UPDATED coastal hazard mapping across Victoria is needed by next year and hazard mapping data gathered should be implemented into all affected Victorian planning schemes according to South Gippsland Shire Council.
Councillors voted at their April meeting to submit a motion to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), asking it to call on the Victorian Government to fund and complete updated coastal hazard mapping across the State by 2025 and apply the data gathered to relevant planning schemes.
The motion also requests that the State Government be urged to fund the rollout of consultation with affected communities to raise awareness of known coastal hazard risks and aid adaptation measures.
Each year councils can put forward Motions relating to matters of strategic and State-wide significance to the MAV State Council.
Should this Motion be carried at the State Council gathering on May 17, MAV will make representations on behalf of local government to the Victorian Government.
Cr Jenni Keerie spoke during Wednesday’s council meeting on the importance of the Motion before councillors voted unanimously to support putting it forward to the MAV.
“This is crucial as we’re starting to see the impact and the encroachment of climate change, land subject to inundation, those particular issues that are affecting about 300 kilometres of coastline in South Gippsland,” Cr Keerie said.
“We need to understand how that’s going to impact on our communities but it’s not just a local government matter, it’s a State Government matter as well as potentially Federal.”
Cr Keerie stressed that should the measures called for in council’s Motion be put to the State Government and adopted, it will help council be better prepared for the future.
Cr Nathan Hersey, who represents Gippsland at the MAV, stressed that should the Motion be unsuccessful, council’s position on the need for coastal hazard mapping and related measures will form the basis for future advocacy.
The coastal hazard mapping Motion is in addition to another previously endorsed at the March council meeting calling for support for rural councils impacted by renewable energy transition targets and future offshore wind energy generation.
