Logan and Albert Conservation Association
The announcement on Threatened Species Day of a permit to kill flying-foxes is not well received by concerned wildlife groups and animal welfare groups. It is unbelievable spin by Environment Minister Andrew Powell that "This is about giving greater control to farmers over managing their crops while striking a balance with animal welfare and conservation."
Humane shooting [at night], agreed limits with quotas per species, no impact on the long term survival of the four flying-fox species, DMPs only issued as an absolute last resort.
The Australasian Bat Society (ABS) condemned the move, saying that it is worrying that native species can be considered as pests and subjected to inhumane methods for control. The ABS does not support the shooting of flying foxes in any situation.
Dr Booth, a biologist from the Don't Shoot the Bats Campaign, says flying foxes are nocturnal feeders and most shootings are likely to occur at night. You can't patrol an entire orchard all night with a shotgun. Proper netting, with tiny holes, is a much more humane and far cheaper solution.
The correct netting is essential as many flying foxes die an agonising death trapped in loosely draped black throw-over netting . There were more than a million gray-headed flying foxes on the east coast last century but numbers had fallen to about 300,000.
Each bat spreads 60,000 to 90,000 seeds in our national forests so without these guys our forests are in big trouble.
Read about importance of flying-foxes here and damage mitigation permits here both on EHP WEBSITE.
Fruit growers may be happy but non compliance of any policy is usually up to community being the watchdog. The future of our flying-foxes and forests they pollinate are now in jeopardy.
According to Minister Powell these new laws have been developed with input from growers, conservationists and animal welfare advocates and he is confident they've got the balance right. this writer is very sceptical of that spin.
Learn more abouts bats at Australasian Bat Society and their facebook page
September is month allocated to Save the Koala Month, the annual awareness and fundraising initiative of the Australian Koala Foundation AKF. This year Donation Boxes will be on counters for you to donate at your local Newsagents, CUA branches and other outlets across Australia. However, this won't be enough, KOALAS, AKF and LACA need your help. We need people to order a donation box and place on a counter at your work, local gym or school.
Alternatively you can hold a fundraising event to help save koalas. Contact The AKF for advice and support.
All funds raised during the month of September will go directly to the instatement of the 'National Koala Act', a one-page piece of legislation which basically says:
"You cannot harm it, you cannot harm its joey and you cannot harm its habitat."
The AKF believes this is the only way to fully protect the koala and to stop the decline of koala numbers in the wild. LACA agrees that without protective legislation, koala populations will decline. Management Plans alone will not work as they include offsetting and mitigation. Great policy must be supported with legislation.
YOU CAN HELP by joining the AKF KOALA ARMY and by writing a letter. This page https://www.savethekoala.com/koala-army/send-letter has a sample letter and contact details for state and federal ministers. You can also talk to your local members.
We must all do our bit to keep a healthy koala population in the wild. Survival in a zoo must not be the fate of our national icon the koala.
Did you see FOUR CORNERS KOALA KRUNCH TIME?
What a dismal future is "planned" for our koala populations in SEQ!
LACA members would agree with Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke's statement that "the states on their own have allowed numbers to continue to go into freefall." While this rapid decline in numbers may be attributed to development, cars, dogs, disease and climate change the real picture must also include the lack of political will to make decisions and legislation that will be loudly opposed by the development industry. The decades of work done by the Australian Koala Foundation - funded by community was instrumental in the EPBC protection coming about.
The image above shows community protest outside property DTMR wants to acquire to build a road freight motorway - called Park Ridge Connector Corridor. This property is currently shared with resident koalas and other species. It also shares many species and values of Berrinba Wetlands and Karawatha Forest.
Why would government want to pave any of this?
We - ie all governing bodies and communities of people who share koala land - need to preserve all koala habitat currently used - and take preventative action to retain the ecosytem containing the food trees. The mantra NO TREE NO ME is absolutely true.
It is a shameful indictment on the Gold Coast city that the Coomera development has occurred. The so called scientific research re translocation is a furphy to obtain funding. It does not justify clearing koala habitat to build houses and infrastructure for people! To make matters worse Gold Coast council has recently decided to place a protection order on two camphor laurel trees - an environmental weed species. What persuaded them? Someone chained to a tree for two days.
Exactly when where and how Main Roads will be holding an event called consultation for Park Ridge Connector Corridor is to be discovered - hopefully announced and widely publicised. The members of NO PRC community group have made efforts to understand where we are at with this process. However it remains clouded in confusion. There is supposed to be a report given to Logan City Council. We have asked for the name of the report - but as yet that remains a mystery.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO LEFT FOR FLYER.
LACA has received a letter - following our phone calls that states that DTMR is currently conducting an extensive consultation strategy to gain feedback from the community on the proposed PRC corridor location. President of LACA is offered an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed corridor location.
It should be noted at this stage the department is aiming to collect feedback on the corridor location only. Technical aspects of any future road location such as environmental or social impacts will be consulted on during a future consultation phase.
