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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Helicopter landing site riles locals in this prized coastal area
He said it was inappropriate and concerning that a helicopter could be taking off, landing and flying near such an environmentally sensitive area teeming with birdlife. His group raised concerns about noise, but the tribunal heard expert evidence that the sound produced by the proposed helicopter would be within the legally allowed levels. Queenscliff resident and former councillor David Kenwood, who opposed the application in tribunal hearings, said it was deeply worrying that the distinctive areas and landscape designation had not been considered. 'The great worry of this is the precedent it sets particularly for this area,' he said. 'It's virtually impossible to stop another helicopter operation.' The Borough of Queenscliffe has previously reported nearly 200 bird species have been seen in Swan Bay and that its intertidal mudflats are home to about 10,000 migratory birds each summer. Ramsey's property is located within a rural conservation zone, and it is also covered by a significant landscape overlay and environmental significance overlay. But the tribunal found these were also not relevant to the proposed use in the helicopter landing site application. The Age made multiple attempts to seek a response from Ramsey, including through his lawyers, but he could not be reached for comment. Kenwood said the area beside Lakers Cutting was serene and inappropriate for a helicopter. 'It's probably the quietest place in the borough.' The zoning of the land and its designation as a distinctive area and landscape should have been enough to protect it from uses including helicopter flights, he said. 'You think you've got safeguards, but once you get into VCAT they're not existent.' The tribunal determined the Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy was not incorporated or referred to expressly in the planning scheme. The statement of planning policy sets out a 50-year vision for the area to protect its 'outstanding landscapes and coastal landforms', living Indigenous cultural heritage and history and important infrastructure. The policy lists more than a dozen public entities that are responsible for the declared area, including the Borough of Queenscliffe, Parks Victoria and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. However, VCAT is not among them. Monash University urban planning and design senior lecturer Liz Taylor said the Queenscliffe council had initially refused a permit for the landing site, but later supported the application. Third-party objectors then spoke out against the application at the tribunal hearings. Taylor said the state government declared the Bellarine Peninsula a distinctive area and landscape several years ago, which meant it was part of Victoria's planning provisions. However, she said the state government needed to make a planning scheme amendment to formally incorporate the declaration into the Queenscliffe planning scheme. A Victorian government spokeswoman said work was under way to incorporate the Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy through an amendment to relevant planning schemes. However, it said local councils must consider the policy when making relevant decisions within the declared area. The tribunal granted the permit to Ramsey subject to several conditions, including that flight movements not exceed 16 per calendar month. The helicopter movements can only occur between 7am and 7pm.
The Age
a day ago
- Politics
- The Age
Helicopter landing site riles locals in this prized coastal area
He said it was inappropriate and concerning that a helicopter could be taking off, landing and flying near such an environmentally sensitive area teeming with birdlife. His group raised concerns about noise, but the tribunal heard expert evidence that the sound produced by the proposed helicopter would be within the legally allowed levels. Queenscliff resident and former councillor David Kenwood, who opposed the application in tribunal hearings, said it was deeply worrying that the distinctive areas and landscape designation had not been considered. 'The great worry of this is the precedent it sets particularly for this area,' he said. 'It's virtually impossible to stop another helicopter operation.' The Borough of Queenscliffe has previously reported nearly 200 bird species have been seen in Swan Bay and that its intertidal mudflats are home to about 10,000 migratory birds each summer. Ramsey's property is located within a rural conservation zone, and it is also covered by a significant landscape overlay and environmental significance overlay. But the tribunal found these were also not relevant to the proposed use in the helicopter landing site application. The Age made multiple attempts to seek a response from Ramsey, including through his lawyers, but he could not be reached for comment. Kenwood said the area beside Lakers Cutting was serene and inappropriate for a helicopter. 'It's probably the quietest place in the borough.' The zoning of the land and its designation as a distinctive area and landscape should have been enough to protect it from uses including helicopter flights, he said. 