Logan and Albert Conservation Association
The human-health-impacts community forum held in Beaudesert Friday 18th March was well attended by local community . The main speaker was Dr Dick van Steenis a UK Public Health Advocate. His research looks at the health effects of particulate-generating operations such as power stations, rubbish incinerators and open cut coal mines. It was quite stark information on the many health effects these industries can have on communities let alone the damage it does to the environment. The seeming indifference of governments when all they want to see is the almighty dollars that are forthcoming.
The challenge now is for the community to do its homework - not been done by government - and prove that the decrease in human wellness and loss of income from a national tourism industry and Australia's Green Cauldron
There was a good turn out of residents concerned about these leases and after listening to the speakers there is definitely a need to worry and a need for continued action to try and prevent any exploration from going ahead in the Scenic Rim.
To keep in touch support and particiate visit http://www.keepthescenicrimscenic.com/ Contact the team at Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WE ALL NEED TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS TO ALL POLITICIANS AT ALL LEVELS AND
MAKE A STAND TO PROTECT WHAT WE VALUE
As Dr Dick van Steenis says we need CLEAN AIR - CLEAN WATER - CLEAN FOOD to maintain our health and wellness.
LACA meets this Thursday 24th March 7.30 pm at Arts Centre Beaudesert. Check website www.laca.org.au
GASLANDS movie is coming to Beaudesert
Sunday 10 April 3pm
Venue is : St Mary's Centacare Community Centre (old leagues club)
Petersen Street Beaudesert
same as forum HEALTH HAZARDS OF COAL and CSG INDUSTRY
The forum was a huge success - especially to have confirmed by Richard Adams SRRC councillor that the local council is
opposed to the coal industry activities in the SCENIC RIM - lets KEEP THE SCENIC RIM SCENIC
Watch this space and and also eco news from Sunshine Coast Environment Council at www.econews.org.au free newspaper.
Copies of this free eco news will be available across the Scenic Rim and southern areas of Logan eg Jimboomba. Distribution points are being established now.
LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association believes that no early release like Teviot Downs should be announced or approved without the appropriate background studies being conducted or without the community having the opportunity to review any proposed development in their local area in the light of what is planned for Greater Flagstone UDA. The ULDA Greater Flagstone consultation has not begun, yet it will have a very significant impact across the Greenbank-New Beith –North Maclean-Flagstone area. Regardless of this, the community is being denied the right to be able to view this information before the completion of the DA process which is undemocratic and unacceptable.
The deficiencies in the environmental assessment and biodiversity assessment reports for this proposed development does not indicate ‘best practice’ environmental outcomes that the ULDA is promising to achieve for the Greater Flagstone area.
View LACAs submission here
Saving Greenbank from unsustainable development
In the face of Queensland state government legislation, planning as per SEQRP South East Queensland Regional Plan, and rhetoric which talks about sustainable development, affordable housing, sense of place - other words, the community has rallied to the SAVE GREENBANK CAMPAIGN.
Community has collected thousands of signatures to support the submission objecting to the Teviot Downs proposal to build a high density ULDA-guideline development in the midst of what has been a pleasant acreage living community. This proposal seeks to change what is currently approved - with a MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE or MOU.
In reality the rhetoric or words are not matched with real life ground truth actions. Words do not come close to what happens on the ground. How can you have sustainable development when human settlement activities continue to wipe out essential habitat for resident and migratory wildlife species - without any local provisions for long term survival of the species - rescue actions funded as part of development - not left to volunteers to rescue and rehabilitate at their own personal expense.
You can view the submission made on behalf of community here.
In 2004 the Mount Lindesay North Beaudesert Study Area (MLNBSA) was identified for investigation for increased human settlement. Logan and Albert Conservation members have been actively involved in asking to access for background studies and documents that may show support local council support for development in this area and also the onground biodiversity studies to show the existance of wildlife and their essential habitat.
Before 2004 we believe there was no study done to suggest Mount Lindesay North Beaudesert Study Area be included in investigation for increased human settlement. Yarrabilba a Delfin project was in discussion with Beaudesert Shire Council
Despite there being a RTI - Right to Information process LACA has not yet obtained copies of studies produced for Beaudesert Council at $4000000 cost to ratepayers. In fact SRRC and Logan Council both quibble about ownership of documents - and commercial in confidence.
Scenic Rim Council even in 2010 voted to NOT DISCLOSE TO LACA the NAMES of the documents.
