Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 27 February 2012:

With reference to the ‘State Party Report on the state of conservation of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (Australia)’:

(1) Given that the Australian Government’s report, presented to the World Heritage Committee on 1 February 2012, stated that Queensland’s State Coastal Plan ‘prevents new development footprints in coastal areas of high ecological significance’ (p. iv), can details be provided outlining exactly how the State Coastal Plan achieves this.

(2) Is the department’s definition of ‘prevent’ different from the commonly accepted understanding, that prevent means stopping something from happening.

(3) What is meant by ‘new development footprints’.

(4) In coastal areas of high ecological significance, how does the Queensland State Coastal Plan prevent:

  (a) residential or tourism developments;

  (b) port developments; and

  (c) industrial and infrastructure developments.

(5) Is it more accurate to state that the Queensland State Coastal Plan does not prevent any development, but rather that the plan needs merely to be considered by an assessment manager (usually the local council) when applications for particular types of development are under assessment.

(6) Given that the report states that the Queensland Government’s Wetlands State Planning Policy protects high value wetlands, can details be provided outlining exactly how this policy delivers genuine protection of high value wetlands from the impacts of residential, commercial, industrial, port and infrastructure developments.

(7) Can a list be provided detailing which wetlands in Queensland are not of ‘high value’ and therefore are not afforded protection by the Wetlands State Planning Policy.

(8) Does the Wetlands State Planning Policy have to be complied with by decision-makers; do decisions have to be consistent with the policy or does the policy only have to be considered by decision-makers.

(9) Is it more accurate to state that the Queensland Wetlands State Planning Policy gives guidance on wetlands protection and only needs to be considered (but not adhered to) by decision-makers in regard to high value wetlands.

(10) In regard to the ‘Disclaimer’ at the beginning of the report, whose views and opinions are expressed in the publication if not those of the Australian Government.

(11) Who is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of a State Party Report compiled in fulfilment of Australia’s obligations to the World Heritage Committee.