The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath, has accused the State Government of being “solely focused on a retreat” as the way to deal with Inverloch’s beach erosion crisis.
That is, as storm surges and high tides batter the coast in the months ahead, assets and infrastructure, including the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club, should be allowed to fall into the sea and members “retreat” elsewhere.
Homes on the other side of Surf Parade would be the next in the firing line.
In a statement released by Ms Bath on Friday, in response to an extensive letterbox drop by the Labor Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale over the Australia Day long weekend, Ms Bath said residents she had spoken to found the update by Ms Crugnale raised more questions than it answered.
And she has promised to raise those questions with Labor’s Minister for the Environment Steve Dimopoulos.
“The Allan Labor Government appears to be solely focused on a ‘retreat’ option despite the Cape to Cape Resilience draft plan being met with a tsunami of community opposition,” said Ms Bath.
“The letter confirms Labor is only planning for a dune renourishment strategy to tackle coastal erosion, with tenders going out late in 2025 - it dismisses other options including hard engineering without any transparent analysis.”
Ms Bath claimed a $3.3 million grant from the Federal Government in 2022 accounted for only one third of the funds required to implement the whole Cape to Cape Resilience Plan which she said was estimated to cost over $10 million.
“Labor needs to come clean on how much of the federal funding grant has been spent on external consultants and did the government’s terms of reference consider all best practice options for coastal protection?
“Many locals are justifiably sceptical that a project that only replaces lost sand and begins late this year, is likely to be a waste of time.
“It is a temporary measure; the surf lifesaving club and other public and private infrastructure will remain vulnerable to erosion from tides and storm surges.
“The Allan Government has taken many years to author a draft report that makes recommendations which overwhelmingly do not reflect community sentiment.
“There is clearly a significant funding shortfall, and it appears the Allan Government is doing everything to avoid picking up the tab for coastal erosion mitigation works in Bass Coast.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage coastal erosion and Inverloch residents are paying the price.”
Ms Bath said Mr Dimopoulos had 30 days, from the lodgement of questions by a local MP, to answer questions on notice about the response to beach erosion at Inverloch.