'You think you've got safeguards, but once you get into VCAT they're not existent.' The tribunal determined the Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy was not incorporated or referred to expressly in the planning scheme. The statement of planning policy sets out a 50-year vision for the area to protect its 'outstanding landscapes and coastal landforms', living Indigenous cultural heritage and history and important infrastructure. The policy lists more than a dozen public entities that are responsible for the declared area, including the Borough of Queenscliffe, Parks Victoria and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. However, VCAT is not among them. Monash University urban planning and design senior lecturer Liz Taylor said the Queenscliffe council had initially refused a permit for the landing site, but later supported the application. Third-party objectors then spoke out against the application at the tribunal hearings. Taylor said the state government declared the Bellarine Peninsula a distinctive area and landscape several years ago, which meant it was part of Victoria's planning provisions. However, she said the state government needed to make a planning scheme amendment to formally incorporate the declaration into the Queenscliffe planning scheme. A Victorian government spokeswoman said work was under way to incorporate the Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy through an amendment to relevant planning schemes. However, it said local councils must consider the policy when making relevant decisions within the declared area. The tribunal granted the permit to Ramsey subject to several conditions, including that flight movements not exceed 16 per calendar month. The helicopter movements can only occur between 7am and 7pm.
Sky News AU
26-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action boss John Bradley abruptly quits amid green shift woes
Victoria's top energy and climate official has abruptly called it quits as pressure builds on the state's energy transition that has been riddled with issues over recent years. John Bradley, the secretary of Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action since September 2017, sent an internal note stating he had informed Premier Jacinta Allan of his resignation. 'I've offered to remain in my role until the end of September, but will work with the Premier and secretary of DPC to confirm the transition arrangements,' Mr Bradley said in a note, per The Australian. 'Our DEECA staff tend to be on the 'front line' of big challenges. I know your work may often feel rewarding but it will not often feel 'easy'.' His resignation sparked an attack from Victoria's shadow energy minister David Davis who slammed Labor's energy policies. 'Prices have surged for gas and electricity with another gas price surge of almost seven per cent due on Tuesday next week, and electricity prices far higher than just a few years ago," Mr Davis told "Security of supply for both gas and electricity is also a serious challenge for Victoria after Labor's stint in government. 'The offshore wind debacle, and Labor's ideological commitment to a war on gas, have all contributed to serious looming challenges. 'The shoddy costing of the Victorian Transmission Plan, and the draconian and undemocratic approach to enforcing the Allan Labor Government's Transmission Plan, would give rise to concern by any wise, experienced, and independent senior public servant." Mr Bradley's resignation comes as the state attempts to reach 40 per cent renewables in its energy mix this year, 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035. The ambitious targets are complicated by the state's plans to wind back gas - which were reversed this week following widespread backlash. The policy was part of a wider push to install electric heating models into homes. Additional strain on the state's energy mix may come from its plans to shut down its major coal power stations, including Yallourn, over the coming years. Mr Bradley said he would facilitate a smooth transition while the DEECA team continues on the state's net-zero path. 'I know this change comes at a busy time when our DEECA team members are working hard on delivery priorities, our big work program for 2025/26 and the drought response,' he said. 'I look forward to the chance to see you before I finish up.' While Victoria flip-flops on gas, the state continues to have the highest use of residential gas in Australia, with an estimated 80 per cent of homes still connected to the gas network. It was recently criticised by the bosses of two major Australian energy companies, with the boss of Santos likening Victoria's handling of gas development and its attitude towards investment to North Korea. Meanwhile, Beach Energy CEO Brett Woods said getting gas projects approved in Victoria had 'been a challenge'. 'Victoria still have had quite a negative policy in terms of what the role of gas is in the state,' Mr Woods said on Sky News' Business Weekend. 'I think the recognition now, with industry shutting down and foreclosures and other things, (is) that they need more gas. 'We're ready to help, we just want to get after our projects so we can move them forward.' has reached out to DEECA for comment.
