Some new updates
It’s been quiet on the western front for almost a couple of weeks now. We’ve been watching the SurfCoast Shire site and council meetings agendas for any activity and haven’t seen any so far. (Edit: Thanks to bedigonudey for noting “Minutes of Tourism Board meeting of 19th July are included in the Surf Coast agenda (page 46 +). They mention that the Council has sought support from Great Ocean Road Coast Committee for revocation of legal status of one of the beaches, but there is no indication that this was discussed by the Tourism Board.”)
In the interim, we’ve started to post the sample letters that may be handy if you want to craft your own letters to the various parties and want some ideas to work with. We do urge you to not simply copy these letters, but write your own and show why you want to keep our clothing-optional beaches the way they are.
We’ve also added an addresses page, with all the contact details you might need to start sending those letters. Again, please respect the individuals involved, and make sure you have your facts straight before sending any correspondence. We want our message to be clear and consistent:
- nudists using our clothing optional beaches are not the problem - nudists behave to a higher standard code of conduct, and in fact make the areas involved safer for everyone
- revoking the status of the beaches will not change the activities occuring off the beaches, in the toilets and the carparks - but better parking, lighting, and facilities will help the situation immensely
- naturism is tourism - when you have beaches attracting local, interstate and overseas visitors (particularly from Europe, where such a lifestyle is commonplace), attracting crowds will reduce inappropriate behaviour (since perverts hate crowds)
- Nudists/naturists are not any different to anyone else and have a right to a safe environment to pursue their interests just like any other community group. Not being “mainstream” does not preclude that right, and certainly does not give just cause for the community to not be involved in the process
- Predators hate attention - since the council’s present “safety” as their main platform on this issue, the only logical conculsion is that council should really be discussing ways to improve the facilities to increase nudist attendance (and tourist dollars) to these areas.
Nudists are a loyal, protective bunch - we hate undesireable and inappropriate behaviour more than regular beach users, not just because it is unacceptable but because it affects our image in the eyes of the public. We have higher standards of behaviour because we are making ourselves more vulnerable every time we take our culturally protective clothing off.
But most importantly, the councils cannot ignore the fact that the nudist community does exist within their domain of responsibility - we are not a new phenomenon, the beaches have legally been in use for over 20 years, probably longer than that beforehand. As a community group, we are entitled to the same due care and consideration as any other community group supported within the Shire. Anything less than that would be discriminatory.
We want to work with the councils to make the beaches better places to be, for nudists and textile users alike. What’s wrong with being known as the nudist capital of Victoria (or Australia)? People in this community are willing to travel for quality facilities (just ask the White Cockatoo resort, almost 2000kms north of Brisbane!!). The international tourists (particularly from Europe) will be here in droves. They’ll get more tourist dollars into the Shire coffers, and beach users will get a safer, more enjoyable experience in the community.
We encourage open discussion, and welcome anyone from the Shire to discuss the issues with us directly. We’d even welcome meeting actually on the beaches (although it is cold at the moment - we might be nudists, but we’d be happy to have that meeting clothed, we’re not idiots!!).
Sunday, August 13th 2006 at 2:14 pm
I think this sums the situation up ptretty well for Pt Impossible / Southside.
It is important that all those thinking about writing letters actually start doing it and sending them.
The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee\’s next meeting is on August 18th - if they support the application by Surf Coast Shire, there will be pressure on Minister Hulls to make a decision. If he understands that it will be a controversial move, perhaps it might be put off until after the State election, which might let us keep it for this summer, to prove that the identified problems can be fixed / managed better.
Re the Surf Coast Shire Councillor details - we know how those present at the meeting voted, but two councillors were apologies for the meeting, (I will check which ones), so we don\’t know how they stand on the issue - their views could be interesting - if they were both against the motion passed, it would split Council 5/4 on the issue, which might discourage Minister Hulls from acting too quickly.
Sunday, August 13th 2006 at 2:18 pm
Crs Dean Webster & Rose Hodge were apologies at the Surf Coast Shire meeting on 18th July.
There is a Council meeting on Tuesday 15th Aug - the Agenda is on the Surf Coast website, but I don\’t have time to check it at the moment.
http://www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au
(Edit by Webmaster: Checked the agenda and could see no reference to the beach issue in the 155 or so pages! Topics were mostly infrastructure based)
Sunday, August 13th 2006 at 7:37 pm
Minutes of Tourism Board meeting of 19th July are included in the Surf Coast agenda (page 46 +).
They mention that the Council has sought support from Great Ocean Road Coast Committee for revocation of legal status of one of the beaches, but there is no indication that this was discussed by the Tourism Board.
There does not appear to be any other discussion scheduled - unless some of our supporters around Torquay are prepared to front-up to the meeting to ask a question!
(Edit by Webmaster: If anyone does want to front up to the meeting, it is important to note that there is a process for getting your questions registered. You need to complete this form (http://www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/Council/Documents/Public_Question_Time.pdf) in order to participate in question time)
Tuesday, August 15th 2006 at 10:50 pm
(Edit by Webmaster: Great idea, moving it out to its own listing on the front page, great work and great support!!
This may be worthy of taking out of \”comments\” and giving it a separate listing. I sense that with some urgent action, we may actually save Pt Impossible (if so, we should petition for it to be renamed \”Pt Bloody-near-impossible\” in memory of the freedom struggle of 2006!)
I know a lot of you have been doing heaps to try to save Pt Impossible, but with a bit more effort, I get a sense that we might even win.
But it\’s not time to pop the Champagne corks yet!
My sources indicate that the two councillors absent from the Council meeting on 18th July WOULD NOT have supported the motion requesting the revocation of the legal nude bathing area at Point Impossible.
This would mean Council is actually divided 5/4 on the issue, rather than the 5/2 by which the motion was passed.
URGENT:
If you haven\’t already done so, please send an email to the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee who will be considering whether to support the Council motion at their meeting THIS FRIDAY 18th August.
Relevant email address at their website:
http://www.gorcc.com.au
Follow this up with messages to Minister Hulls, and emails of support for Councillors Mears, Davidson, Webster and Hodge at SurfCoast Shire.
http://www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au
Who knows, if we impress the Minister enough, he may let us keep Campbell\’s Cove!