Position Statements
Council's Position Statements outline Corangamite Shire Council’s official stance on key issues affecting our community, providing clear guidance for advocacy and decision-making.
Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF)
The Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) Levy is a detrimental blow to Corangamite Shire residents – a significant increase of State burden on residents already grappling with crippling drought, bushfire recovery, cost-of-living pressures, and a mental health crisis.
Read the ESVF Position Statement(PDF, 930KB)
Drought Support
Council calls on the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments to urgently re-consider the definition of a natural disaster to include drought events as part of the National Disaster Recovery and Assistance arrangements, and to declare the Corangamite Shire and the whole of the south west of Victoria in drought.
Read the Position Statement on Drought Support(PDF, 53KB)
Roads Funding
Following years of inadequate funding for maintenance, the region urgently requires significant investment in failing State roads used to support the growing tourism sector leading to and from the Shipwreck Coast and the Twelve Apostles.
Read the Position Statement on Roads Funding.(PDF, 102KB)
Climate Action
The Corangamite Community Vision 2040 emphasizes the importance of protecting natural assets, reducing negative lifestyle impacts on natural resources, and responding to climate change by reducing emissions and adapting to risks.
Read the Position Statement on Climate Action.(PDF, 938KB)
Agriculture Importance
Corangamite is a renown agricultural district producing a large percentage of Australia’s milk, as well as beef, lamb, grain, and wool. Agriculture is the single largest sector of the Corangamite economy, generating $805 million of economic output in 2020/21 (30% of total output), and accounting for 2,442 jobs (32% of total employment).
Read the Position Statement on Agriculture Importance.(PDF, 56KB)
Impact of Timber Plantations
There are community concerns that timber plantations consume valuable agricultural land, leading to job losses in food-production farming and associated industries, increased fire risk, pest and weed incursion, loss of biodiversity, and threats to national food security.
Read the Position Statement on the Impact of Timber Plantations.(PDF, 53KB)
Twelve Apostles Visitor Charging
Corangamite Shire Council supports the introduction of visitor charging at the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre. Visitor charging must, however, be underpinned by a fair and transparent revenue sharing arrangement with the host council, and by reinvestment across the Shipwreck Coast between Princetown and the Bay of Islands, being the wider precinct of the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan.
The costs associated with high visitation cannot continue to be borne disproportionately by the local community and ratepayers. Visitors who benefit from the Twelve Apostles and the wider precinct have a responsibility to contribute to the ongoing management, protection and enhancement of the region.
Visitor charging will support better management of peak visitation pressures and provide an essential and sustainable funding stream for the operation of the Visitor Experience Centre, opening later this year.
Read the position statement on Twelve Apostles Visitor Charging(PDF, 499KB)
Gas and Transition to Net Zero
While Council has limited involvement in off-shore activities, it participates in Environmental Review Committees for on-shore processing and supports renewable energy projects – production, distribution and storage – where they lead to a diversified and sustainable energy supply for the Corangamite community.
Read Council's Position Statement on Gas and Transition to Net Zero.(PDF, 46KB)
Seismic Testing
Seismic testing is crucial for identifying and mapping gas reserves, which supports energy needs and economic growth, and Council recognises community concerns about the possible impact on whales and other marine life.
Read the Position Statement on Seismic Testing.(PDF, 45KB)