Let the community determine SEQ’s growth (May)
The Queensland Government is pushing high growth in South East Queensland
via the Local Growth Management Strategies that every local government must adopt in
the coming months say conservationists.
The South East Queensland Regional Plan 2002-2026 (SEQ Regional Plan)
requires each local government in SEQ to prepare a Local Growth Management
Strategy by 30 June 2007 for approval by the Regional Planning Minister.
Mr. Simon Baltais, President of Sustainable Population Australia SEQ Branch,
said that the South East Queensland Regional Plan presented only one option to SEQ
residents and that was continued growth.
“All Local Growth Management Strategies will continue this State Government
position and not offer communities an opportunity to choose a lower growth rate,” said
Baltais.
“Residents are watching their quality of life go down the gurgler,” said Baltais,
“and it is all because the State Government is still peddling high growth in a region that
can no longer sustain it, and enforcing this growth through their legal planning
documents like the Local Growth Management Strategies.”
“The Queensland Government claims that it can do nothing about this growth
and yet all their development and planning documents promote high growth,” said
Baltais.
“The residents of SEQ deserve better, they should be given the option to
determine their communities’ future and they can do this if they are allowed to determine
what level of growth they wish supported in their Local Growth Management Strategies.”
“Determination of the LGMS should be delayed until after the local government
election in 2008, allowing residents to choose a candidate who will support a growth rate
that they want,” said Baltais.
For more information about this important issue:
Simon Baltais, President, SPA-SEQ, Mob: 0412 075 334
Sustainable Population Australia – SEQ Branch, Box 199, Mudgeeraba Qld 4213