2021-10-08 Special Meeting Minutes

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES                                                                  8 OCTOBER 2021


        I have indicated to the CEO that I would strongly prefer to be engaged in the CHAP process on
        the basis that this issue is a significant one for the whole community and the whole shire deserves
        the representation of all its elected representatives. In fact the CHAP has political, legal and
        financial implications for the whole SHIRE of Council not just Sunrise Beach, and the narrow area
        that affects my brother. Many of these implications are unrelated to the perceived interest of one
        property on the Eastern Beaches. Everyone in this room and every ratepayer will be impacted by
        the CHAP and not just my brother. Council assets, our beaches, the environment and all
        ratepayers. This is evident on page 3 of the Draft CHAP, where the CHAP’s core objectives are
        listed to include:
               identifying what actions are required to avoid, reduce or adapt to these risks to people,
                property, assets and environment;
               providing mapping and visual products and deliverables that are useful for a range of
                purposes across Council departments and functions and within the community (e.g.
                planning scheme, asset management, community awareness, disaster management and
                financial planning; and
               to provide direction for a coordinated approach for Council and the community to adapt to
                climate change and coastal hazards.
        The CHAP covers open Coast areas - Peregian Beach to Sunshine Beach, Noosa Heads, and
        Noosa North Shore. It includes areas along the Lower Noosa River (Noosa Heads, Tewantin,
        and in particular Noosaville and Noosa North Shore) that will be increasingly at risk of inundation
        associated with rising sea levels. Inundation and rising sea levels will pose the greatest risk to
        Council infrastructure such as stormwater networks, open space and roads and some private
        property, as well as indirect consequences on adjacent retail and commercial activities. In open
        coast areas, impacts will be experienced not just to private properties, but also to Council
        Infrastructure, such as roads and recreational areas, including our beaches. It is understood that
        the CHAP in its final form, together with the Climate Change Adaptation Plan, the Zero Emissions
        Strategy and the Climate Change Policy, will form Council’s response to climate change. Further,
        the CHAP is intended to guide decision-making across key areas of Council, including:
               Corporate and operational planning and financial planning;
               Land use planning and development assessment;
               Infrastructure planning, design and management including roads, stormwater and
                foreshores;
               Management of non-infrastructure assets including conservation and recreational areas;
               Community resilience planning; and
               Emergency management.
        These are significant Shire wide implications that will impact more than just the one property that
        my brother owns at Sunrise Beach. It is my opinion that is not democratic nor reasonable to
        exclude me from a significant or important shire wide issue which is, in my opinion, a policy and
        not a planning instrument. Although I have a declarable conflict of interest and I believe I could
        consider the matter impartially and in the public interest. I will choose to remain in the meeting
        room. However, I will respect the decision of the meeting on whether I can remain and participate
        in the decision. I also inform the meeting that I have a further declarable conflict of interest in this
        matter as I have a close personal relationship with Mark Bain and the Bain family, owner of 1
        Noosa River Road which is an at risk property under the draft CHAP, they are family friends that
        have attended social events together and whose children both attended school together and
        surfed together as part of the Noosa Board Riders Club. During the election I had an election sign
        at Gympie Tce Petrol Station with the approval of the business owner and Mark Bain was the
        landlord of the property. Mr Bain also appeared in one of my videos circulated during the election
        campaign. I believe I can consider this matter impartially and in the public interest. Therefore, I
        will choose to remain in the meeting room. However, I will respect the decision of the meeting on
        whether I can remain and participate in the decision without voting regarding the Eastern Beaches
        and Noosa North Shore.

        In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Finzel provided the
        following declaration to the meeting of a declarable conflict of interest in this matter:
        I, Cr Finzel, inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter as on 5
        March 2020, Mr Peter Butt who is an Executive Member of the Eastern Beaches Protection
        Association donated $1666.66 to my 2020 Election Campaign where I was one of three
        candidates that ran as a group known as 'Future Noosa' (which is no longer an entity). Although

                                                                                                 Page 3 of 7