Borough’s climate plan under scrutiny

THE Borough of Queenscliffe will undertake a review of its Climate Emergency Response Plan (CERP), as the council seeks to better understand the document’s “financial and practical” implications.

The notice of motion, put forward by deputy mayor Brendan Monahan and passed 4-1 at last week’s council meeting, calls for a “comprehensive” review of the climate action plan, including an evaluation of its “tangible benefits” to the community and a breakdown of all associated costs.

On Wednesday last week, Cr Monahan said the council should be across all significant projects because it is “accountable” for the expenditure.

“Managing and protecting our environment is a priority for us all. This motion just seeks clarity on what we are investing and what we have invested and how we can evaluate the program,” he said.

Cr Isabelle Tolhurst opposed the motion, despite broadly supporting a review of the CERP, over concerns the process would promote cost cutting measures rather than meaningful progress on climate change.

She questioned the motion’s timing, ahead of the finalisation of the borough’s 2025-26 budget, and the lack of clarity on how the community benefits of the CERP, as well as its return on investment, will be measured.

“There is nothing wrong with review – everyone wants programs, policies and plans to run effectively. In fact, the CERP clearly states that monitoring, evaluation and reporting to the community on this plan will be crucial to its success,” she said.

“But I’m not comfortable with the process and I’m disappointed that councillors haven’t had a role in forming this.”

She also took the opportunity to push back against the suggestion, outlined by Cr Monahan in his motion, that the CERP evolved “with limited community awareness of its existence” and the subsequent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) developed with Queenscliffe Climate Action Now (QCAN) “resulted in implications” for the borough’s “financial priorities and operational focus”.

“Firstly, the MoU is not currently active. Secondly, it didn’t and does not propose to have financial implications for the borough. It very specifically said that decision-making around this matter rests with council and that both parties will be responsible for managing their own finances,” Cr Tolhurst said.

“To say that the CERP emerged with limited community awareness of its existence is just rubbish. Two thousand, one hundred and forty-five people from the municipal community signed a petition to declare an emergency and trigger the CERP’s creation and another 420 participated in surveys, workshops and meetings to support its development.”

In response, mayor Di Rule said the review was about gathering facts, “not about denying or dismissing climate change”.

“We all know we’re sailing close to the wind financially and, as my mother always said, you can only spend it once,” she said.

“I don’t want to be part of a ‘ticking the box’ exercise. I don’t want to try to do the work of the state or federal government — they’re already asking us to do far too much with less and less. And I don’t want to be doing something just because it looks good.”

The CERP, developed in partnership with QCAN to guide both council and community action, was finalised in 2021 after the borough declared a climate emergency in December 2019.

The review will be presented to council in August.