Minutes of TAPP Inc. Meeting May 2nd, 2023
Held at the Caloundra Power Boat Club
Welcome to Country – Ken acknowledged the traditional owners of the land on which we meet.
Member attendance: – 11 (as listed in attendance book)
Apologies : – 8
Motion put that the apologies be accepted –
Moved: Helen Seconded– Graeme Carried
Minutes of Previous General Meeting – Lyn has not been receiving emails when they are sent in the group mail out. Committee will try to rectify this problem.
Motion put that the minutes of the April meeting be accepted as a true record.
Moved: Graeme Seconded- John Carried
Correspondence
Letters
Letter from the Minister for the Environment responding to the questions Ken put to that Department. Answers continued to insist that the breakthrough was a natural event – their responses to the questions are disputable and Ken will respond.
Emails in – 36
- SC Council Livability Strategy Workshop Thursday 4th May – Ken and Carla to attend
- Qld Water and Land Care (QWALC) Wetland Zoom Meeting – Potential for Citizen Science projects.
- Insurance renewals with QWALC
- Damien Hede re the response from DES
- SC Environment Council (SCEC) Membership renewal
- SCEC – Expressions of Interest to run a World Environment Day (WED) Event
- SC Council letting us know that TAPP’s WED Event application is being processed.
- Unity Water – Water Matters – on line forum- Ken participated
- Tony Barry re launch of Downtown Caloundra
- Bray Park High School request to have someone speak about the Passage to their Yr. 10 Geography class at Golden Beach on May 10 – Ken will speak to them
- TAPP has an opportunity to screen a film called Flyways – a story about migratory birds. Ken has booked the St Andrews Anglican Church on June 11 at 2.00 pm
- Golden Beach Neighbourhood Watch requested an article for their June Newsletter.
- The GREENING THE GOLD COAST forum (June 10th 9am – 3pm) presented by Gecko Environment Council brings together experts, leaders, and community with a focus on urban greening solutions to set us up for healthy urban living – Potential for Sunshine Coast
Emails Out 21
- World Environment Day (WED) invitations to prospective participants
- Bribie Breakthrough information
- Flyways screening arrangements
- General information and meeting minutes to members
Motion put that the correspondence be endorsed and accepted
Moved: Ken Seconded: John Carried
TAPP Bendigo Bank Cash Management Account
TAPP General Account as at 30th April 2023
Balance Brought Forward from 31/03/2023 $12502.31
Interest 1/4/2023 $ 0.12
Nil Inwards
Debits SCEC Membership 22/4 $ 55.00
Balance as at 30th April 2023 $12447.43
Bells Creek Fund administration account for HLW
Balance as at 30/4/2023 $ 1950.81
Total
TAPP general Account $12447.43
Bells Creek Administration Fund $ 1950.81
Balance General Account and Bells Creek Admin Fund. $14398.24
Motion put that the Treasurers Report be accepted as a true record.
Moved: Ken Seconded: Carla Carried
Matters for Information
Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body – Graeme
This body was set up to convince the State Government to set up a Management Body to manage the Passage. After spending 2 years talking to various people including Local and State Government, it was decided that the barriers that are in place make it impossible to keep going.
It was therefore decided to set up an advisory group The Pumicestone Passage Advisory Group, which would consist of current politicians who are responsible for this area, the local Councils – the SC and Moreton Bay Council, Our State Govt. representatives as well as Scientists from the university. Then as issues arise this advisory group could make recommendations to the governing departments. This body will be nonpolitical. Sixty Percent of the members of this group will need to agree to the change of the name of the group as well as the new direction it will take.
Water Matters Plan on Line Forum – Ken
Ken participated and was able to add information to the discussion about the Pumicestone Passage Catchment. There was discussion about water re-use, which they are beginning to do in Noosa. Unity Water is in discussion with Stockland about storm water recycling. Stockland will need to provide water storage for Aura and this water will come from the Ewan Maddock Dam. This will entail a pipe going through the Environmentally Sensitive Area.
Response from Dept. of Environment and Science (DES) re the Breakthrough –
Ken’s letter to DES asked a number of questions about different aspects of their reasons for saying the breakthrough was a natural event and not in any way caused by human activity. Their response was again adamant that the continual and increased dredging of the channel for the ships going to the Brisbane Harbour nor the fact that they do a 90-degree turn right at the point of the breakthrough had any impact on the break. A group called BMT who are a ‘maritime, engineering and technical consulting firm’ wrote the Report sent to DES.
Ken, Gerry, Graeme and Jackie will meet with them on Friday 5 May to discuss some of TAPP’s concerns about what we see as inconsistencies in their report
Environment and Livability Strategy – Carla, Ken
Ken and Carla will go to the workshop to be held on Thursday 4 May. Developers, council officers, community groups and interested individuals will attend the workshop to discuss the livability of the Sunshine Coast region.
We last attended a workshop in 2017 and as it is a strategy not policy it seems to have been ignored. It was used as the basis for the Biosphere Application. It is understood that we need to infill rather than have an urban sprawl taking over farming land but there needs to be some consideration given to the way we infill, concrete jungles are not ideal nor are they sustainable.
Matters for Discussion – All
World Environment Day (WED) – Ken
Ken has sent various groups and individuals invitations to set up stalls at WED. We have not yet received a great response but hopefully they will respond soon. We will need volunteers to help set up and be available to talk to people at the TAPP Stall during the day as well as pack up at 2.00. Ken will send out more information as the day approaches.
Inter-Urban Break (IUB) subcommittee Meeting – Ken, Carla, Graeme
The TAPP subcommittee met with Narelle from the SC Environment Council (SCEC) and Marcus who represented the Caloundra Alliance.
Narelle filled us in on her meetings with Council and we discussed the need to have some material to inform the SC residents about the issues. Narelle is writing a blurb and will get that to us when that is complete. SCEC will then be able to publish this for us to send out to the public. There will also be a pro-forma letter which we will circulate and encourage people to send to relevant Government personnel. Graeme constructed a simple flyer that we were able to hand out at the Maleny Wood fest. The area will be renamed, as IUB does not describe it very well. Therefore, the name may be something like the Green space between the Mountains and the Coast. We need this inter-urban space to be defined and legislated.
Buddina Development Submission – Ken
As per the email, Ken sent out earlier, Stockland is undertaking a development at Buddina. There were a number of requirements placed on the builders to restrict lighting coming from the buildings due to the turtle nesting on the adjacent beach and the developer is requesting that these restrictions be lifted. This would affect the endangered Loggerhead turtles who nest on Buddina Beach.
If you have time, please write a submission using the key points that were outlined in the email Ken sent out earlier.
Around The Table:
Helen showed the group a book called “A Game of Mates” by Cameron Murray and Paul Frijters that talks about issues in our Government and Society in general.
Ken –Ken has been invited to the Geography Conversation in Brisbane on 23 May. Ian Lowe will be guest Speaker. Ken will see if he can make that event.
Ken thanked all attendees and the Meeting Closed at 4.35
Next meeting will be on 6 June at the Caloundra Power Boat Club