2020-01-13 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                               13 JANUARY 2020


Amendments to the Environment Levy Policy
The three amendments to the Environment Levy Policy (Attachment 1) are in the sections:
   Support for Private Land Conservation Partnerships - which now outlines the 3 statutory
     protective mechanisms available to Council under the VCA program;
   Environment Levy Guidelines - where reference is now made to Environmental
     Management and Conservation zoning; and
   Related policies and Legislation - with the inclusion of the Planning Act 2016.
Amendments to the Policy Guideline - Private Land Conservation Partnerships
The Policy Guideline (Attachment 2) has been amended to incorporate Environmental
Management and Conservation zoning as a protective mechanism.
The amended Guideline outlines financial incentives that Council offer to existing and any new
VCA property owners. These incentives are subject to a five year review against CPI. The CPI
increase over this five year period (from 2014 to 2019) is 8.5%. Increases in financial incentives
(for existing and new VCA properties) are:
   Minimum available annual incentive of $1,630 per annum for Conservation Areas up to 5
     hectares in size (was $1500).
   For conservation areas over 5 hectares an additional $108 will be available for every extra
     hectare (was $100).
   Annual financial incentive capped at $5425 each year (was $5000).
   Ongoing financial support for new VCAs will not exceed 5 years unless specified in the
     EMP.
   Costs cannot be claimed for unexpended VCA funds from previous financial years.
Council will continue to honour existing VCAs that were entered into with the Sunshine Coast
Regional Council with the above CPI increases budgeted for in the 20/21 financial year.

Qld Government Nature Refuge program
The Nature Refuge program is the Queensland Government’s flagship private land conservation
program. It offers high level statutory protection of a nominated property under the Nature
Conservation Act. Noosa Council has 11 Nature Refuges over its bushland reserve estate, and
there are 7 private freehold properties within Noosa Shire with a Nature Refuge. The Nature
Refuge branch (within the Department of Environment and Sustainability) has advised Council
staff that due to resourcing issues it is currently unable to meet service demand from landowners
wishing to establish Nature Refuges.

This has impacts on the aspirations of many landowners throughout the State who are wanting to
protect the conservation values on their property for the future, including landowners within
Noosa Shire. It also impacts on Council’s ability to effectively deliver the Voluntary Conservation
Agreement program using a Nature Refuge as a protective mechanism. As such it is proposed
that Council write to the Qld Government Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef,
Science, and the Arts expressing support for the Nature Refuge program and requesting that the
program be adequately resourced to service the applications from landowners throughout
Queensland.




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