WPPC

Speakers: Jenny Warfe (Blue Wedges); Jenny Lowe (BirdLife); Dave Minton, Port of Hastings Development Authorities; Simon Brannigan, VNPA Marine spokesperson; Hugh Kirkman, Marine Environmental Consultant. Starts 5.45, Tuesday 15 April, Hastings Community Hub, 1973 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Hastings (booking essential) Westernport Bay is a site of international significance for aquatic birds and right on the doorstep of Melbourne. Its extensive intertidal mudflats, seagrass meadows, saltmarshes and mangroves support more than 10,000 migratory
shorebirds and 10,000 waterfowl. Yet despite its incredible importance as a bird sanctuary the Napthine Government plans to drastically expand Port of Hastings within the bay into an international container port - oil spills, dredging, land clearing, and thousands of more ships a year could put Westernport’s birdlife and habitats at risk.

This interesting and informative seminar will explore the potential impacts the port expansion could have on seagrass, saltmarsh and mangroves as well as on the bay’s many bird species.

Speakers include

• A representative from Birdlife Australia.

• Dr Hugh Kirkman, environmental consultant and seagrass expert.

• Representatives from the Victorian National Parks Association, Blue Wedges Coalition and the Westernport & Peninsula Protection Council.

WHERE: Hastings Community Hub, 1973 Frankston- Flinders Rd, Hastings (Google Map
Reference http://goo.gl/TVUtML).

WHEN: Tuesday 15 April.

TIME:Doors open 5.45pm, 6.10 start, finishes 7.30pm.

RSVP:This is a free event, tea and coffee provided, but bookings are essential through Eventbrite – vnpa.eventbrite.com.au where you are asked to click on a free booking to attend button.

The Mornington Peninsula has been under continuous assault from forced population growth in the face of lax environmental protection now since the time of Jeff Kennett, who made it part of 'Greater Melbourne', thus taking Victorian environmentalists 'beyond blue'. A few years ago plans to intensively industrialise Hastings on a scale previously unknown in Australia came to light. (See Candobetter has a whole site topic devoted to these.. Now the use of Hastings to export coal is being mooted.

Documents Blue Wedges obtained under Freedom of Information last year revealed that the former Brumby government’s plans for Hastings included coal exports in the business case. Given the Napthine government’s project costs and projected trade volumes released so far for an expanded Hastings are almost identical to the Brumby plan, it’s pretty likely that coal is still on the agenda.

An Exergen (power company claiming to have clean coal credentials) 2011 document obtained by Environment Victoria under FoI also builds a case for coal to be transported as slurry in a pipeline from the LaTrobe Valley to the Port of Hastings, and then treated/de-watered on site at the Port of Hastings, for export through there. (Brown coal cannot be exported in its natural state due to its high moisture content and risks of spontaneous combustion).
Exergen states that the upgraded coal would be exported to lndia, Japan, Korea and other locations in North Asia.

"What a hideous vision for Hastings – and what an appalling contribution to our planet’s Greenhouse gas emissions." (Jenny Warfe, leader of Blue Wedges campaign against Port Phillip dredging)

The Westernport and Peninsula Protection Council (WPPC) is having a rally on November 9th 2pm-3.30pm Hastings Foreshore. WPPC have organized it with Environment Victoria and Quit Coal. People from Corner Inlet and 90 Mile Beach who are opposing their own coal port proposals will be travelling to the rally. Farmers who face having their excellent farms turned into a coal mine will also be present. There will be talks from VNPA and Blue Wedges too.

Start inviting your friends.