written by:SRB Inc.

Hello SRB Inc. supporters

In a few short days, Australians will decide the form and philosophy of the next Federal Government. In all the noise of big spending announcements, it has been hard to hear more than a whisper of concern from the major parties on the protection of our nation’s stunning coastal wealth. Beyond the iconic Great Barrier Reef and colourful media opportunities, rampant development as well as warming, rising seas present grave threats. We don’t have the luxury of leaving it to the next generation of leaders to look after the coast, because the future is here.

While every Tasmanian electorate is edged by unspoiled coastline, the major parties’ only audible contribution on the subject in this campaign has been to support an industrial pulp mill that would pump effluent into coastal waters, harming marine biodiversity and polluting Bass Strait beaches.

It is clear Tasmania’s coastline is misunderstood and undervalued by whichever of the major parties wins office on Saturday. As voters who believe Tasmania’s coastline is more than a money-making opportunity for the corporate set, we who appreciate its life-sustaining capacities have a responsibility to do more than tick-a-box for coastal protection. We should be ever reminding our local, state and federal representatives and candidates that the community we belong to loves, and will fight to protect, its coastal common wealth.

A key environmental hotspot in Franklin for almost four years, the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area is in the hands of the Resource Planning and Development Commission AND, ultimately, the Federal Government. Whoever is elected to represent Franklin on Saturday will enter Parliament with the community’s expectation that he or she will be a strong voice in Canberra for Ralphs Bay - its migratory birds, Spotted Handfish - and ecosystems from Port Davey to Lauderdale, irrespective of any state party allegiances. In this respect, their predecessor, Labor’s Harry Quick, set a stirling example and earned our enduring gratitude.

Below is a link to audio of the Franklin candidates’ forum on ABC Breakfast last week. An excerpt from the interview as it related to Ralphs Bay, has also been transcribed from a recording by SRB Inc. It will take you less than five minutes to read, or listen to what Julie Collins (ALP), Vanessa Goodwin (Lib) and Gerard Velnaar (Greens) have to say on the subject, and it may help to inform your vote.

With best wishes
The Save Ralphs Bay Team

ABC Statewide Breakfast with Tim Cox
Franklin Election forum

12 November 2007

Download the audio here (4.1 MB mp3)
http://www.saveralphsbay.org/mp3/20071112_ABC_Franklin_RB.mp3

(Excerpt of interview after candidate introductions)

Tim Cox - Interesting that we went through six candidates there and no one , not even the Greens candidate mentioned Ralphs Bay. Now of course, in the life of the next Federal Parliament, something will have to done with Ralphs Bay and, Julie Collins, I’ll let you have first crack at what you see as happening to Ralphs Bay, particularly if it ends up in the hands of the Federal Environment Minister as the pulp mill did?

Julie Collins - Well Tim, I think that the Ralphs Bay development is going through the RPDC and I believe it’s the best process for it to go through. I think it will give the community a chance to have their say about whether they want the development or not, and what environmental issues there are in that area. I don’t have a firm view one way or the other but I do believe that due process needs to occur Tim.

Tim Cox - Do you support the notion of the development? Do you think it’s a good development in a good location?

Julie Collins - I’m not overly supportive of waterfront development on a general basis, but I do believe that people have got a right to put forward their developments and go through due process.

Tim Cox - Alright, well Vanessa Goodwin, what about Ralphs Bay for you?

Vanessa Goodwin - Ralphs Bay, I’m certainly supportive of the RPDC process and I’ve had a look at the Guidelines and they’re very comprehensive. The developer has got to address a whole range of issues, not just the impact on the marine environment, but also on the land environment, migratory birds, climate change, the impact on the surrounding ... the schools, the roads… So, there’s a huge amount of issues that the developer has to address. In terms of my view, I’m not a big fan of it I have to say, but I do I think that it needs to go through the process and that the community needs to have the opportunity to express their views on it. But having said that, there have been a couple of surveys, Harry Quick did a survey and so did Senator Paul Calvert before he retired, on the issue of Ralphs Bay, and I think that the overwhelming finding was that people were not in support of the development.

Tim Cox - As their elected representative then, would you then take a stand against the development should it come to that?

Vanessa Goodwin - I think that when the RPDC process has gone through its motions, if I felt that there was still overwhelming opportunity to the project, I certainly would take a stand, yes.

Tim Cox - ... Let’s get a quick line from Gerard Velnaar, the Greens’ candidate.

Gerard Velnaar - Tim, I’m totally surprised by the Liberal and labor candidates in terms of their squibbing out on this one. I do not support the Ralphs Bay development and the community has spoken. I’ve been to two meet-and-greets on the Eastern Shores and in that area, and none of the people that I’ve been speaking to support that project and for very good reasons as well. The Ralphs Bay area has a lot of sediments in it with heavy metals in it, and if we disturb that sediment we’re going to put at risk the Spotted Handfish for example, and that is sheer stupidity I believe. Also, we have a number of international agreements, the Australian Government with other countries in relation to migratory birds, and any development in the Ralphs Bay area is going to upset that area.

Tim Cox - Do you believe though, that the RPDC will determine that on the science, which is what the RPDC does?

Gerard Velnaar - Can we be guaranteed that the RPDC process will go through? We’ve seen what happened with the pulp mill. That process was taken over because of the concerns of the proprietor, Gunns. They put pressure on .. the government to have that process withdrawn and ... then we’ve had two subsequent studies into the pulp mill, both of them found serious concerns and yet we still have that pulp mill possibly going ahead, but let’s get back to the Ralphs Bay issue for a moment. The community has spoken very clearly on their concern about the development and if the community elects me into the Federal Parliament, it is what I’ll be taking into that forum.

(Ends Ralphs Bay comments)

** Written and authorised by Cassy O’Connor on behalf of Save Ralphs Bay Incorporated, PO Box 161 Rokeby Tasmania.

(m) 0400 628 939

Posted by Lang Webmaster on 11/21 at 04:59 PM
SRB News SRB Downloads - Email this to a friend

State government contact pages:

• House of Assembly
• Legislative Council

Contact Walker Corporation to have your say on their proposal for Ralphs Bay.

• Walker Corporation contact page

Send a letter to the editor - be sure to include your name and location!

• The Mercury
• The Examiner
• The Sydney Morning Herald
• The Australian
• Business Review Weekly

Send an email, fax, or call Tim Cox at the ABC Tas morning show on 1300 222 936.