The draft State Coastal Policy and its associated Model Standards for coastal management would allow the construction of canal housing estates in Tasmania, Save Ralphs Bay Inc said today.

“It is depressingly obvious that the policy has been skewed to favour development over environmental protection,” SRB Inc representative, Cassy O’Connor said.

“Specific mention is made in notes to the draft Model Standards, enabling development which impacts on the near-shore seabed, where excavation, reclamation and dredging are required, and most alarmingly, acid soil risk assessment.

“There is only one type of coastal development which threatens such grave impacts, and the Walker Corporation wanted to build one on Ralphs Bay.

“Released just five days after the plan collapsed in spectacular fashion around the Premier, the draft policy appears to have been reconstructed with the Walker Corporation, and other proponents of inappropriate development, very much in mind.

“The need to avoid ugly ribbon development is expressed in the draft, but nowhere are the arguably more environmentally harmful canal estates mentioned.

“The New South Wales government had the wisdom to ban these developments.  Ralphs Bay surely taught the Lennon Government that a significant proportion of Tasmanians believe canal estates are simply a means of privatising what belongs to us all, and at huge environmental cost.”

SRB Inc has called for a ban on canal estates along Tasmania’s entire coastline.  The Greens’ canal ban bill is a welcome step in the right direction, and should be supported by the state Liberals in the Parliament.

The draft policy shows no appreciation of the critical value of estuaries to biodiversity and human health, recognised by the United Nations (Costanza et al) and the Australian Coastal Zone CRC, as THE most valuable ecosystems on the planet.

“111 submissions went to the State Coastal Policy review unit, including a detailed representation from SRB Inc.  The review acknowledges the public consultation process called for stronger implementation and enforcement measures, to ensure councils do not ignore their duty to protect the coastline.

“But the Lennon Government would leave it up to under-resourced councils to implement a policy far ‘browner’ than its much maligned predecessor.  And, there are no enforcement mechanisms in place.

“Just as with the Forest Practices Code, the State Coastal Policy should be overseen by an independent body to ensure it is in place at the council level, and working for the coast.

“Through the public consultation process, and the Ralphs Bay campaign, Tasmanians asked for a State Coastal Policy with real teeth.  Instead, we have a gummy shark incapable of defending our unspoiled shores from predators.

“The whole policy needs revisiting and the old-school ‘econocrats’ should butt out, in the interests of coastal protection.  Save Ralphs Bay Inc will be working to ensure the final product is world’s best practice, and we encourage all Tasmanians who love their coastline to do the same,” Ms O’Connor said.


Media contact:  Cassy 0400 628 939 or Jane MacDonald 6239 9589