These notes are taken from a paper written by David Cole and available from EDO Australian Network of Environmental Defenders Offices Inc (ANEDO).
Any member of the public can get initial free advice from the EDO. Development applications, tree preservation, air, water and noise pollution, forestry, mining, contaminated land, wildlife protection and environmental impact assessment are all areas in which EDOs can help.
The Concept
The precautionary principle in the context of environmental protection is essentially about the management of scientific risk. It is a fundamental component of the concept of ecologically sustainable development (ESD) and has been defined in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration (1992)[1]:
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation.
It has generally been accepted to include actions by regulators such as the use of statutory powers to refuse environmental approvals to proposed developments or activities
david_cole_on__precautionary_principle_EDO.pdf 122.84 Kb 12/03/2011, 14:39 [1] United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio, 1992 (the "Rio Declaration").
FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY COSTS NEED ALSO TO INCLUDE LONG TERM HEALTH IMPACTS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
HOW CLEAN AND GREEN ARE WE? How do we maintain and improve on what we have?
We humans are not always aware when we are being exposed to toxic chemicals that are polluting our air. We in SEQ South East Queensland especially in Scenic Rim and the south-western bushier vegetated areas of Logan City enjoy the benefits of clean healthy air - maintained freely by our planet earth's ecosysyems. People of Jimboomba and Flagstone are familiar with odiforous vapours which blow in from industry in Beaudesert. Visual pollution to the natural environment as this aerial view of some ecological devestation in Hunter Valley NSW has more hazardous impacts to humans - and other creatures.
International expert Dr Dick van Steenis is our very special guest at our
Expert and Community Forum on the Human Health Impacts of Open-Cut Coal Mining and Coal-Seam Gas Mining
Beaudesert on this Friday 18 March 2011
This is a great opportunity to hear from and ask questions of Dr Dick van Steenis, the author of the UK Coal Health Study www.coalhealthstudy.org
Other speakers are Drew Hutton from the National Lock the Gate Campaign who will provide a broad picture of coal and coal seam gas development in Queensland, Dr Sandra Bayley from Doctors for Science, Sustainability and Social Justice who will talk about the impacts of coal-seam gas water contaminants and the impacts on human health and Emma Kate Rose with Food Connect who will speak on the impacts on food production, and food safety. After hearing from a spokesperson from Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic who will talk about the campaign to protect the Scenic Rim, the evening with close with a question and answer session with the expert panel.
Centacare St Mary's
Petersen Street Beaudesert
6.15 for 6.30 pm start
light supper - gold coin entry
RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 5541 3426
GREENBANK people power - sign the E-petition
Governments - Queensland Government especially with the SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND REGIONAL PLAN SEQRP have been writing and talking about ecologically sustainable development ESD and sustainability.
The eight hundred local residents who gathered on the grounds at Greenbank - outside the hall - to hear CEO for ULDA Mr Paul Eagles and his chief planner Steve Connor appreciate the time given by these busy men to listen to our community concerns. That is also a huge contribution from the local citizens to help our planners developers and government achieve the best possible outcome for our global community.
However using a word or expresion to describe an activity doen't make it so. In 1992, the Commonwealth Goverment offered its own definition of ESD
Ecologically sustainable development is using, conserving, and enhancing the community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased.
This description can in no way be applied to the current high density housing proposal which may / may not be appoved before any semblance of community engagement with freedom to access background studies ground truthed and peer reviewed by local specialists.
ULDA is coming to Greenbank 9 March 2011
Why don't we all wear GREEN shirts for the meeting on 9th March to show the ULDA that we are a UNITED community standing as ONE?
This is a real indication of PEOPLE POWER and the hard yards being covered by the community and team leading.
Previously ULDA were unwilling to meet with the community - we have persuaded them to come and listen to us.
WE MUST ENSURE THEY TAKE COPIOUS NOTES - IF NOT THEY ARE NOT LISTENING!
Join FACEBOOK support the campaign and meet other locals
Contacting our political representatives in all levels of government - local state and federal - is important.
Their contact details are here at http://www.savegreenbank.com.au/page1.php
MASCOT Tevvy is still advertising acreage living and space?
See you at the meetings. Well done team!
LACA submission to the Senate Inquiry for koalas
Inquiry into the status, health and sustainability of Australia's koala population
sub49_SENATE_koala_inquiry2011.pdf 02/03/2011, 14:39 