Planning & Environment Committee Meeting - December 2023
Date: Tuesday, 5 December 2023 at 9:30AM
Location: Noosa Shire Council Chambers , 9 Pelican Street , Tewantin , QLD 4565 , Australia
Organiser: Noosa Shire Council
Duration: 01:06:32
Synopsis: Pomona Place engagement endorsed; budgets and quick wins planned, SEQ Plan recognises village character amid growth, Environment Strategy progress with resourcing gaps, roadmap to zero underway.
Meeting Attendees
Committee Members
Tom Wegener Karen Finzel Clare Stewart Brian Stockwell Executive Officers
Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Development & Regulation Richard MacGillivray Director Strategy & Environment Kim Rawlings AI-Generated Meeting Insight
Key Decisions & Discussions Tom Wegener: Secured approval for remote attendance under s254K of the Local Government Regulation; all procedural items carried unanimously (00:34; Attendance resolution). Michelle Tucker: Pomona Place Pilot engagement ran 16 Aug–9 Oct with 500+ participants and 250 surveys; Council endorsed the Engagement Summary, will publish it, and noted 2024 next steps (01:42; Item 5.1). Kim Rawlings: Confirmed Pomona’s village character is recognised in the SEQ Regional Plan, strengthening local ability to guide growth within planning-scheme capacity (07:00; Item 5.1). Karen Finzel: Sought clear timelines, prioritisation, budgets, and annual reporting for Pomona actions; officers to co-design priorities with community post-election (Apr–May) and embed into capital/operational plans (10:25–12:48; Item 5.1). Larry Sengstock: Stated the Pomona plan will inform the 24/25 budget; delivery staged over 5–10 years with early “quick wins” where funding allows (14:34–15:40; Item 5.1). Kim Rawlings: Noted quick-win funding exists this year and that implementation must blend Council, community, business, grants and State agency inputs (15:40–16:18; Item 5.1). Patrick Murphy: Reported 32 planning matters decided under delegation in Oct; Councillors noted a 16m rural windmill approved retrospectively (accepted if ≤15m) as negligible impact (28:48–30:41; Item 6.1). Camille: Environment Strategy Year 4: 12 strategy targets tracked; 42 actions (2 complete, 22 on target, 17 progressing, 1 future), waste diversion up 7% YoY, 43% of shire managed for environmental values, 790 kW solar on Council assets, oyster reef gains, 69 ha Federal acquisition, fine-scale vegetation mapping due Dec (31:54–35:57; Item 6.2). Council: Added authority for CEO to make minor amendments prior to publication of the Environment Strategy Monitoring Report (36:07–36:24; Item 6.2). Ben Derrick: Highlighted reactive environmental pressures (flying foxes, algal blooms, bushfire) force staff to pause other programs; additional resourcing would reduce backlog and risk (40:22–42:26; Item 6.2). Brian Stockwell: Called for an actionable “roadmap to zero,” noting ~21% emissions reduction in seven years leaves ~80% to achieve by 2026; officers confirmed an options roadmap is being prepared for Council (45:37–46:47; Item 6.2). Tom Wegener: Emphasised agriculture’s role in sequestration and resilience; officers flagged work underway on rural futures/agribusiness strategy and partnership models akin to ZEN and NBRF (48:35–52:32; Item 6.2). Contentious / Transparency Matters Tom Wegener: Raised tension between local preferences and State-driven growth under the SEQ Regional Plan; officers confirmed Council uses community evidence to influence State settings (03:23–09:03; Item 5.1). Karen Finzel: Pressed for accountability on past undelivered Pomona projects, demanding visible short-term fixes, budgets, and timelines to rebuild trust (12:48–16:18; Item 5.1). Karen Finzel: Urged immediate attention to safety/maintenance (front stairs) at the Factory St heritage museum as a tangible early win; CEO said prioritisation depends on budget (24:33–26:29; Item 5.1). Brian Stockwell: Corrected overstatement on storm surge risk by referencing Council’s Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan modelling; Chair acknowledged and corrected the record (01:04:39–01:05:47; Item 6.2). Michelle Tucker: Community sought tourism consistent with Pomona’s values and limits; mixed views on “putting Pomona on the map,” favouring respectful, small-scale visitation (17:41–19:39; Item 5.1). Tom Wegener: Proposed activating empty shops and urging locals to spend locally to sustain town character; to be explored with Chamber (22:04–23:09; Item 5.1). Legal / Risk Council: Remote attendance approved under Local Government Regulation s254K, ensuring procedural compliance (00:34; Attendance resolution). Patrick Murphy: Retrospective approval of a 16m windmill slightly over the 15m accepted threshold highlights consistent application of planning provisions and negligible amenity impact findings (29:32–30:41; Item 6.1). Camille: State legislative changes shifted flying fox management onto Council without commensurate funding, creating cost-shift risk and operational strain; dedicated officer funding sought (38:04–39:08; Item 6.2). Kim Rawlings: SEQ Regional Plan recognition of Pomona’s character provides statutory leverage when reconciling growth targets with local capacity and planning scheme (07:00; Item 5.1). Brian Stockwell: Warned climate target slippage is the largest long-term risk; urges financially sensible pathway to 2026 target, tied to waste strategy and potential large solar (45:37–46:47; Item 6.2). Environmental Concerns Camille: Positive environmental metrics: oyster reef biodiversity gains, expanded conservation estate, waste diversion up 7% YoY, and increased on-site solar (31:54–35:57; Item 6.2). Kim Rawlings: Proactive flying fox management at Waratah via a Statement of Management Intent; education to improve community tolerance remains key (42:26–43:22; Item 6.2). Brian Stockwell: Advocated regional-scale monitoring akin to Paddock-to-Reef to quantify agricultural practice change and water quality/ecosystem outcomes in SEQ (52:32–56:56; Item 6.2). Council: Data gaps persist in five strategy areas due to monitoring constraints; ongoing methodology and resourcing work flagged (31:54–35:57; Item 6.2). Planning Scheme and SEQ Regional Plan Interface Kim Rawlings: Place plans shape design/character outcomes within the planning scheme, while SEQ policies set growth context; Pomona’s status strengthens local guidance (07:00; Item 5.1). Tom Wegener: Stressed aligning community expectations with Council’s actual statutory influence over public assets, private development, and State-mandated growth (05:12–06:17; Item 5.1). Heritage and Local Business Activation Karen Finzel: Linked Pomona’s “vibrant, creative hub” identity to concrete heritage upkeep; called for a review of heritage levy policy at a future meeting (10:25–11:36; 26:10–27:01; Item 5.1). Michelle Tucker: Suggested interim activation of vacant shopfronts via short-term use agreements with owners to catalyse footfall and start-ups (22:04–23:09; Item 5.1). Agriculture and Food Resilience Officers: Rural futures/agribusiness strategy work commenced; exploring governance/partnership models (e.g., ZEN-style) to mobilise boutique agriculture and local food systems (48:35–52:32; Item 6.2). Brian Stockwell: Proposed citizen-science soil carbon testing to align producer interests with emissions reductions and measurable sequestration outcomes (56:56–57:19; Item 6.2).
