CONCERNS about the rare orange-bellied parrot threaten a $50 million expansion plan (at the home of Clow Marine  Electronics) Yaringa Marina on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula despite expert advice the bird has not been seen in the area for 25 years.

Federal Environment minister, Tony Burke’s comments on the matter are ludicrous… he says it is important for environmental law to be followed. “What we’ve seen today is somebody who thinks he can be above the whole process,” he said.

“Simply because you run some sort of yacht club and you’re friends with the local shadow minister for the environment, simply because you’ve got friends within the Liberal party doesn’t mean you are above the law.”

Is this the same law or legal process, that allows the Port of Hastings development down the road to go ahead without the Orange Bellied Parrot myth, (or red herring) based blocking mechanism to thwart that development. 

Has anyone seen this parrot… recent image of Yaringa Marina. There was not an Orange bellied parrot to be seen…so we thought we would help you identify with this super imposed one…

Six years ago the parrot gained notoriety when it prompted the Howard Government to veto a proposed Victorian wind farm, the bird has been cited as one of three reasons the Environment Department has referred the Yaringa Boat Harbour expansion for assessment under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The Yaringa development sparked a political row, with opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt declaring this was the sort of “bureaucratic red tape that undermines confidence in the environmental process”. He said the Coalition would maintain standards while simplifying the system.

HAVE YOUR SAY…

As we are located only 10 minutes from Frankston and approx 20 minutes from Dandenong, all boat owners should lobby their local member to support the go ahead on the Yaringa Marina expansion. Victoria is sadly lacking in adequate, safe marina facilities and boat storage. The expansion can only benefit The Boating Industry and boat ownership in Victoria. Over 200 new jobs and our existing jobs, future and recreation depend on it…

Our next post will feature a full report on The Australian Newspaper front page story today, written by Sid Maher.

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