SUPPORTING INSTRUMENTS- SUBMISSIONS DUE 05 FEB The Queensland Government is seeking comment on the draft planning supporting instruments until 6pm 5 February 2016. The supporting instruments include the regulation and the rules and guidelines which now contain much of the substance of the planning framework, including the development assessment rules (previously the IDAS framework). If you care about the quality of Queensland's planning laws, it is essential to get commentary in on these supporting instruments.If you need assistance with your submission- you can use our submission template!Simply:If you need...

Environmental Defenders Office Queensland and SCEC hopes you managed to make it to the recent seminar on the supporting instruments, and that if you did, you found it interesting and informative. If you weren't able to attend, this update should put you in the picture and assist in preparing a submission and help spread the word! The EDO Qld presentation is now available on the EDO Qld website, as well as the Department's presentation from the Brisbane seminar (which covered substantially the same material as the Sunshine Coast one) We've also put together...

December 2015 SCEC has been rather active in the lead up to the UN Climate talks now wrapping up in Paris. On Wednesday 25th November, Narelle and Leah attended the Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy workshop at QUT in Brisbane. Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef, Dr Steven Miles MP, who has also completed Climate Reality training, announced he would be attending the conference. "Reflections from week 2 of the Paris Climate Talks" on the Climate Councils website provides some insights.Later that evening, SCEC hosted a film screening of...

SCEC has been rather busy in the lead up to the UN Climate talks taking place in Paris this week. On Wednesday 25th November, Narelle and Leah attended the Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy workshop at QUT in Brisbane. Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Steven Miles, who has also completed Climate Reality training, announced he would be attending the conference. Stay tuned on the outcomes of the Paris conference through the Climate Councils website.Later Wednesday evening, management committee member Natalie Martin-Booker hosted a film screening fundraiser of ‘This Changes Everything’ at the Maleny Community...

SCEC acknowledges there are environmental considerations which we raise in our submissionWe also understand there are other impacts that must be addressed. We are actively engaged in all manner of developments & projects that have significant, irreversible environmental impacts in efforts to ensure the Sunny Coast's environment & lifestyle is protected & enhanced. Caloundra Sth, Palmview, the Meridan Plains sandmine-over 700ha to name a few.SCEC always advocates on behalf of the community from an informed position. We are also heavily involved in advocating on the State's draft planning legislation (subs also closing 23...

MOOLOOLAH LOGGING AREA (within the Beerwah State Forest) Is located on the south-eastern site of Ewen Maddock Dam and forms four islands of vegetation divided by the Steve Irwin Way and Bruce Highway with a total area of approximately 880 hectares (ha). This is the only sizable stand of native forest in the Beerwah State Forest as the remaining 4500ha is made up of pine plantation. The largest parcel is 534 ha between Steve Irwin...

In 1997 the Integrated Planning Act was passed and represented a major shift in Queensland planning law, moving from a prescriptive approach to “performance based” assessment of development impacts. Since then, the IPA underwent numerous minor amendments until the last big over-haul of the planning system resulted in the reincarnation of IPA as the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA).  Among other refinements, SPA for the first time specifically...

SCEC is very excited to announce that we have filled the coordinator position and will be welcoming Leah Hays to the SCEC team as our new coordinator starting next week. Leah has a bachelor of environmental science and has been working with environmental organisations in the Byron Bay area as well as leading a team of volunteers on an elephant conservation project in Sumatra. An enormous vote of thanks goes out to all those who participated in the Climate Change Relay on 26 September. We didn't quite get the number we hoped we would so we are...

National Parks Association Queensland and SCEC understands the Queensland Ecotourism Plan 2013-2020 which relies heavily on protected areas, including the Kondalilla National Park, is being reviewed to reflect current State Government policies.NPAQ and SCEC will provide links to the revised Plan when it is available.SCEC again raised concerns in this earlier media release: Zipline still a risk for Kondalilla National Park  

Standing for hundreds of years, an old growth blackbutt is flagged for clearing in the project footprint SCEC has been encouraged by a recent meeting with Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, senior Transport and Main Roads (TMR) staff and representatives from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and the Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing regarding the Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway upgrade.Minister Bailey was generous with his time and is receptive to SCEC’s concerns relating...

  LawJam 17 Presentations-  09 September 2015 Hosted by the Environmental Defenders Office Queensland (EDOQ) and the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) Held at Lake Kawana Community Centre     That was the question we put to a panel of highly koala-fied experts. And it's a question we asked you, as we continue to slug out some solutions to the crisis gripping koala populations in Queensland, and hammer out a plan of action! Continue...

Less than 10 days to go until our second Climate Change Relay takes place (Sat 26 September). The timing of the event has taken on new significance with the recent change of Prime Minister. We have a great opportunity to send a strong message via local members Mal Brough, Warren Truss and Clive Palmer that Australians everywhere want decisive action based on Climate Change. If you haven't already done so please invite your friends and family to our facebook event so we can reach as many people as possible. We are organising a free screening of Merchants of Doubt in...