Official Meeting Minutes
MINUTES Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Tuesday, 5 December 2023 9:30 AM Council Chambers, 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin Committee: Crs Tom Wegener (Chair), Karen Finzel, Clare Stewart, Brian Stockwell “Noosa Shire – different by nature” PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 5 DECEMBER 2023 1. ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS Cr Tom Wegener (Chair) Cr Karen Finzel (attending via Microsoft Teams) Cr Clare Stewart Cr Brian Stockwell EXECUTIVE Acting Chief Executive Officer Larry Sengstock Director Development & Regulation Richard MacGillivray Director Strategy & Environment Kim Rawlings APOLOGIES Nil. Committee Resolution Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Brian Stockwell That in accordance with Section 254K of the Local Government Regulation, Cr Finzel is approved to attend the Meeting dated 5 December 2023 via Microsoft Teams. Carried unanimously. 2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES Committee Resolution Moved: Cr Clare Stewart Seconded: Cr Brian Stockwell The Minutes of the Planning & Environment Committee Meeting held on 7 November 2023 be received and confirmed. Carried unanimously. 3. PRESENTATIONS Nil. 4. DEPUTATIONS Nil. PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 5 DECEMBER 2023 5. REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMITTEE 5.1. POMONA PLACE PILOT - COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REPORT AND NEXT STEPS Committee Recommendation Moved: Cr Brian Stockwell Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That Council note the report by the Principal Strategic Planner to the Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 5 December 2023 regarding the Pomona Place Pilot community engagement outcomes and next steps and: A. Endorse the Pomona Place Plan Engagement Summary Report 2023 as attached to this report; B. Make this engagement summary report available to the public via Your Say webpage; C. Note the proposed next steps and timing for the preparation of the Pomona Place Plan in 2024. Carried unanimously. 6. REPORTS FOR NOTING BY THE COMMITTEE 6.1. PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY OCTOBER 2023 Committee Recommendation Moved: Cr Tom Wegener Seconded: Cr Clare Stewart That Council note the report by the Acting Manager, Development Assessment to the Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 5 December 2023 regarding planning applications that have been decided by delegated authority. Carried unanimously. 6.2. ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY MONITORING REPORT - YEAR 4 (1 JULY 2022 - 30 JUNE 2023) Committee Recommendation Moved: Cr Brian Stockwell Seconded: Cr Tom Wegener That Council note the report by the Principal Environment Officer - Policy and Planning (Land) to the Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 5 December 2023 regarding the Environment Strategy Monitoring Report - Year 4 (1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023) and: PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 5 DECEMBER 2023 A. Note that the Environment Strategy Monitoring Report - Year 4 (1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023) provides an update of Council's progress towards the 12 targets and strategies nominated in the Environment Strategy for each theme between the baseline data and data collected between 2019/20FY to 2022/23FY (where available). B. Note that the Environment Strategy Monitoring Report - Year 4 (1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023) provides an update of Council's progress of the 42 actions outlined in the Implementation Plan for the 2022/23FY. These actions are made up of four (4) enabling actions that deliver outcomes across all four themes of the Environment Strategy, and 38 actions that are specific to each of the four themes: 1) Biodiversity; 2) Waterways, wetlands & coasts; 3) Sustainable living; and 4) Climate change resilience and adaptation. C. Note that the Environment Strategy Monitoring Report - Year 4 (1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023) provides recommendations which will be considered as part of the review of the Environment Strategy and the preparation of the new Implementation Plan to be completed by Environmental Services and presented to Council in the 2024/25FY. D. Authorise the CEO to make minor amendments prior to publication. Carried unanimously. 7. CONFIDENTIAL SESSION Nil 8. MEETING CLOSURE The meeting closed at 10:36 AM
Meeting Transcript
Tom Wegener 00:00.000
Tuesday, December 5th, 2023, I declare the meeting open and acknowledge that we are on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi People and we pay our respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. Have no presentations and no deputations, and I note that committee members Brian Stockwell and the Mayor Stewart is in the room, but we will have, we have Karen Finzel, Councillor Karen Finzel online. And Karen, can you hear us? Yes, I can, thank you, Mr Chair. Okay, should, we need a resolution that Karen Finzel, okay. Seconded. Moved by the Mayor and seconded by Councillor Stockwell. Let's put a it to a vote. All in favour it's unanimous. Do I need to read that? In accordance with section 254 of the Local Government Act. I'm so sorry. Karen Finzel approved to attend the meeting. Dated the 5th of December, 2023 via Microsoft Teams. Okay. Again, I have a mover and seconder for the Minutes from the November P&E meeting. Mayor and seconded by Brian. Let's go, yep. Yeah, let's vote on that. All in favour? Yes. Thank you. Pomona placemaking pilot. We have Michelle Tucker here to walk us through this fantastic program. Michelle Tucker 01:39.886
Thank you, Councillor Tom. This report will provide an update on the Pomona Place Pilot. To date, including the committee engagement and process and prevents of Pomona Place Plan Engagement Summary Report to Council for endorsement, community and stakeholder engagement was undertaken from the 16th of August until the 9th of October for a period of seven and a half weeks in total. Over 500 participated in a diverse range of activities with 250 people completing our online survey which was a fabulous result. The project included engagement activities with the following consistent messages or themes coming from the community. Pomona is a special and highly valued place. The natural environment is a feature of local identity. Pomona is loved for its welcoming, close and caring community. Walkable scale, but people would like to make it easier to get around, particularly for pedestrians. Manage the impacts of heavy vehicles and trucks through the town and village. Provide more diverse recreation opportunities for young people were identified. And people love and value pomona's creative community and culture. And finally, supporting small local business was also a highlight of the consultation. So this report will also outline the next steps in the include which investigating the best process for developing and delivering a place plan in conjunction with the community and other stakeholders. Another round of community consultation once the draft is written. Some potential quick win projects and a monitoring and evaluation report on the process of the pilot. Tom Wegener 03:20.174
Thank you. Great. Well, I think we great. Well, Councillors, Councillors, any questions? I've got a big one to start with, if you guys are still working on it. It's fantastic, you know, there's so much consultation. As a Council, we get this information back, and it's a huge question, but what can we do to I know that the next step, but legally, I guess like in our charter from the State, to do these things, because the people, the community wants this, yes, but are there other interests, like the stakeholders of the State, you know, wanting to increase our population here dramatically, which may counter what, you know, what the people want in the report, and there may be tension there. Is that something that you think about on the picture? That's Michelle Tucker 04:15.503
It's always something that comes out through community consultation, depending on the community that you're talking to. There are a number of different processes we deal with all those, so from a Council perspective, you know, we look growth through the South East Queensland Regional Plan and the planning scheme. We look at housing through our Housing Strategy. So the outcomes of this can feed into those separate processes, but this process is a separate, again, this is actually about how Council can work better with the community and in partnership So really, you know, our mandate really is to work with community and that they own the process and they run the process, so it'll be us working with, you know, our particular assets and resources that we have in conjunction with the community to deliver something that aligns with the values of that particular community. Tom Wegener 05:01.297