It would seem that a decision has been made by LNP government minister Scott Emerson to approve a corridor? Though he said he has "signed off on nothing".There are certainly no ministerial statements about a decision - or any public acknowledgement of the fiasco and disquiet among property owners and community created by registered letters being sent - and retracted in some cases - by DTMR.
With staffing reductions new updates to TRM website for projects - this one at least - are delayed. Watch for changes to http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/P/Park-Ridge-Connector.aspx
Your participation in this community meeting and the "consultation" process it critical to the future welling of both community and natural environment.
YOUR VOICE in PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE is needed.
See you at the community meeting.
COPY of flyer for 12 September meeting
http://www.noprc.org/Flyers/2012_09_12_Community_Meeting.pdf
According to staff person from Logan LNP member Mr Michael Pucci's office this morning, the feedback form is on DTMR website. However as of 29 August the form is not yet available online. Does this mean we can complete online?
How long will we have to provide feedback? No timeline is provided yet. When will "extensive community consultation" end? When will it start?! Ask your questions - phone the planning team 1800 799 824 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LETS HOPE THE CONSULTATION IMPROVES. The NO PRC group will have the latest available information at the meeting 12 September 2012.
Social media has just provided some useful information via FACEBOOK page for Michael Pucci MP Member for Logan . ....This consultation process, which has been endorsed by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Honourable Scott Emerson MP, opens the opportunity to everyone who wishes to participate to provide feedback on the proposed corridor location of the Park Ridge Connector....
If there is a proposed corridor location, has the minister really "signed off on nothing"?
SOME Logan libaries and the Logan administration centre have the forms - seeking your feedback. Following is a copy of text of form with comments in blue italics 
Copy-of-text-from-DTMR-PARK-RIDGE-CONNECTOR-PROPOSED-CORRIDOR-FEEDBACK-SHEET.doc67 KB
PARK RIDGE CONNECTOR PROPOSED CORRIDOR - FEEDBACK SHEET. Some may have a box to put your completed sheets in? You are asked to base your feedback on a map with little cadastral marking. A digital version of same form calls it CONSULTATION ON THE PARK RIDGE CONNECTOR PROPOSED CORRIDOR.
There is also an information sheet stating that consultation is being undertaken during August and September. How and with whom is unclear. As both a participant in the CSRG process Community Stakeholder Reference Group and a submitter to the 2011 consultation LACA has not been invited to a consultation as yet?
If you would like to contact the planning team please call 1800 799 824 - email pThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Presumably this is also where you email your response?
It is strange that anonymous feedback is "allowed" - form states Contact details (optional)
The usual protocol with submissions and feedback requires details of NAME and ADDRESS and usually a signature is also required. What weight will be given to them without? The genuineness of this consultation process is questionable in the writer's opinion. Where are we in the NEXT STEPS? inside cover REFO.
The REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS OVERVIEW available at Browns Plain Library is the same one as used last year. It is available on DTMR website at http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/8c2d4e8a-469a-4948-984ceeb7d944cf93/prcreviewofenvironmentalfactorsoverview.pdf
Read about the fiasco of registered letters sent in error to be followed by a retraction for some. The NO PRC website http://www.noprc.org/ has details.
Consultation is not about individual property owners meeting - at Loganholme office for DTMR - with the public servants. People have a right to all the information they need to make INFORMED DECISIONS.
To date we have not been provided with any information or criteria to establish the existence of a VIABLE CORRIDOR?
Perhaps we should all contact our local councillor and State member to ask for assistance with voicing our concerns in a meaningful way. Email Michael Pucci This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone 07 3806 8513. Visit at Maxima House, 1/3 Helen Street, Hillcrest Qld 4118.
Logan is home to endangered and vulnerable wildlife such as the iconic koala and spotted-tail quoll. However unless residents and the community help local council and government to identify where these animals are, it is very likely that they may become extinct.
Two confirmed roadkill established the existance of the quoll in the west Logan area including Greenbank, Park Ridge and Chambers Flat suburbs.
Many of us have never heard of a QUOLL, an Australian carnivorous marsupial and there are few opportunities to see one as they are usually nocturnal. Wildlife Logan with Quoll Seekers' Network recently held a community information meeting for which a live captive-bred quoll was a highlight. Image above shows the resident quoll at Queens Park Ipswich - well worth a visit.
What is the rampant growth which threatens these cryptic elusive creatures? Greenbank UDA in Teviot Downs - opposed by the Save Greenbank community, ULDA satellite cities of Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba, proposed energy corridor along Logan River - opposed by VETO, proposed GATEWAY Extension Extension aka Park Ridge Connector. In addition we have a piece of Linkwater water infrastructure - Cedar Grove to Karawatha pipeline which cuts through Quoll and Koala Habitat and Wetlands.
