Boarding pass: Applications open to sit on board of new Great Ocean Road authority

APPLICATIONS have opened for board positions for the new Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCPA).

On Monday this week, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio invited applications for the board and committed to strong representation of local Traditional Owner groups.

The authority will care for and protect public land along the length of the road, including areas of national park with Parks Victoria, and will be the largest provider of visitor accommodation in the region.

The board will have up to 12 members and include an independent chair, a nominee of each recognised Traditional Owner group in the region, and independent, skill-based board members.

Suitably skilled local community members have been encouraged to apply before the August 2 deadline.

According to an email sent out to stakeholders by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, relevant skills include:

• Substantial experience of public administration or governance
• Skills and experience in financial management
• Skills and experience in environmental conservation
• Land-use planning and landscape architecture
• Marine and coastal environmental science
• Natural resource management
• Cultural and heritage values management
• Travel, tourism, hospitality and leisure
• Finance management and investment facilitation
• Construction management, and
• Community engagement.

“We’re making sure the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority has the right skills and expertise to manage and protect our iconic Great Ocean Road,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“A healthy coast and parks right along the Great Ocean Road are vital for local communities, supporting local jobs and growth.”

In the months leading up to GORCPA’s establishment, a community group and a local MP criticised how representative the new authority and its decisions would be.

The Aireys Inlet and District Association questioned the planning-heavy credentials of the Great Ocean Road Region Standing Advisory Committee. which will provide independent advice to the state government.

Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party MP Stuart Grimley also called for half of the seats on GORCPA’s board to be reserved for community members and business owners who live in municipalities along the Great Ocean Road.

Last month, South Barwon Labor MP Darren Cheeseman said he was “glad” GORCPA’s board “will be made up of a diverse range of skills and talents to represent the multi-faceted Surf Coast community”.

The authority will have its headquarters in Torquay, district offices in Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, and operational bases in other coastal towns along the road.

To apply, head to getonboard.vic.gov.au.