Yeah, so when it comes to the museum and, you know, the field and the small community buildings like that, we have a lot of say in what happens, obviously. Yes. Private buildings, we have slightly less say, but when it comes to, you know, the pressure from the State saying you're going to put a lot of people here, a lot more people than you have, then we have even less say. Is that accurate? So there's a kind of a gradient of what we can and can't do and expect. I guess the expectations of the people need to be in line with deliver. Michelle Tucker 05:38.474
And it's our role too to actually inform that community as well and work with them in partnership to actually, you know, push back against those upper levels as well in terms of, you know, providing and making sure that our places are liveable and in character and have their unique identity that they do but yeah I guess for us it's always that role of working with community through those higher state hierarchies and Federal a plan that's unique for that community so yeah we do have a role but like you said it's um you know we're really mandated by those types of processes that sit above us Tom Wegener 06:17.447
Yeah well I think it's actually you know you have something to say here because you know if you could say another community doesn't have this that this vast pile of information you know with actual responses from the community saying this is what we want so if they've you know if this if I was from above come over and say that to Noosa Junction for say you know we're going to do this what we don't have all this community input saying no we don't want that we want this and you can actually so it's actually a democracy demands that people get are listened to through the process and this can help them on again to fight against the bigger system as well as the smaller system. You, Kim. Kim Rawlings 07:02.090
Hi, just to contribute to the conversation. You're right there are hierarchies of influence in terms of what we can control and what we guide can in guide a place and when Council owns property or there's community buildings and things like that there's a greater level of influence. Then there's a private development where the planning scheme can guide. Yeah. And things like the place plan can have influence around design, character, how the place looks and feels. And then there's things like the South East Queensland Regional Plan and state policies. What I will say is that we've been successful in getting Pomona identified as a significant place in it talks about the of Pomona and the village feel and the significance of the environment. So that's we've had that enshrined So yes, there are additional growth coming to South East Queensland and Noosa has had some pressure to a share of that growth. But it is informed by our local capacity and what our planning scheme can deliver. So there's been a two way process over the last couple of months where we've been able to influence that and definitely work like this, as Michelle's outlined, helps, you know, feed back up the line about the significance of our villages, you know, and Pomona obviously being one that we've got a spotlight on at the moment around how important these places are for quality of life and character and liveability for people. Tom Wegener 08:37.817
Yeah, so that answers the question that it is, yeah, realistic expectations for the people, what it can deliver, but the real thing is that when you could say, well, we've done this and when somebody's up there in some higher office just saying well what do you know are you sure you say yeah we know we actually really have this information down this is exactly what we want and this is where we're gonna go what the community wants us to do. It's a big deal yeah so sorry I stretched away from what the actual report. Brian Stockwell 09:12.714
It's interesting. A question of clarification. In the report it talks about participants were also asked to vote from a list of words, I take it they were also phrases, that what best represented their vision for Pomona in ten years time. The top five part was out with a strong sense of community, and that was probably the reason we chose Pomona as a pilot, because that was sort of something socially connected. It was colourful. And that's the only one that stands back to me and as like to choose from? Yes. Michelle Tucker 09:49.207
But then, you know, people were asked if they wanted to elaborate on what that meant. They wrote that down as well. So yeah, yeah. Kim Rawlings 10:02.809
Interesting because to me, part of the minor is actually the timber of and the tin, not necessarily the ceramic making maker. Of brighton. Michelle Tucker 10:01.989
And so it would be interesting what colourful actually meant to the people. I think it was about people. Oh, you mean like character. Yeah, colourful people, eclectic you know, creative people, those types of things. Yeah. Explains so that explains it. Colour. Kim Rawlings 10:20.792
Not Tom, karen's got a hand. Oh, sorry. Karen, Councillor Finzel, please. Yes, good morning and Karen Finzel 10:27.132
Thank you everyone for the report. It's a wonderful read and it's a good reflection of the town I live in and have called home since the early 80s. So I'm really excited. I'm looking forward to this. Right on page seven, in number eight it says we're a vibrant, creative hub and that might help understand the reflection of this colourful community and all the races. It's a very creative community. I'm very interested in looking at moving forward. On page four we've got outline actions for delivery by Council and community and stakeholders over the next 10 years. I'm interested in how we're going to map that out and ensure that these things are implemented, budgeted for and timeline to show the community that we are taking action, that we do stand behind what we're doing and that nothing will be missed along the way. When can we expect the outline for actions for delivery to come before us and how are we going to prioritise Michelle Tucker 11:36.348
So we basically will be after the elections we'll be going back out to the community to help us draft and prioritise actions. So we really will rely on the community's feedback to prioritise some of those key projects. I mean looking at the report there is a quite a few of them. So we really do need to look at prioritising and looking at the best value moving forward and what the community wants and the outcomes. So that'll all come up through the drafting of the plan and so that will be a process which will commence, you know, probably through April /May in conjunction with the community and then we'll present back to Council with what the community has identified and that will also include avenues of resourcing and funding as well. So that will sit within that plan and we'll have timelines associated with actions as well and so what will happen through the pilot process it's you know as an organisation it's a for us to look at as well in terms of how we these projects but they can then be identified in forward capital works plans or operational business planning as well to make sure that you know that's continued on and what's the plan is delivered. Kim Rawlings 12:49.137
To that Karen in terms of your comment about how will we track and monitor so the plan might you know it would probably at least be a five-year plan yeah so there'll be annual reporting on achievement against the plan and as you know we have we undertake the liveability survey so we've got a baseline in terms of sort of indicators for liveability for Pomona so we'll do that survey again possibly twice during that period to help track you know to change and improvement SPEAKER_00 13:24.536
Thank you and then Karen Finzel 13:26.834
Will that inform Council when it comes to budget like how soon do we prepare a budget and perhaps that's a question through to the CEO to deliver on the action items you know I have concerns having lived tip for term that you know we if had hadn't hardin hardened Pomona we've had several things done in the past and some of those projects still have not been delivered in this community so I really make sure that we do a really successful rollout of projects here. And we can have a Council that our community is proud of and can say that we have action and delivered you know what we say we're going to do given the amount of time and investment that we have all put into the Pomona Place Pilot project and the engagement we've received from our community so I really want to make sure that we have you know really transparent process how we mark we say we're going to do and how deliver it so through the CEO what assurances can you offer. Larry Sengstock 14:32.414
Thank you Councillor. This report and the next steps will inform our budget process so starts almost now really realistically and we get it signed off in June prior to the end of the financial year the 24-25 financial year. So during that period we'll be looking at this we'll be using this to inform our budget and we've got a feedback on that. That will boy's dabbling. Inform our budget process anyway and so we'll be looking at what projects we can physically deliver and make sure that what we do select are ones that are possible to deliver in that period and you know it's a long this is a long-term process it's not something that you're going to say we'll knock it all out in one year. This is over ten years here. So this is this you know making sure we take off the bites that we can actually deliver on and are most effective in the short-term and then medium and long term. Kim Rawlings 15:40.842
