What future do we want for Western Port as it faces the threat of major impacts if chosen as the site of Victoria’s second container port?
To help answer that question, VNPA, The Australian National University and Preserve Western Port Action Group, with the support of Bass Coast Shire Council, held a five-day ‘scenario planning workshop’ with 75 people representing 40 organisations in 2015.
The workshop developed four scenarios that could be used to guide regional development and community-based natural resource management:
WesternFreePort: The economy has continued to expand and conventional economic development policies are used to encourage economic growth with little concern for environmental sustainability or social equity.
The Beacon: The Port of Hastings expansion has failed but Victoria and the rest of the world have continued down the business-as-usual path. People in the region recognise the need for sustainable development.
Creative Growth: The Port of Hastings expansion has failed but smart technology and infrastructure, along with centralised planning and a strict regulatory compliance regime, are used to maintain growth while meeting the sustainability goals.
Lagom: Plans to expand the Port of Hastings were abandoned and the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals inspired a review of every aspect of sustainable living in the region. This became the blueprint for the future.
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