Planning for Melbourne's Green Wedges and Agricultural Land Review

5 February 2021

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The Committee for Mornington Peninsula has now lodged a submission on behalf of its members to the Victorian Government review into Melbourne’s green wedges and agricultural land.

The Committee’s submission advocates for Green Wedge Zone provisions to enable the operation of viable businesses that are legitimately linked to agricultural or environmental conservation uses.

This is especially important for the Mornington Peninsula, which is one of the most significant tourism regions in Victoria and whose economy largely depends upon seasonal tourism.

 The Peninsula is famous for its world-class wineries, restaurants and cellar doors, as well as its agricultural production through micro-farms and farm gates that operate within the green wedge. It is critically important that these business operations are encouraged into the future, especially in the wake of disproportionate job losses on the Mornington Peninsula resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent survey*, 44 per cent of Mornington Peninsula businesses had lost at least 50 per cent of their revenue during the pandemic, and 23 per cent of local businesses had lost at least half of their staff. The lockdown recession resulted in an 11 per cent reduction in employment opportunities for locals as 5,900 jobs were lost. 

Now is the time to ensure that our outstanding local businesses that operate in the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge can do so with confidence as tourism bounces back, and that our first-rate local producers can continue to grow, produce and sell their products locally. 

The Committee welcomes the opportunity to provide its input to this state government review.

*Survey conducted by the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in 2020.

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