The chair of Peri Urban Councils Victoria says he pleased there's a fresh government and parliamentary focus on examining the impacts of urban sprawl on the state's farming sector.
Baw Baw Shire's Michael Leaney said a new parliamentary inquiry came at the same time as the Victorian government began a "root and branch" review of the state's planning policies.
The Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee is inquiring into securing Victoria's food supply and expected to report back to the government by the end of next year.
Chaired by Wendouree Labor MP Juliana Addison, the inquiry is expected to examine the impacts of urban sprawl and population growth on arable land and the farming industry in Victoria.
And while Cr Leaney said while he was not yet fully up to date with what the inquiry was about, it appeared to compliment a significant level of government interest over future planning policy.
Consultation on what he said was called Plan Victoria began about a month ago.
"'It is basically a root and branch look at planning in Victoria, with the aim of having one overriding policy document," Cr Leaney said.
"That has started and will run through 2024 - we have had a number of round table meetings with (Planning Minister) Sonya Kilkenny and the department."
The protection of agricultural land was a key element of the discussions - "given that all the peri-urban councils around Melbourne and Geelong are primarily food bowls, whether that be market gardens, dairy or smaller scale hydroponic operations."
The five PUCV councils are responsible for $888 million in agricultural products a year, and supply 41 per cent of Melbourne's food needs, including 80pc of its vegetables.
Cr Leaney said he hoped the findings of the parliamentary inquiry would highlight the importance of protecting agriculture
"The protection of the right to farm and agricultural land is certainly high on the radar and has already been raised by the peri-urban councils," he said.
"Around the fringe of Melbourne you have probably got 10 councils directly affected by the urban sprawl that encroaches into farmland."
Cr Leaney said he didn't know how governments could stop land prices from rising to the point where it became unviable to farm.
"There is going to have to be some kind of mechanism - what that is I have no idea - but there has to be some form of mechanism in order to encourage people to keep these farms going," he said.
"Food miles" - how far produce had to travel before reaching consumers - would also need to be addressed, he said.
"We know a lot of produce literally travels for kilometres to get where it's needed - I know a lot of stuff we buy in our hotel (the Star, Walhalla) comes from Lindenow, it goes to Epping and then back to us.
"It's literally going on a holiday."
Council backing
And while the parliamentary inquiry has been met with some scepticism, by planners and producers but other Victorian councils were generally open to the idea.
Mornington Peninsula mayor Simon Brooks said council welcomed the inquiry and its focus on how high value arable land was being impacted by urban sprawl and population growth.
"Our Green Wedge farmland is under constant pressure due to high land values and population growth, along with other factors," Cr Brooks said.
Cr Brooks said the council keenly awaited the results of the inquiry and the release of the Victorian government's Strategic Agricultural Land Review.
"The other value of our Green Wedge is that of biodiversity and natural systems protection," he said.
"As we enter unchartered waters in terms of climate change and the decline of biodiversity and natural systems, this needs to be factored into a truly sustainable agricultural sector.
"What may not be considered 'arable land' is often because of poor land management practices and indeed can be improved through regenerative measures for either agriculture, natural systems restoration or both."
Macedon Ranges shire chief executive Bernie O'Sullivan said council was aware of the inquiry and would consider making a submission, when it opened.
"Council strives to find the right balance between sustainable rural land use, protecting farm land for food supply and enabling sufficient future population growth, through the planning processes under our control." Mr O'Sullivan said.
Yarra Ranges Council welcomed the inquiry into securing the Victorian food supply, with a spokesman saying it looked forward to the opportunity to provide a submission.
A spokesman for Cardinia Shire said the local authority had not yet been contacted by representatives of the inquiry.
"There's not much information available on it at this stage," he said.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
