The Editor,
The Courier-Mail
Sir,
A DEAL OF CONCERN
The Des Houghton article OPINION:
Green deal upsets Springbrook community, (September 06, 2013), is a real
worry with its apparent unquestioning support for brash claims based on broad
assumptions. That ex-Minister Bates might be taken seriously is a concern. It
shows how short memories are. Let me confirm that Ms Bates does not speak for
many at Springbrook. Her local nickname highlights this fact and suggests that
her actions could be somewhat snide and toxic. But what might one expect when
Queensland appears to have a minister for National Parks who, according to
reports, sees Springbrook's prime value in property with coastal views and a
potential for tourist income? Has he not read the World Heritage statement?
Does he know that the region is World Heritage listed as part of The Gondwana
Rainforests of Australia? It shares its listing with other world wonders:
Chartres cathedral; Uluru; the Taj Mahal, and many more uniquely special
places.
The situation appears to highlight how negligent our state is on matters of World Heritage. In our seemingly insecure and uncertain country that is constantly seeking the praise of others from overseas so as to be confirmed as 'world class,' (“What do you think of us?”), it cannot be believed that our World Heritage area at Springbrook that is ‘world class’ is simply ignored, treated as a tourist destination like all others on the Gold Coast. The words ‘World Heritage’ become just another piece of promotional jargon, a mere commercial lure. Understanding the reasons for the rest of the world thinking that this place is so important, (for its biodiversity, not its picturesque landscape), leaves one flabbergasted that it can be so demeaned by politicians and journalists, and treated in such a sceptical and careless manner. We need to learn how other countries take pride in their World Heritage listings, how they look after their World Heritage listed places. The obligations imposed on the Federal and State government with such listings are regularly forgotten. This, of course, assumes that they were once known and understood. The Courier-Mail rarely mentions this serious failure; only opportunities for ‘eco’-commerce and ‘eco’-profit seem to loom large and are promoted in a confused way.
That Springbrook businesses are used to support the position
put in the Houghton article is absurd. The history of businesses on Springbrook
needs to be carefully reviewed if one wants to correctly understand matters.
That some businesses might not flourish as envisaged, or have been found to be
difficult to sell has nothing to do with any buy-back scheme. The buy-back is
adding value to World Heritage place. How can it be seen as an impediment if
‘World Heritage’ place is such a desirable attraction? The buy-back is one of
the best steps taken by a government to ensure that the State’s obligations in
World Heritage matters can be fulfilled. That Ms Bates might mock others’
efforts to identify and protect threatened species is more than sad. It
highlights not only a lack of knowledge, but also, it seems, spite. That her
position might be seen as reasonable or acceptable is worse still. That The Courier-Mail can publish what looks
like its supporting article shows just how far things have become muddied by
political intents. If we want to maintain our World Heritage places, then these
areas need dedication and effort to ensure their futures. The inspired decision
to make a commitment to this special place by the previous government should
only be praised and encouraged, not ridiculed or sniggered at, questioned or
belittled. It needs support.
Strangely Queensland seems happy to keep blundering on while
its World Heritage places fritter away into oblivion with the increasing
emphasis on tourism and development. Even the iconic Great Barrier Reef
apparently represents nothing worthwhile that might make it worthy of becoming
a priority for protection. No, we naively tinker on the edge of the threat of
an ‘endangered’ listing as if it might never happen, almost as a dare, and
think nothing more of it. We should be humbled and embarrassed by the neglect.
Our politicians and press need to understand matters with rigour and honesty
rather than play their games. World Heritage means too much to be toyed with.
To put it simply, there are many at Springbrook who support the buy-back and
all that it stands for, as the whole of Australia should too. World Heritage
involves more than parochial interest and political point scoring. The rest of
the world understands and cares. Why is it nearly impossible for Queenslanders,
Australians, to see its marvellous natural places - in this case enriched with
a unique biodiversity - as anything other than something to be exploited for
financial profit?
Our World Heritage needs care and protection. This will make us ‘world class.’ The buy-back was one great step towards ensuring that the highly fragmented Springbrook National Park might have a future by growing again in the same manner as it has done little by little over the years since it was first declared. At last, one thought, these unique regions might be buffered from the impacts of the cliché greed and ignorance of rapacious development that have impacts that are just too real; but alas, in spite of the rest of the world, Springbrook still seems to be at risk. Will it join the Great Barrier Reef on the endangered list? One should only have praise for what the previous government and the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society and others have done and are doing for this very special World Heritage place. The rest of the world is watching us. We must start taking our obligations much more seriously and stop making a mockery of our special places as an excuse to neglect them, for by holding them in such disregard we only make fools of ourselves.
Spence Jamieson
Springbrook/Wunburra Progress Association Incorporated
Sent 12-09-2013
11:09pm
Letter to the Editor
Your Letter was sent successfully and will be reviewed soon.
