COMMENT
By Janet Street*
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council seems to miss the boat on many issues, including when it comes to mitigating climate change.
I feel some councillors are disinterested, uneducated or simply ill-informed on climate change resulting in poor decision making.
Some push a particular political party policy for their own personal point scoring for future career opportunities rather than adhering to council policy.
Many of those who attended the budget meeting on 7 June were absolutely appalled and, frankly, downright embarrassed as to what they witnessed.
Isn’t there a council policy on carbon neutrality? The Climate Change – Carbon Neutral Policy states: “… it articulates the pillars of council’s commitment to carbon neutrality and demonstrates to the community the shire’s leadership on climate change mitigation”.
To me, the budget meeting clearly showed a lack of leadership among councillors Steve Holland, Anthony Marsh, Susan Bissinger, Paul Mercurio, Lisa Dixon and Debra Mar.
Holland had put forward a motion on 10 May to take $200,000 out of the budget to buy carbon offsets. This seems to have been done with the knowledge that some councillors are unaware of how carbon offsets are used, their purpose and their importance. Climate Active is the agency used by council to purchase these offsets.
I am extremely concerned some councillors are making poor decisions on issues from a personal perspective. Or, more distressingly, from a personal political agenda.
Decisions should be made looking at the bigger picture and what is for the good of the community.
What are the current emissions of the council – 30,000 tonnes a year? What is council doing about this? Not much, if anything.
The recently completed Yawa Aquatic Centre has gas-operated heating generating greenhouse gas emissions. How is council transitioning away from gas? Not sure? I invite you to ask council.
Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre can claim the prize for being the first zero emissions indoor leisure and aquatic centre.
On Thursday 17 September 2020 Bayside Council became the first council in Melbourne’s south east to be carbon neutral.
Bayside committed to being carbon neutral in its operations by 2020 at its ordinary meeting on 28 October 2008.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council had committed to be carbon neutral by 2040. Yes 2040, 20 years after Bayside.
Bayside in its communications states: “We have then offset residual greenhouse gas emissions to zero using carbon offsets that support reforestation projects in Australia and renewable energy projects in developing countries.” You can read about it at bayside.vic.gov.au/news/baysides-carbon-neutral-council
I now ask Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to update its communications (websites and other methods of communication with the community and public) to state that it no longer supports its own policy and plans on mitigating climate change.
It should remove any reference of being a carbon neutral business and will soon become not certified, having not met the requirements of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations.
* Keen environmentalist and bush walker Janet Street advocates against inappropriate development on the Mornington Peninsula; climate crisis inaction; and energy “injustices” experienced by marginalised and socially isolated individuals and groups.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 21 June 2022
