Southern Peninsula News 31 May 2022

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Southern Peninsula

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Budget delayed THIS week’s scheduled public meeting of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has been postponed until Tuesday 7 June. Included on the agenda was the adoption of the 2022/23 budget. It is understood the mayor Cr Anthony Marsh requested the delay while he undergoes treatment in hospital. Although there is a deputy mayor, Cr Lisa Dixon, Cr Susan Bissinger said “really, it is in the community’s interest that we have the best chair possible” at the final budget meeting. “We’re trying to do the best we can for the community. The deputy was willing to step in, but the consensus was that it was best to postpone.” Cr David Gill said the meeting should have gone ahead without the mayor: “He’s just one among equals. This is unprecedented for a budget meeting. Meetings should go ahead as has been advertised. “This is why we have a deputy mayor. Will they cancel a meeting if I can’t attend?” Gill said that for the first time a draft budget had not been publicly released before the meeting. Keith Platt

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THE 87 metre, 2775 tonne TekOcean Spirit was taken away from its usual job of servicing oil and gas field operators in Bass Strait to lay the concrete structures of an artificial reef off Point Nepean. Picture: Supplied

New reef a lure for kingfish Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au THE biggest artificial reef in Port Phillip has been installed near Point Nepean. A crane lowered concrete sections of the reef into the water on Sunday 22 May and Monday 23 May in a format designed to attract fish for recreational fishers. The reef is the last in a series that have been deployed throughout Port Phillip and Corio bays as part of the state government’s $2.5 million artificial reef program made as a 2018 election commitment. The laying of the reef’s 16 large

concrete structures in clusters of four about 50 metres apart, was made despite criticism by environmentalists and a call for more information by Mornington Peninsula Shire (“Shire calls for delay on reef” The News 11/4/22). Futurefish Foundation director David Kramer says there was “never any question” that the Victorian Fisheries Authorities’ planning and approval process was flawed. Kramer says he thought of the idea of a reef to provide a place to catch yellowtail kingfish and sees the reef as “a dream come true”. He described environmentalists who reacted angrily to the project as “alarmists rather than environmentalists”.

“These people actually have no idea what they are talking about,” Kramer said. “These individuals claim to be experts and seek some form of entitlement when actually they play no role in the decision making regarding these types of projects.” The Futurefish Foundation is registered as an environmental organisation with the federal government’s Department of Agriculture, Land and the Environment. “Futurefish has been listed on this register since 31 October 2005 and takes great pride in its 17-year history as a responsible organisation who cares for the pristine environments fish rely on to thrive,” Kramer said.

“We also take great pride having provided sound and reliable advice to government on all 14 reefs deployed into Port Phillip over the past 15 years. “We are experienced, and we have an impeccable track record.” Kramer said he had been “appalled at some of the ludicrous commentary towards me; the Futurefish Foundation and the Victorian Fisheries Authority”. “These individuals do not have any history of providing sound advice nor do they hold any credibility in their commentary on the installation of artificial reefs. “They have never been consulted on the installation of the previous 13 artificial reefs deployed into Port Phil-

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lip by successive governments and nor should they. “They have never made comment of the previous 13 reefs deployed into Port Phillip which have been widely communicated via media over the past 15 years, and yet they feel entitled to be consulted on this one.” Kramer said “a lot of work has gone into the planning and consideration [with government authorities] of the new artificial reef and the environment in which it will sit”. He said establishing the artificial reef in The Rip - “treacherous in certain weather and tidal conditions would make catching kingfish “safer … for recreational fishers from all over Victoria”.

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