Enviro Levy Media Release
Sue Brooks July 8th, 2008
Subject: HOW MUCH IS OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WORTH?
Fraser Coast residents are taking an active role in protecting the environment.
They could take a bigger role, Fraser Coast Regional Council Environmental Sustainability Portfolio Chairman, Councillor Sue Brooks said.
The Fraser Coast Regional Council is considering whether to continue the Environment Levy introduced by the former Hervey Bay City Council across all properties in our new larger region.
Councillor Brooks said that the $25 levy introduced by the ‘old’ Hervey Bay City Council was used to buy over 56 hectares of environmentally sensitive land which is now protected from development.
“The levy, equal to 50 cents a week for a ratepayer, was used to buy three large blocks of land at Booral. These blocks are thickly covered in natural vegetation and will assist in linking areas that are known koala habitat,” Councillor Brooks said.
“I expect in the future carbon credits obtained from this land will be of financial benefit to the entire Fraser Coast community.”
Cr Brooks said an Environment Levy allowed the Council to place ratepayers’ investment directly into land within the community.
“This land becomes your land. You directly assist in preserving our local biodiversity by protecting our natural areas from development,” she said.
“I hope that residents from our new regional area embrace the benefits of this levy and I encourage them to contact Councillors to let us know how they feel” Councillor Brooks said.
“We need to know now because the budget could be adopted next week (July 16).
“I also want to know if residents have other ideas and suggestions on how to best use funds generated by an Environmental Levy.
“The levy has nothing to do with rubbish collection or waste management. It is totally focussed on preserving our natural environment which is under increasing threat from development.”
“I am very mindful that the cost of living continues to rise but I truly believe that 50cents a week is a small sacrifice for each of us and results in enormous benefits for our region.”
Councillor Brooks believes that retaining the levy across our new region is very important and wants to hear from residents before the budget is decided next week.
Councillor Sue Brooks can be contacted by email at sue.brooks@frasercoast.qld.gov.au or on her blog http://suebrooks.com.au.
STOP PRESS
Some clarification may be needed. The decision about how to use an Environment Levy, including where to purchase any land in the future, will be made by the FCRC Councillors. There are more non Hervey Bay resident Councillors on the FCRC than Hervey Bay resident Councillors and I am very sure that any decision on Environment Levy expenditure will be made according to where the greatest need is. After all the Councillors now represent our entire region not just specific areas within our region. I definitely don’t expect that the money will necessarily be spent in Hervey Bay. Our natural environment doesn’t have ‘borders’ and some of our most vulnerable natural areas have been identified as being outside of the ‘old’ Hervey Bay Local Government Area.
Thanks, Sue