Adding to we that have got some funding this year Karen to do some, Councillor Finzel, quick wins. So we will look to how we can you know start the process in terms of getting some quick wins and we've almost always maintained through this process that the delivery of this plan can't be funded through Council alone, it is about community, business, grant funding you know a whole range of sources of funding will be looked at in the development of the plan to help you know state agencies all of those sorts of things to help implement the actions of the plan Karen Finzel 16:18.528
That's fantastic I love the collaborative process and I think that's a great way of leadership moving forward the main thing is accountability that we do uphold our you know our wording community and that we ensure that what we say we're going to do deliver and in those time frames so I want to ensure we have excellence in Council count and that again it's not just rhetoric but we action what we set out to do so I'm looking forward to moving ahead in the future and definitely those regular reports back to Council strong connection with community and looking forward to further consultation to achieve the collective goals that we're seeking through this project thank you question Kim SPEAKER_00 17:05.027
Thank you. Very much for this question in regard to you know feedback there's a lot of young families that moved into Pomona you know young demographic what was the narrative around a couple of things housing affordability I know this is I know we're doing a place making but it all ties in is that then you have determines transport in terms of car parking whole kit and caboodle so what was the narrative around that what was narrative around ecotourism was a narrative about driving business out there and in small business and providing jobs Michelle Tucker 17:41.883
Yeah yeah so I guess in terms of with younger newer families there was a strong sense of housing affordability not being achievable and pushing residents out of the town then it also came up around aged care as well to the other end of the spectrum there's no you know where for people to transition and stay in community once you know they can't independently live. Anymore so that was a key thing you know for young families it was the selection of beautiful parks and playgrounds and things everything was walkable and easy to get to the schools know you were but issues came up about children getting to and from school to town so that was it that was safely that was a critical thing that came up time and again with young families in terms of business they what they came out with pretty much aligned with the general community around the character identity they really want to promote local business and work better together and really invest in the town in health and well-being and those types of things so really put Pomona on a map that it's really caring for its community and the business community are aligned around that and in terms of tourism it was a mixed message but people really want people if are going to come out and go to the markets and things like that they need to be respectful understand that this is their home and they're happy for people to come provided it's not going overrun the town and they respect the town for what it is and its values SPEAKER_00 19:18.538
So if they want to put Pomona on the map is that meaning they want health and well-being retreats or like because was such a big yeah part of this what how do Michelle Tucker 19:32.398
Uh some would say they don't really want to in terms of if tourism is going to happen and in a sustainable way in the town they want it to be done in a way that reflects their values and so yeah so sustainably within sustainable limits and goes for you know traffic and transport and getting and from the town. The one Pomona moor nong on the map is something that is a really a great place to live, the amenities are really good, that's what you mean? Yeah, yeah, got it. SPEAKER_00 20:05.245
I'll move the mic in. Okay, I'll second that. Brian Stockwell 20:09.605
Yeah it's a good report and outcome I suppose in terms of what the confrontation tells us. I think it does, you know, top five points really focuses in on what the main is all about, you know, if you look at the numbers, special place, heritage and charm, small town, you know, natural environment, the mountain. Defines the character. Clare and enclosed community. You mentioned the walkable scale and yeah that's one thing I found, I was only a two year interloper in town but I found that my dog really appreciated it because got about four times as many walks as he does now and my waistline also benefited from that fact, but yeah that is a big thing for Pomona is that walkable, rideable scale and you know it's one thing that we can build on, it's one you know classical thing to a placemaking plan. The other one obviously everyone knows about the heavy impact maybe tongue-in-cheek, a short quick wind project could be D2 or so and so heavy, but you know there's obviously be addressed in traffic calming and things like that. There won't be quick winters that have to be designed, but they're the things we can do to make sure that walkability isn't ruined by a type of traffic that is inconsistent with what we're trying to get to. Think there is a lot of pointers in there for good placemaking. I think there's some areas that will require, you know, the community to go away and build down to more. But yeah, I think it's a good outcome and I'm sure that we get to evaluate the process next time, or as in Council does. It has been a good pilot in terms of some of the learnings about how to consult and community expectations and the difference of engaging people in small towns versus big cities, etc. Thank you and goodbye. Kim Rawlings 22:01.620
Thank you. Tom Wegener 22:04.261
Quick question. It was noted a few times of supporting small local businesses and for empty shops that aren't being used you know some business or a community to go in and use the empty shop. Is that on the record? I mean I didn't really notice that there are many empty shops that are there? Michelle Tucker 22:25.452
There's a few particularly down Station Street around the corner but that was really about you know activating footpaths and things like that and giving you know business bit of a startup so it's there's similar programs run across Australia where there's kind of a relationship between the business owner the landowner and people wanting to do use that building for a small time while it's so that'd be something that we probably would investigate further with the chamber around how do we activate those shop frontages in times when there's no business active tenant in there but that's something we can investigate through the process with them. Tom Wegener 23:07.455
But I would recommend you know doing that I know from my surfing life my friends would open up surf shops in you know abandoned buildings and so forth and I said you know why the building by the land so we can't afford the land well of course you know the surf shops there that active artist business is there in land vale you score if skyrockets it happens each and every single time so I hope that the business owners realise that actually by putting some active community business in there that supports the community they actually increase their land value and soon they'll be renting rented up and then the poor people that went in there and made it cool will have to leave and go someplace else and such is life um next is I think um so the a message going out like what next at an easy win might just be support your local business with your wallet like I go to the bowls club the Pomona Bowls Club is you know it's a fantastic place it is a piece of history nearly like the Majestic Theatre it's almost a museum it's fantastic but I did it's just empty and I know that the chefs kind of come and go from there it seems um due to lack of actual public support and it's you know really really nice and so I'm hoping that perhaps um you know if you love Pomona spend your money there because that's what it actually takes Kim Rawlings 24:25.514
Thank you yes Karen Finzel 24:29.974
