Mozzie menace money scare to fight threat

Andrew Mathieson
A funding shortfall has left the Bellarine Peninsula swamped in an outbreak of mosquitoes, according to a councillor.
Environment portfolio holder Tom O’Connor blamed the mozzie menace on State Government holding back its 2007 2008 funding allocation.
A dry summer last year minimised mosquito outbreaks and reduced spending on control programs, primarily aerial spraying.
Cr O’Connor said funding was put aside last year but this year’s shortfall had left City of Greater Geelong with about one tenth of the budget it needed to adequately control mozzies.
Heavy spring rain had increased breeding sites across stagnant water at wetlands and drains on the peninsula, he said.
Health experts believe mosquitoes could carry the flesh eating Bairnsdale ulcer, which has attacked dozens of victims on the peninsula over the past few years.
Cr O’Connor said State Government owned about 90 per cent of the land the City wanted to spray for mozzies.
The funding shortfall could force the City to blow its spraying budget and still not provide the peninsula with adequate mosquito control, he said.
“We were certainly over budget in our first year and again in our second year. There is a certainty we could go over budget again,” Cr O’Connor said.
“The financial support we’ve got from the State Government is nowhere near proportional for the amount of government land that we spray with Parks Victoria.”
Cr O’Connor said the City had detected a dangerous rise in mosquitoes from Point Lonsdale to Breamlea.
Ocean Grove is one of the worst hit cases, with reports residents have been unable to venture outside some nights. Ocean Grove District Com-munity and Association president Michael Harbour said last weekend was “especially bad”.
Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville said she was seeking Government funding.
“I know some residents are being driven to distraction by mosquitoes at the moment and we need to sort out decent and ongoing mosquito control on the peninsula,” she said.
“After discussions with residents and the City of Greater Geelong I have raised this important local issue with the Health Minister and have sought some new funding to tackle the problem. I hope we can have an agreement between council and the Government very soon.”