9 News
06-05-2025
- General
- 9 News
'Must never happen again': Call for inquiry into culling of hundreds of koalas
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here PICTURES All the incredible looks on the Met Gala red carpet Wildlife experts are calling for an inquiry hundreds of koalas were shot from helicopters to "reduce suffering" after a bushfire. The Victorian government says the animals were "individually assessed" after the fire swept through Budj Bim National Park, 270km west of Melbourne in March. But some experts are questioning how this was possible. Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) confirmed around 860 animals were shot from the air in the remote area, saying it was "accurate and humane". Wildlife experts are calling for an inquiry into the shooting of hundreds of koalas from helicopters a state government claims aimed to "reduce suffering" after a bushfire. (Getty) "This was the humane action to take to prevent further suffering," a statement said. "This decision to employ this method was not taken lightly." However, Claire Smith, who runs Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, claims as many as 1100 koalas were killed. "Let's just take the shooting part, when they send out shooters in helicopters to shoot brumbies they can't even shoot them dead," she told 9News. "How does anyone believe that these koalas have been shot with a one shot kill. "There will be a thousand bodies laying around - not all of those koalas would have died straight away when they are shot. "How many had joeys? How many joeys are dead because of this? "They'll be digging pits to bury these koalas. "Secondly how is anybody assessing these koalas from a helicopter?" The fire started on March 10 after a lightning strike. (Facebook/Vic Emergency) She wants an independent inquiry into what happened. Smith, who has launched a petition dismissed DEECA claims the terrain was too difficult to access from the ground as "nonsense". "There needs to be open and transparent documentation about the decision that was taken to shoot koalas from the air and we want to see an independent report. "This sets a precedent now, and it must never, ever happen again." Bosses at the Humane World for Animals charity also want an inquiry. "While we're relieved that the koala shooting operation has ceased, the need to learn from this incident and ensure positive welfare outcomes for surviving koalas remains urgent," Evan Quartermain, Australian Head of Programs, said in a statement. While Victorian government says the animals were "individually assessed" after the fire swept through Budj Bim National Park, 270km west of Melbourne in March, experts are questioning how this was possible. (Facebook/Vic Emergency) "Humane World for Animals is communicating with and supporting concerned locals and koala advocates on the ground around Budj Bim as we continue to scrutinise information." Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) told 9News it worked with "experienced vets, wildlife carers, and animal welfare experts" to '"individually assess" the creatures. "However, due to direct impacts of the fire, the poor health and low likelihood of survival of many animals due to the ongoing drought conditions and lack of food post-fire, many of the animals did require euthanising," it said in a statement. Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) said it worked with experienced vets, wildlife carers, and animal welfare experts to '"individually assess" the creatures after the fire. (Facebook/Vic Emergency) "The options were to just leave them to deteriorate or take proactive steps to reduce suffering by using aerial assessments. "A ground-based veterinary assessment conducted by a wildlife vet during an aerial trial showed that all koalas assessed and euthanised by the aerial team during the trial were in very poor health and would have continued to suffer in a deteriorating state of welfare if they had remained alive." The fire started after a lightning strike. It burned around 22sq km of the 54sq km park according to VicEmergency. Koalas on the east coast of Australia could be extinct by 2050, the WWF says. Koala wildlife bushfires Australia national Victoria CONTACT US
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Australian State culls 700 starving koalas after bushfire, stoking controversy
Snipers in helicopters have shot more than 700 koalas in the Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria in recent weeks. It's believed to be the first time koalas have been culled in this way. The cull became public on Good Friday after local wildlife carers were reportedly tipped off. A fire burned about 20% of the park in mid-March. The government said the cull was urgent because koalas had been left starving or burned. Wildlife groups have expressed serious concern about how individual koalas had been chosen for culling, because the animals are assessed from a distance. It's not clear how shooting from a helicopter complies with the state government's own animal welfare and response plans for wildlife in disasters. The Victorian government must explain why it is undertaking aerial culling and