Video by Colleen Hughson

The Victorian planning minister, Richard Wynne, has written to the Warrnambool City Council to request it change its planning scheme to allow the return of commercial horse training at Levys Beach. The letter states “I am writing to advise your council that I recently received correspondence from Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria and the Warrnambool Racing Club requesting that I expedite an amendment to the Warrnambool Planning Scheme to remove the land use planning prohibition on animal/racehorse training in the public conservation and resource zone at Levys Beach in Warrnambool,”

A Warrnambool City Council meeting on 26th October resolved that it was responsible for managing the coastal reserve and that included environmental protection, therefor they would not take any action in relation to allowing commercial training at Levys Beach. Following the letter, WCC has called for an extraordinary meeting, at 5.00pm on the Friday before Christmas, to allow the implementation of the “Belfast Coastal Management Plan”, which would allow commercial racehorse training. Please voice your concern that a state minister, influenced by the racing industry, can interfere and overturn local community decisions and allow the destruction of local natural assets. 

Warrnambool Standard article 18th December