FOMRE Newsletter November 2011 - 24.11.2011
Hello to all lovers of the Moore River Estuary. This is a lengthy, but important newsletter.
Firstly a huge thank you to the 71 people who made submissions to the Shire about the new Local Planning Strategy and Scheme 9. On November 15th the Shire posted its summaries of all submissions on its website. You can find it in pdf format if you go HERE on the Gingin Shire website and click on the pdf link for 15 November 2011 (33MB file). The submission summaries are in Appendix 2 (page 190).
Item 11.3.4. (page 142) is the amendments to the draft Strategy and Scheme 9.
Council was presented with the amended draft Local Planning Strategy and Scheme 9, and also a summary of the submissions taken in the public consultation process. There were 82 submissions supporting our call for a ‘Special Control Area 1’ on the river.
The draft LPS documents were of great concern to us because there was very little acknowledgement of the importance of Moore River, or planning controls, in them.
Having partially digested the most pertinent 120 pages, I have now spoken to the Shire planner, Lisa Edwards, for some clarifications. The amended documents have taken notice of our concerns about protecting the river, although only in the limited way that Local Government can. Council has approved these documents, which have now been sent to the WAPC and Dept. of Planning for their approval/amendments.
The ODP has still not been released to the public and seems to be tied up in legal disagreement with the Shire - long may that last!
We do apologise that our expectations of the timing of releases has been wrong so often, and ask you to continue to keep an eye out for the big issues. After 18 years of dealing with all the steps in the processes, trying to influence any decisions which affect our river, we should know that most deadlines turn out to be estimates! The trouble is that when action is necessary, our timeline suddenly shrinks.
Our appeal for our Fighting Fund has been wonderfully supported and we do thank those who have already contributed for your generosity and your faith that this is still a battle worth fighting.
We assure you that all funds will be used, as required, when the ODP is released and if, by some miracle, it never is released we will return any donations made (...at the party to celebrate).
FOMRE continues to collect petitions to the Assembly. Lisa Baker and Chris Tallentire ensure they are presented, and so keep the members of the Legislative Assembly aware that the issue is still very much alive.
Lynn McLaren made an impassioned speech in the Legislative Council on November 23rd, so we have support for the campaign in many places.
Our fundamental goal remains to see all land south of the Moore River included in a Regional Park for the benefit of all West Australians. This current state government's decision in 2009 frustrates that and leaves us pleading for any protection we can get for the river.
Quite aside from the important environmental impacts, for the foreseeable future we just cannot see the economics of proceeding with this daft project, especially in these straightened times, and when there is so much other real estate available to likely customers.
Please stay with us as we continue our efforts to Protect Moore River.
Our updates, forms for joining us, and bank details for donations are all on our website at www.savemooreriver.org
Wishing you all a safe and splendid holiday season.
Linda Johnson and your FOMRE team
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