INVERLOCH’s Foreshore Action Group has slammed the State Government for what it claims is wilful inaction not to protect the fast-disappearing Inverloch foreshore from coming Easter high tide storm surges.
Despite the State Government being allocated $3.3 million in federal funds nearly three years ago, the Inverloch Foreshore Action Group says no permanent protective works have been undertaken and hundreds of homes are now at serious risk.
“They have been sitting on the allocated $3.3 million while Inverloch’s foreshore has continued to suffer severe erosion to the extent that vital community assets are now in imminent danger of being lost,” said action group member and former shire engineer Keith Godridge.
Not one item of remedial engineering work has been undertaken by state instrumentalities according to Mr Godridge. The relocation of sand to shore up the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club and other works have been undertaken and paid for by Bass Coast Council.
“That is to say that we, local ratepayers, have paid for it,” said Mr Godridge.
The Action Group welcomed the State Government’s announcement that emergency funding had been provided to immediately undertake critical dune and asset protection works at Silverleaves on Phillip Island.
“This is good and welcome news for the residents at
Silverleaves, and the Inverloch Foreshore Action Group congratulates them on their long-running campaign to have the State Government act to save their foreshore and homes,” said Mr Godridge.
“We fully understand the urgency to act now before the coming Easter high tides and storm surges because Inverloch is in exactly the same situation.”
The recent joint announcement by Steve Dimopoulos and Jordan Crugnale did not disclose the exact funding amount but it is understood that it is meant to cover additional emergency funding for the Victorian coast including Silverleaves, Tooradin and Inverloch.
Critical details such as how this funding is broken down into its component parts still has not been released for public scrutiny. This won’t be lost according to the Foreshore Action Group or the near 700 people who attended a major public rally on the Inverloch Foreshore in January where a motion was unanimously carried calling on the State Government to act immediately to restore and permanently protect the Inverloch foreshore and vital community assets.
To add to the confusion Mr Godridge said the impact of Cyclone Albert has muddied the waters with the subsequent increased call on consulting and engineering resources being stretched beyond normal.
“That no permanent protective works are to be undertaken before Easter is an outrage. Three years after the allocation of funds to address coastal erosion issues in Bass Coast all the State
Government has done is hold gabfests and continuously waste taxpayers’ money,” claimed Mr Godridge.
Almost five years ago the State Government established a Cape to Cape Resilience Committee with a budget exceeding $1 million to meet and make recommendations to address the critical erosion issue at Inverloch.
“The Government stated last week that 206 respondents at Silverleaves opted for a physical barrier to protect their foreshore, yet when 700 people called for immediate permanent protective works to be undertaken on the Inverloch foreshore their pleas for help were totally ignored.”
The Inverloch Foreshore Action Group along with hundreds of community members, want a genuine community consultation process open to all people who wish to make representations and have an input.
“Anything less will be another manipulated sham process,” Mr Godridge stated. “Sandbags and temporary sand renourishment are band-aid solutions.”
“Kicking the problem down the road and manipulating current outcomes will no longer be tolerated and will be called out.
“The people of Inverloch are watching, and the Inverloch Foreshore Action Group will hold them accountable,” concluded Mr Godridge.
