Greens MPs in Victoria

Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber has called for action on dead carp fouling drying lakes.

"As shallow lakes dry out, we are starting to see a mass die-off of carp because the Victorian government hasn't taken any action since the last time it happened.  In fact, they have made cuts to environmental management staff."

Greens MP and spokesperson on channel deepening, Sue Pennicuik MLC, said the Victorian Auditor General's report: Port of Melbourne Channel Deepening Project: Achievement of Objectives tabled in state parliament yesterday confirms many of the questions that critics have raised about channel deepening since its inception.

"The report released by the Auditor General today concluded that the due to the GFC, the Port will need to review the assumptions underpinning the long term 'benefits' of channel deepening", Ms Pennicuik said. "Many economists and others questioned those assumptions (encapsulated in the graph on p30, of the Report) from the start.”

Hon. D. M. DAVIS (Minister for Health) -- I move:

That, with reference to the Department of Planning and Community Development's report, 2011-12, and a commitment to cut red tape in planning, this house requires the Environment and Planning Legislation Committee to inquire into, consider and report on reform of the application of the regulatory impact statement (RIS) process and in particular:

(1) regulatory impact assessment models;

(2) business impact assessment models;

(3) possible legislative reform;

(4) economic modelling and methodology application including:

(a) discount rates; and

(b) consultant costs;

(5) regulatory impacts of the RIS process; and

(6) the annual cost to government of RIS processes;

and the committee is required to present its final report no later than 29 November 2013.

[Mr DAVIS and Mr VINEY spoke on the motion]

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- The Greens will support the motion, but I have some comments to make about it. We will also support the amendment moved by Mr Viney.

Here we are again discussing motions referring matters to committees. Over the past two years very few references have gone to the committees. It has been a pretty rare event. References moved by the Greens to refer particular bills to the legislation committees have not been accepted.

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- I would like to congratulate Mr Neil Blake on winning the Dame Phyllis Frost Clean Beaches award. Neil Blake is the Port Phillip baykeeper and the director of the Port Phillip EcoCentre. He has been a major organiser and a participant in the 2011 clean beaches initiative put forward by the Port Phillip Clean Beach Coalition to clean up the beaches in the Port Phillip municipality.

Neil has been involved for many years in community-based projects and programs around the city of Port Phillip. He is a worthy recipient of that award, and I congratulate him on that. I also congratulate the Port Phillip EcoCentre on its adoption of a new strategic plan at its annual general meeting of 2 September, which I attended.