Warren Saunders Response to Questionnaire

To control the serious feral animal problem and stock on grazing leases that are damaging our forests, national parks and water catchments?

State and Territory governments are finding the obligation of managing this land expensive, whereas the stockmen’s largely voluntary contribution to creating, nurturing the conservation essence in what the government fails to maintain government land which leads to the irresponsibility of government to manage the land like allowing blackberry infestation to flourish on public land, which allow feral animals like wild dogs, pigs, cats, rabbits and foxes to harbour especially in creeks and gullies that also act as wicks to spread fire front along. Which the stockmen with their cattle maintained the height of the crass, managing fuel loads, hence suppressing bushfire, especially in gullies which use to act as fire safe havens for plants and animals during fire and feed animals after the fire. Stockmen and their cattle also perform weeding and wild dog eradication, especially if they are messing with their stock. Suppression of rabbits as if there is less grass, rabbits will breed less, pigs, cats etc. Water catchment care and maintenance as they have a vested interest in performing this function for a clean water source for themselves, their stock and horses, also encouraging native species proliferation and thrive rather than being overgrown by bracken and the up keep of safety huts.

The issue of grazing and fire mitigation is one of the most studied land management areas, there has been report after report,” and where still back and forth, well if you have to much vegetation, fuel load and then when there is a bushfire, forget about the argument of the damage the stock does compared to a raging bush fire, it’s insignificant in comparison.

Past and Present mining activities from offshore oil and gas extraction and open – cut coal mines has significantly subsided land and lowered groundwater levels in Gippsland.

Victoria’s mining laws do not give adequate protection to the environment, to sensitive land uses, or to the communities who stand to be adversely affected. There is no requirement to consider or avoid the greenhouse impacts of mining projects.

Exploration licences should not be granted in a ‘no go’ zone, or anywhere else where the impacts of mining on the environment and community would be clearly unacceptable.

Currently the planning system does very little to protect competing uses from mining, and is inherently restricted by its reactive and piecemeal nature.

As for coal seam gas mining licences

Right from the start my policy is a Total Ban on coal seam gas fracking and has been stated many time in the media and throughout the campaign. “It only makes sense since Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand have gone down the path of CSG Fracking, when those areas become contaminated, Victoria will be standing well to then take over their share of suppling uncontaminated farming produce to the rest of the ever increasing world population.”

What are your plans to manage the issue of salinity and the general health of the Gippsland lakes. Well I didn’t get to this one to do any research, But generally the amount of fresh water that comes into a water course helps flush out the system, but being such a wide lake system. Some sort of reed bed filtration system etc. I don’t know without looking at all the available options it’s hard to formalise an answer at this time in a response.

What are your policies to improve public transport within Gippsland South region as well as between Gippsland South and Melbourne. Again I haven’t had the time to do any research. But you would first identify the demand and then the most cost effective solution that the community as a whole is supportive. Being aware if you as a community want an over the top solution here you might have to give something up in another area of the community if there is not the funding. It’s all about balancing the needs of the community with the available funding.

Regards

Warren Sanders

Independent Candidate For Gippsland South

By-election 2015

Ph 0429 610 310

143 Gibsons Road Sale Vic 3850