Environmental Justice Australia and the Yarra Riverkeepers Association have rapidly charted a strong course, setting the direction for the proposed Yarra River Protecetion Act.

Late in 2015 government established a Ministerial Advisory Committee to develop detailed advice for a Yarra River Protection Act and trust, as well as a wider Reference Group. Environmental Justice Australia are on the Reference Group, providing an environmental legal perspective. The Yarra Riverkeepers Association is also part of the group in their role as champions of the Yarra.

In January this year, the government announced new interim planning controls for protection of the Yarra River corridor.

Environmental Justice Australia and the Yarra Riverkeepers Association worked together to establish our own working group of community groups and other organisations involved or interested in the Yarra. The role of this group is to develop ideas and proposals for the new Yarra Act.

So far, we’ve held two successful workshops, informed by an issues paper and an options paper. This has helped to identify issues as the community sees them, as well as devising potential solutions to address them.

We’ll keep you posted about the next stages of this important process.