(Discussion Paper — November 2017)
The definition of a ‘steering committee’ is:
- A group made up of representatives of key organisations who are partners in the project and/or who have particular expertise to lend to the project and/or whose clients are the intended users of the output of the project. (Law and Justice Foundation of NSW)
- The aim of the Steering Committee is to ensure successful delivery of the project, including maximising the benefits from the projects and ensuring the approved project management methodology is followed .(University of Tasmania, Australia)
Generally, one can then rightly assume that persons on a ‘steering committee’ for a large project would be knowledgeable, professional and be accountable for their input and decisions made by the steering committee as a whole.
At a Bass Coast Shire Council meeting held on 15 February 2017, the council discussed the reasons why they should participate in yet another feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry. This feasibility study was to be called ‘Cowes to Stony Point Car Ferry Infrastructure Business Case Project’.
The Bass Coast Shire Council stated one of the reasons for participating was that they had previously supported the ‘feasibility study’ in their Phillip Island and San Remo Visitor Strategy 2035 (produced by EarthCheck Pty Ltd). Another reason was the strong support by ‘Destination Phillip Island’ as outlined in their own strategic plan called ‘Destination Phillip Island’ Strategic Tourism Plan 2014-2019.
A further reason stated was that in August 2016, Regional Development Victoria offered $200,000 to Bass Coast Shire Council to conduct a feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point Vehicle ferry.
steering-committee
This led to the Bass Coast Shire Council lodging an application to the Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund for $200,000. (formally lodged on 12 September 2016)
It is assumed that at some point from the time of the lodgement of the application and the 15 February 2017 Bass Coast Shire Council meeting, that the Bass Coast Shire Council was informed that the funds were approved.
In the minutes of this Council meeting, it was stated that one of the ‘Plan Principles’ (referring to the proposed Business Case) be ‘Transparent evidence-based and inclusive decision making’. (page 81 Ordinary Meeting Minutes 15 February 2017)
The minutes of this meeting also outlined the ‘stakeholders’ of this feasibility study and most of the stakeholders on the list became members of the feasibility study’s steering committee.
Of notable importance outlined in the minutes of this meeting was what if the Bass Coast Shire Council did not participate in the feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry, they believed the State Government would do it anyway without them. (page 81 Ordinary Meeting Minutes 15 February 2017)
Also, the meeting minutes stated that the scope of the Project (being the feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry) was in part to ‘Prepare a business case for the State Government of Victoria about the development of a vehicle ferry service between Cowes and Mornington Peninsula…’ (page 83 Ordinary Meeting Minutes 15 February 2017)
At this meeting the Bass Coast Shire Council approves to participate in a feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry, accepting $200,000 in funding and when a steering committee is established, the Mayor of the Bass Coast Shire becomes the ‘Chairperson’ of the ‘steering committee’. (page 84 Ordinary Meeting Minutes 15 February 2017)
At a Bass Coast Shire Council meeting held on 21 June 2017, the council awarded a contract to EC3 Global Pty Ltd also known as ‘EarthCheck’ to be the consultants for the feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry, or now called a ‘Business Case’.
There is no copy of the actual contract available to the public and what ‘deliverables’ are expected by this contract.
We can assume though that EarthCheck has a significant role in the development of the feasibility study or ‘Business Case’ and reports to and is under the direction of a Bass Coast Shire employee Mr Peter Francis as mentioned in the minutes of the Bass Coast Shire Council meeting of 21 June 2017. (Page 126 Ordinary Meeting Minutes 21 June 2017)
We were not able to determine when exactly the ‘steering committee’ was formally established for the feasibility study into the viability of a Cowes to Stony Point vehicle ferry, but we can assume it was sometime after the funds for the feasibility study was approved by the Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
We started to investigate exactly who is on the ‘steering committee’ and enquiries to the Bass Coast Shire and EarthCheck, or more specifically Mark Olsen the consulting manager, were to say the least frustrating and more to the point… evasive.
We did eventually get a list of the ‘steering committee’ structure, which basically mirrored the ‘stakeholders’ outlined in the various minutes of the Bass Coast Shire Council meetings. (list sent by an email from Mark Olsen on 18 January 2018)
What we were unable to extract from the Bass Coast Shire Council, the project manager from the Shire, Peter Francis nor Mark Olsen from EarthCheck, were actual names of each ‘steering committee member’ and what organisation they represented.
We started to make contact with those organisations listed on the steering committee structure, in order to seek information as to who they had assigned to be on the ‘steering committee’.
As of 22 January 2018 the table below shows those organisations, what we were able to find as to the individual representing each of those organisations on the ‘steering committee’, as well as who the organisation ultimately represents.
| Organisation | Individual | Role | Representing |
| Bass Coast Shire | Cr P Rothfield | Mayor | Bass region |
| Morning Peninsula Shire | Cr Kate Roper | Deputy Mayor | Mornington Peninsula region |
| Bass region | Peter Francis | Manager of Economic Development and Tourism | Bass region |
| Mornington Peninsula Shire | Tania Treasure | Manager of Economic Development and Tourism | Mornington Peninsula region |
| Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board | Tracey Cooper | Executive Chairperson | State Government of Victoria |
| Destination Gippsland | Terry Robinson | CEO | State Government of Victoria |
| Destination Phillip Island | Kim Storey | General Manager | State Government of Victoria |
| Victoria Regional Channels Authority, Port of Hastings Development Authority | Captain Shane Vedamutta | Manager | State Government of Victoria |
| Parks Victoria | Jo Richards | Regional Director, Melbourne Marine and Maritime | State Government of Victoria |
| Regional Development Victoria | Kristie Morgan | – | State Government of Victoria |
We do know that Cr Pamela Rothfield Mayor of Bass Coast Shire is the Chairperson of the ‘steering committee’.
We know that Mr Peter Francis is the ‘project manager’ for the feasibility study project.
We know that Destination Phillip Island’s Chairman is Hon John Pandazopoulos – former Minister for Major Events and major Projects – State Government of Victoria (Kim Storey is General manager).
We know that Tracey Cooper is also the ‘Ministerial Advisor’ to Hon John Eren – Minister for Tourism and Major Events – State Government of Victoria
We were able to access ‘some’ of the ‘steering committee’ meeting records and they had revealed others attending the ‘steering committee’ meetings as outlined below.
| Organisation | Individual | Role | Representing |
| Parks Victoria, Local Ports and Waterways | Mr Victoria Teoh | – | State Government of Victoria |
| Regional Development Victoria | Dora Katsaouni | Program Manager | State Government of Victoria |
| Tourism Victoria | Bill Renehan | Manager, Investments and Infrastructure Projects | State Government of Victoria |
It is unknown whether the above-mentioned individuals are active members, or attending the ‘steering committee’ meetings on an invitation basis.
Looking closely at the above tables you will notice that there is an ‘over-representation’ of the State Government of Victoria indicating that the feasibility study or ‘Business Case’, is an initiative of the State Government of Victoria and the other ‘steering committee’ members could be classed as having only a ‘superficial’ role.