ENVIRONMENT Minister Peter Garrett has given his final NO to the Traveston Crossing Dam proposal, saying the impacts on threatened species would be too great. “After carefully considering all the information necessary for me to make my final decision, including the recent comments on my proposed decision by the proponent, the Queensland Coordinator-General and the relevant federal ministers, I have concluded that the Traveston Crossing Dam cannot go ahead without unacceptable impacts on matters of national environmental significance,” Mr Garrett said.

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The time has come to celebrate, and what better way than with a huge party for anyone who did anything to save the Mary River!?! Your invitation to the ‘Dam Off Celebration’ is attached. It’s all happening at Kandanga Recreation Ground on December 12, from 3pm til late.

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Updated on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 08:43AM by stevem

Updated on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 08:45AM by stevem

Updated on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 08:58AM by stevem

Updated on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 09:31AM by stevem

QUEENSLAND Water Commission is in negotiations with Japanese water interests about a scheme that could one day allow private companies to own and sell the rain that falls on our roofs. Following the loss of its water grid centrepiece, the Traveston Crossing Dam, the state government has committed to exploring all opportunities for rainwater harvesting and re-use. But supporters of a rainwater harvesting project for the Coolum Ridges residential subdivision say the dam’s loss has not eased pressure from the government or its bureaucracy to treat water as a tradable commodity that helps raise revenue.

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A cross-section of organisations and group leaders were invited to meet last night at Kandanga Hall to start the complex process of moving forward for the community after the announcement of “NO DAM” at Traveston Crossing. Save the Mary River Coordinating Group President, Glenda Pickersgill said “There is a great opportunity for the community to be involved in the rebuilding process, caring for the river and the environment.” “A way forward through a framework and a lead Renewal team concept was endorsed that represents local government, community and the environment.” she said. The groups represented on the Renewal Team were identified at a community meeting and will provide links from all aspects of the community, economy and environment ensuring a triple bottom line approach.

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Updated on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 10:42AM by stevem

A Forty per cent increase in Sydney’s population over the next 20 years means the State Government has no option but to open up scores of suburbs for new developments, according to a radical proposal for Sydney to build 640,000 new dwellings. The Urban Renewal Action Plan compiled by major property companies argues a complete change to the way planning is done is Sydney is essential if the city is to cope with the explosion in population. In a document just provided to the Government, the NSW Property Council says the city is running out of old industrial sites like those in Alexandria and Pyrmont as areas for new housing and Sydney must move to a new, more difficult phase where there is large-scale development close to existing and new transport routes……. …..the Urban Renewal Commission would also have powers to compulsorily acquire land, some of which could be sold to developers for urban renewal projects and part retained for public use. Release of the Property Council’s proposals comes as the Government is preparing to announce a review of the five-year-old Metropolitan Strategy, the main planning document to guide development of the city.

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Updated on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 12:27PM by stevem

The Bligh Government may not admit it but there were quarters breathing a deep sigh of relief after federal Minister Peter Garrett put the ‘stop’ sign up for the Traveston dam project. The wheels were well in motion for damming the Mary River when Anna Bligh took over as premier — it was a Peter Beattie project. Fast forward to 2009 and the State Government simply can’t afford any more big-ticket infrastructure projects. To have the Traveston dam off the books is like winning lotto for this Government. And limiting water consumption to 200 litres per person per day is as much about delaying the need to sign a cheque for another desalination plant as it is about genuine water conservation.

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IN THE shadows of anti-dam celebrations, a Wide Bay conservation group has this week continued its legal challenge to the suitability of a fishway for lungfish at Paradise Dam, north-west of Biggenden. Sunwater is being challenged in the Federal Court by the Wide Bay-Burnett Conservation Council which claims the State Government utility breached Federal Government environmental controls by operating the dam since 2005 without an effective fishway for lungfish.

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Updated on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 08:09AM by stevem

THE bowls players of Kandanga will happily have to make do with their present digs, after news the cancellation of the Traveston Crossing Dam proposal has also meant the end of a proposed replacement bowls facility. This week’s Gympie Regional Council Planning Committee meeting was told the proponent of both the dam and the replacement bowls club building, Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd, has withdrawn the bowls club application.

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Updated on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 07:46AM by stevem

Updated on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 08:02AM by stevem

Updated on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 07:20AM by stevem

Mayor Bob Abbot wants the state government to stop draining the Sunshine Coast’s water supply after Baroon Pocket Dam this week came close to its lowest level in more than two years. The controversial northern interconnector pipeline has siphoned 7800 million litres of water since it was completed in March, while the Coast region experienced less than half its normal rainfall during a long dry winter. The Bureau of Meteorology has also predicted below average rains this summer, with a similar El Nino effect forming to that experienced in 2002, which preceded the worst drought in Queensland’s history. Baroon Pocket’s level dropped by nearly 10% in the past two months and an average of 1% a week to its current level of 86%.

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This is a prime example of the old adage that nobody’s life liberty or property is safe while parliament is sitting. While property rights are generally secure from private encroachment, they have no security when the government invokes “the common good.” It seems incredible to me that in the long run the destruction of the Mary Valley was only averted due to the presence of some fish, turtles and frogs etc. I am not in any way attempting to denigrate those who led the campaign on these issues, indeed we would all be poorer for the extinction of these species, and these people promoted the issue that saved the day. Congratulations to them on that. It is shocking though that the enormous economic costs, social disruption, waste of resources, incredible stupidity of the concept, and the crushing psychological burden to the victims of this outrage, counted for nothing. Right up to the announcement of the decision the Premier was waging psychological warfare on landholders attempting to force them to sell.

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