Logan & Albert Conservation Association

Have your say - until 12 June 2013

Local governments, the community and other stakeholders are encouraged to have their say on the draft State Planning Policy (SPP) prior to it being finalised later this year.

65 pages of important reading if you care about the

future of SEQ - and Queensland 

KRAs are just one 'policy' to be included in SINGLE POLICY to

replace many!

The Kerry Quarry - SRRC rejected in 2012 - has been proposed as the Erin View Key Resource Area ( KRA 140) in addition to several other quarry KRAs for the SRRC and Logan City council areas, including: Markwell Creek Rd KRA 142, Cryna KRA 139, Yore Road KRA 143 ( 3 km south of Clutha Creek KRA), Kangaroo Mountain KRA 141 ( north of Aratuala in habitat containing at least 3 essential habitat factors for the koala). See attached map of 3 KRAs of Erin View, Markwell Creek and Cryna.

If an area is set aside as a KRA it
- does not give automatic approval rights
- it recognises a state or regional resource
-it may limit or restrict what neighbouring property owners can do on their land ( eg in separation zones and buffers around the KRA itself and transport corridors)
- does not take into account amenity impacts or transport impacts that may occur from the designation of a KRA
- the KRAs should have had significant biodiversity, ecological, conservation, cultural heritage and indigenous values assessed as part of the process for defining the boundaries of a KRA - has this been done? Not in the original MCU application for Kerry Quarry.

Concerns already raised by the Kerry community about the proposed Erin View and Markwell KRAs include -

1. SRRC previously received over 1000 objections from the community for the Kerry Quarry - this MCU ( Material change of Use ) was not approved by SRRC in 2011/12.

The community is asking for SRRC to continue to support community and to

say no to this state government draft.

2. Residents and QAG Quarry Action Group have approached some SRRC councillors - the councillors are saying this is not a local government matter , but a state govt matter. If this is designated a KRA, then SRRC will be responsible for placing conditions on the development. Previous experience with Cryna and Clutha Creek Sands Quarries, is that councils do not follow up conditions, or the applicant can apply for reduced conditions. This has been the case with Cryna Quarry.
3. SRRC will be putting in their own submission - local SRRC councillors have said if Kerry Quarry had been a Key Resource Area, the quarry would have been approved last year
4. Transport and haulage routes and impacts on local roads and Beaudesert Township
5. One haulage route being proposed via Markwell Creek with topography that is not suited to truck haulage ( see map attached of KRAs with spearation areas and trans routes)
6. Impact on tourist area (e.g. Kerry) but other areas of Beaudesert may be affected as well
7. Ecological assessment for Kerry Quarry MCU ( Material change of Use) was never done
8. Cultural heritage assessment was never done for Kerry Quarry MCU
9. Concerns that other quarries proposed and extent of area proposed has not been revealed to rest of community
10. Community not advised by SRRC that this was taking place, despite SRRC knowing that the community clearly opposed the Kerry Quarry proposal

Further information coming soon

Spotted tail quoll have recently been found in Scenic Rim and evidence ie latine scats were found in Logan. These are two of wildlife threatened by changes to legislation by Newnan government which have potential to destroy most of our natural bushland areas  in SEQ South east Queensland and without their habitat our wildlife will not survive. All bushland areas provide valuable food and shelter for species listed as threatened, those that are vulnerable and those regarded as 'common'. Unfortunately with reduction of 'green tape' even common species could disappear and these are also food sources for the predators higher up the food chain.

Our organization is regarded by some as extreme and anti-development, however we do support ecological sustainable development, and accounting for the value of natural capital. Many scientific studies and reports - peer reviewed and published - support our concerns. It is extraordinary that scientists with expertise in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development have publicly expressed grave concerns about the future impacts of proposed changes to Queensland's Vegetation Management Act and the Water Act. See their website http://concernedqldscientists.wordpress.com/.

Be informed and read government documents

Water Act

Vegetation Mananagement Framework Bill - passed State Parliament Tuesday 21 May 2013. Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps said in a statement issued to Queensland Country Life that the passing of the Vegetation Management Framework Amendment Bill 2013 marked the beginning of a new era of sustainable agricultural production in Queensland 

In addition World Wildlife Fund have produced WWF Report – Bushland at risk of renewed clearing in Queensland. Read it here. 

Prominent among threatened species are the koala, Glossy black-cockatoo, Spotted-tailed and northern quolls. Many of us "do the right thing" but equally we are not necessarily well informed. What do farmers understand by sustainable agriculture?

The traditional big agribusiness is not sustainable when all costs are accounted. Dollars certainly count but who will pay long term when land becomes desert - as has happened. 

Eating - if we are fortunate - is a healthy enjoyable activity we each do three times a day. And in Austalia that is mostly true - but not for all. We believe too that as the world's population increases we need to grow more food. However while there are many people who do not have access - or have little access to enough safe healthy food some of us are hungry.

In addition to quantity there are other issues as the world's peoples grow fatter and eat inapproriate foods obesity and diabetes have become two of the biggest heath issues in Australia and globally.

Worryingly the food currently produced would feed the current global population and more but our distribution processes let us down.

