Logan and Albert Conservation Association
Following ABC radio interviews by Steve Austin with Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson and local resident Andy Morgan, it seems clear that the decision to plan for the Park Ridge Connector (PRC) is squarely with Logan City Council. Responsibility for decision of Gateway Extension Extension motorway through Logan has been handed to council.
While the story in The Reporter October 30, 2012 announces that Deputy Mayor Cr Lutton said council would not say 'no' to the corridor as council wanted it, council has received a petition signed by many Logan residents requesting that council rescind their approval of cooridor.
Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson interview increases transparency of the process. However a road corridor and transport issues cross council boundaries. Devolution to local council does not resolve the complex issues. Read LACA transcript of interview here.
There are 3 audio files at Residents fear extension of the Gateway available and linked here.
There is no question that Logan City needs a transport plan however that must include other components for mobility. We need to consider mobility provision for non drivers as well as freight vehicles. Park Ridge Connector (PRC) is being planned to move freight and will join other motorways - all of which have a toll!
Over 30% Logan residents do not drive. How can we provide for their independant mobility?
An ALTERNATIVE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT PLAN is needed.
In addition values of environmentally significant areas must be considered - for their own values and also what they contribute to human health and wellbeing. Globally many countries are reframing policies to include The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. Various TEEB reports are available. Check here for more information.
What does Minister Scott Emerson mean when he said "I've signed off on nothing"?
This statement was spoken in the presence of Mr Pucci, Mr Pucci's assistant Ben and the chief of staff for Mr Emerson and another staff person for Mr Emerson at the meeting attended by LACA President Anne Page and 3 other NO PRC Committee members. They met with Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson at Parliament House 11 July for an half hour meeting - reduced to 20 minutes. Logan LNP member Michael Pucci had negotiated this meeting for the group. Although we had received verbal information via different media sources that the minister had approved the corridor the group were hopeful that the LNP government would honour its promise to review previous Labour government processes.
This verbal communication from the department of Transport and Main Roads is ambivalent and inconclusive. It would appear from our rational reasoning that the minister has accepted at face value what Main Roads staff have said that there is a need for a road corridor. The concept of viability has not been examined.
It also appears that the minister has "approved" a corridor of interest as some members of the community have received registered letters - including a map - and information that their property is not directly affected.
Not sure yet how this resident koala will be considered? This property has regular sightings of koalas.
Will new federal EPBC decision listing koalas as vulnerable "protect" the koala habitat?
The whole question of viability was not resolved at the Community Stakeholders Reference Group CSRG and to date the feedback report that was to have been presented to council for their decision making process has not yet been presented - though a hasty decision was made to approve the corridor.
Transport Development And Solutions Alliance TDSA is a Queensland statewide, non-profit, Community-based organisation committed to supporting and facilitating a collaborative response to improved transport access. Transport is a fundamental need of all people. And yet, in every community, there are individuals and groups whose quality of life is diminished because they cannot access either suitable and affordable alternatives to the private motor vehicle or mainstream public transport.
Developing and implementing sustainable transport solutions at the local or community level is essential to closing the gaps in the transport system that give rise to this situation. To successfully work on solutions to unmet transport needs in a community requires access and support from others who have the knowledge, skills and most importantly experience in doing this work. TDSA can possibly be that support to people in our community.TDSA will work collaboratively and respectfully, valuing diversity of opinion and experience, in ways that are credible, professional and effective in order to facilitate access to transport that meets the individual's and community's needs and thereby enhancing the quality of life.
TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT and SOLUTIONS ALLIANCE
POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 2038 Strathpine QLD 4500
CONTACT PERSON:
Sandy Dore Phone: (07) 3205 2955 Fax: (07) 3881 2877
Website http://www.tdsa.org.au/index.htm has links to policy and submissions. Information about the April conference can be downloadwd from this page
Smart Growth and Transit Oriented Development are both phrases being used a great deal in government documents concerned with future planning. What is meant by these words may be difficult to understand and often depends on who uses them and the underlying pupose for their use. Planning based on these terms will affect all Queenslanders and as such each of us is entitled to comment on possible outcomes. High density housing and high-rise buildings are timely where expansion is limited by geographical features such as mountains sea and national parks but perhaps not so readily accepted where undisciplined sprawl can continue to spread across plainlands.
However the same questions of rising costs associated with oil and the provision of infrastructure, together with climate change may limit low density growth of developments in Queensland - especially in South East Queensland.
What is the Australian dream in the twentyfirst century? Where can families grow and be happy in in South East Queensland? How much open green spaces to we need? As individuals? As a community? As a society? Do we need our own or can we share? Complex questions and many answers.
Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University in Perth and a member of Infrastructure Australia's Advisory Council. His article in the Sydney Morning Herald praises Perth's new Southern Railway saying it already is something of a model for other cities. Now, 50,000 people a day are carried along a corridor that before could only manage 14,000 on buses.The Southern Railway is a model in other respects, too with some stations having transit oriented developments, or TODs. These are high density, mixed-use areas with homes, shops and offices, designed to integrate closely into the station and which can provide a local area with many city services.
Free community festival in Logan City
to celebrate World Environment Day and
2010 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY
Wildlife shows, exhibits, music, demonstrations and hands-on workshops, organic food markets, activities for kids, giveaways, eco fashion, speakers, presentations, electric cars, Daisy Hill Koala Sanctuary, speakers, eco fashions and much more. http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/leaf/
Building a child friendly Logan - Saving our children from Nature Deficit Disorder at 3.15 pm by Geoffrey Woolcock will be an eye-opener and maybe a mind opening experience for those who attend. Amid all the rush to build new master planned satellite cities in our so called greenfield areas, will the developers and our governments take this aspect into consideration?