Over 1500 signatures, 76 written comments and face-to-face conversations with people at local community markets say our politicians are out of step with the people.

As I speak to people, it is apparent they are in step with the petition’s message and the need for a legislated Western Port Region Strategic Management Plan.

There is almost an instant acknowledgement that we must deal with the environment from a holistic perspective and we can no longer go on trying to hem in nature just to fit in with administrative boundaries or speculative development schemes.  

Individual politicians, even though supposedly representing their electorates, are beholden to their party policy platforms and as this petition is demonstrating, the current government, the Opposition and dare I say it, the Victorian Greens are not listening.

There is still some time to go to the next state election and by whatever means at our disposal, we must convince our MPs it is in their interest to listen to the people and protect the rights of Nature. 

As one signatory said, “I have witnessed the damage being done by rapacious and largely ungoverned forces of mining, urban sprawl and its devastating effect on the region’s biodiversity.”

Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik.