mrs C McLean

Mr DJ & Mrs SM O’Brien

M & CL Leonard

Mr PS Toon

Sinoland Pty Ltd

Mr JH & Mrs L Groessler

CV Nguyen & LP Truong

Mr KJ & Mrs JL Abbott

Mr MJ & Mrs WL Doyle

Tierney Bros Transport Pty Ltd

Mr JD Kapor & Mr MD Kapor

DM Franklin

Mr JP & Mrs

AQE Choy

Mr JMJ & Mrs

Constantine

Mr WR & Mrs KA

Wye Farm Pty Ltd

Ms K Brkusich

Ms K Brkusich

Pty Ltd

Enterprises

Adina

Ms AG Bonython

Mr GJ Prouse &

Ms LA Dickinson

Mr BR Castle &

CR Mettam

Mr JD & Mrs

Wellard Agn LimitedWellard Agn Limited

Limited

Agn

Wellard

Limited

Agn

Wellard

ED Haeusler

Mr VC & Mrs

Corporation Pty Ltd

Taylor-Stevenson

Mr J Smails & C Eddy

State of WA

Mr FJ Burton

Mr FJ Burton

Mr FJ Burton

Mr VC & ED Haeusler

& Ms SA Davis

Mr MJ Perkusich

& Mr S Fraser

Mr D, Ms NE

Ms CM Puki

Beeson &

Mr KR

Mr and Mrs Lot

M3466

M345

M344

M344

2831

1120

1927

1272

M345

1926

1406

1887

2972

M347

2673

28322773

2832

3767

2874

14431843

1270

1245

1824

1187

2832

1325

2832

1221

12711245

1193

917

2772 2638

12791294

1306

403

1771

2720

2772

1289

1307

10

300

301

1411302 300

458

844

12

213

1

21

M344

2720

1306

Water S

upply R

oad

Water S

upply R

oad

Wye Farm R

oad

Wye F

arm R

oad

CLOSED ROAD

404.86ha

74.82ha

30.72ha

332.69ha

162.37ha

39.70ha

38.94ha

33.24ha

52.24ha

39.45ha

11.82ha40.67ha

34.61ha

76.99ha

15.90ha

61.27ha

7.87ha

31.28ha38.54ha

39.83ha

25.24ha

121.33ha30.55ha

40.49ha

40.54ha

53.94ha

40.57ha

9.41ha

201.07ha

660.90ha

8.53ha

40.70ha

30.35ha40.05ha

40.57ha

260.21ha

20.26ha

97.81ha 40.63ha

20.28ha

64.30ha

3.16ha

2720

Railway

500

5.55ha

128

129130

131

125

170.86ha

130

22.58ha

129

YARDARINO LOCALITY

Yardarino RoadUCL

NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN

COPYRIGHT SHIRE OF IRWIN

PREPARED FOR THE SHIRE OF IRWIN BY

LANDVISION PTY LTD PH 08 93888181

0

NO

RT

H

constructed roads

Legend

SCALE 1:20,000 @ A2

800m400

un-constructed roads

10m wide parallel access easement

20m wide parallel access easements

lot owner (surname/company)

subject land

cadastral boundary

(Not to scale)

3.02ha

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

J

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI07

Proposed Subdivision of Lot 1 Whelan Street, Port Denison

Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015

ATTACHMENT:PI08

Supply and Lay Asphalt *** Provided under separate, confidential cover***