Saving Point Nepean E-letter No 3 Dear members and supporters Victorian Community Expression of Interest in Point Nepean On 25 August 2003 the Commonwealth Government terminated the Expression of Interest process to sell 90 hectares of the heritage precinct at Point Nepean (including the Quarantine Station). Concurrently, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Mrs Fran Bailey, announced that the 90 hectares of the heritage precinct at Point Nepean (including the Quarantine Station) would be offered for 40-50 year lease by tender, starting 1 September.
Why a lease and not a sale? Under a lease Point Nepean would remain within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Government. It would also mean that developers chosen by the Commonwealth Government would not be subject to Victorian state and local planning controls. This includes the Victorian Coastal Strategy, which discourages ribbon or strip coastal development (The Commonwealth has advised the lease would include Point Nepean's beach and foreshore). In effect, Victorians, the local government, State Government and Victorian heritage agencies are denied input into what a developer can or can't do with Point Nepean. A lengthy lease, to which no local planing guidelines apply, would at least in the assessment of one developer be preferable to freehold. In a 26 August 2003 article in the Financial Review, a well-known hotel and tourism developer, Mr Max Moar was quoting as saying: 'It's a good thing it is not under state planning control any more. As a developer you want to deal with the land owner and now it will mean you don't have to go through that extra authority'. The tender will stipulate that Point Nepean is available for four different uses 'Educational, Recreational, Community and Tourism'. Uses listed in Mrs Bailey's 25 June Media Release include universities, schools, research, sporting facilities, jetties, rescue activities, museums, restaurants, conference facilities and unspecified accommodation. In an interview on ABC 774 on 25 August, when asked if a hotel was possible, Mrs Bailey observed that a hotel 'would not be multi-storey'! Mrs Bailey also declined to guarantee that bushland on the 90 hectares would remain contiguous with the existing National Park. In the 26 August 2003 Financial Review Mrs Bailey is reported to have said that 'developers could demolish and undertake new construction on the property'. What developments will be possible at Point Nepean? A university, luxury accommodation, jetties, one or more restaurants, shops, one or more hotels/motels, a conference centre and/or a sporting facilities will all be possible, together or stand alone. As Point Nepean falls outside the jurisdiction of local planning laws it will be the "incumbent" Commonwealth Government that will be the final arbiter of what is 'appropriate' development and what is not. Would the public have unfettered access to Point Nepean? It would be naEFve to suggest that sustainability can be achieved for Point Nepean without some form of income generating activity. However, the Commonwealth Government's stated expectations of commercial returns clearly establish a framework that denies the greatest numbers of the public access to Point Nepean. Universities, hotels/motels, restaurants and the numerous other specified uses means that Point Nepean are not 'public space' and access will accordingly be limited. What about management? Point Nepean has so much to offer, integrating as it does outstanding natural and cultural values. Its development can be directly aligned with and contributes to Victoria's early history. The Commonwealth Government has decreed that Point Nepean be carved up between three or more managers. Parks Victoria would manage the existing Mornington Peninsula National Park, Mornington Shire Council, Police Point (17.6 Ha), while the 90 hectares proposed to be now leased, including threatened woodland and the Quarantine Station, would be managed by the successful tenderer. Fragmentation of its management will unarguably reflect in fragmentation and disintegration of Point Nepean's values. Is subleasing permissible? On the balance of probability the answer must be 'highly likely'. What do environment groups think? The Victorian National Parks Association, National Trust and the Australian Conservation Foundation in a joint press release on 25 August (attached) expressed serious concerns about the Commonwealth Government announcement and described Point Nepean as 'endangered'. Where to from here? It is a shame that those making the decisions do not share our vision of how wonderful Point Nepean might be, as an integrated publicly owned national park. This Vision was contemplated by the Community Master Plan and is reflected in the National Trust/VNPA vision for Point Nepean supported by the majority of Victorians, the Victorian Government, the Australian Senate and hundreds of community groups (nearly 350 organisations were signatories to the VNPA/National Trust Expression of Interest) from across Victori a. We will continue the campaign for Point Nepean's protection in a world-class national park. The debate about Point Nepean is far from over and we will keep you informed of the ways that you can help us to secure its future. Sincere thanks for your generous support. Yours sincerely, <<...>> Ian Harris Dianne Weidner President Chairman Victorian National National Trust of Australia (Vic) Parks Association The National Trust is a non-government community organisation that relies on membership subscriptions and property entrance fees for its income. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: 9656 9800 Fax: 9650 0004 "Advice and opinions expressed by Trust members and staff are proffered in good faith but on the basis that no legal liability is accepted by the Trust or the individual concerned." . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]