Thank you um thank you and on the back of that I just like to make a comment you know when heritage is um being prioritised um I'd like to just raise um the point about you know we have got a heritage museum sitting in Factory Street that's part of our heritage walk um and for some time the um the issues around maintenance and safety to you know going to the museum the front stairs you know can't be used so I think like you know Council if we're going to deliver this stuff I would like us to get a report and a review of where we're moving um and these are things about the action items this is where community uh you know we need to engender trust and go yeah we can all sit around this table we can talk about all this good stuff and it's fantastic love the aspirations where community wants to go but as a Council I feel we've got to deliver practical solutions and surely you know when talk about a short-term delivery of something surely the front stairs of the museum could be something that can be prioritised so that when people come to visit our town and when we have a town that we to be a proud of that we want to promote as a heritage place to come and enjoy I think surely we can look at things like that as an easy win for-win outcomes our community and visitors alike to the region and to promote that if we are a heritage town that we actually value and appreciate that so through the CEO I'm just wondering is there a way that we can action that as an operation as moving forward into the new year Larry Sengstock 26:09.136
Again that comes through the budget process Councillor, they're the initiatives that are brought to table, and if they get the support of the Council through our limited we have got limited budgets but if that's the case it becomes a priority then that's where it gets taken up Karen Finzel 26:27.473
Thank you and just moving on from that can I also request review of the Heritage Levy in the policy to see if there's a way that we can have a review of that to look at how we can better support the Heritage Levy and how we use Larry Sengstock 26:46.002
It yeah, I think that's, sorry Councillor, that's something we need to bring to the table at a future meeting or outside of this meeting that we can discuss. Alright, I'll withdraw that, I apologise. No problem, that's alright. Brian Stockwell 27:01.262
Thank you. I'm not sure if anyone in the room can answer. My understanding is the museum is under a lease to the community group and the question is whether it's, in some of those, we're responsible for maintenance Larry Sengstock 27:16.052
And others. We'd have to look at that, I honestly don't know, so we would address that as part of the overall investigation of it. Tom Wegener 27:23.932
I'm going to raise a comment as a question. Did you know. That mexico has more museums in mexico city than any other city in the world and it is booming? The culture is so much stronger and more positive than it was 30 years ago. Did you know that? I didn't know. Thank you for that question. Every day we like to learn something new. I do now. Museums are important, just back to what Carolyn was saying. SPEAKER_06 27:51.571
That yeah okay any Tom Wegener 27:55.291
I have finished. Thank you. Really good report. I appreciate all your hard work and great community feedback too because this is a lot of weekend work. Out of time so I really want to acknowledge that and thank you. All in favour? Take care of you unanimously thank you, Michelle. Thank you. Sorry. Michelle. Next we have our favourite monthly delegate. Delegation of the planning application planning application that decided by delegated authority and we have Patrick Murphy here to walk us through it or just probably ask for questions. Patrick Murphy 28:53.928
Yeah as you're aware it's monthly report detailing all those applications that we decided on the delegation. 32 were decided for the month of October which one by Council. Tom Wegener 29:08.580
This. Give us a moment to find it in our notes here. What page is it here? It's page 19.89. It's a bit page 89 of 290. There we go. First, I've got to ask you about number seven, a windmill that's 15 metres high. Patrick Murphy 29:36.888
Right. So it's a 36 River Park Drive? I think it was. There was a windmill that was constructed without an approval. It came in for retrospective approval. A piece of infrastructure that's not a building associated with rural industry can be 15 metres in height. This was just over 16 For all intents and purposes, it's probably negligible in terms of its appearance to that type of structure. It was supported. Tom Wegener 30:08.803
Brian, are there many other windmills that you've come across in Noosa Shire? Brian Stockwell 30:12.443
Oh, there should be more. I'm just wondering. Patrick Murphy 30:16.150
What triggered I think it was a complaint. Someone observed it from the waterway. Tom Wegener 30:25.251
You don't have good answers. That's right. But if they're under 15 metres then is it code assessable? Patrick Murphy 30:33.919
It would have been accepted development. Yeah. Tom Wegener 30:39.339
Any other questions team? That Number 13, that's Attunga Heights. That's a different address than. That's correct. Was seeking exemption certificate, this one at 24 Attunga Heights, different address to the court case, yeah. I was making sure. I didn't try to pull a fast one. No. Anything I said? I'll move this. Second it. Karen, any. A little bit late, but Karen, any questions? No, no questions, Mr Chair. Thank you for asking. Okay, let's put it to the vote. All in favour? Unanimous. Thank you. Very much. Great. We're up to the whopper Environment Strategy monitoring report, year four. We have Camille. You can just let loose now because you have nothing to lose. Camille will be leaving us soon for elevation. Camille 31:55.651
I don't know about elevation. Just a different approach, I guess. Good morning, everyone. I guess we went through it briefly in the workshop. The report presents the outcomes of the Environment Strategy review and the implementation plan review for year four, which is for the 1st of July 2022 to the 30th of June 2023. So the report presented councillors, council's progress against the 12 targets and strategies nominated in the Environment Strategy, as well as the actions, the progress of 42 actions nominated in the implementation plan. So overall, most of the strategies are progressing towards their targets with several strategies being on target for completion. There were five strategies which are currently unable to be assessed due to insufficient monitoring data or monitoring methods currently being unavailable. In terms of the 42 actions, 2 are complete, 29, 22 are on target. 17 are progressing and one action is scheduled for the future and there were no actions requiring attention noted in the report for the last financial year. So in terms of the key highlights I guess there's been over $1.78 million invested in community organisations through the environment grants program between 2019-2020 financial year and 2022-23 financial year. Three per cent of the Noosa Shire is currently being managed for its environmental values. The private conservation partnerships program including Land for Wildlife and the VCA's continue to grow which is fantastic. We also an acquisition of 69 hectare property at Federal last financial year and we've almost completed the fine scale vegetation mapping project as well which is due to be delivered in December this year. The Noosa Oyster Reef Project also continues to indicate success and there's an increase in subspecies richness between the 22 and 23 surveys. Again there's good progress made in the diversion of waste so with by 7% between 21-22 financial year and last we're on track to meet the State target of 61% diversion by 2025. Our greenhouse gas emissions have also decreased by 2.3 per cent and kilowatts of solar has now been installed on Council buildings and facilities which is an increase of 100 kilowatts since the 21-22 financial year. So the other thing highlighted in the report obviously resourcing for Council staff moving forward to ensure that we can continue to meet the targets and actions of the Environment Strategy so we had nominated those in the finance section of the report but the wildlife but sorry the fauna management officer who is his contract is due to expire this financial year so we have put up a budget submission seeking an ongoing permanent role for a senior wildlife management officer as well as ongoing positions for the conservation partnerships officer and a flying fox management officer moving forward and we also need to include an additional item which is to authorise the CEO to make minor amendments prior to the publication we've had a couple of minor errors that we've just picked up in the final review Larry Sengstock 35:56.748
So yeah yeah and the size of the report is always going to be a couple of typos or whatever. Yes that's right so one of the councils are happy to add that. Tom Wegener 36:13.208
Oh yeah do we move to atlas add this right now okay that's odd indeed. Should. Do we need to read that out? Would the mover want Brian Stockwell 36:24.868
Just um a part two. My only question we haven't had anyone request this goes to Jim. Tom Wegener 36:32.726
Nobody's channel. So I had a few questions before we moved it anyway. Well so haven't actually moved I just I asked do we need to read out just D which. Oh okay. Brian Stockwell 36:47.440
You want I'll it to move it now? I'll move with the addition of D which reads authorise the CEO to make minor amendments prior to publication. I'll second that. Tom Wegener 36:57.784
