Western Port News 8 September 2021

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Wednesday 8 September 2021

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Sub’s days at sea are numbered

Picture: Gary Sissons

THE submarine HMAS Otama was on the move last Saturday, with the aid of two tugs. The stricken sub’s next voyage may end either onshore or at the scrapyard. It is now lying in about one metre of water off Crib Point and its owner, Western Port Oberon Association, has been given 28 days to decide its future. Association vice-president Keith Claughton said yesterday (Monday) the association was trying to get a permit to bring it ashore from Mornington Peninsula Shire. If given the all clear, the Otama would be lifted by crane or dragged on rollers to shire-controlled land near the Crib Point jetty. “The only instruction we have from Parks is that we have 28 days to remove it or they will declare it a hazard and have it towed away,” Mr Claughton said. Mr Claughton said two 228.5 tonne batteries serving as the sub’s ballast could only be removed on land. The vessel is also holding 33,600 litres of sulphuric acid-based electrolyte, distillate and 1000 litres of hydraulic oil. The Oberon-class sub was badly damaged in June storms and there were concerns it would sink, leading to opposing petitions to the Legislative Council: one calling for its preservation, the other for its destruction. The Otama has been moored 800 metres off the Crib Point jetty since 2003.

Shire puts off port decision Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au

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adoption by Ms Dougall including lobbying for it to be developed as a “green port” or give “provisional support” for it to be used for bulk and “break-bulk” trade. Ms Dougall said whatever decision council made would have no legal standing in regard to the state government’s powers. “However, adopting a position would strengthen council’s ability to influence future decision-making at all levels of government to help achieve optimal

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MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has put off making any decision on its preferred role of the Port of Hastings at least until mid-2022. Councillors decided at their 24 August meeting that there was no “legal obligation or urgency” for it to decide about the future use of the port. In doing so, they rejected advice from strategic planning manager Claire

Dougall that the shire continue to oppose any dredging in Port Phillip to “accommodate” the state government’s planned container port at Bay West, near Geelong. As part of its existing opposition to the Bay West plan the shire has asked the state for “certainty” over the future role of the Port of Hastings and for it to release “surplus” land set aside for port development on the peninsula. Other options for the future of the Port of Hastings recommended for

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outcomes for the Mornington Peninsula,” she said. “Resolving a final advocacy position should be informed by community feedback. However, the work required to obtain community views is not budgeted or resourced for this financial year.” In their decision to defer taking a stand on the port until the 2022-23 financial year, councillors said they had received and noted Ms Dougall’s report. The Save Westernport community

group said the shire had admitted that it made no input into the Port of Hastings Development Authority’s 2018 plan. “Save Westernport would welcome the opportunity for public consultation on the council’s policy on the Port of Hastings, particularly following the rejection this year of the AGL [gas import jetty] proposal on environmental grounds, and in the context of the recent fine awarded against PoHDA” (“Port fined over foreshore clearing” The News 17/8/21).

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