$10 Environment Levy for the Fraser Coast
sue July 20th, 2008
I am pleased that Council has adopted an Environment Levy. I would personally have preferred the Levy to be $15 but I understand that the cost of living is rising rapidly and that 3 out of the 4 newly amalgamated Councils didn’t previously have such a Levy.
Now I think it is time to focus on the implementation of our programmes and the building of necessary infrastructure to ensure we achieve the targets we have outlined within this budget. I believe we have challenges ahead and I appreciate comments and advice about how we can improve the way we do the things we do.
I will add some new categories to this blog to make it easier for people to post a comment on something other than current discussions.
I have included below my words to Council when speaking in favour of the motion to adopt our budget with the $10 Environment Levy.
“I am personally very sad to see the Environment Levy reduced to $10. While I understand that this budget has been a great challenge and that we are all concerned about rising costs and the overall rising cost of living, $10 a year is a very, very small amount of money.
Our natural environment and our beautiful climate, I believe, are the main reason why many of us choose to live here and why we are the happiest region in Australia. I believe our Natural Environment is our biggest assest but our human activities often negatively impact on this most precious natural resource.
When I look to the detail within this budget we are raising over $65 million to spend on Capital Works. With a $10 Environment Levy we will raise just $454,390. Last year in Hervey Bay 56 hectares of land was purchased via funds raised by the Environment Levy there. This valuable land is now owned by the entire Fraser Coast community. An extremely positive outcome for our regional community I believe.
While I would personally much prefer that the Environment Levy could be levied at a higher amount I am very thankful that Council is retaining an Environment Levy within this complex budget.
I am confident that the funds raised via this Environmental Levy will be put to excellent use and be of great benefit to our region”.
- Environment & Sustainability , Uncategorized
- Comments(7)
Once again the council make public the “bush tax”
2 weeks before the budget. so there is no hope of opposition.
There is mounting opposition to have this thrown out.
May I remind Councillor Brooks who is on the ratepayers payroll that it is not a “Green” Levy. Maybe you are coloured blind like Penny Wong who thinks a piece of white paper is “green”. There has never been a debate on global warming
but that will change in the very near future when mainsteam media wake up to themselves. On the other hand the debate in the blogs on the internet it is “Deniers” 77% “Warmists”
23% so let the fun and games begin.
For myself the most important issue is that we all need to remember that we are dependant on our natural environment for our very own survival as a species. It is this environment that provides us with the clean air and water needed for life.
Regardless of the debate on Global Warming I simply believe that we need to preserve some areas of natural environment from human activity. I am keen to hear opinions and ideas as the best way to do this. After all urban and rural activities which are needed to support our lifestyle, are most often detrimental to the health of the planet. I think we need to find the right balance.
For myself the most important issue at the moment is that we all need to at least sit down and have a scientific debate on AGW before Dudd and Wong commit trillions of dollars to fix something that is not broken.CSIRO have come up with a figure that states this will put 3 million aussie workers on the scrap heap. You dont see this on the front page as the media has been manipulated and muzzled from speaking the truth. Eventually there will be a scientific debate hopefully before the advent of global Socialism.
Sue,
Your comments om todays CM (25/7/08), would be appreciated.
Also have you checked on the coffee machines yet?
Sadman
Hi Sadman. Apparently prior to amalgamation coffee machines were purchased for staff use via MCC. HBCC has also coffee percolator thingys. I don’t drink coffee so am unsure as to type etc. I personally see no point in asking for further details. I want to look forward not back and believe that it is now up to our new FCRC to ensure that all spending throughout the organisation is done appropriately.
As to the CM article I will post a response under media pains and hope my categories actually work. Sue
Sue you say regardless of the debate about global warming. Was there a debate. Did I miss something. Well it is about to begin. The most important thing at the moment is to at least sit down and have a scientific debate as the public is totally in the dark and we are about to commit trillion of dollars to
something with very little results in the end. You hold the Environment and Sustainability portfolio so what do you think. A simple yes or a no regarding the debate on Global Warming. I am totally in the dark on this one so can you enlighten me on the facts about Global Warming. It would also put my mind at ease
Sue,
I support a levy - the maryborough hervey bay part of the shire (on the main land)has suprisingly little land actually allocated for environment/ park and reacreational use, this is odd for a regional shire with so much state land and unallocated state land that could be set aside for these purposes. The levy is an additional $10 cost to each on every rate payer and on people for whom every dollar counts - but if you want to live in a city and region that can maintain property values and have continued appeal - designated greenspace (and I dont mean the median strip ay the lights is important).
The real concern is not the $10 - but is ensuring it is spent well and that land is aquired and maintained that will benifit the community for environmental/ park and recreational purposes. For example if the $10 ended up just being invested in the bay or localities that did not benfit everyone - it would erode the purpose of a green levy. People, lets get past the $10 and simply demand that the council spend the money well and be accountable!