So where are we? Brian Stockwell 36:59.164
I'll reserve my right to talk to the motion. Tom Wegener 37:03.144
Yeah, okay, is a very small procedure motion. We actually want to get back to talking about the report. One thing I think that I've noticed is Dave, I think Dave O'Gorman he spent a lot of time with fly foxes this year. You know, use and so it seems that we're often caught in a situation where we have somebody that's doing other to stuff, who deal all of a sudden has with to deal with this, which is a huge problem to a small amount of people. But it's quite a problem and it takes a lot of resources. How would you respond to that? Can we be more pivotal, I guess, to speak in the future so that projects that we want to happen aren't, delayed because our small staff has to go off and do, you know, deal with an emergency for months? Camille 38:02.632
I guess it's one of the things that's been highlighted in the Environment Strategy. So obviously council's role has changed since 2019. Legislative requirements have changed, which have put the responsibility onto Council to manage flying fox influxes. So that I think the resourcing impost on Council has not necessarily been considered. By the State. We have spoken to Department of Environment and Science about whether we could use, they've got a huge bucket of money for flying foxes, that to fund a flying fox officer. They've said no, unfortunately. So as you say, I guess it's having good comms strategies in place when we have these influxes as well as clear, I guess, delineations of Council. Role and our limitations in terms of what we can do during an influx. So yeah, it's one of those things we could get an influx of little reds, you know, Wallace Park or somewhere else. And unfortunately, it just means that I think yeah, we need to put projects on hold to address those influxes at the moment. Larry Sengstock 39:07.562
Until yeah, yeah, I think what that's absolutely right. There's a bit of, you know, legislative change and cost shifting, essentially. Kim Rawlings 39:15.580
But also the nature of portfolio. And here we go, Ben Derrick, the manager of environment, may want to comment on this. But the nature of the portfolio means we're both strategic and operational, which means we're, you know, we're doing long term planning for our Environment Strategy is our guiding framework. But we also have to be responsive and reactive and, you know, whether it's to flying foxes, algal blooms, bushfires, you know, that's the nature of the portfolio. Needs to be across both. And I'm not sure that's going to change, Tom. We just need to find a resource capability that can work between both of those. And, you know, we're in pretty good shape. Other than the areas potentially that camille's can be. Highlighted in the report around some emerging ongoing resource requirements based on what's happened in the last couple of years, you know, where we thought we could put some temporary resource to it and it's an ongoing issue. A couple those that couple of areas need to be considered. And Ben, if you want to comment, Ben Derrick 40:22.108
Yeah, we're addressing the question, Tom, of what are we putting at risk when we have staff effectively check out to be able to focus on issues like foxes and, you know, while marine strandings might be another one, algal blooms is another one. We've got a different, members of staff do that. So it's about risk. Yeah, that's right. Mitigation as to what programs are we not dealing with while we've got staff focused on those. And we, saw this year with flying foxes that Camille and Dave pretty much checked out for two months and so there was a whole range of continuity programs that we had to put on hold. I think camille's probably dealt with a lot of backlog over the last six months of getting back track with reporting that we've been doing. You know, this report's a prime example that there was a lot of work done at the back end of it, just purely because we had staff that were allocated to priority project. Now, let's say in a scenario we were going to have additional staff to come in, it's not as if they'd be sitting around redundant with nothing to do, waiting for that response, there's enough work to be able to get through that we need address. We, you know, threaten species and a lot of our other programs, conservation and partnership programs deliver. So, you know, it's the public sector and local government thing of how much work can we get through. How many resources have we got and where do we draw the limit? Additional resources, we'd definitely be able to get through more. If we don't have those additional resources, then we are vulnerable for some of those programs to be delayed. Things like flying foxes, which is starting to emerge again now. And we've, you know, we received an email yesterday at Waratah, they're coming back. You know, that was the big issue yesterday, last year. Yeah, so they're starting to come back. We know that they may choose that as a preferred roost. And this is the reds. We've got some very, very nervous community members and residents. And so we need to be really reactive for that. So we're getting, starting to get out. Our resources lined up. Yep, we need staff focused on that. Kim Rawlings 42:26.250
I mean, in terms of being reactive, yes, but what we have been able to do in the last 12 months is get very proactive around Waratah particularly. So, we've done a flying fox management plan, you know, we've got a clear plan of action there. In terms of how we manage and maintain, that goes so far, you know, there's still community, there's nuisance in the community and amenity impacts that, you know, a plan can only go so far to manage. That's right. Yeah. Camille 42:52.850
I think having that additional resource of a flying fox officer, you know, they've seen it down at Sunshine Coast, you can get out there, do that community education and awareness. I think that's a big part of it and we went through with the Statement of Management Intent, as you say, doing that proactive engagement, getting that increased understanding and tolerance within the communities community is really key because unfortunately, there's only so much we can do with flying foxes in terms of management. So yeah, it's about increasing that tolerance within the community as well. Yeah. Tom Wegener 43:23.660
Questions? Councillor Finzel. Karen Finzel 43:29.040
I don't have a comment, thanks. My hand's not up. Yeah, just throwing it out there to Okay. Thanks for asking, Mr Chair. Brian Stockwell 43:39.196
There's lots of great work that's been calculated and recorded. What looking for, at I'm looking at is in regard to our climate change and emissions reduction. We, by the table on page 125 225 of the main report. We've managed to reduce those for over seven years by just under 21%. But our target is to get another 80 in the next three years. I look and I notice that some of the things that have reduced, that appear to have reduced, the amount we've reduced in the last year was perhaps changes to what we can /can't, handle the things that are beyond our control in terms of emissions. But then again I look further down and notice there's been a offset plan has been produced but I don't think that's come to Council so is that because we still haven't worked out from what the consultants give us where we're going. Don't appear, you know, I think there is a the assessment of it somewhere it suggests that there's work to be done if we're going to meet the target of COVID-19 I think. But we got a sequence plan from here on in to how we're going to get to zero emissions or what are the scenarios on that. For example what won't be in here is we've now got to the Waste Strategy. Some of that's pretty exciting but it's probably not going to be before 2026. Maybe one of the projects we're looking at in terms of a large solar farm out there may be by 2026 but have we got an agreed step forward on that or is it something that we need to bring forward to Council to actually. Look at and say well what is the sensible financial way ahead to achieve this Kim Rawlings 45:36.192
Yeah there's been a lot of work done in this space Councillor Stockwell and we had a strategic session last week for two and a half hours on the road map to zero so yes there has been a report done a technical report done on options offsetting which I believe was actually presented to Council in a workshop pangolin report some months ago I think in about December last year and that presented you know discussed a whole lot of options we've been weighing up what those options are but yeah absolutely that Roadmap to zero now with what like you said with the waste strategies got some innovations and approaches in it we've gone through every one of our scope areas and for what we might be able to achieve in the next three years we're betting that down we execs were around a whole lot of options and questions and challenges and last week but the next step will absolutely be to bring that to Council to go this is what it looks like it's going to take if we um to meet our 2026 target Brian Stockwell 46:45.840
