Tuesday, 4 February 2025

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:48): (1368) My matter tonight is for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the minister to listen to the residents of Inverloch and finally enact a solution to the disastrous erosion of the Inverloch surf beach. Inverloch surf beach is washing away at an alarming rate, with the beach receding about 10 metres per year. This is putting the entire community at risk, and the government just seems to be ignoring Inverloch. A report last year by the minister’s department suggested that they adapt and retreat. What that actually means is that the community should do nothing – allow the erosion to continue. Literally it will mean that the surf lifesaving club, which is only about 11 years old, will wash away into the ocean and then after that there is street after street after street of houses that will be lost. This is just not a solution at all.

Why isn’t the government listening to the people of Inverloch? It means the loss of the surf lifesaving building, the loss of public utility infrastructure and the loss of Surf Parade and many, many homes. It is absolutely devastating. In a letter recently the local Labor state member of Parliament said $3 million of federal government money was being spent to replenish some sand. But this is only a short-term fix. It is literally washing away into the ocean. So the community is asking: where is the long-term solution, why isn’t the state government contributing any money and why do we have to wait until late 2025 for this short-term fix when the problem has been known for many years?

I would also like to give a shout-out to Brad Battin, who went down there within his first week of being elected as the leader and listened to hundreds and hundreds of community members who gathered on the beach to tell him what is needed in their community. I want to know: why isn’t Labor doing the same thing and listening?