Petition to the Legislative Council of Victoria

This petition has been fully registered with the Legislative Council of Victoria (No 105) to establish a Parliamentary inquiry into public land management. We need at least 10,000 signature from Victorian residents who are also registered on the Victorian Electoral Roll to get this through for an inquiry to happen. (they check signature against the roll).  This has nothing to do with any political party or the up coming elections. Or even how to vote. There is not one political party even mentioned on this petition. It is about keeping your bush open for all bush users (including prospecting) About how your Bush is being looked after by Government authorities and their decision making regarding Bush use and how it is looked after.
This is what is on the petition :-
The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the need to establish a Parliamentary inquiry into public land management.

The inquiry should investigate —
(1) why the policy of changing public land into parks and reserves has failed to deliver the promised environmental improvement, economic benefits and social outcomes; and
(2) why several recommendations of the Bushfires Royal Commission and the Environment and Natural Resources Committee’s Inquiry into Public Land Management Practices on Bushfires in Victoria have not been implemented, especially those that relate to the lack of adequate fuel reduction burning; and
(3) the effects of current public land management policies on the extent and severity of bushfires, on the environment and adjoining private property.

The Committee should make recommendations to the Government, which should include the:
(1) establishment of a new public land advisory body to replace the narrow focus of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council. The new advisory body would include representation of recreational and commercial users of public land and the Country Fire Authority; and
(2) the creation of a modern management system that allows for recreational and resource use of public land whilst maintaining environmental safeguards.

As you can see there is not one political part mentioned. !!!
So please down load and print of the petition and get your family and friends to sign and post them back to the address on the bottom of the petition. We have until the 1st Sept 2019 to get them in. So please help us to help you.
wombat    

G`day Wombat, I live in south oz, so am spewing i cant sign this. But my question to you is; Wont this be too late, is`nt the Government going to receive the final veac recommendations around june/july?, i`m not 100% sure of what`s going on with all this, i hope you can enlighten us all?
I have plans to detect around the Daylesford and southern regions in the future, i am really worried that my plans will be taken away by this veac crap, if it`s taken away, spewing is a weak word to explain how i will be feeling.
And please all you Victorian`s, sign this form as soon as!!!!

Ivan n, I'm with you re south australians not being able to sign this petition. We have detected vic in the past and plan to in future too. Along with a number of our friends that are over there every 4 to 6 weeks detecting for a few days. look at how much $'s the vic small businesses will loose. I just hope that the effort of a few for a large number of recreational people who use these parks will come to some fruition. Thanks wombat and your helpers.

Hi Traveler & Ivan. Yes Ivan you are correct. VEAC will bring down their final recommendations in June or July. But then the Government will sit on it for about 4 to 6 months and will look over the the report. This is when the Legislative Council Petition kicks in, before the Government will bring down their decision. There is no use having an inquiry into the VECA report before they bring it down. But the petition is more than just VEAC. It is the whole way the bush is being treated.
Traveler, the reason only Victorians can sign is that it is dealing with Victorian issues only. It would be the same if it was a NSW or S.A issue. Only NSW or SA people can sign. We are getting the Petitions out to all the regions that have been effected in the latest Bushfires around Victoria. A few pubs in these regions already have the Petitions going. I'm heading up into these areas in a week or to to talk to the locals and let them know what is going on.
wombat

Wombat.

Is there a link to download the petition?

Off to Hawaii, back in 3 weeks.

Regards Axtyr.

Hi Axtry What is your email address mate and I'll send you the petition as a attachment
Cheers
Bill (wombat )

G`day again Wombat, just wanting to know how the petition is coming along, are u close to getting the required amount of signatures yet?

Hi Ivan, We think we may be about half way. But still have another 13 weeks before they have to be returned to BUGU and Melina Bath MP. Within that time we have the 4X4 Expo in Melb that has at least 35,000+ people attending. So we hope to get heaps of signatures then.
wombat

Thanx for letting us know that mate, hopefully the people at that expo will sight you and sign up, good luck with it all!!!

Thanks mate. Our stall will be in Hall No.1 where there are many exhibits of merchandise that attracts many a crowd. So lets hope many will sign.
wombat

Yesterday we had a bit in a victory in the Upper House of the Legislative Council. Tim Quilty put up a motions regarding bush access. Melina Bath and Jeff Bourman spoke on the motion and it was passed. This is a comment that Rita Bentley put up on BUGU
The Legislative Council debated and passed this motion by Tim Quilty this afternoon. Excellent contributions by Melina Bath and Jeff Bourman.
wombat

Well done to all involved,great effort.
Keep the fingers crossed that common sense will prevail.

cheers moredeep

That's what we want to see, finally; some pollies who actually have something in their head, besides rocks, keep it going people!!!!

