2020-01-16 Ordinary Meeting Agenda

ORDINARY MEETING AGENDA                                                          16 JANUARY 2020


It covers:
     Consultation process and timeframes
     Concerns over removal of PMAV Category X areas
     Suggestions for improvements to koala habitat mapping
     Comments on the Koala Priority Area (KPA) particularly in terms of identifying key investment
      areas for revegetation
     Clarification of administrative arrangements between Queensland Government and Local
      Government to implement the future Strategy
     Request for policy guidance in relation to vegetation clearing exemptions
     Advice to DES that time frames have been too short to sufficiently review koala habitat
      mapping at an individual property level
     Support for investigations into translocation as a measure to support local koala populations

Previous Council Consideration
Nil.

Finance
Queensland Government has entered into a 5 year partnership agreement with the Queensland
Trust for Nature to deliver on-ground koala habitat restoration projects. Council officers are currently
in discussion with QTFN and Queensland Government Officers regarding potential project sites in
Noosa Shire.

A comprehensive review of local koala habitat mapping as a requirement of the Queensland
Government transitional map validation process will prove quite resource intensive, and a proposal
will be put forward through normal budget channels to undertake this work.

Risks & Opportunities
The Draft Strategy, once finalised, may have greater restrictions on vegetation clearing in some
areas compared with the Noosa Plan. Queensland Government will provide further details on the
planning policy reforms through training sessions for local government officers.

It is proposed that the State will be the assessment manager for development that would ultimately
involve clearing of koala habitat. Local government will assess assessable development where
development does not involve clearing of koala habitat within a KPA, and conduct associated
compliance. The administrative arrangements between State and Local Government development
assessment and compliance processes are still being finalised.

Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
The Queensland Department of Environment & Science (DES) has undertaken consultation with
SEQ local governments on the Draft Strategy and new Koala Habitat Mapping. DES has provided
information sessions, mapping and updates to local government officers. There has been very short
time frames to assess the implications of the Draft Strategy and examine in detail the changes to
Koala Habitat maps. Council officers are working with DES to refine the Koala Habitat maps based
on local knowledge, information and data.

The Queensland Government had also publicly released the draft Koala Habitat Area maps for a two
week period in late December 2019. The purpose of this release was to allow property owners the
opportunity to comment on the mapping in case there were any inconsistencies, for example, if the
land was mapped as koala habitat but was already developed.

Noosa Council Officers have been in communication with LGAQ and have attended meetings with
other local government officers.

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