2016-01-11 General Committee Agenda

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e   Any cost to Council could be offset by revenue.
    e   Bringing management of the River closer to Noosa would see it run better.

Those who did not support the proposition viewed that:

    e   Management would be too big an issue for Council.
    e   There may not be enough revenue to cover the costs to Council and that ratepayers should not have to pay
        higher rates.
    e   There was significant risk involved.
    e   lItisarole that should be undertaken by State Government authorities.
    e   Noosa is asmall community and should not have to take on this responsibility.
    e   The River is still one of the best in the country.

The Jury agreed to note both sets of views in this report.

The Jury did reach consensus on the following recommendations for Council to implement:

    1.  Review, update and implement the Noosa River Plan in a new framework and have it ratified with a formal
        status to ensure it has authority (recognising that is not currently a legal document). Ensure the Plan is
        clearly linked to relevant cultural, social and, transport strategies and plans.

    2.  Undertake effective monitoring and facilitation of waste removal/disposal, for example through use of
        rebates for compliance or outsourcing to a third party on a user pays basis.

    3.  Establish an effective duty of care (as per Cultural Heritage Act) with respect to sites of cultural heritage and
        ensure a specific policy or strategy on cultural matters including effective indigenous engagement on all
        aspects of river management.

    4.  |Implementa role similar to a park ranger (for example a national park model) with authority on the river
        around compliance and monitoring.

    5.  Maintain present river catchment protections.

    6.  Review fees for moorings and anchoring noting the Jury’s support for Council to levy rates for commercial
        jetties.

    7.  Lead the establishment of a Noosa River Management Coordination Committee to be chaired by an
        independent river management specialist to monitor and oversight river management.

    8.  Pursue legal authority to remove (following appropriate notification and legal requirements) abandoned,
        unattended, unauthorised, derelict and unsafe vessels from the river to an impound area, noting that there
        would then be an opportunity to auction unclaimed vessels.

    9.  Review mooring and anchor locations and type of moorings to take account of all relevant cultural and
        environmental factors, with new locations to be assessed against these factors on a rolling basis and made
        more environmentally friendly.

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