saveeumundi.org

The Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) is one of the Queensland environment organisations who have called for the next State Government to protect the environment and our way of life by introducing a Sustainable Population Strategy for Queensland.

More information and background can be found on their website (www.scec.org.com).

Details specifically in relation to PAGE and the Powerlink proposal are highlighted in blue below.

LOG OF CLAIMS

1. ACT TO ACHIEVE A SAFE CLIMATE
Build a clean energy future in Queensland

1. Mandate a Queensland Renewable Energy Target that introduces minimum renewable energy targets for the uptake of wind (15%), solar (15%) and geothermal (10%) energy by 2020.

2. Introduce an Energy Efficiency Plan aimed at 30% saving in energy consumption from households and industry by 2020 including new minimum building standards for residential (7 star) and commercial (5 star) AGBC ratings.

3. Urgently reduce the State’s Contribution to global and national ghg emissions.

4. Provide ongoing incentives, including rebates, to support renewable energy uptake for new and existing residential & commercial premises.

5. Provide incentives to encourage transition to a green economy.

6. Immediately introduce a gross Feed-in Tariff for solar PV and other small scale renewable generation; and until a National scheme is adopted accelerate the uptake of solar and heat pump hot water systems, solar PV systems, energy efficient lighting and insulation in commercial, industrial and residential buildings through regulatory requirements and State rebate schemes.

7. Divert government subsidies from the coal industry to the renewable energy sector for research, development, implementation and employment creation.

8. Introduce a legislated ban on uranium mining in Queensland.

IN ADDITION…

9. The Powerlines Action Group Eumundi (PAGE) as a member organisation of, and with the support of SCEC, opposes the construction of Powerlink’s proposed Woolooga to Eerwah Vale transmission line and substation project and demands an immediate halt to the project for the following reasons:

a) There are viable alternatives to this project including local renewable energy, bankabledemand management and embedded generation options proposed.

b) The alternative proposals will provide local jobs on a sustainable and ongoing basis.

c) The Powerlink proposal does not fit with the communities, SCEC’s or the Sunshine Coast Regional Council vision of sustainable development.

d) Powerlink’s proposal will add significantly to the carbon footprint of the Sunshine Coast.

e) Powerlink proposal cuts through the Noosa Biosphere, prime agricultural and tourism areas with significant flora and fauna habitat.

f) The project represents unacceptable social impacts.

g) Urgently reconsider plans for new power lines on new easements on the Sunshine Coast as indicated in the SEQIPP.

2. BIODIVERSITY – Flora and Fauna

10. No net loss of vegetation.

11. Strengthen the Vegetation Management Act 1999 by:

a) Removing the exemptions to prevent clearing and logging of remnant and regrowth of high value for soil, water and biodiversity conservation, across all land tenures and introduce bio-carbon incentives for protecting other vegetation.

12. Legislative protection of vegetation for all koala habitats.

13. Adopt the koala mapping conducted for the Caloundra area and endorsed by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in July 2008 to be reflected in the Draft South-East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031.

14. Release funding to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and key stakeholders to complete vital, local level koala habitat mapping projects.

15. Mandate best practice and installation of fauna crossings on road and rail infrastructure funded by the proponent.

PROTECTED AREAS

16. Expand National Park and Reserve Systems, incorporating critical biodiversity links, throughout the region accompanied by a 10% annual increment in all budgets for monitoring and management of protected areas on state, private and Indigenous lands to keep pace with rising costs and an expanding estate.

17. Increase grants to Local Government for conservation land acquisition.

18. Increase landowner partnership grants and subsidies for conservation initiatives and pursue public/private ownership arrangements with dedicated funding for conservation areas.

19. Increase the broader conservation estate and maintain the ecological values of existing conservation estates by excluding incompatible recreational and tourism activities.

20. Support urban Land for Wildlife partnerships.

21. Support the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to prepare a Sunshine Coast Regional Biodiversity Strategy which has regulatory status Sunshine Coast Region.

FORESTRY

22. Amend the Integrated Planning Act 1997 and the Vegetation Management Act 1999 to restrict ‘native forest harvesting’ in ‘of concern’, ‘endangered’ and high conservation value ecosystems and dramatically improve the Code of Practice and compliance across all regional ecosystems.

23. Maintain the existing South East Queensland Regional Forest Agreement in its entirety.

WEEDS AND INVASIVE SPECIES

24. Increase funding for Pest Management to community groups and local governments for coastal and hinterland areas.

25. Ban the importation of potentially feral fauna and flora with regulations to ensure protection of endemic species.

MARINE

26. Declare Marine Park status from the Pumicestone Passage to the Great Sandy Strait.

27. Actively protect the RAMSAR areas and adjacent sites of the Pumicestone Passage with legislative protection status and increase enforcement of compliance.