VEAC have just released their final report on the Central West Forest Investigation to the Government. Not much has changed from their first proposal and findings. Even though that over 2/3 of the final submissions were against any new Parks. But we expected that from VEAC. They don't listen to anyone and only interested in pushing their own barrar. The Government has until early 2020 to make a decision. This gives BUGU and othe bush users a chance to reject their proposal and show our concerns to the Government.
wombat
Here is the link to VEAC final report and recommendations.
http://veac.vic.gov.au/investigation/central-west-investigation/reports

After rereading that paper from the Legislative Council, i first got carried away, now i realise all it is saying is; they passed a motion that their "House" recognises that the government has done such and such, that all means didly squat as far as we are concerned, and is not going to help one little bit in stopping the gov from closing us out.
I'm afraid to say, if this happens then i for one will become an illegal prospector, i don't care, nobody is going to shut me out of the one thing i look forward to doing the most, i will go to jail if needed, politicians take serious note, the people are the country, we are against these proposals as a majority, if our hand is forced, we will instill our own laws for our selves, again; we are the law unto ourselves if our rights are taken from us.

Just saw on the local WIN news tonight that several councils,[BENDIGO MARYBOROUGH,& BALLARAT and others] are pushing for UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE STATUS.
It's all about pulling in more tourist to the gold field attractions, eg sovereign hill, central Deborah mine,It's all about the mighty dollar.[one track mind councils]
They'll start complaining when it ends up like Bourke st, like the great ocean rd and the 12 apostles.
What would it mean for prospecting in Vic if it goes ahead???

CHEERS MOREDEEP

Panning in concrete pits at expensive tourist sites only.

moredeep wrote:Just saw on the local WIN news tonight that several councils,[BENDIGO MARYBOROUGH,& BALLARAT and others] are pushing for  UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE STATUS.
It's all about pulling in more tourist to the gold field attractions, eg sovereign hill, central Deborah mine,It's all about the mighty dollar.[one track mind councils]
They'll start complaining when it ends up like Bourke st, like the great ocean rd and the 12 apostles.
What would it mean for prospecting in Vic if it goes ahead???

CHEERS  MOREDEEP

Hi Moredeep and others. Up here in Maryborough the Central Goldfield Branch of the PMAV is planning to have a public meeting at the Maryborough Highland Club on Tuesday 20th starting at 7.30 to hear, and discuss with 2 of the main people that have a lot to do with this whole process of World Heritage. This will be a great opportunity to hear their plans and where they stand in relations to the towns and the goldfields in general within these regions. How it may affect us as prospectors in the future. You will hear about their time lines and where they are now and hope it be in the future within their plans. You can ask questions and voice your concerns. Here is your opportunity to get the true facts of what is really going on in regards to World Heritage.
wombat

Thanks wombat, I've pencilled it in

Very interesting meeting in Maryborough vic last night ,PMAV CENTRAL BRANCH
In regards to world heritage listing[UNESCO]
The proposed world heritage listing are mostly relating to buildings from the gold rush era ,so my fears were allayed .
Thanks to wombat for organising the night,sorry Bill; I didn't get a chance to have a chin wag,had to duck off.catch up at the rally

cheers moredeep

G'day again Wombat; Mate, just wanting to know if you hit the 10000 mark for the petition, you did mention previously that you would get a s*** load at the 4x4 rally, so how did you go?

Ivan N wrote:G'day again Wombat; Mate, just wanting to know if you hit the 10000 mark for the petition, you did mention previously that you would get a s*** load at the 4x4 rally, so how did you go?

Ivan over the 3 day of the expo our stall alone got around 2000 signatures. I said our stall because there was 2 other stalls getting signatures as well. The Nationals and the Shooter, Fishers & Farmers Party both had stalls  running the petition. At our stall we could not keep up with the demand for people to sign. And we had 8 signature boards out at once at that stage. Hitting the 10000 mark I'm not sure of. But I'm sure we would be very close or may have past it already. As we and others have been send them directly to Melina Bath MP who is the person that is presenting the petitions to the Upper House on the day of the Rally. We also got a great deal of interest in our Rally for next Tuesday in Melb. We know of at least 20 horses coming down from Barmah. Logging trucks coming in to Melb at about 4am in the morning and parking outside Parliament House. We have also booked in a guy called Roothy who lives in Qld to speak at the rally. He is the gooroo of 4 wheel drivers. He is flying down the night before. We are expecting at least a few thousand at the rally by all indications. Fingers crossed. We also have FREE buses coming in from Maryborough, Ballarat, Barmah and hopefully Bendigo and Mansfield. So if anyone is interested in the bus run please let me know.
Wombat

Great to hear all that good news Wombat, unfortunately for me, i will be with you all in spirit on that day, have been battling a resistant bug on my lungs for the last 10 weeks, i think i'm slowly getting on top of it, it is weakening, so hopefully within the next 3-4 weeks will be much better health wise, and can maybe come down to vic and get that 1000 ouncer that has my name written on it!!