2018-06-27 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                              27 JUNE 2018


The project was formerly announced on 1 November 2017 by the then Minister for the
Environment, Dr Steven Miles MP. The reports to Council dated 13 October, 2017 were
subsequently made publicly available on Council’s web site and the MOU was signed by all
parties on 18 October, 2017. A copy of the MOU is provided as Attachment 1.

Detailed negotiations have continued with the various parties and agreement reached on the
basis of the proposed financial and contractual arrangements as outlined in the body of this
report.

This report deals with the second part of the previous Council decision i.e. finalising the
transactional documents that enable this project to proceed.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the Special Meeting dated 27 June
2018 in relation to the Yurol & Ringtail State Forests Conservation Project and Council:
A.   Agree to enter into the Deed of Funding provided as Attachment 2 to this report between
     the State, Council, and the Noosa Parks Association;
B.   Note that Council’s contribution of $1,166,000 (GST exclusive) and the balance of Noosa
     Parks Association contribution of $625,000 (GST exclusive) will be funded from 2018/19
     Environment Levy revenue and restricted cash reserves as contributions to the State
     Department of Environment & Science towards the cost of compensation for surrender by
     HQ Plantations of pine harvest licence rights over Yurol & Ringtail State Forests;
C.   Authorise the CEO to remove the confidentiality associated with Attachment 2 Deed of
     Funding between the State of Queensland, Noosa Council and Noosa Parks Association
     once the Minister for Environment & Science has signed the document;
D.   Subject to Treasury approval under the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act &
     Regulations, agree to enter into a Deed of Funding with the Noosa Parks Association for a
     deferred payment arrangement to reimburse Council the sum of $625,000 payable by the
     Noosa Parks Association Inc. in five annual payments of $125,000 commencing 12 months
     after the signing of the State Funding Deed;
E.   Note the proposed further contribution by the Noosa Parks Association towards Council’s
     costs for the rehabilitation of the pine harvest areas as provided in the Council/Noosa
     Parks Association Deed of Funding, noting that the amounts may vary by mutual
     agreement in the event of Council or others obtaining funding from other sources for
     appropriate works to rehabilitate the pine harvest areas;
F.   Authorise the CEO to make any minor amendments as may be required to finalise the
     Deeds of Funding; and
G.   Appoint the CEO as Council’s Transition Committee member and the Director of
     Environment & Planning as the CEO’s proxy.



REPORT
This report provides further details about the project and the proposed contractual and financial
arrangements that will ultimately result in Yurol and Ringtail State Forest lands being transferred
to protected tenure under the Nature Conservation Act. It also proposes Council membership of
a Transition Committee to manage and oversee the project implementation.

The previous report to Council’s Special Meeting on 13 October, 2017 provides detailed
information and analysis of the project and should be referred to for more detailed information.



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