Ratepayers launch coast takeover bid spend on works, not wages, says letter to state minister

Alex de Vos
Surf Coast ratepayers have ordered a complete takeover of the region’s coastal manager amid concerns of “bureaucracy building” and “unnecessary” spending.
In letter to Environment Minister Gavin Jennings, Surf Coast Community and Ratepayers Association president Spencer Leighton demanded State Government “consider disbanding Great Ocean Road Coast Committee”.
Mr Leighton believed the committee had failed in its ability to successfully manage the coast.
“Over the time of GORCC’s existence, we have seen many changes, some of which we have approved of and some we haven’t,” Mr Leighton said.
“While we haven’t any specific complaints about the way GORCC has managed the coast, we feel that the committee has not proved itself worthy to exist as a separate entity.”
Mr Leighton pointed the finger at the committee’s alleged plans to build a bureaucracy in favour of managing the coast.
“We believe that much of the money that GORCC has to spend on the coast is taken up with salaries for officers who, in our opinion, are unnecessary,” he said.
Mr Leighton called on the Government to hand over coastal management to Surf Coast Shire.
“We feel that if GORCC was disbanded, that the Surf Coast council would do an equally good job for less money. This would be of great benefit to our members, as there would be more money to spend on coastal works and not on salaries.
“We feel this would more advantageous to everyone concerned.”
Surf Coast Community and Ratepayers Association secretary Lyn Smith welcomed the bid.
“If we had one person doing the whole lot, it might flow a bit better,” she said.
“There is a great lack of the two (authorities) working together and it’s definitely worth looking at (a take over) to evaluate the savings and benefits.”
The take over bid follows several years of controversy over the committee’s management of the coastline between Point Impossible and Lorne.
Failed plans for projects such as parking meters in surf beach car parks and a unisex toilet on Torquay’s foreshore have angered residents.
The committee has also had funding problems delivering major projects such as redevelopment of Torquay’s public caravan park and the town’s boat ramp.
Last year the Independent revealed the committee, a State Government body, had begun drawing annual funding from ratepayers.
The committee had previously relied on revenue from its Torquay and Lorne camping grounds.
State Government rejected a 2007 council bid to take over the committee. A Department of Sustainability and Environment senior bureaucrat told councillors their takeover proposal was not “ justifiable or appropriate…at this time”.
Committee chief executive officer David Clarke was reluctant to comment.
“I will say this: we’re a body appointed by the State Government to do a job that I think we do reasonably well.”