LETTER TO THE EDITOR
RE; Enquiry Regarding Environmental Stewardship of Nelly Bay Harbour
Dear Editor,
Below is correspondence I have sent to the Federal Environment Minister, the National EPA, DETSI and other relevant authorities seeking clarification of who ultimately holds responsibility for the environmental management of Gustav Creek, Nelly Bay Harbour and Nelly Bay, under the environmental requirements established through the original Commonwealth–Queensland assessment of the harbour development.
I am providing the correspondence itself so the Magnetic Island community can see exactly what has been put to the authorities.
Regards,
Michael Schmidt, MAGNETIC ISLAND.
Dear Minister,
I am bringing this matter to your attention and asking for your assistance, because of the environmental importance of Magnetic Island in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, to every Australian, its significance to World-wide tourism, and I consider the present circumstances concerning Nelly Bay Harbour warrant Commonwealth-level oversight.
I have undertaken significant research into the original Commonwealth–Queensland environmental assessment of the Nelly Bay Harbour, culminating in the Nelly Bay Harbour Operation Plan, (NBHOP) That documentary record is attached for reference.
My reasoned understanding from that research is that the Commonwealth, as the senior environmental authority in this matter, holds the overarching environmental responsibility for ensuring that the environmental commitments arising from the original development EIS for Nelly Bay Harbour continue to be fulfilled.
There are now concerns regarding long standing and continuing non-compliance with those environmental management arrangements. This is particularly important given that Townsville City Council is currently progressing a new application to dredge Nelly Bay Harbour and dump the dredged material at sea, which is now, I believe, before the Commonwealth environmental authority.
I also contend that the material now proposed for removal includes clean sand originating from the Nelly Bay Beach and Gustav Creek sediment systems. This raises an immediate environmental concern about what is actually being removed from the harbour.
I am therefore asking you, as Minister, to oversee this enquiry and ensure that the question of responsibility and environmental oversight arising from the original planning of Nelly Bay Harbour, Gustav Creek and the Nelly Bay Foreshore is properly addressed.
The attached documentation identifies these environments as interconnected within the environmental planning and management framework that developed around Nelly Bay Harbour. In my view, the continuing failure to properly implement those arrangements has now contributed to an urgent situation in which the Nelly Bay Foreshore is being progressively degraded while the harbour is being prepared for further dredging and waste dumping of materials at sea instead of beach and foreshore placement.
If my understanding of the Commonwealth's overarching responsibility is incorrect, I ask that this be clearly identified and that the authority responsible instead be identified.
I am copying the relevant Queensland Government and Townsville City Council officers so that the enquiry and its basis are transparent to all parties.
Kind regards,
Michael Schmidt
Magnetic Island
DOCUMENTARY TRAIL
No. | Date | Document |
1 | 23 Dec 1994 | Commonwealth Ministerial Direction — Environmental Impact Statement under the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 |
2 | 4 Apr 1995 | ParlInfo — Nelly Bay Harbour Project / Answers to Questions — Senator John Faulkner |
3 | 1994–95 | Guidelines for Preparation of Joint Environmental Impact Assessment and Impact Assessment Study — Queensland Department of Lands / joint Commonwealth–Queensland assessment |
4 | 1995 | Joint Commonwealth Environmental Impact Statement / Queensland Impact Assessment Study (EIS/IAS) |
5 | 1995 onward | Environmental Management Plan (EMP) / environmental management requirements |
6 | 2000 | Gustav Creek Catchment Study — relevant to harbour sediment and pollutant management |
7 | 2000 | Nelly Bay Harbour Development — Guideline for the Development of the Environmental Impact Management Plan |
8 | 2000–2003 | Environmental Impact Management Plan / environmental monitoring and management arrangements associated with the harbour development |
9 | 2003 | Nelly Bay Harbour Operation Plan (NBHOP) |
10 | 2010 | Shoreline Erosion Management Plan — Nelly Bay Beach (SEMP) |
11 | 2016 | Nelly Bay Alternative Options Analysis — Department of Transport and Main Roads — including reference to the Nelly Bay SEMP and Marine Parks permit conditions |
12 | 2018 | Nelly Bay Harbour Operation Plan (NBHOP) — updated 2018 |
Sharing this enquiry with the Magnetic Island Residents and Ratepayers Association and the Magnetic Island community.
Comments