December 2016 E-News!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sekisui House Yaroomba Proposal
· 220 room 5 star hotel with conference facilities
· 160 x Serviced apartments
· 2500 sqm of retail
· 760 x 4 storey residential apartments
· 110 x 2 & 3 storey residential dwellings
So at 1030 apartments and houses (excluding the 220 room hotel), this is essentially a high density residential estate with a hotel component. See more here.
SCEC also takes issue with the biased manner in which Sekisui is marketing the proposal under the guise of ‘community consultation.’ The inference in their promotional materials and commentary that SCEC supports the proposal as we attended the discussion group sessions is extremely misleading and frankly, untrue. We made it very clear that our attendance in no way endorsed the process nor any proposal or concept. This position was understood by Sekisui House and is still the case. Continued after photos.


Please add your voice by signing this petition to help counter the spin.
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QLD Commits to a Plastic Bag Ban!
SCEC attended the launch of the Boomerang Alliance's Threat Abatement Plan in Brisbane recently to celebrate the wins, but also get serious on the work yet to be done to reduce the impacts our plastic consumption is having on the planet. Congratulations to Toby, Kelly and all the team at Boomerang Alliance for their wonderful work to see a commitment from the QLD Government.
Events Update
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Queenslanders have shown they support clean energy by leading the country on rooftop solar - Nearly one in three QLD homes has solar panels on the roof!
The trouble is, without visible community support for Community Owned Renewable Energy, the panel is unaware of the state-wide support for Community Energy. At the forums in Regional Queensland, many groups were talking about community energy. The message that communities want support for Community Energy needs to be loud and clear!
Submissions to Queensland Renewable Energy Expert Panel Draft Report - The panel is now considering submissions in determining its Final Report to be released in 2017.
Whitsunday residents oppose approval of Adani's controversial Abbot Point coal terminal.
WRAD, a community group which aims to protect the Great Barrier Reef from damage, was represented by EDO Qld at the one-day judicial review of the Queensland Department of Environment’s decision to grant the environmental authority for Adani’s controversial Abbot Point Terminal Zero port expansion.
The case was about whether the Department properly assessed the project, as required by law, before it granted a green light for the controversial billion dollar project that would sit in the backyard of local residents and in the middle of the precious Great Barrier Reef.
Climate Change Adaptation - Have your say
The accelerating and compounding consequences of climate change are already being felt. While we need to mitigate dangerous global warming, we also need to urgently adapt to a changing climate. Building on a series of discussion and directions papers, the Queensland Government is currently seeking feedback on its Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy (Q-CAS) until 09 January 2017.
View climate impacts based on range of projections for Queensland and Climate Change projections in the SEQ region.
Call to Action!
SCEC relies on the generous donations from our supporters, please consider making a donation this Christmas!
YPCA is fundraising for their Yandina Quarry campaign. The opportunity comes via car park duty, Xmas Eve 10-12.30pm, at Eumundi Markets. You can do your christmas shopping as well!
SEKISUI PETITION - This petition seeks to restrict building height to two stories at Yaroomba, no higher... in accordance with the current planning restrictions.
ADANI COAL MINE - Stop the Adani coal mine going ahead. Let Premier Palaszczuk know how you feel - via Get Up.
You can also sign this petition on the government website - Sign now
Acknowledgement
Welcome back to our hard working volunteers Marie and David, who have spent a few months traveling around South America.
Investigation Into Gliders Complete
Wildlife Queensland’s Glider Network has just completed a project to investigate glider species inhabiting the reserves in the Redlands area, where greater gliders are known to inhabit. By combining spotlight monitoring and infra-red wildlife camera monitoring, they managed to locate greater gliders in both the Greater Glider Conservation Area and the Days Road Conservation Area.
Global Energy Emissions are set to increase 30% by 2030
With a US President Elect who is openly a climate change denier, and promising to increase US fossil fuel extraction, including coal, it is vital that the world's people understand where the Earth is headed.
Today the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that energy related greenhouse gas emissions (mainly CO2 and methane with some nitrous oxide) under national emissions targets (from the UN climate negotiations) are set to increase by a deadly 30% in 2030, with the emissions trajectory still increasing.
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Plastic Bag Ban
Palaszczuk Government releases discussion paper seeking public feedback on plastic bag ban
Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles today (Friday) released a public discussion paper to ensure the community has its say on the Palaszczuk Government’s 2018 ban on light-weight single-use plastic shopping bags.
Dr Miles stressed it was important the Government consulted with the community – and key stakeholders – to ensure the best possible outcomes for all Queenslanders.
“The scientific evidence about the harmful impacts of plastic in the environment is growing every day, and there is considerable support for a plastic bag ban,” Dr Miles said.
“Retailers and environmental and community groups who attended plastic bag workshops in Queensland in 2015, and at a national plastic bag roundtable in Sydney in February 2016, agreed there was a need to restrict single-use plastic shopping bags.
“The Queensland Government sees a plastic bag ban as a critical step in a long term plastic pollution reduction plan, and we are now seeking public feedback on how best we can move forward with this initiative,” Dr Miles said.
Speaking in Sydney where he attended today’s Meeting of Environment Ministers, Dr Miles said the Palaszczuk Government had decided to start the litter-busting ban in 2018 – to coincide with its Container Deposit Scheme.
“It’s a logical step from the CDS to introduce this initiative to bring about a vast reduction in the numbers of plastic shopping bags blowing in the wind, entering our waterways, harming our wildlife and spoiling our environment,” Dr Miles said.
On the subject of Green Energy, some very good news!
A group of billionaires, led by Bill Gates have committed US$1billion over 20 years to green energy. "Our goal is to build companies that will help deliver the next generation of reliable, affordable, and emissions-free energy to the world," Gates said.
Date Claimers
27 December – 1 January. Woodfordia. Woodfordia is already a hive of excitement getting ready for your arrival. Pre sale tickets are available until the 24th December…
25 January 2017 – Environmental Defenders Office (Qld). 6:00pm-7:30pm, First Avenue, Maroochydore. Inform your submission on the updated Development Assessment Rules. Submissions due in by 10 February – this workshop can really help. Register here
23-24 March 2017 - Rainforest Symposium. Featuring many of Australia’s leading rainforest experts, save the date to attend or get involved with the event program. Contact Paul Donatiuor Susie Chapman now to find out how to get involved!
Podcasts
Indigenous Solar Company Empowering Remote Communities
Solar power has brought a remote community in the Northern Territory’s Barkley Tablelands back to life. Allgrid Energy, an indigenous-owned technology company has replaced their expensive diesel-powered generators with solar storage systems.
With clean cheap energy now available, people have moved back into the community, which now boasts a population of 40 people, and has an air-conditioned school, and two teachers.
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Thanks to our wonderful volunteer Joan for creating this witty little cartoon!