Victorian independent MP, Craig Ingram, says Saturday’s Federal Election result highlights the importance of regional independent MPs in the democratic process.

Mr Ingram found himself in the same position as his Federal independent colleagues when he was first elected to state politics in 1999.

“Because of my experiences in 1999, I am well aware of some of the risks and pitfalls of the decision these independents may have to make,” Mr Ingram said.

“A recent headline in the metropolitan press this week stated that I was advising the independents to side with the Labor party.

“This headline misrepresented my comments and the article was actually based around my view that the National Party’s behaviour was a risk to the stability of government.

“Comments made this week by the Nationals’ Barnaby Joyce and Warren Truss highlight the reluctance of the National Party to work with independents and may well influence the independents’ decision on which party can form a stable minority government.

“I would never purport to be in a position to advise the Federal independents on which party they should support, unlike some political party MPs who are jumping on the bandwagon and professing to have ‘an independent streak’.

“This is a difficult, potentially divisive decision that they will make on their own and believe that it will be made in the best interest of their respective conservative rural electorates and in the national interest,” Mr Ingram concluded.

“Development has been at a stalemate for some time in many coastal communities, such as Lakes Entrance, due to the government’s implementation of a 0.8-metre sea level rise without adequate planning guidelines,” Mr Ingram said.

“Frustrations have been brewing and this has been heightened by a recent VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) ruling, blocking a residential development at Lakes Entrance even though it was approved by East Gippsland Shire Council.

“I was advised by the Premier in Parliament yesterday that the State Government will fund $550,000 to bring forward long-term planning controls specifically for Lakes Entrance and that interim planning controls will be put in place until the long term planning controls are complete.

“These interim controls will be focussed on the commercial district of Lakes Entrance.

“I welcome the announcement, but will continue to work with property owners, developers and the relevant statutory authorities to ensure the guidelines will actually resolve the impasse and allow sensible building to continue in our coastal communities,” Mr Ingram said.

“East Gippslanders have long known that the Greens and their radical environmental groups are hell-bent on destroying a sustainable timber industry in Victoria,” Mr Ingram said.

“This latest action has the potential to cost thousands of industry jobs across the state.

“The State Government must work with the timber industry and VicForests to assess what actions they can take to ensure that this decision does not affect timber supply agreements.

“What is clear is that the decision has the potential to drastically affect the resource available for timber harvesting, which has already been through a death of a thousand cuts over recent years,” Mr Ingram concluded.

Mr Ingram said the inter-governmental agreement will provide an estimated 56 billion litres of extra flows for the Snowy River over the coming two years.

“The agreement comes after I called on all three governments back in December 2009 and again in April this year to address this issue without further delay,” Mr Ingram said.

“The Mowamba Borrowing Account, in conjunction with the prolonged drought and low water allocations in the Murray and Murrumbidgee river systems, has been a major part of continued low water allocations to the Snowy River.

“Today’s agreement will bring forward the higher volume environmental flows desperately needed by the river to address the long standing river health problems caused by the diversion of the Snowy.

“It’s significant to see some movement on this important outstanding issue for the Snowy River and I trust that this signals the start of a more positive process to continue resolving the other outstanding Snowy issues.

"I will continue working with the three governments to resolve other outstanding Snowy issues and call on the coalition to also make a commitment towards resolving the outstanding matters,” Mr Ingram said.

Mr Ingram raised the issue in Parliament in May, calling on the Attorney-General to investigate problems associated with the management of missing persons’ assets.

“Currently, family members of missing persons have to wait seven years to have the orders placed so they can manage the assets or resolve the estates,” Mr Ingram said.

“This week, I received a briefing from the Attorney-General’s office, which will introduce legislation to allow for the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal to appoint a relative or friend to manage a missing person’s estate in their absence.

“This will assist in alleviating the financial burden and restrictions that are often placed on family and friends during an emotional time when a person goes missing.

“I welcome this news and acknowledge the Attorney-General for acting on the concerns I raised in Parliament on behalf of the families in my electorate and throughout Victoria that are in this situation.

“I look forward to supporting this Bill when it is introduced to the Parliament in the near future,” Mr Ingram concluded.

“This VCAT ruling will have major detrimental impacts on coastal planning, investment and development confidence right across the eastern seaboard,” Mr Ingram said.

“This decision effectively rules out almost any developments in existing commercial and residential areas that may be subject to sea level rises within the next 90 years, even if the buildings are above the flood level.

“I have previously put the State Government on notice that it must change its policies on climate change and sea levels to better reflect the actual long-term risk and the projected lifespan of buildings to allow reasonable development and planning around the year 2100 projections.”

