Council
10 December, 2025
Community liaison group changeover
CORANGAMITE Shire Council have revised the arrangements for the operation of community liaison committees and community reference groups for gas plants in the area.
There are three main gas plants operating within Corangamite Shire – Beach Energy Otway Gas Plant, Amplitude Energy Otway Basin Athena Gas Plant and Lochard Energy Iona Gas Storage Facility.
Amplitude Energy has its own revised community engagement program, which council noted at its Ordinary Meeting of Council last month.
Beach Energy and Lochard Energy each have community reference groups which are now calling for nominations for a new four-year term commencing in March 2026.
Councillor Jamie Vogels, who is a representative of council on the community reference groups, said gas continued to be an ongoing priority in Corangamite Shire.
“The gas plants, they have been a large part of the Corangamite economy and community for decades now,” he said.
“They support local jobs, food production and processing and increasingly helping to stabilise the energy grid to keep the lights on.
“Importantly, 100 per cent of the gas produced locally goes to the domestic market and it’s the energy source that enables milk to be processed locally and that keeps our dairy industry strong and economically viable.
“This in turn keeps the wheels of agriculture turning and supports a vibrant local economy.”
Cr Vogels said the community reference and liaison groups were important parts of keeping the gas plants running.
“These liaison and reference committees are how we keep the community engaged and informed and ensure community representatives can sit at the table alongside industry and regulators,” he said.
“I’d like to thank the previous community representatives for their time and their local knowledge and that has been invaluable and some of these people have been on there since they were first created.
“I would also like to thank the gas plants for their open and honest engagement and for the community benefit programs they operate and are rightly proud of.
“Following a review earlier this year it is proposed that we update these arrangements, revising the terms of reference and extending community appointments to four years – this will strengthen continuity, reduce duplication and broaden opportunities for community participation.”