Federal Government assessment of plans to destroy koalas’ habitat, proposed ‘vandalism’ at Toondah Harbour and concerns about political donations are discussed in the latest batch of letters published by Redlands2030.
If you have something to say, send your letter to: theeditor@redlands2030.net
Climate change destroying the future for grandchildren
As the discussion of climate change looms over us in the yet to be announced Federal election, time is running out. We cannot sit by and watch the impact of climate change destroying the future for our grandchildren.
So too on a local level we cannot sit by and watch the proposed destruction of the local Cleveland environment which is inevitable if the Walker Corporation develops 3,600 units at Toondah Harbour in the name of an attractive boardwalk at Toondah Harbour this being a Ramsar protected wetland.
How on earth is this still being considered? It is not a boardwalk it is in reality 3,600 units, polluting the Harbour, causing road congestion, and destroying koala and bird habitats. The only word for this is ‘vandalism’ officially allowed by the government for the benefit of a few.
Is this the legacy we want to pass on to our grandchildren?
J.F.
Point Lookout
Koalas’ habitat removal may be approved by the Federal Government
I refer to EPBC referral 2018/8340 and the invitation for public comment about ‘Preliminary Documentation – West Mount Cotton Quarry Extension. The documentation comprises 1,340 pages of information.
It is completely unreasonable to expect members of the community to read, review and comment on this much information in the ten days before Christmas.
The impact area contains unquantifiable attributes which cannot be offset with any other site due to its pre-existing habitat quality, location in a broad area of habitat and proximity to surrounding conservation areas.
The Offsets Proposal, does not comply with the Queensland Environmental Policy v1.4 July 2017 or the Guide to determining terrestrial habitat quality v1.3 February 2020:
No conservation outcome is achieved through any of the offset sites. The two offset sites located in the Koala Coast (Offset Site 1 and 2) do not have sufficient carrying capacity of non-juvenile koala habitat trees to offset significant residual impacts on the Koala.
The third offset site at Tarome in the Scenic Rim. It is not located in the Koala Coast and is therefore inappropriate for offsetting the significant residual impact on the Koala.
The Offset Proposal contains inconsistent analysis and the impact area has received habitat quality ratings ranging between 6.95 and 9 points out of 10. This rating is vital to determining the sufficiency of the proposal. 13 ha of previously required offset at Offset Site 1 is being proposed again.
Significant offset areas of already environmentally protected habitat is being proposed. Habitat improvement in these protected areas is marginal and serves only to ‘plump up’ the proposal with no effective conservation outcome.
There is a petition on Change.org where people can at least make a comment.
In addition, the community requests that the application for expansion of the quarry be refused for the following reasons:
- Due to the specific environmental aspects of the site which includes significant connected habitat and bordering on protected areas. It is unlikely that any offset will sufficiently replace the habitat loss in this location.
- Does not comply with Qld State Government Environmental Offset Policy. Any federal approval would be contrary to the objectives of State policymakers and residents alike.
- Current local and federal government reviews which include the pending review of the EPBC status of the Koala, the National Recovery Plan for the Koala, Redlands Coast Koala Conservation Plan 2022-2027 and the Redlands Coast Koala Conservation Action Plan 2022-2027. Any decision made now will be premature in light of these pending reviews.
Inconsistencies have been identified throughout the submitted material including habitat scoring, marginal habitat quality improvements and complete lack of benchmarking. This material requires a third-party forensic review for transparency.
G.E.
Mt Cotton
A voice from Italy: Australia please save your koalas
I am writing to you again from Italy because I am shocked and deeply concerned about the plan of West Mount Cotton Quarry Extension.
After seeing on social media, the clearing trees at Cowley Street, Orminston ( and the poor koala left on the last tree watching his trees fall). What happened to the last remaining koala then? Last February, the project of the destruction of 42 hectares of Land in Marine Park and in Ramsar Site at Toondah Harbour, now this devastating plan for the extension of the West Mount Cotton Quarry which involves the destruction of significant habitat for koalas, Greater Gliders and Grey Headed Flying Foxes. Simply crazy!!
How is it possible such a total disrespect, no care and no consideration for your beautiful wildlife, threatened species including koalas that are already on the verge of extinction and other animals and for your beautiful land? It will impact your lifestyle, the welfare of your community too. More pollution, traffic, trucks noise, fine dust! Please stop the destruction of your beautiful land and your wildlife.!
The laws should protect the flora and fauna.! How can an offset area be useful if it’s 80 km away?! And do the animals want to be relocated?! Will they be relocated? Offsets are a poor excuse to destroy more bushland in the Redlands. It takes many years for a tree to be planted now to be used by koalas!
Offsets are only useful for developers not for wildlife, offsets are just a way forward for developers.
Please read Biodiversity offsets policies too often failing, inquiry hears
This is in New South Wales but it also fits for Queensland.
I have sent my submission and I signed the petition on change.org
Queensland and Brisbane will have the Olympics in 2032 but will they still have koalas?
I hope your community stands up to stop this destructive plan. People power can do it and it already happened in Victoria where large popular participation stopped, after a long fight, the expansion of a 107-acre quarry. (Arthur’s Seat in Mornington Peninsula. You can find on fb the page “Save Arthurs Seat” community and group).
I hope the decision-makers do the right thing for your Redlands community, your flora and fauna. Australia please don’t lose your soul!
Thank you.
MPT
Italy
Donations come with influence
We are seeing the results of political donations and the influence that goes with that all over Australia and it is not confined to the conservative side of politics.
As you all know, at the State level Walker Corp has donated slightly less to the Conservatives than to the incumbent Labor Party.
We don’t know if or what are the conditions attached to these donations. The State Government has made some modifications to the political donations policy but it will be interesting to see if that changes if Labor does not win the next election.
As Liberal veteran Michael Yabsley writes in the SMH: ‘Across the political spectrum, there is no more uncomfortable home truth than the grubby subject of money, whether from the private or public purse.’
It would be interesting to see if the PDA proposal would have got this far if they hadn’t made political donations.
Would Stephen Miles have sent his staffers to Canberra to convince the environment bureaucrats?
I would think the climate realities in tidal surges might influence the outcome but who knows what goes on in the bars around Parliament House.
M.K.
Brisbane
More Letters About Toondah Harbour And Other Issues
Toondah Questions in letters to Redlands2030
Liabilities, The Extinction Crisis And Toondah
White water centre, disappearing koalas and Toondah questions
Redlands2030 – 22 December 2022
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