council submissions - container deposits & timber release plan

report from the roundtable - 24 apr

As part of council's committment to open and transparent governance we have started to report back via our formal meeting process submissions we have made.

This time round submissions for noting included our submission to:

1. The Standing Council on Environment and Water regarding Packaging Impacts Consultation Regulation Impact Statement
2. VicForests on proposed changes to the 2011-2016 timber release plan.

The first submission highlighted the benefits to Yarra Ranges Council of a Container Deposit Scheme to reduce waste to landfill and the associated costs to council. Yarra Ranges Council has long supported the concept of a Container Deposit Scheme as a way to reduce litter in the environment, reduce the cost of waste management, provide opportunities for community groups to raise income, better reuse resources, increase recycling rates and decrease waste to landfill.

The second submission (to VicForests) highlighted council's concerns, previously detailed in our submission last year (click here for details). They include issues around logging in water catchments, impacts on local tourism and economy, impacts on the environment, quality of ecological assessments, retention of habitat trees, protection of threatened species habitat and regeneration of logged coupes. It is worth noting no changes were made in relation to any submissions made by stakeholders last time round, I suspect it will be the same outcome this time round.

If you'd like to look at either of council's submissions click here for a copy.