What we eat and how and where our food is produced are complex issues that most of us are totally unaware of. Being a conscious consumer is an important part of living a responsible and sustainable lifestyle.

The theme for this year's World Environment Day celebrations is Think.Eat.Save. Think.Eat.Save is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages you to reduce your foodprint. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger.
Given this enormous imbalance in lifestyles and the resultant devastating effects on the environment, this year's theme – Think.Eat.Save – encourages you to become more aware of the environmental impact of the food choices you make and empowers you to make informed decisions.

                     Think before you eat and help save our environment!

OUR CALL TO COUNTRY

People who love our country are being asked to take deliberate steps and actions to restrict inappropriate coal and gas mining. An astounding 437 million hectares of our land is covered by coal and gas licences or applications. That's more than half of Australia and an area 18 times the size of Great Britain.

Even our greatest international tourist icons are not safe, with at least 11 of our 16 National Landscapes at threat.

For a larger version of the map click on this link.

LOCK THE GATE has united farmers, first peoples, conservationists - ordinary folk who believe our country is too precious to be exploited for the profits of big business who bank off shore. View the website. http://www.lockthegate.org.au/calltocountry. 

What is waste?

There is no waste within the natural world unless we consider what humans have wasted. Nature recycles everything – even water - so that everything contributes to the overall benefit and survival of eath's natural system.

By comparison, many of us discard potential resources carelessly because we no longer value them for ourselves. These potential resources often end up in the waste stream. In the recent past we may have been very keen to buy the products which having  served their original purpose are thrown away.

No other species creates such waste as humans do .

Unfortunately in our haste for a fast convenient lifestye some products that we produce - mostly from by products of the fossil fuel industry - may survive for a very long time in the environment and take up space on land or water which could be better used. Within the natural world a clever closed loop system has many organisms benefiting as items are returned to the soil or earth.
Waste is a major global problem as we try to cope with items tossed away. Even some food which we need to sustain us is considered as waste instead of a beneficial resource. No food needs to be regarded as a disposable commodity to end up in landfill. Spoiled food is valuable to return nutrients to the earth and there are many ways to achieve this such as worm farming and composting. Food waste is a complex challenge at all levels in all countries. This Guardian article raises some issues  

We all need to send this letter - EPBC potential loss

PETITION TO SIGN!

To date the most important piece of legislation in Australia to protect the natural environment from greedy exploitative practices and unsustainable development is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, EPBC.

It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places — defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance.

Under pressure from big business Federal, State and Territory governments are moving forward with an aggressive plan to wind back our environmental protection laws. By cutting 'green tape', handing important federal approval powers to the states, and fast tracking approvals for large development, federal protection for our most special places and wildlife will be removed, and mining and other destructive development in our forests, woodlands and along our coasts will be accelerated.

History has shown us that the Federal government has a critical role in protecting matters of national environmental significance. Short-sighted development proposals have threatened Australia's natural heritage several times in the past and the Federal government has stepped in to prevent irreversible harm.

Without Federal intervention, the Franklin River would be dammed, there would be oil rigs on the Great Barrier Reef and pristine Shoalwater Bay would be home to a large coal port.

Without Federal protection the KOALA will be doomed to extinction.

The Places You Love campaign was founded by a group of 30 organisations, including HSI concerned with the proposals to wind back our system of environmental laws. We strongly believe that the reforms proposed will set us back decades on hard won protection for our land, water and wildlife

 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH have arranged a petition - very easy step to sign to send to Prime Minister Julia  Gillard. You might like send to other politicians - by email or snail. Read text of letter you can use or adapt here and

The World Bank has published an educational graphic explaining the main challenges faced by biodiversity conservation efforts, as well as the value of biodiversity for humankind.The infographic presents species decline rates, main threats to biodiversity, why biodiversity matters, and signs of hope, which derive from the declaration of protected areas around the world and private sector investments in biodiversity.

Click on image aside to see infographic.

Biodiversity conservation, protecting vulnerable landscapes and sustaining livelihoods in developing countries are all projects to receive funding from World Bank.

Overexploitation, habitat destruction, introduced invasive species all contribute to loss of biodiversity - worldwide - and especially in SEQ South East Queenland - a biodiversity hotspot.  

Clearing greenfield areas to replace with human settlement preceived needs - housing, roads, hard infrastructure items will destroy the values that draw people to SEQ.

We are paving paradise to put up a parking lot in the words of Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell.

A healthy functioning ecosystem depends on the long term survival of the species which have adapted to live in the area. Maintaining these healthy ecosystems is esssential for human health and well being.

Bushland areas and wetlands provide more than visual amenity. Clean air, clean water and productive soils with their living creatures provide the comfortable  liveability of our human places.

At a local level LACA has been alerted to proposed changes to extend the urban footprint in SEQ. This is alarming and LACA's immediate response has been to send a letter to the Premier, and Deputy-Premier Hon. Jeff Seeney MP Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning. Our already endangered koala could face further threats.

Read our letter here.Amendments-to-SEQRegionalPlan_Sept9-2012__letter.pdf231.33 KB09/09/2012, 18:41