why it did so without announcing it publicly. The incident points to ongoing failures in managing these iconic marsupials, which are already threatened in other states. Why did this happen? Koalas live in eucalypt forests in Australia's eastern and southern states. The species faces a double threat from habitat destruction and bushfire risk. They are considered endangered in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. In Victoria, koala population levels are currently secure. But they are densely concentrated, often in fragments of bush known as 'habitat islands' in the state's southwest. Budj Bim National Park is one of these islands. Over time, this concentration becomes a problem. When the koalas are too abundant, they can strip leaves from their favourite gums, killing the trees. The koalas must then move or risk starvation. If fire or drought make these habitat islands impossible to live in, koalas in dense concentrations often have nowhere to go. In Budj Bim, Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Parks Victoria have tackled koala overpopulation alongside Traditional Owners by moving koalas to new locations or sterilising them. But Budj Bim is also surrounded by commercial blue gum plantations. Koalas spread out through the plantations to graze on the leaves. Their populations grow. But when the plantations are logged, some koalas have to return to the national park, where food may be in short supply. Animal welfare groups say logging is one reason Budj Bim had so many koalas. It's hard to say definitively whether this is the case, because the state environment department hasn't shared much information. But researchers have found habitat islands lead to overabundance by preventing the natural dispersal of individuals. So why was the culling done? Department officials have described the program as 'primarily' motivated by animal welfare. After the bushfire last month, koalas have been left starving or injured. Why shooters in helicopters? Here, the justification given is that the national park is difficult to access due to rocky terrain and fire damage, ruling out other methods. Euthanising wildlife Under Victoria's plan for animal welfare during disasters, the environment department is responsible for examining and, where necessary, euthanising wildlife during an emergency. For human intervention to be justified, euthanasia must be necessary on welfare grounds. Victoria's response plan for fire-affected wildlife says culling is permitted when an animal's health is 'significantly' compromised, invasive treatment is required, or survival is unlikely. For koalas, this could mean loss of digits or hands, burns to more than 15% of the body, pneumonia from smoke inhalation, or blindness or injuries requiring surgery. Euthanised females must also be promptly examined for young in their pouches. The problem is that while aerial shooting can be accurate in some cases for larger animals, the method has questionable efficacy for smaller animals – especially in denser habitats. It's likely a number of koalas were seriously injured but not killed. But the shooters employed by the department were not able to thoroughly verify injuries or whether there were joeys in pouches, because they were in the air and reportedly 30 or more metres away from their targets. While the department cited concerns about food resources as a reason for the cull, the state's wildlife fire plan lays out another option: delivery of supplementary feed. Delivering fresh gum leaves could potentially have prevented starvation while the forest regenerates. Lessons for the government The state government should take steps to avoid tragic incidents like this from happening again. Preserving remaining habitat across the state is a vital step, as is reconnecting isolated areas with habitat corridors. This would not only reduce the concentration of koalas in small pockets but increase viable refuges and give koalas safe paths to new food sources after a fire. Future policies should be developed in consultation with Traditional Owners, who have detailed knowledge of species distributions and landscapes. We need better ways to help wildlife in disasters. One step would be bringing wildlife rescue organisations into emergency management more broadly, as emphasised in the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and the more recent Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. This latter report pointed to South Australia's specialised emergency animal rescue and relief organisation – SAVEM – as an effective model. Under SA's emergency management plan, the organisation is able to rapidly access burned areas after the fire has passed through. Victoria's dense communities of koalas would be well served by a similar organisation able to work alongside existing skilled firefighting services. The goal would be to make it possible for rescuers to get to injured wildlife earlier and avoid any more mass aerial culls. Liz Hicks is Lecturer in Law, University of Melbourne. Ashleigh Best is Barrister, Victorian Bar and Honorary Fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. This article is republished from The Conversation.
