JUST when the community thought troubled waters had calmed around new rules for Hopkins River users, the state’s watchdog Transport Safety Victoria (TSV) has triggered another potential storm.
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The authority has instructed the city council to re-advertise amended waterway rules only four months after councillors gave them the green light.
And if there are any community submissions the council must again consider them before preparing a final request to TSV to change the rules.
It’s the latest chapter in a long and controversial saga which started in 2009 when the water-ski club applied for an extension to the ski zone, triggering objections from fishing and rowing enthusiasts.
The issue has been to the council table at least three times and twice to community consultation in a tussle between user groups and TSV, which introduced new zones and speed limits in June last year after finding the previous rules were illegal.
A recommendation to allow power boats and skiers to use a special-use zone from 8am, rather than TSV’s recommended 9.30am, was approved by the council in July this year after four months of contentious debate by a users’ reference group.
But on Monday night councillors were told the director of marine safety with TSV wanted the proposed change to be advertised for a month.
Then the council must again consider another report, take another vote and again send it off for TSV approval before the issue can finally be laid to rest.
Cr Rob Askew said it would be a duplication of time and effort.
“I thought we had it done and dusted,” he told Monday night’s council meeting.
Councillors Peter Hulin and Brian Kelson asked why an option of allowing river users to use the special zone on alternate days had not been adopted.
City infrastructure Peter Robertson replied that option had been discussed and outvoted by reference group members.
“Each member of the reference group had opportunity to share their ideas,” he said.
