Latrobe City Council wants a Victorian government agency to stop “duck-shoving” its responsibility for cleaning up the region’s urban river banks, which are becoming local “eyesores”.
Latrobe City wants the state government to come up with the funding and approval for the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority to develop a standard of appearance and maintenance program for Waterhole, Narracan, Traralgon and Eel Hole Creeks.
The call was in response to repeated complaints from local residents fed-up with the volume of rubbish, dumped bikes, and even garden refuse that is sprouting weeds in these creeks.
Cr Graeme Middlemiss said he had calls from locals telling him they had counted 30 dumped shopping trolleys in Waterhole Creek in Morwell.
“We are getting more and more complaints from ratepayers who are saying these areas are becoming an eyesore. In places they are terrible, it’s time to improve them,” Cr Middlemiss said.
“The appearance standard is well below what we should expect of our urban areas.”
Council has no jurisdiction between creek banks, which is why it has called on the WGCMA to step in and fish garbage out of these waterways, and to work with Latrobe and local community groups.
Cr Sharon Gibson backed the call for the State Government to fund a regular maintenance program.
“They are duck-shoving the issue. At the moment they don’t have to do it because the legislation doesn’t address the issue,” Cr Gibson said.
“This is what our people expect of us and the government. We are calling on the government to change this legislation so there is no more duck-shovelling.”
Water Minister Lisa Neville said urban waterway management was a shared responsibility between the CMA and Latrobe City Council.
There is a memorandum of understanding between the WGCMA and Latrobe for Traralgon Creek. Works had been done to reduce flooding and restore river health, including revegetation and building fishing platforms.
The CMA has also worked with the community to create and implement a Waterhole Creek Management Plan.
“I have directed my department to speak to the West Gippsland CMA about this issue to ensure they continue to work constructively with Latrobe City Council and deliver healthier urban waterways for the communities of Morwell, Moe, Traralgon and Churchill,” Ms Neville said.
