Resilience is one approach to management. All forms of management require that stakeholders take action to alter the system or promote and sustain aspects deemed to be advantageous. Stakeholders in the Port Phillip Bay system are identifies in Table 8.
Below: Table 8: Range of stakeholders in Port Phillip Bay (DSE, 2007)
|
Local, State, Territory and Commonwealth Governments, Agencies and Authorities |
Community and Special-Interest Groups |
|
Financial Institutions |
Scientists and Academics |
|
Victorian Gas, Electricity and Water users |
Tourism, Sport and Recreation groups |
|
Trade and Employer Organisations and Unions |
Media Organisations |
|
Local, national and international business organisations |
Commercial and Recreational Fishing and Aquaculture Sectors |
|
Transport Industry |
Surveying and Planning Organisations |
|
Food and Agricultural Industries |
Forest and Timber Industries |
|
Environmental Groups |
Home Owners |
|
Land and Water Managers, Planners and Developers |
Building Industry and Real-Estate Organisations |
Conflicts and disagreements always occur as different values are placed on the system resources and services by stakeholders. The task of managers is to reconcile the views and to take a more holistic view of the system. A balance must be struck between the desires of one interest group and another. Pushing the system too far in one direction to maximise the benefits for one set of stakeholders may result in a threshold being crossed and a system state shift. Table 9 highlights some of the areas of conflict that stakeholders have over the management and future of Port Phillip Bay.
Below: Table 9: Areas of conflict over Port Phillip Bay with stakeholders and reasons (Harris et al., 1996; DSE, 2002; Blue Wedges, 2009; Port of Melbourne Corporation, 2009; Victoria Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 2002)
|
Area of Conflict |
Stakeholder |
Reason |
|
Port Expansion |
Environmental Groups (Blue Wedges, Southern Victoria Community Action Group, Marvellous Melbourne) |
Increased turbidity, toxic spills, disruption to habitat zones, migration patterns |
|
Residents and Businesses |
Relocations |
|
|
Noise and disruption |
||
|
Shipping traffic creates problems for water based tourism |
||
|
Businesses |
Expansion, good for economy |
|
|
Government |
Some departments want expansion, others do not (EPA) |
|
|
Dredging |
Environmental Groups (Blue Wedges, EPA) |
Increased turbidity, loss of aesthetic values |
|
Government, Businesses and Port of Melbourne Corporation |
Want bigger and more ships do dock for expanding goods and services. |
|
|
Marina Construction |
Businesses and locals want it |
Increases land value |
|
Need place for their boats |
||
|
Environmental Organisations (Blue Wedges, Association of Bayside Municipalities, Reef Watch Victoria etc.) |
Disruption to habitat zones, migration patterns of biota |
|
|
Increases boat disturbance – spills, turbidity etc. |
All territory and therefore resources are controlled and governed by sets of rights holders. Managers cannot interfere with components and systems that are outside their jurisdiction. Port Phillip Bay is a large system and has a number of right issues attached.
Water and sea bed from high water mark to a 3 mile nautical limit belong to the Crown under the jurisdiction of the Victorian government. The rest of the coastal land is owned by the respective Victorian Councils.
If the land is public, legislation will determine its status and may have a manager designated to it by the Minister for Marine Conservation and the Environment. Issues arise here between national policies and system orientated management decision which will not be easily reconciled.
Private land is governed under the Planning and Environment Act, 1987. Local councils act as planning authorities and have jurisdiction over:
- National Parks and other designated park areas (National Parks Act, 1975)
- Crown land that is ‘reserved’ for a purpose (Crown Land (Reserves) Act, 1987)
- Designated ‘unreserved’ Crown Land (Land Act, 195)
Any unreserved Crown land is managed directly by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) of which Port Phillip Bay is bound by. Large areas of overlap exist between Port Phillip institutions which can fulfil both planning and regulatory roles.
Below: Table 10: Planning and regulatory bodies
|
Planner |
State Government |
Victorian Coastal Council |
|
Environment Conservation Council |
||
|
Fisheries Co-management Council |
||
|
Catchment and Land Protection Council |
||
|
DSE |
||
|
EPA |
||
|
Department of Infrastructure |
||
|
Regional Government |
Central Coastal Board |
|
|
Port Phillip Catchment and Land Protection Board |
||
|
Parks Victoria |
||
|
Local Government |
Municipal Council |
|
|
Committee of Management |
||
|
Parks Victoria |
||
|
Regulator |
State Government |
DSE |
|
EPA |
||
|
Marine Board |
||
|
Parks Victoria |
||
|
Heritage Victoria |
||
|
Victorian Channels Authority |
||
|
Local Government |
Municipal Councils |
The activities that state agencies regulate are shown in Table 11. To effectively manage a system the balance of influence and the legislative issues must be understood. The relationships between stakeholders can help or hinder management decisions. Without the correct access rights and permissions, management strategies are doomed to fail.
Below: Table 11: Government agencies and their regulatory commitments
|
Government Agency |
Regulated Activities |
|
|
DSE |
Use and development of coastal crown land |
|
|
Protection of rare and threatened flora and fauna |
||
|
Aquaculture |
||
|
Commercial Fishing |
||
|
Mineral exploration and exploitation |
||
|
Dredging and spoil disposal |
||
|
Victoria Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Licensing of waste disposal |
|
|
water quality |
||
|
Oil pollution |
||
|
Marine Board of Victoria |
Marine navigation and recreational boat activities |
|
|
Parks Victoria |
Port works and facilities in Port Phillip Bay |
|
|
recreational uses of water |
||
|
Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) |
Management and operation of the port of Melbourne |
|
|
Victorian Channels Authority |
Management and operation of the port Phillip Bay shipping channels |
|
|
Heritage Victoria |
Shipwrecks and maritime heritage |
|
|
Municipal Councils |
Planning and approving buildings, waste disposal, regulations and by-laws affecting development of coastal shores |
Previous: Stable States and Thresholds
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