28. No rollback of protection zones for the Great Sandy Strait and Moreton Bay Marine Parks and commit to increasing ‘green’ and ‘no take’ zones.

29. Amend the State and Regional Coastal Management Plans to include climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

30. Amend the Integrated Planning Act to require Councils and State decision makers to adhere to State and Regional Coastal Management Plans, rather than merely “have regard to” them.

RIVERS AND WATERWAYS

31. Amend the Integrated Planning Act 1997 to ensure watercourses are given appropriate protection in local planning schemes or state regional plans.

32. Introduce and enforce laws to regulate run-off from urban, agricultural and industrial development including improved best practice compliance by State agencies.

33. Support River Plans for the Maroochy and the Mooloolah Rivers.

34. Support the listing of the Noosa River as a ‘Wild River’.

WETLANDS

35. Regulate to protect wetland vegetation communities and ecosystems on a local level from development and impose extensive buffer zones for damaging activities.

3. WATER

36. Cancel all major proposed dams and weirs, such as Traveston Crossing and the Northern Interconnector Pipeline Stage 2.

37. Reintroduce a HomeWaterwise (equivalent or better) program, including ongoing domestic and commercial rainwater tank rebates.

38. Establish a sustainable water supply strategy based upon the identified carrying capacity of the Sunshine Coast region.

39. Apply a State Planning Policy mandate for new developments to achieve an 80% reduction in demand for potable water and incorporate decentralised, integrated water cycle management systems, including water recycling.

40. No extraction of groundwater from Fraser Island.

41. Reduce the amount of water taken from Teewah Creek, a major tributary of the Noosa River, to ensure the ecological impacts on the Noosa River and adjoining ecosystems are negligible.

42. Invoke a moratorium on existing and proposed ground water extraction operations to fully assess the environmental impacts.

4. PLAN FOR A LIVEABLE COMMUNITY FUTURE FOR:
SUSTAINABILITY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND A LOW CARBON ECONOMY

43. Commit to developing a Sustainable Population Strategy for Queensland, which stabilises Queensland’s population in the short term to an ecologically sustainable level and maintains our quality of life.

44. Immediate investigation required into carrying capacity and population projections to fully inform the Draft SEQRP 2009-2031 – bottom up assessment.

45. Amend the Integrated Planning Act 1997 and ensure that it, and all regional development plans require assessment of carrying capacity, resource and population limits based upon agreed sustainability indicators and consideration of social, economic, environmental and transport issues.

46. No development on biophysically constrained lands such as floodplains.

47. Retention of agricultural lands for food security and re-localistion.

48. Infrastructure demonstrating sustainability principles in place prior to development i.e. not just ‘more roads’.

49. Adoption of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council Growth Management Position Paper July 2008 and the vision to be “Australia’s most sustainable region – vibrant, green and diverse” recognised.

50. Set a transition strategy in place to move away from polluting industry to clean and modern industries and introduce a green jobs program to provide regional and local employment opportunities.

51. Develop and fund a Climate Safe Communities Program that identifies inappropriate development (canal estates, flood prone coastal plains and zones), advises state and local government on climate impacted vulnerable lands, provides funding for community-based adaptation measures and additional support for emergency services.

52. A statutory regional and coastal planning framework which also includes constraint mapping, climate adaptation prohibitions and accountable sustainability performance indicators should be immediately introduced.

53. Publicly disclose accurate costing and externalities of all new required infrastructure and services and detail which sector bears the costs associated.

54. Revise the Sustainable Housing Code to set a minimum 7 star rating for new dwellings, substantially increase financial support for energy and water efficiency in low income households and set minimum standards for all rented accommodation.

55. Ensure necessary local government development assessment, due process and relevant town planning schemes and intents are not undermined by ‘fast track’ development pressures.

5. PUBLIC TRANSPORT and ACTIVE TRANSPORT

56. Bring forward light rail from Caloundra to Maroochydore and utilise fast train technology for the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane line.

57. Ensure public transport is upgraded in line with community expectations; and . . . .

58. Assist with the transition from private motor vehicle to more sustainable transport modes.

59. Provide infrastructure funding to encourage and facilitate active transport modes i.e. pedestrianism and cycling.

60. Major town centres and developments must offer integrated transport options prior to staged development.

6. WASTE MANAGEMENT

61. Support the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and community to facilitate the development of a new and sustainable Sunshine Coast Regional Waste Strategy in line with the principals of the Environmental Protection (Waste) Policy 2000 and the Council and community vision of being Australia’s most sustainable region.

7. OPERATIONAL

62. No cuts to the already limited funding of external environment organisations, frontline Environmental Protection Agency staff and conservation programs through the proposed LNP 3% Productivity Dividend.