The naturally wonderful Redlands Coast

Residents write about high density living, Toondah Harbour, unemployment on the southern Moreton Bay islands (SMBI) and the Cicada Awards for young filmmakers.

Naturally wonderful?

Quite apart from the ecological decimation that acceptance of the Walker Group proposal for Toondah Harbour would bring to the Moreton Bay Marine Park, the proposal foreshadows a population density of between 140 and 200 people per hectare in the Toondah Harbour precinct.  Currently the population density of Cleveland is 13.0 people per hectare.

Is the Walker proposal really what we want for the “Naturally Wonderful” Redlands Coast?

BD
Cleveland

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SIMBI employment

It is sad to see the number of people, employed by Redland City Council, that come to Macleay Island each morning from the mainland when many islanders are actively seeking employment.

In applying for a council position on Macleay Island, council referred me to a private employment agency.

The private employment company (without even asking for my qualifications or resumé) told me they put the best possible people into island positions.

Given that they had no interest in finding out ANYTHING about me, it is clear they are doing nothing more than “stuffing” island positions with people that make the agency’s stats look good.

This explains the daily march of mainlanders up from the Macleay jetty and a significant percentage of the high unemployment on the islands.

GH
Macleay Island

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High density living

I am concerned about high density living which has many problems.  The disadvantages are well known and include:

Attractive suburbs with flowers and foliage are being overrun by concrete and bitumen. Bewildered long-time residents find themselves in the shadows of unit blocks.

Greenhouse gas emissions increase. Studies show that energy use in high density housing is about twice that for a detached house.

The per-resident energy to construct high-rise is nearly five times that needed to build a house.

Research in Melbourne shows people squeezed into newly converted dense areas did not use public transport to any greater extent and there was little or no change in their percentage of car use.

There is not enough difference in the emissions of public versus private transport to counter the increased emissions of high-density living. For each kilometer City Rail carries a passenger, it emits 105 grams of greenhouse gases, while the average car emits 155, and modern fuel-efficient cars such as the Toyota Prius emit just 70.

Increased congestion caused by high density damages health. Vehicle exhaust contains micro particles that kill 3 million people each year, the World Health Organization says. High density is also bad for mental health. A study of more than 4 million Swedes showed the rate for psychosis was 70 per cent greater for dense areas, and there was a 16 per cent greater risk of depression. The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index shows the happiest electorates are those with lower population densities.

Adding more people to existing infrastructure means overload. The standards of Sydney’s roads, rail, water supply and electricity have all deteriorated from the imposition of high-density policies.

The effect of high-density policies on the cost of housing has been devastating to our younger generation. By trying to force people into higher density on existing land, the supply of new land for housing has been cut. The cost of land now comprises 70 per cent of the cost of a home, instead of 30 per cent as it used to. A new dwelling should cost about $210,000 but is closer to $500,000.

Bureau of Statistics figures show 83 per cent of Australians prefer to live in a free-standing home, and we do object to draconian policies forcing us to live in bland high-rise units.

A particular disadvantage of higher density developments is the heat island effect. A study into this effect has been done at Monash University, Melbourne. The study concluded, in part, “that a move toward a more compact city with built-up activity centers … would raise urban surface and within canopy temperatures, leading to unfavorable conditions, in particular for those with increased vulnerability to excess temperatures. … A move toward a more compact city will extend the seasonal exposure to unfavorable climatic conditions, with warmer temperatures expected in the shoulder months on either side of summer.”

Where the capacity of services needs to be increased to cope with redevelopment, the cost usually exceeds that for providing the services in a new development. Increasing the population density allows a more cost effective provision of services only where the existing services can cope.

Overall, increasing the population density is not cost-effective; the disadvantages significantly outweigh the benefits.

The present population policies of Government will cause more and more crowding, contrary to the desires of most people. This will create less healthy and less liveable communities.

LH
Redland Bay

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Cicada Awards: well done

A couple of weeks ago we attended the Cicada Awards 2017-2018 presentation.  This is an opportunity for the youth of South East Queensland to show their skills in producing short videos on aspects of the environment in which they have an interest.

We were impressed with both the quality of the work and how much the young people value the natural environment.

There were two short videos specifically on Toondah Harbour, “Where Have the Shorebirds Gone?” (Sophia Rose) and “The Battle for Toondah Harbour” (Lara Mac-Donald-Weber) but there were more videos about Moreton Bay.

We adults should all take time to watch them.  The video entitled “Garbage Bins”, done by an older student, is quite humorous.

Thanks to all involved in organising the Cicada Awards, in particular WSPSQ Bayside.

 E & J W
Cleveland Point 

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Redlands2030 – 31 August 2018