2023-03-16 Ordinary Meeting Minutes

ORDINARY MEETING MINUTES                                                                16 MARCH 2023


9.    ORDINARY MEETING REPORTS
      Nil




10.   CLOSED SESSION
      Nil.




11.   PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

      1.     JOKUBAS KUPREVICIUS
             Topic: Flying Fox situation at Waratah Close, Maple Avenue and Hibiscus Retirement
                    Village

             Question 1
             Has a management plan been finally created for our current situation and future
             situations? If so, we'd like to know what it is, what measures it guarantees and if it's going
             to absolutely ensure that the flying foxes are not going establish their colony again next
             year? If not, we'd like to hear an exact timeline, reasons for it and future plans for our
             communities.
             Response by Kim Rawlings, Director Environment & Sustainable Development
             Flying Fox Roost Management Plans take approximately four months to develop
             (depending on consultant availability). Flying Fox Roost Management Plans include
             consultation with residents and technical experts to identify suitable management
             options available for the site to discourage flying foxes returning to the site, this may
             include:
             a.    Thinning or removal of vegetation;
             b.    Buffering systems including sprinklers.
             The Roost Management Plan must consider the Flying-fox roost management guideline
             (Department of Environment and Science 2020). Implementation of significant
             management measures can not be considered by Council without a Flying Fox Roost
             Management Plan in place. Council is currently limited to management measures
             permitted under the codes below:
             •     Code of Practice: Ecological sustainable management of flying fox roosts Nature
                   Conservation Act 1992
             •     Code of Practice for Low impact activities affecting flying-fox roosts Nature
                   Conservation Act 1992
             The current proposed timeline for the development of the Flying Fox Roost Management
             Plan is for it to be prepared immediately (subject to appointing a consultant) and to be
             complete by August, this timeframe includes stakeholders and community consultation
             on the plan.

             Question 2
             We'd like to request that the Council lodge an investigation to the houses that have been
             affected the most and allocate relief funds for these houses. Their expenses are of great
             significance and we feel as if the council needs to take care of them. Could kindly do
             this?

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