MEDIA RELEASE: MINISTERS BACK THE WRONG HORSE AND RIDE ROUGH SHOD OVER THREATENED SPECIES - Nov 16 2016

MEDIA RELEASE:

MINISTERS BACK THE WRONG HORSE AND RIDE ROUGH SHOD OVER THREATENED SPECIES.

The Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group (BCRAG) is ‘gutted’ by the decision of the Ministers for Racing, Environment and Aboriginal Heritage to allow commercial horse training to continue in The Belfast Coastal Reserve in the State’s South West.

The Reserve is a tiny 20 km stretch of beach between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and is an Internationally recognised Important Bird & Biodiversity Area (IBA) and is also home to 10% of the State’s ‘threatened’ Hooded Plover population and 50% of its successful breeding sites.

Spokesperson for BCRAG, Bill Yates, said, “Today’s proposal by Ministers D’Ambrosio, Pakula and Hutchins, does nothing other than to spread the problem of commercial horse training to other parts of the Reserve. Instead of solving the problem it just compounds it. Today’s announcement will consign the Belfast Coastal Reserve to an environmental trash bin”.

“For the Environment Minister to sign off on this proposal is an absolute disgrace to her role and in contravention of her obligations as Environment Minister. She might as well say to all those volunteers who have dedicated years of their time to Land Care and Coast Care and those committed to the protection and preservation of threatened species like the Hooded Plover - don’t bother”, said BCRAG member, Shane Howard (AM)

“The proposed plan will effectively also give approval to commercial activity on public land – this is akin to the issues of Barangaroo in Sydney and the Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne, where commercial interests override public rights on public land. You might as well say the beaches are open for business. You can do whatever you like”.

Bill Yates added, “We are local people protecting an environmentally and culturally significant place. For some of us, our families have been here for generations and we simply won’t allow the Reserve to be plundered and destroyed by commercial horse training. This is an unacceptable and non-conforming use of public beaches. We will not support this proposal. We will continue to fight”.

END STATEMENT

6 comments

Robyn Coffey Warrnambool
Nov 16 2016 2:31 PM

I read the article today & was very disappointed. The situation is worse by legitimising the race horses on our beaches which is Public Land. Build the special sand facility but until then races horses should be banned from all beaches. Beaches are not the natural environment of horses.

I read the article today & was very disappointed. The situation is worse by legitimising the race horses on our beaches which is Public Land. Build the special sand facility but until then races horses should be banned from all beaches. Beaches are not the natural environment of horses.
Donna Storey Kiroit
Nov 16 2016 4:53 PM

Politicians are servants to the public, not the Racing Industry! It's about time they remembered that. Our environment minister didn't even acknowledge or reply to an email I sent concerning this issue. We now know what she really stands for. She is a fraud and a hypocrite and should stand down immediately. I have taken the time to study this issue and I fully support protecting our magnificent coast. Money speaks volumes but now the time is. Oming for people power to prevail.

Politicians are servants to the public, not the Racing Industry! It's about time they remembered that. Our environment minister didn't even acknowledge or reply to an email I sent concerning this issue. We now know what she really stands for. She is a fraud and a hypocrite and should stand down immediately. I have taken the time to study this issue and I fully support protecting our magnificent coast. Money speaks volumes but now the time is. Oming for people power to prevail.
irene melbourne formerly Western District
Nov 16 2016 8:07 PM

politicians are supposed to represent the people yet in reality they are in a popularity race with business which as we the people know, couldnt give a rats a@?&)#/^e about the environment unless there is a buck to be made and or saved in their own interest. Thus to train horses in an environment that gives their product an edge at little or no cost (correct me if there is a monetary cost) to their business they will ride rough shot (pun intended) over anything that gets in their way "plovers", public and politicians included. So if the horses stay then there should be a nice big financial payment AND donation payed to environmental groups and others involved in the upkeep of the area. I guess politicians should also be payed something...yes?

politicians are supposed to represent the people yet in reality they are in a popularity race with business which as we the people know, couldnt give a rats a@?&#/^e about the environment unless there is a buck to be made and or saved in their own interest. Thus to train horses in an environment that gives their product an edge at little or no cost (correct me if there is a monetary cost) to their business they will ride rough shot (pun intended) over anything that gets in their way "plovers", public and politicians included. So if the horses stay then there should be a nice big financial payment AND donation payed to environmental groups and others involved in the upkeep of the area. I guess politicians should also be payed something...yes?
Robyn Jeans Port Fairy
Nov 16 2016 9:13 PM

Just another crime against nature. Just another species extinct. Just another genocide. Whats new.

Just another crime against nature. Just another species extinct. Just another genocide. Whats new.
Marcia Howard Melbourne
Nov 17 2016 11:53 PM

Labour Party Ministers, in two years time what will our beautiful beaches look like? The threatened hooded plover species will be extinct. The sand will be ploughed up. It won't be safe on the beach for children to run free, only horses. The Warrnambool Racing Club on behalf of the trainers will have unlimited access to the beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy for commercial horse training! This is a terrible decision. Ministers you need to get out of Melbourne and get in your car and head down the highway to South West Victoria. You need to face the people and recognize the fact that you have signed off on the fate of an endangered species, the hooded plover and a backyard belonging to so many of us who have grown up on these beautiful beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and love them dearly. This is bad policy any way you look at it, rotten in fact.

Labour Party Ministers, in two years time what will our beautiful beaches look like? The threatened hooded plover species will be extinct. The sand will be ploughed up. It won't be safe on the beach for children to run free, only horses. The Warrnambool Racing Club on behalf of the trainers will have unlimited access to the beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy for commercial horse training! This is a terrible decision. Ministers you need to get out of Melbourne and get in your car and head down the highway to South West Victoria. You need to face the people and recognize the fact that you have signed off on the fate of an endangered species, the hooded plover and a backyard belonging to so many of us who have grown up on these beautiful beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and love them dearly. This is bad policy any way you look at it, rotten in fact.
Wendy Reed Terang
Nov 18 2016 7:29 AM

Such a sorry situation. So proud of all your great efforts in trying to remedy a situation that has been brought about through greed and ignorance. As for getting the Minister down from Melbourne, she would probably damage the government car on the south west's otrocious roads and would not even make it if she was to rely on the Vline train service.

Such a sorry situation. So proud of all your great efforts in trying to remedy a situation that has been brought about through greed and ignorance. As for getting the Minister down from Melbourne, she would probably damage the government car on the south west's otrocious roads and would not even make it if she was to rely on the Vline train service.

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