Thursday, 22 February 2024

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority

Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (09:48): I rise this morning to put to this government that the promise that they made to my community about the reform and the change of operating procedures around the Great Ocean Road, that hugely iconic piece of infrastructure and landscape for Victorians, has not worked, is not working and continues to frustrate local communities. The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority was designed to simplify the management, the looking after and the creating of a sense of place from Torquay through to Port Campbell along the iconic Great Ocean Road. Today we see GORCAPA at war – literally at war – with the communities right along the coast and, more worryingly, with the local council areas.

Recently the Colac Otway shire moved a motion of no confidence in GORCAPA. Why did they move a motion of no confidence? Because GORCAPA refuses to take into account the needs, desires and aspirations of local communities but instead is putting its state government stamp on the way our local community is to operate. I draw to your attention two iconic spots along the Great Ocean Road: Point Grey in Lorne and the Apollo Bay harbour, two important places where literally millions of dollars were allocated back in 2018 and still nothing has happened. The community is being ignored, and I call on this government to immediately look at a review of this authority.