Mr Ingram said despite his advice, the State Government has not acted swiftly enough on the matter, and that the VCAT ruling – which has been based on current government policy -- will effectively destroy investment confidence and property rights in coastal communities.

“It is my strong view that alternative arrangements and policies must be swiftly made to recognise the need for continued sensible development, property rights and real and actual existing risks -- not risks projected for periods outside the lifespan of proposed buildings,” Mr Ingram said.

“The financial impact on my communities and constituents of this decision is enormous and in my view requires real and significant action from government to assist coastal communities.

“I will continue to meet with local property owners and developers and coastal councils

to find solutions to this issue, but one thing is certain and that is the existing rules and situation must change,” Mr Ingram said.

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"This project is incredibly important for the future of Mallacoota and East Gippsland and has been identified for many years as one of the region’s top priority tourism and economic development infrastructure projects.

“East Gippsland Shire Council deserves congratulating for its commitment through what can only be described as a difficult and time consuming process.

“I also thank the Mallacoota Ocean Access Committee and the local community for its efforts in working to get the project approved and keeping this issue on the agenda over the last two decades.

“I look forward to seeing this important project through its funding, design and construction process.

“The plans can now proceed to Enviroment Minister Gavin Jennings for Coastal Management Act consent,” Mr Ingram concluded.

Mr Ingram, whose electorate of Gippsland East is one of the most bushfire-prone in the state, says he will be seeking input from local communities and relevant agencies on the impact of a number of the recommendations, particularly those dealing with the changes to the stay-or-go policy and evacuation.

“The State Government must react and fully back the Royal Commission on its prescribed burning recommendations, which have enforced my long-held view that a substantial increase and change in culture is needed,” Mr Ingram said.

“On this matter, the Royal Commission has effectively come to the same conclusion and recommendation as the Victorian Parliament’s Environmental and Natural Resources Committee report from last year, of which I was Deputy Chair.

“I also welcome the fact that many of the positions that were contained in my submission to the Royal Commission on behalf of my communities have been adopted.

“For a number of decades, successive governments have failed in delivering both the resources, targets and outcomes on fire and land management.

“I trust that now the repeated recommendations on land management will be adopted.

“I believe that some of the recommendations contained in the report will be a challenge to implement, such as some problems we have already seen with impact to camping and tourism in Alpine areas caused by the declaration of Code Red days.

“The changes to the stay or go policy must work for all communities, not just those in the urban tree change areas.

“I will be making further comments on other aspects of the report after further detailed consideration

of the report,” Mr Ingram concluded.

“I have made two submissions to the five-year review of the Snowy Water Licence and have made many representations to both state and federal governments on these matters over the past years to resolve the impasse relating to environmental flow agreements for the Snowy,” Mr Ingram said.

“The Snowy community has continually expressed its disappointment with the failure of the NSW government to follow due and proper process in the legislated five-year review, which was seen as a real opportunity to resolve the outstanding problems with the Snowy River environmental flows.

“I call on the Victorian Government and the federal Labor and Liberal parties to join me in backing the Snowy River Alliance on this matter.

“I will be following the Supreme Court case with great interest and remain hopeful that this legal action by the Snowy River Alliance will be the trigger to finally resolve the outstanding issues of concern with the delivery of flows and the Snowy inter-governmental agreements,” Mr Ingram concluded.

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has rejected the Victorian National Parks Association’s latest grab for more Gippsland waters to be declared as no-take marine parks.

The VNPA has released its latest marine park claim on large sections of Gippsland estuaries and coastal areas including the Gippsland Lakes, Mallacoota Inlet, Gabo Island, Bemm River and extensions to the existing Ninety Mile Beach marine park.

Mr Ingram has called on all political parties to follow his lead and reject the proposal.

“The original Marine Park legislation passed in 2002 was sold by both sides of politics as a one-off and not to be repeated process, yet the ink is barely dry and the VNPA is at it again,” Mr Ingram said.

“The areas previously set aside were designed after 10 years of intense consultation and debate.

“They were designed at the time as a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine parks and reserves.

“Yet just eight years later the VNPA is staking another grab for more areas.

“Recreational anglers, tourism representatives and commercial fishing communities need to make an unequivocal and united statement and tell governments and opposition parties across the state that they do not accept these latest proposals from the VNPA.

“I believe this is just an ambit claim to wedge the major parties into supporting the rest of the VNPA’s national parks grab in the lead-up to this year’s state election and I soundly reject it,” Mr Ingram concluded.

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