Wednesday, 2 May 2007
South East Queensland’s population growth has reached such a level that the region’s
communities will struggle to make it through changing climate patterns say
conservationists.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released recently stated that
droughts are likely to be more frequent with increased risk of water shortage, land
degradation, lower yields, crop damage and failure, increased livestock deaths and
increased risk of wildfire.
Simon Baltais, President of Sustainable Population Australia South East Queensland
Branch, said that there have been droughts before but never has the SEQ region had to
support a population of the size it does now.
“While the SEQ community may struggle through this drought there are doubts it will
make it through future events without serious degradation to quality of life and major
economic disruption,” said Baltais.
“With a 40% reduction in rainfall expected for the SEQ region by 2070 it is going to cost a
fortune to produce water from the systems the State Government is developing,” he said.
“This diverts valuable public money from other services; services that would have
enhanced the community.”
“We are now simply trying to service the most basic of needs, such as drinking water,”
said Baltais. “If the Queensland Government manages the rate of growth and moves to
stabilise it, then the SEQ region has some chance of maintaining a reasonable quality of
life for residents and a diverse economy.”
“Yet the Government is following the fools’ dream of endless growth. Life is going to
become very ordinary at best in SEQ with taxpayers caught up in the endless provision of
infrastructure,” 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