2020-07-07 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                        7 JULY 2020


     g)    For 5 years after the transfer of the former PLA area to Conservation Park, Council will
           be responsible for rehabilitation of the former pine plantation area but our obligation is
           capped at $125,000 pa. Noosa Parks Association will also contribute an equivalent
           amount towards rehabilitation during that period. After the 5-year rehabilitation period,
           the land will then transfer to National Park tenure. There is no obligation on Council or
           NPA to undertake any remediation work on the Non PLA area (i.e. the hardwood areas)
     h)    The State Deed provides the option for Council to make a payment to the State for the
           cost of rehabilitation of the pine plantation areas upon expiry of HQP harvesting rights
           5 years after signing the deed, and for the land to go direct to National Park tenure
           instead of Conservation Park with Council as trustee. That is at the Council’s option at
           the time.

2.   A contract between Noosa Council and Noosa Parks Association which provided for the
     following:
     a)    NPA have agreed to fund one-third of the acquisition costs of $3.5M and also to make
           a contribution towards the rehabilitation of the PLA pine area once Council becomes
           trustee of the Conservation Park.
     b)    NPA will provide this funding over a period of time. For the acquisition component, they
           paid $541,666 upon the signing of the agreement in 2018 payable direct to DES with
           Council paying the balance to DES in the sum of $625,000. This amount of $625,000
           is then payable by NPA to Council in five instalments of $125,000 per year commencing
           12 months after the date of signing of the State Deed (October 2018). Both the initial
           payment of $541,666 and the first annual instalment of $125,000 to Council have been
           paid. The second annual instalment of $125,000 is on track for payment in October
           2020.
     c)    For the rehabilitation component, NPA will contribute $125,000 per year for 5 years to
           assist with rehabilitation costs. Those contributions will commence the year following
           their final payment towards the acquisition component. In the event that the
           rehabilitation works can attract funding/grants from other sources, the contribution by
           NPA may be reviewed. NPA will also contribute directly to the project in other practical
           ways such as volunteer planting days.
     d)    All up, NPA proposes to contribute $1.166M towards acquisition and up to $625,000
           toward rehabilitation (spread over 5 years).

The report to the Special Council meeting on 27 June 2018 can be downloaded from Council’s
website (https://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/downloads/file/496/2018-06-27-special-meeting-agenda-
pdf)

That report includes a copy of:
     the contract entered into between the State government, Noosa Council and Noosa Parks
      Association (see attachment 2 to that report)
     the contract entered into between Noosa Council and Noosa Parks Association (see
      attachment 3 to that report).

Contracts were signed in October 2018 at a formal ceremony on site. All parties have met their
contract obligations since that time. The State government (via DAF) also entered into a separate
contract with HQP regarding the payment of compensation and the surrender process for the PLA.

In May 2019, the CEO provided the Council with an update report on progress with this project.
That report updated Council on a range of issues including:
     details of the contract signing
     an update on the work of the Transition Committee (more details below)

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