Mornington electorate beaches
Chris CREWTHER (Mornington) (17:29): (69) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the minister to urgently intervene to protect local beaches in the Mornington electorate, like Mount Martha south, Mount Martha north, Hawker, Mothers, Shire Hall and other impacted Mornington electorate and Port Phillip beaches, each of which is rapidly eroding and facing significant drainage issues. The issues with these beaches and the erosion they face have been a result of multiple issues, including the 2008 dredging of the heads under the former Brumby government, issues like the construction of a concrete wave wall at Mornington Pier, changing climate as well as local drainage issues. On this point, increasing urban development coupled with inadequate outfall drainage infrastructure and frequently blocked public stormwater drains has contributed to increased run-offs into the ocean. All of these issues have caused further beach erosion, public safety risk, dangerous cliff faces, a potential risk to the Esplanade road itself, environmental damage, property damage and more. This has an impact for locals, for infrastructure, for tourism and more. They are rendering many of our local beaches in the Mornington electorate either inaccessible or dangerous.
In the case of the Shire Hall Beach, we have had the situation where in particular the Mornington wave wall – the concrete wave wall – has resulted in a build-up of sand at Mothers Beach and the erosion of sand at Shire Hall Beach. Local beach advocates and I have long advocated for the immediate clearing of stormwater drains; the renourishment of beaches like Shire Hall Beach – taking sand across from Mothers Beach; the construction of a semipermeable wave wall at Mornington Pier or an artificial reef, or both, or indeed looking at other solutions that could well work at that beach and other beaches; as well as other oceanic engineering solutions.
Going back to my question, I certainly do ask the minister and the state Labor government to urgently look at protecting our Mornington electorate and Port Phillip beaches. Again, I seek that the minister to urgently intervene.