Yeah I think that apologies it then must be one of the few yeah it was I think it was about 12 months ago Tom Wegener 46:57.841
Um I've got just a bigger question to Ben we talked about um the various community groups you know their involvement in developing and working with the Council to achieve the goals and I see the Council working with Tourism Noosa and across the board with the tread lightly program and all these different ways and planting trees and so Tourism Noosa and the volunteers there's a gradient between Council community group volunteers people out there and then with Zero Emissions Noosa it's tremendous how you have Council community groups and volunteers all the different stuff they do is fantastic and how it complements with the Waste Strategy and hoping that people also come on board you know maybe not a community group but you know that they get involved and all that and then going back in knowledge maybe they'll talk about that important and we talked about how to bring your community involved to help us achieve these goals and then of course I'm going the agriculture and I'll hammer on that forward and ask some questions about that but do you see a way that could happen because we one of the in the very end here it says that recommendations is that we need to um there's work that needs to be done in the agriculture side of things and there isn't a group there that's like ZEND or like tourism reserve or like the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation and I guess that the big question is how do you see community groups and the community becoming involved in reaching our Environment Strategy goals? Ben Derrick 48:35.404
Yes, a few different questions there Chair. I guess with the agriculture aspect which is more of a start-up there in terms of facilitating a formal structure and support for community members to be involved that's program the Council may be able to get involved in and utilising the community groups I think Zero Emissions Noosa is a really good model for that where horses by Council, seated seeded by Council. The small investment that Council has made has delivered a range of projects which far exceed the financial investment and so using that as a model I think there's a range of different community groups that could really facilitate for that where Council could enable those groups. Through governance support or financial support just to be able to function as an organisation and partnership programs or the MEC our alliance programs can be targeted towards that and enabling that. I guess the next step then is partnership you know partnership agreements which is similar to NBRF as an example which is a little bit more investment and guarantee that investment as well and so it's picking those areas that we want to be that Council can enable making sure there's a groundswell of support and the intent for good governance and broader community involvement. I think agriculture is really good example of that. How that looks and feels. If would you need a strategy sitting behind it as to where are we targeting. The notion of growing local, using whether it's backyard, whether it's small lifestyle blocks, whether it's broader agriculture, which is stepping into industry and primary production. We need to be able to make sure that we know where we're pitching that, if we are stepping into that. So in broad context, yes, partnerships are great, because the investment from Council, if well managed and well delivered, can provide a much broader benefit to the Shire, but the enabling mechanisms to be there. So we need, I think we need a strategy sitting behind that before we start looking at investing in that. Kim Rawlings 50:45.832
Agri And we have started work on a strategy in sustainability in ECDEV. As you know, Tom, it's a key. Objective and goal of our Corporate Plan to look at, you know, rural futures and agribusiness and-hub and that sort of work. So this strategic piece has started. So all of these issues will evolve out of that planning process. The only other comment I would make that you referred to the importance of our volunteer and community organisations in terms of achieving our Environment Strategy. It would simply not be possible to achieve the outcomes that this been achieved through the strategy without the community organisations and our volunteer organisations, whether it's bushland, whether it's NICA, whether it's I don't want to miss anyone, Zero Emissions Noosa, biosphere, you know. All of them. Honestly. Were and they very involved in the development of the strategy, so they were embedded we had a number of round tables in terms of prioritising and building the partnerships, which I think has been a fundamental critical piece to the success of the strategy that our environment community organisations and volunteer organisations were involved in its development and setting the objectives and that absolutely been involved in the delivery of it and this report, you know, celebrates and highlights absolutely so many of the objectives and targets have been achieved thanks to the incredible work of our community organisations. We simply couldn't be doing it without them. That's why things like our environment grants program is so important because it does seed fund and create capacity, and the much greater than what we invest. Tom Wegener 52:34.310
That's what's up with them. Brian Stockwell 52:34.988
Yeah, I'm not going to try and pose it as a question. I partly hope I'm answering your question. The baseline agriculture, which was that. Is something that the State government has done in the past. My team who looked after sustainable agriculture in South East Queensland, all the projects we do would create the baseline, would record the uptake of best practice, and if there was, say, a grazing land condition, then that was published for a couple of years. So there is king catchment, one of the projects we did up there. I've been thinking about this recently. Part of the problem is. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries now don't see the TIG agriculture, small-scale local agriculture, in my view. It's always a challenge. They work with the big end of town, the industrial agriculture. Think that's a failure of state government. Also, I was thinking a the other day after we had the Healthy Land and Water presentation but about how the report cards evolved. And I thought that if we, you know, part of our Shire, the Mayor is in the reef catchments, they have a very advanced system called the paddock reef monitoring program, which records not the uptake of practice or the change in lean condition, but they then model it to say what does that mean in terms of water going out to the great barrier reef. It is another aspect that we probably should be looking to at larger scales. Say, well, as a region, why doesn't South East Queensland please have they the same system? So to me part of the answer to our problem of not being able to measure progress is that at a regional and at a state level, they aren't investing in our priorities. Bringing Camille 54:34.788
And I think we should be bringing yeah no I've spoken to Cheyenne about this as well I think the methodologies are there it's just as you say there's gaps certain within the Shire where we need to have a look at undertaking those field surveys so yeah I think the data is there it's just having that strategy to pull it together and identify which is the most suitable method. Brian Stockwell 54:52.068
Definitely all that data historically is collected when there is active projects. In yes the that's right. It's easy if you've got a project says what it is basically. But you know there are segments of you know particularly the batik agriculture, the sustainable horticulture where there is no one providing any specific. Support so there's no projects to record progress. Tom Wegener 55:17.106
That's right is a that with agriculture big problem. I mean the agri hub put out a questionnaire and the feedback we got was know, just sceptical of are you asking for you know I'm not going to give you this information you know you can do what my address and with I think that were it's just a funny group of people that are out there that are protective you know they don't want to be put their head up because they're on their feet they're fearful so that's something we need to address Brian Stockwell 55:48.304
Yeah. One of the options that we did actually first pile up in that project in Kin Kin and then going towards Gympie was a citizen science type measure of carbon which is of interest from regenerda but from interest terms of emissions. That's something we could look at. It's something where the analysis is done, can be done by the likes of a capital committee. It was a process that you don't have to send away to the lab therefore it was less expensive. Was pretty accurate, so show that's the sort of thing we can look at, you know, to link in because obviously they'd be more interested if they're finding out whether what they're doing with their farming is actually achieving better soil organic matter. And for us it's about, you know, if we're keeping organic matter in the soil and it's not going up as carbon into the atmosphere. So things like that we can look at. Tom Wegener 56:40.266
