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Folks,
There's been a bit of discussion about this
proposal on the list - anyone who isn't particularly interested in some
information about the proposal and the process, please delete now.
When I'm not birding, I'm an environment officer
with the Victorian Department of Infrastructure, and one of my current tasks is
to prepare a briefing for the Minister for Planning to decide under the
Environment Effects Act 1978 whether an Environment Effects Statement (EES) is
required for the proposal. The proposal itself is to relocate the
Victorian terminal for an existing fast catamaran ferry service which operates
between Georgetown, Tasmania (near the mouth of the Tamar River estuary, north
of Launceston) and Station Pier, Port Melbourne. The service operates over
the summer up till just after Easter, and has apparently been in operation for
about four years. The operator, TT Lines, is a company wholly owned by the
Tasmanian Government, and also operates the Spirit of Tasmania from Station
Pier.
There have been two briefing meetings with
stakeholder representatives, the first last week, the second this evening, and a
public meeting was also held this evening, in Hastings. A second public
meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening, I think at Crib Point.
The proponent has referred the proposal to
Environment Australia which will brief the Commonwealth Minister for the
Environment, Senator Hill, who has to decide whether the proposal is a
"controlled action" under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The referral can be downloaded from
Environment Australia's website. Possible triggers in terms of matters of
"national environmental significance" as defined under that Act include the
status of Western Port as a Ramsar wetland, the occurrence in the area of
species listed as endangered or vulnerable under the Act, and the occurrence in
the area of migratory species listed under international treaties (eg JAMBA,
CAMBA). The Commonwealth's decision is due around the end of this
month.
The proposal also requires formal consent from the
Victorian Minister for Environment and Conservation under the Coastal Management
Act 1995, and the proponent has lodged an application with the Department of
Natural Resources and Environment.
Anyone who would like more information about the
proposal should contact TT Lines (Mr Peter Simmons or Capt. Tony Boyle), their
consultants, Brown & Root Services (Mr Venket Naidu or Ms Jackie Boyer)
or Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (Mr Ralph Kenyon, Manager Economic
Development). If you would like more information about the EES process or
other assessment/ approvals processes, please feel free to contact me at work on
9881 8897 or by email at If
your query relates to a process under someone else's jurisdiction, I should be
able to put you in touch with the right people.
Sorry if this is a bit away from the list, although
I guess the Ramsar and JAMBA/ CAMBA aspects give it some relevance.
Regards,
Jack
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