By Kath Gannaway
AS business groups mount a campaign aimed at putting pressure on Yarra Ranges Council to back down on their ethical paper pledge, councillors stood firm last week saying the pledge stays.
The council decision to sign the Wilderness Society’s pledge which boycotts Reflex brand paper prompted the State Government to withdraw from discussions aimed at relocating the VicForest’ Melbourne and Healesville offices to Yarra Glen.
The Minister for Agriculture, Peter Walsh, was last week also standing firm saying the proposal to relocate the VicForests office to anywhere in Yarra Ranges was off the table while the council maintained its pledge policy.
The issue is shaping up as a political bunfight with councillors accusing the State Government of interfering in council business and Mr Walsh making the observation that council elections are less than 18 months away.
Councillor Samantha Dunn, a Greens’ candidate at the last State Election, moved the EPP motion.
Cr Dunn said councillors were aware of the proposal to relocate the VicForests office but said council’s support for the EPP and the VicForests’ proposal were two different issues.
“I don’t think they should link the two issues, and I don’t think they should be trying to interfere in what is a resolution of council. I see that as interference in local democracy,” Cr Dunn said.
Mayor Terry Avery rejected the suggestion the council had been backed into a corner saying the council was not standing in the way of the VicForests relocation and it was up to the State Government to answer to the Yarra Glen community about the potential impact.
Councillor Jeanette McRae, ward councillor for Yarra Glen said the State Government’s intervention was inappropriate.
“It’s presumptuous of the State Government to tie the two issues together and the fact that they are attempting to intervene in a democratically made council decision is really disturbing,” she said.
Local Liberal MPs have sprung to Mr Walsh’s defence, saying it is council who should be answering to Yarra Glen.
Cindy McLeish, Member for Seymour whose area covers Yarra Glen, and Christine Fyffe, Member for Evelyn, also in Yarra Ranges shire said the EPP decision meant the loss of valuable jobs to a struggling township.
“The Victorian Government is not punishing the people of Yarra Glen,” Ms Fyffe said adding that the council left the minister no choice.
“It’s not possible for VicForests to operate their head office within a shire whose beliefs are so strongly opposed to VicForests’ core business,” she said.
Ms McLeish said she had been advocating for the Yarra Glen community but that the EPP decision reflected a lack of support for the timber industry.
“If you have two or three municipalities vying for the project, and one is much more supportive, where are you going to locate your business,” she said.
“This was something that was going to be able to happen very quickly and to have a decision that basically says we don’t support that industry, I guess the council can’t have it both ways,” Ms McLeish said.
Mr Walsh had the final say.
“Let the voters of Yarra Ranges make their decision next November (2012),” he said.
A public meeting will be held in Yarra Glen on Monday, 4 July at the Uniting Church Hall at 7.30pm aimed at getting council to reverse its EPP decision.