Would you say the accounting for nature, we had that presentation, is that on track with what you're saying? Like they're looking at it saying well there's actually money to be made just by keeping the carbon organic matter in the soils that are going up and along with biochar as well. Had to throw that in. Brian Stockwell 56:57.088
He's waiting for us. The professor, and I'll be out of the game for a while, the professor at QUT was doing all the measurement of our agricultural emissions and all this. And one of his PhD students from who had written a book about test. Happens to have a brother who still lives in lucerne junction. So he's here quite often if you want to meet and chat. Okay, let's do that. Would amazing. Tom Wegener 57:22.738
Do to the speak to the motion now if you report Brian Stockwell 57:26.318
Oh I need to say that I think report and the two-year. The analysis has been very comprehensive and as I read through the report it's clear that there's a meaningful progress being made on a majority of those strategies. A Council we can be happy with those. Obviously, to me, why I raise the climate issues as an example of where I think we're not doing enough is that's what causes climate change is the whole world focuses on the proactive, on the emergent, and the longer term threats to the environment are put off. And that's the whole thing is that people can't see it from one day to the next, therefore it gets kept on that's fugitive emissions into the atmosphere that is going to have the most significant impact on the Noosa environment over the next 50 years. So that's why I raise it as, you know, if I was going to change the rating on any of those, I would move that one red. I'm happy that we're doing enough. Are we doing what, you know, the to staff start with who have got their budget are doing an exemplary job of doing the best they can, but I think as a Council and in the next Council, if we're meaningful, going to meaningfully address the biggest problem that. The environment faces at a local level, noting that taff doesn't have a global scale, then that's one the next term of Council is really going to have to grapple with. As I said, there's some great concepts we're working on with waste, where 60 of our emissions are coming from. And there's, to me, it's innovative thinking about the way we value things and how we fund things. That's where the next Council can really focus on. So it's not a huge impulse impost on the rate ratepayer. It's actually a way of doing business that accounts. For the cost of pollution. SPEAKER_00 59:24.350
It's actually a cost of carbon. Tom Wegener 59:28.850
Good, I'll speak to the motion. It's a fantastic report. I mean, my god, you just can't believe what, how much is happening when there's this big of a report. It seems to be much bigger in comparison to other things where you only have a small group of people down there, you know, downstairs. I'm hoping that when you get it, much bigger, more eloquent places to work soon because it's pretty small. You guys have an office down there. And I think that what you do is fantastic. Of course, the whole Shire is your office, I guess, in a way. With what Brian was saying, we have professors Ian Lowe on the board of directors. And my god, you just want to, you know, in despair after listening to him for a while, because he says, you know, he's been writing about climate change for a long time. He says, well, back in 1987 when he started. And looking at the hurricane that hit Darwin, well, that was a two. And he said, at that time, he said, someday there's going to be five point cyclones, you know, category five. And now that they're category five every year, and he says the problem is that when you have a category five cyclone, similar to what hit acapulco, is four metre tide on top of that. So you have a push of water that's like a moving tsunami coming through, because of low pressure, water moves up, and you can go four metres in a category five, and if it happens to be high tide through Noosa. Would have a fukushima situation. It would just be, it would be drastic. So the, you know, what he says, the whole climate, you know, it is, like Brian says, it's level red. You know, we have to do as much as we possibly can, each and every person, as a part of being a human on this planet. This is what you got to do. Individual responsibility. For everybody. But aside from that, my gosh, it's a great report. And I'm looking forward, obviously, to the agriculture side of things, because I think that's incredibly important for climate change, for sequestering carbon, for our sustainability, for our climate change response plan, for our community. And to go back to L.A. Bradley, during COVID, they, you know, people didn't want to come the markets to get the food. And so they were calling. And they realised that most of those people were so old that they actually called phone tree where everybody would call somebody constantly. And they had the list of a couple hundred people there that were called and only one person died during that time. And they found out about it through the phone tree. But that's how these communities kept together. Very vibrant and feeling a sense of community because of this. The agriculture, because they all need food. So I think food is a very, very important way to maintain a tight community, which is what we need for a climate change response, to move forward to maintain our, well, just standard of living or our quality of living, not Brian points out to me that's not a standard of living it's a quality so so thank you very much. Thank you for your hard work. Continuing hard work. And we're really, really proud of the report. And Camille, thank you for being with us for the time you were, because you are just fantastic and all the best for your next job in the Federal government. Please do not forget about us. There's we've already been talk about saying, "Yeah, Camille is there, we've got it in! " It's alright, apart from the climate change. SPEAKER_06 01:02:45.976
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Anybody else like to speak? Karen. Yes, Chair, yeah. Karen Finzel 01:02:53.192
Thank you so much to the team and Camille for a comprehensive report and look at the future, how we're going to adapt to climate change and resilience in our communities. I'd really like the engagement with our community because I'm always interested in social aspects and how we as people engage with our environment and we live in harmony moving forward. I love the idea that we can increase community resilience and capacity and I think we are responsible for that. Tom Wegener 01:03:27.071
Karen, we seem to have cut out. Oh, sorry, can you hear us now? Hear that? Yep, yeah, we can hear you now. Do you want to go back to the beginning? Just maybe 30 seconds. Not even that. Brian Stockwell 01:03:49.086
Last we heard was community response. There we go. Karen Finzel 01:03:56.964
That and people living in the Shire. Tom Wegener 01:04:05.164
Karen, we got a bad connection. I'm sorry. Can you hear me? You keep skipping out. We get about every fourth word. Clare Stewart 01:04:17.836
Right. Thank you for a great report and all the best, Camille. Thank you. Karen. We heard that. Thank you, Camille. I just won't hold up anyone else's time. I'm just going to reiterate whatever has been said. Thank you. Appreciate it. Camille 01:04:29.998
The best. Thank you. It's been an honour to work with Mr. Council, so thank you. Brian Stockwell 01:04:42.840
You're talking about fresno and Lowe the impacts of storm surges, and certainly we've had that potential in townsville with one of the large cyclones where it had, as predicted, hit at a high tide, there was going to be a very significant wave the of magnitude a you were talking about. You might have put into the public realm something that's a little bit more concerning than is the case. So our coastal hazard adaptation plan did model what storm surge would do in Noosa. It wasn't as significant as a fukushima-type. It was actually, if I remember correctly, the risk was there was always going to be a greater risk from flooding upstream than there was from the ocean. So there's not much difference from memory in the modelling between a one-in-a-hundred-year flood event in the catchment versus storm surge coming in from the ocean in terms of height. So if people are interested to see whether they're impacted, certainly that modelling is available and to check the lines. See what the risk Tom Wegener 01:05:47.418
Thank you, let me have been correct with the record that I did not, that was an exaggeration. Okay, should we put it to a vote? All in favour? Yes, thank you. Unanimous. Thank you. Well done. There's nothing further. There's no questions. So I'll close the meeting at 11:30.37? 10:36.10:37. Thank you very much. Thank you Mr Chair. Related Noosa Council Meetings
← Browse all Noosa Shire Council meeting transcripts