But will it be published?THIS IS THE ARTICLE THAT PROMPTED THE RESPONSE ABOVE:
News
OPINION: Green deal upsets Springbrook community
Des Houghton
September 06, 2013
THERE is something terribly wrong when a government
doles out money and favours and keeps the details hidden.
It's even worse when it "misplaces" $1 million
along the way, and nobody seems to notice. That's what happened when the
Beattie Government spent $40.15 million buying back 45 properties at
Springbrook in Gold Coast hinterland as part of a plan to add the land to the local
national park, before handing control of many of them to the Australian
Rainforest Conservation Society.
National Parks Minister Steve Dickson is considering his
options after an independent legal report that said the government deal
breached state procurement and probity requirements.
The report also found society president Aila Keto had a
conflict of interest because she played a role advising the state and was on
the government steering committee.
Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates, claimed Keto was using a
house on one of the properties.
"We all know that Aila Keto from Australian Rainforest
Conservation Society lives there rent-free, off the fat of the land of the
taxpayers of Queensland," Bates told Parliament.
Keto admitted staying at Springbrook often, while she worked
up to 100 hours a week on the project for no pay, but said her home was in
Brisbane.
Dr Aila Keto is part of a world
first study into conserving the environment by internetting trees. Picture:
Adam Head Source: News Limited
Bates told Parliament the previous government's buyback
scheme was a "grubby deal" she believed was an attempt to secure
Green preferences for the ALP.
I might be wrong but I can't remember Beattie ever singing
the praises of Springbrook's elusive lyrebird or the vulnerable spotted-tailed
quoll.
o for now I'll cautiously accept claims that the buyback had
little to do with the environment and a lot to do with securing Green
preferences.
The noble aim of the buyback was to repair the ecosystem,
restoring critical habitats to world heritage status. So far Keto's
organisation has spent about $4 million on the Springbrook properties to bring
them up to national park standards. Twenty-eight of them have already been
absorbed into the national park and a further 11 are in recovery status under
the control of the society.
Springbrook National Park, it has to be said, is one of the most
glorious plateaus on the planet.
The buyback began in 2005 and was completed during Anna
Bligh's term as premier.
Now it seems to have gone awry.
Bates and Springbrook residents say there appears to be very
little improvement to the national park for such a large expenditure of public
funds.
Locals are infuriated with revelations the society pays just
$1 for 10 years' rent on two properties (with the option of another 10 years
for another dollar!) which are used by members, caretakers and volunteers working
on the project.
The controversy widened yesterday with the discovery of a
confidential ministerial briefing paper saying that
$1 million of spending could not be accounted for between government departments..
$1 million of spending could not be accounted for between government departments..
The report said the expenditure of $40.15 million was made
up of $38.4 million in acquisition costs with the rest spent on legal fees,
consultants' fees, fencing and locks, cash grants to the rainforest society and
costs for the demolition of buildings.
The necessary paperwork was passed back and forth between so
many departments some costs were not properly accounted for.
"This leaves the amount of approximately $1 million
expended by other (government) agencies prior to the transfer of the project to
the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service that is unable to be verified,"
it said.
"A professional and financial audit may be required to
examine the totality of the expenditure."
Ros Bates with ribbons that
represent extinct spiecies. Picture: Luke Marsden Source: News Limited
Bates told Parliament the community has suffered since many
businesses were bought and closed.
"Springbrook may be a small village - and getting
smaller all of the time and threatened with extinction - but its 650 residents
have big hearts and they are fighting back," she told Parliament.
Around $40 million of taxpayers' money was supposedly spent
on adding more rainforest land to the national park, she said.
"But it has not been used to buy rainforest land but to
buy out land used for homes, farms and businesses," Bates said.
"To illustrate this madness, houses bought by the
state, including historical homesteads, have since been demolished or left to
slowly rot, waiting to be reclaimed by the rainforest."
Bates told the House of the struggle to restore forests and
said Keto herself had said in an interview with the Gold Coast Bulletin:
"It is impossible to know if complete restoration is possible.'' Bates
added: "So why has all of this taxpayer money been spent when there is
little chance of restoration? Why has this tiny community been singled out and
sold out when it is not going to make much difference to the environment?"
Bates mocked a society display of metal posts with pink
ribbons attached, each to represent an endangered species.
She says public land was now padlocked to keep people put
and the removal of businesses had cost jobs.
Wayne Randall past president of
Chamber of Commerce. Pic by Luke Marsden. Source: News Limited
Wayne Randall agrees. The owner of The Mouses House chalets was
"shocked and disgusted" when he heard about the buyback.
"There was no consultation. No one asked the community
if they were in favour of it,'' he says
He says he didn't know about the $1 rent deal until he read
about it in The Courier-Mail.
"How can I compete with that?'' he says.
Nevertheless the community was sick of the "sad and
sorry saga".
"It's a wonderful place for people to enjoy.
"We just want to tell the world about it, and move
on,'' he says.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-green-deal-upsets-springbrook-community/story-fnihsr9v-1226713585933
