2016-04-13
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — In the last few weeks I was saddened to hear of the deaths of two special people who led very different lives but who played pivotal if unexpected roles in the campaign against channel deepening led by the Blue Wedges Coalition, where I came to know them both.
From his many years as the port of Hastings harbourmaster Frank Hart knew so much about the complexities of the shipping industry, channel design and the risks associated with moving ever bigger ships through the shallow waters of Port Phillip Bay. From there grew our appreciation of the questionable economic justifications for the project — why risk so much for so little? Frank was an expert in the true sense. He was not paid for his opinion; he gave it freely. During the channel deepening environment effects statement and supplementary environment effects statement hearings Frank travelled to the city to hear weeks of the port of Melbourne's submissions and spent hundreds of hours preparing his own. No doubt his evidence contributed to the highly credentialed 2004 panel recommending that the project should not proceed.
Trevor Buck joined the Blue Wedges Coalition campaign in its early years and was a stalwart in organising rallies, boating flotillas and the West Gate Bridge car and boat cavalcade. Trevor and his fishing friends forged a vital link between more traditional environmentalists and the fishing fraternity, helping to create a true coalition of the diverse interests that care for our bays. He understood that what we do to the land ends up in the sea and that we must smarten up our act for the sake of our waterways. Trevor served on the board of VRFish and also served blue wedges as treasurer. An artificial reef will be called Rev's Reef in his memory.
Both Trevor and Frank devoted so much of themselves to the protection of the irreplaceable asset we have in Port Phillip Bay. I extend my condolences to the families and friends of Frank Hart and Trevor Buck.