Updated focus on environment

An updated environmental sustainability strategy has been adopted by Baw Baw Shire despite concerns two long-term projects had been removed.

Cr Tricia Jones said she would only vote for the eight-year strategy if two critical actions from the previous strategy were reinstated.

However, councillors agreed to adopt the Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2022-2030 without change, noting the results of community consultation on the draft.

The strategy’s four key goals include: reduce energy use and emissions; create sustainable and resilient communities; protect the natural environment; and shift toward a more circular economy.

Amongst the initiatives listed in the strategy are: develop and implement a carbon emissions reduction plan; investigate the feasibility of a sustainable subdivisions framework for the shire and look to trial its implementation; expansion of council’s Significant Trees Register; diverting 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030; and introducing a separate glass collection service.

In a report to council, environment sustainability officers said the existing strategy from 2018 to 2022 was due to expire this year.

Officers began a review in 2021 identifying that 80 per cent of actions in the existing strategy had been completed, with a further 14 per cent underway. Six per cent were not yet started.

“Council sought input from the community in late 2021 about what matters most to them when it comes to sustainability in the shire,” the report said. Council received 21 submissions.

The draft strategy was endorsed by council in June and released for community consultation, with 24 “Have Your Say” platform submissions, three written submissions, and four individual responses from council’s Environmental Voice Advisory Committee (EV) members.

“Overall, 67 per cent of submissions stated that they thought the draft was ‘fantastic’ or ‘good’,” the report said.

It said 11 changes were made to the draft, of which eight were related to grammar and formatting. In addition, a new section under “strategy context” was added to demonstrate how council will “partner and collaborate” with external organisations and the community; a reference included to provide evidence on how a healthy environment can boost community health and wellbeing and the economy; and clarification on how the strategy supports Australia’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Council allocated $15,000 to the 2021/22 operational budget to develop the new strategy.

Cr Peter Kostos said council’s Environmental Voice advisory committee had been involved in the strategy review.

“Baw Baw Shire is known for its natural beauty, its green pastures and high quality agriculture,” Cr Kostos said.

“This council needs to ensure, through its environmental sustainability strategy, that this is maintained and even improved.”

“Our natural beauty and green pastures is attracting people here to the shire in their droves, and we need support and effort to maintain our sustainability and liveability into the future.”

Cr Keith Cook acknowledged everyone involved in “this important work”.

“The new environmental sustainability strategy will help us provide better decision making relating to our comfort and a healthy environment,” Cr Cook said.

Cr Jones spoke against the recommendation, stating EV did not want to let go of any actions from the current strategy.

She said the group believed two critical actions not yet started would be included in the new strategy.

“It’s an eight year plan and I believe that these are both of the highest priority,” Cr Jones said. “These actions would make the biggest ongoing impact in our fight against climate change.”

Cr Jones said the two actions were to investigate the structure design manual which includes sustainability guidelines; and to develop instruments and guidelines to address urban heat climate impacts within urban streetscapes due to lack of canopy trees.

“I would only consider voting in favour of this motion if these two actions were directly reinstated in the final draft of this document as priorities.”

Cr Jazmin Tauru said the goals for the strategy were relevant and reflective of the council plan of a sustainable shire and a healthy and thriving community.

“I think it’s super impressive and I really commend the team for their hard work from the previous strategy and the development of the 2022-2030 Environmental Sustainability Strategy. It really is such important work,” Cr Tauru said.

“This plan also shows such an incredible depth of knowledge of our area and the actions to take are specific to where we live.”