A total of 51 submissions were received by MidCoast Council after council sought feedback on its draft Climate Change Strategy and draft Climate Change Policy.
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In response to the submissions, council made some amendments to the documents, which were tabled at the MidCoast Council ordinary meeting on Wednesday, June 30 with the recommendation that the Climate Change Policy and Strategy be adopted.
Only three of the 51 submissions were against the strategy and policy, as they did not believe in the science that says climate change is human-induced.
Cr Peter Epov said that suggested 94 per cent of people approved of council's policy and wanted action taken.
Cr Brad Christensen disputed Cr Epov's statement, saying he had "spoken to well over 50 people who are against this strategy.
"I'm totally 100 per cent behind solar energy and we should be doing that.
"But we make a joke of ourselves by declaring this a climate emergency.
"If we can put a strategy in place, that's great."
Cr Christensen went on to say council is becoming a laughing stock.
"For people to say things are changing, they are seriously kidding themselves.
"The main thing for us at the moment is the infrastructure and roads and bridges. That's where we should be spending our energy," he said.
Deputy mayor Cr Claire Pontin counteracted Cr Christensen by saying council were not declaring a climate emergency.
"We did that some time ago. This is a plan for the future. This will save us money," she said.
Cr Pontin and others expressed disappointment that there was nothing in council's budget for the Climate Change strategy moving forward.
Cr Peter Epov said he hopes the new council elected in September can address the funding needed to take actions that are in the strategy.
"We have the momentum, we have the public support, it's really important that we feed it so we can achieve positive outcomes," he said.
Council voted to adopt the Climate Change Policy and the Climate Change Strategy, with the exception of Cr Christensen who voted against.
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