The NO PRC group - visit their website and register to receive email updates are planning a community meeting for September to gauge /build community opposition for proposal. Support them also on FACEBOOK at http://www.facebook.com/NoPRCGroup
If we value the community and environment where we live and want our grandchildren to enjoy the same then we need to communicate that clearly to our elected representatives.
Now is the time to SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT. LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association Inc can help you. Contact us. Come along to our meetings. We are not funded by government and all members are volunteers. We'd love you to join us to share our values more widely.
What does Minister Scott Emerson mean when he said "I've signed off on nothing"?
This statement was spoken in the presence of Mr Pucci, Mr Pucci's assistant Ben and the chief of staff for Mr Emerson and another staff person for Mr Emerson at the meeting attended by LACA President Anne Page and 3 other NO PRC Committee members. They met with Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson at Parliament House 11 July for an half hour meeting - reduced to 20 minutes. Logan LNP member Michael Pucci had negotiated this meeting for the group. Although we had received verbal information via different media sources that the minister had approved the corridor the group were hopeful that the LNP government would honour its promise to review previous Labour government processes.
This verbal communication from the department of Transport and Main Roads is ambivalent and inconclusive. It would appear from our rational reasoning that the minister has accepted at face value what Main Roads staff have said that there is a need for a road corridor. The concept of viability has not been examined.
It also appears that the minister has "approved" a corridor of interest as some members of the community have received registered letters - including a map - and information that their property is not directly affected.
Not sure yet how this resident koala will be considered? This property has regular sightings of koalas.
Will new federal EPBC decision listing koalas as vulnerable "protect" the koala habitat?
The whole question of viability was not resolved at the Community Stakeholders Reference Group CSRG and to date the feedback report that was to have been presented to council for their decision making process has not yet been presented - though a hasty decision was made to approve the corridor.
VISIT CAMPAIGN WEBSITE www.savegreenbank.com.au
to follow what is happening and tell your friends and neighbours about this proposal - a material change of use to place high density housing - for greater developer profit - in the midst of large acreage blocks. Pub Lane, Teviot Downs, SentinelDrive, Cunningham Drive - Lot 9968 on SP163061 Parish of Perry, County of Stanley
Submissions close 20 August. If you value the liveability of the current bushy areas of Logan - formerly part of Beaudesert Shire - you will make a submission.
A public meeting will be held early August to provide you with help with submissions. All relevant documents are available on ULDA website. 9 new files were posted 18 July in response to additional information requested at first submit by this planner - different one from first application.
Logan and Albert Conservation members are working with the NO PRC group to oppose the GATEWAY extension extension - aka Park Ridge Connector Road / freight tollway.
Our allied groups are totally opposed to the mislabelled viable corridor and LACA as a participant in the CSRG Community Stakeholder Reference Group have opposed the idea of viability of any corridor that proposes to separate or transect regional biodiversity corridors and large areas of wildlife habitat currently under the stewardship of landowners who value that habitat for both wildlife and human species. Click on image to go to story.
We are extremely disappointed that this has happened before our long requested meeting with Mr Emerson takes place. This has been arranged for a time between sessions at parliament next week.
The Logan West Leader 3 July, has an article about the Minister's decision on page 2. It is similar to the article in last week's Logan Albert News (with the same photo) but with a few new interesting details:
"A DEFINITE route for the contentious road corridor from Browns Plains to Park Ridge will be finalised within the month."
Phil Pidgeon has stood firm, labelling the consultation process a 'sham' and calling for a new consultation process.
Emerson has said, "I've made a decision that the corridor needs to go ahead" and, "I'll be taking some final advice on the final alignment, particularly at both the Logan Motorway and Granger Rd ends."
The poor designs of interchanges on Mt Lindesay Highway at Browns Plains and the Logan Motorway exchange from Wembley Road result in traffic congestion now. Adding another interchange somewhere on Wembley Road will be challenging.
Quolls are endangered nationally and need our help! Sightings have been received from the Jimboomba / Logan area as well as other areas of former Beaudesert - Greenbank, Park Ridge and more. This is an opportunity to come along and find out if quolls really do live in your area, and what you can do to help them.
Sunday 5 August 10am – 1.00pm at Caddies Community Care Centre 19-33 South Street, Jimboomba
Leading quoll researcher Dr Scott Burnett will give presentations and answer questions about quolls, threats to their survival and what can be done to prevent these animals from becoming another extinction statistic.
Come and meet a live spotted-tailed quoll courtesy of Martin Fingland from Geckoes Wildlife Presentations.
RSVP: 31 July 2012 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone Alina at Wildlife Queensland on 3221 0194.
Logan and Albert Conservation President Anne Page has been collating and reporting sightings of quolls for several years. A reported sighting is always followed up to confirm veracity of sighting. Two road kill about 2005 were first sightings for 70 years.
These cryptic nocturnal creatures cover wide ranging bushland areas to feed and breed. Their continued existance is threatened by loss of habitat - clearing for development and roads and our road traffic.
Come along and learn more to help save them from local extinction.