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Belfast      Coastal       Reserve  Action Group

  • Home
  • THE RESERVE
  • THE MANAGEMENT PLAN
  • CAMPAIGNS
  • Take Action
  • Videos/Photos/Maps
  • Members/Meetings
  • Media and Press
  • CONTACT US/SHOW SUPPORT
  • Victorian Coastal Alliance

Send a message to Lily D'Ambrosio. Copy and Paste the text below or write your own message.

Dear Minister D’Ambrosio,

Re: Commercial Horse Training in the Belfast Coastal Reserve

I am writing to express my disappointment at your government’s proposal to allow commercial racehorse training in the Belfast Coastal Reserve, (BCR), in south west Victoria.

Given the serious concerns regarding the threat to resident and migratory coastal shorebirds that are vulnerable to extinction, I find the proposal to consider allowing up to 250 commercial racehorses to train in the Belfast Coastal Reserve, as reprehensible and without precedent. One horse, doing commercial training in such a sensitive area, is one too many.

Added to these concerns are the anxiety about public safety, damage to a fragile environment, the intention to use public commons for large-scale commercial activities and the presence throughout the Reserve of Aboriginal sites of cultural significance.

I have no confidence in the Draft BCR Coastal Management Plan as there has been no comprehensive Environmental Survey or Cultural Heritage Survey conducted. The local Gunditj Mirring have said ‘No’ to allowing commercial racehorse training in the BCR and Eastern Maar have yet to give approval. Native Title determinations in that region have yet to be finalised.

Given Racing Minister Pakula’s recent pre-emptive comments that, “The government will continue…to ensure training on beaches is a sustainable practice into the future”, it would appear that the outcome is a ‘done deal’ and I have no confidence in the scientific integrity, impartiality or independence of your government’s BCR Coastal Management Plan.

Your draft proposal to allow commercial racehorse training in the BCR, at any level, is completely contradictory to the intended purpose of the Reserve and a host of past and present studies, recommendations and Federal and State Acts of Parliament that include, but are not limited to: The VCC guidelines, LCC Recommendations, Threatened Species Strategy, your own Protecting Victoria’s Environment-Biodiversity 2037 Plan, the Wildlife Act, the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, the Coastal Management Act and the Crown Land Reserves Act. There are also international obligations under existing RAMSAR Treaties.

At a time when the extinction of species is running at such extreme levels, it is negligent of you, as the responsible minister for the environment, to sanction such willful damage to our natural world. This is the wrong legacy to bequeath future generations.

Horses are not under threat of extinction but our coastal shorebirds are. Commercial horse training is not a coastal dependent activity but shorebird breeding is. There is no commercial benefit to such an activity. Disallowing commercial racehorse training from the BCR will have no impact on the economic benefit to the region.

I call on you to change course, to respond responsibly and imaginatively, with purpose built facilities for trainers and declare the Belfast Coastal Reserve a Coastal Park, or equivalent, under National Parks legislation, with associated regulations to protect and preserve it for future generations.

Yours Sincerely

2. POST OR EMAIL THIS PRO FORMA LETTER OF REQUEST/DEMAND

PRO FORMA letter of request/demand to The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP A pro forma letter of request/demand to The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP - Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change
regarding 'Commercial Horse Training in the Belfast Coastal Reserve'.
39.1 KB

4. and then ALSO EMail or POST this Letter, or your own letter To ALl or any of these people below:

3. WRITE A LETTER or send an email OF YOUR OWN

Please help by writing or emailing a letter to the appropriate Ministers, Councillors and Members of Parliament (details below). You can send a personal letter calling for:

• Immediate cessation of commercial race horse training in the Belfast Coastal Reserve
• Environmental and Cultural Protection of the Belfast Coastal Reserve.
• Upgrade the Belfast Coastal Reserve to a Coastal Park (or equivalent status under the National Parks Act) for its high environmental and cultural values. 

STATE GOVERNMENT  

The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP   
lily.d'ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au   
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change   
Level 16 , 8 Nicholson Street   
East Melbourne   
Victoria, 3002  

The Hon. Daniel Andrews MP  
daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au  
Premier  
Level 1 , 1 Treasury Place  
East Melbourne  
Victoria, 3002  

The Hon Martin Pakula MP  
martin.pakula@parliament.vic.gov.au  
Attorney-General  
Minister for Racing  
Level 26, 121 Exhibition Street  
Melbourne  
Victoria, 3000  

The Hon. GavIn Jennings MP 

gavin.jennings@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs  
Level 27 , 1 Spring Street  
Melbourne  Victoria, 3000  

Mr Timothy (Tim) Bull MP  
tim.bull@parliament.vic.gov.au  
Shadow Minister for Racing  
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs  

PO Box 1278, Bairnsdale,  

Victoria, 3875.  

Ms Roma Britnell MP  
roma.britnell@parliament.vic.gov.au  
Electorate - South-West Coast  
94 Liebig Street  
Warrnambool  
Victoria, 3280  

The Hon. Jaala Pulford MLC  
jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au  
Minister for Regional Development  
MLC-Western Victoria Region  
Ground floor  
15 Main Road  
Ballarat  
Victoria, 3350  

MOYNE SHIRE COUNCIL   

‎Princes Street, PORT FAIRY 3284   

Councillors   
Cr Jim Doukas - 0427 659 256 - jdoukas@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Jordan Lockett - 0427 925 718 -  jordan.lockett@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Daniel Meade 0417 896 138 - daniel.meade@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Jill Parker - 0417 911 278 - jparker@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Colin Ryan  - 0418 455 625 - cryan@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Ian Smith - 0427 760 601 - ian.smith@moyne.vic.gov.au   
Cr Mick Wolfe -  0417 357 124 - mwolfe@moyne.vic.gov.au   

WARRNAMBOOL CITY COUNCIL    

PO Box 198. WARRNAMBOOL VIC 3280    

Councillors     

Cr. Robert Anderson  
Mobile: 0428115397     

Email: RAnderson@warrnambool.vic.gov.au     

Cr. Kylie Gaston     

Mobile: 0437623715    Email: KGaston@warrnambool.vic.gov.au  

Cr. Sue Cassidy     
Mobile: 0417 438 470     

Email:  SCassidy@warrnambool.vic.gov.au

Cr. Tony Herbert  - MAYOR
Tel: 0407 800 510 (bh)     
Mobile: 0427 669 760     

Email: THerbert@warrnambool.vic.gov.au     

Cr. Peter Hulin     
Tel: 0411 697 052 (bh)Mobile: 0428 411 169     

Email: PHulin@warrnambool.vic.gov.au     

Cr. Michael Neoh     
Mobile: 0408 543 638     
Email: MNeoh@warrnambool.vic.gov.au     

Cr. David Owen     
Mobile: 0419 615 887     
Email: DOwen@warrnambool.vic.gov.au

VOLUNTEER

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