The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath has called for funding to be provided in the upcoming budget Victorian state budget for the Cape to Cape Resilience Project.
Originally gazetted in August 2020 by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), the project area extends from Cape Paterson to Cape Liptrap on the Bass Coast in Gippsland.
Ms Bath said Cape to Cape Resilience Project is much anticipated and well overdue, locals are tired of Labor’s inaction on coastal erosion in South Gippsland and Bass Coast.
“This important project has undergone significant community consultation, and experts have identified many hazards and at-risk areas along the coastline.
“There is a real sense of urgency around this project, and itis imperative that the Andrews Labor Government actually allocates funding in next week’s budget to protect community infrastructure.”
Ms Bath said the reshaping of the coastline across towns such as Inverloch, Venus Bay and Anderson Inlet has attracted much attention over the past years, and it’s identified as an urgent project by the community.
“Winds, waves, tides and currents have all contributing to the reshaping the South Gippsland and Bass Coast coastline – La Nina and the higher than average rainfall over the past year has further expediated the coastal erosion taking place.
“The Cape to Cape Resilience Project examines investment in interim interventions to facilitate the coastal erosion but must importantly it’s also studies a long term approach to coastal protection.
“Through this project, residents are calling for coastline stabilisation and resilience to be addressed, sooner rather than later – the longer the Andrews Government leaves it, the more difficult and expensive the fix will be.
“Our coastal communities rely heavily on tourist visitation as a vital source of income, the integrity of the coastline is intrinsically linked to the areas’ future prosperity.
The Andrews Labor Government itself has said coastal erosion problems at Inverloch, are among the worst in the state, yet to date it has failed to allocate much needed funding to address an urgent environmental problem.
“The Cape to Cape Project has widespread support from community and Bass Coast Shire Council and I am calling for urgent funding to be included in the 2022/2023 state budget, to address the coastal erosion in both the short and long term,” Ms Bath said.