Issue 063 of COAST Community News

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July 31, 2013

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Action to acquire Bambara Rd lots to continue

Issue 63

Council will not support coal mine approval submission has been made on behalf of Gosford and Wyong councils in response to the exhibition of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wallarah 2 Coal Project.

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Grandmother Tree in land around Bambara Rd, Kariong (Inset) The lots at Bambara Rd surrounded by National Park

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osford Council has agreed to write to the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) in relation to continuing negotiations for the purchase of land at Bambara Rd, Kariong.

Following the recent inclusion of one of the seven land parcels to the Brisbane Water National Park, council will request that the OEH again approach land owners to reopen discussions in an effort to ensure all lots can be secured for inclusion into the national park. Cr Gabby Bowles, who starred the Notice of Motion at council’s meeting of Tuesday, July 16, said the issue had been ongoing for a very long time. “We’ve actually started to hit some home runs and we’ve got some runs on the board now,” said Cr Bowles. Cr Hillary Morris said she wanted to make it known that council was committed to the purchase of the lots.

“The purchase of the lots on Bambara Rd has been a very long drawn out process but I think that it is important to keep negotiations going,” said Cr Morris. From the early 1980s, the properties located at Bambara Rd have been recognised for their potential to be included as part of Brisbane Water National Park, which surrounds the blocks on all sides. The properties contain a number of threatened species, threatened species habitat and significant recognised areas of Aboriginal Heritage. Council has supported the aim of acquiring the blocks for inclusion in Brisbane Water National

Park since 1998. In 2007 and 2008 the COSS Matrix was used to identify public and private land for possible inclusion in the Western extension of COSS. On July 1, 2008, Council decided to include the seven parcels of land along Bambara Rd as part of Western COSS and, in accordance with Council’s resolution, the properties identified for voluntary acquisition were encoded with a 149-certificate message. Since that time council, in partnership with the OEH, have worked to negotiate the voluntary acquisition of the seven lots at Bambara Rd.

Last June, lot 2501 with an area of 18.5 hectares was successfully purchased and has in recent weeks been transferred to become part of Brisbane Water National Park. “While the negotiations for the remaining lots at Bambara Rad have to date been unsuccessful, and though council acknowledges the primary role of the OEH in the negotiating process, I feel it is important for Council to show its continued support for voluntary acquisition of the remaining six lots at Bambara Rd, Kariong,” said Cr Bowles. Kaitlin Watts, 16 Jul 2013 Gosford Council Agenda NM.6, 16 Jul 2013

The councils’ submission does not support approval for the proposal, based on the impacts to groundwater, surface water, flooding, subsidence and potential environmental and planning issues related to the project. The Development Application and EIS for the Wallarah 2 Coal Project was exhibited from Friday, April 26, until Friday, June 21. Member for Dobell Mr Craig Thomson has welcomed Gosford Council’s stand against the approval of the mine. “It is good to see that Gosford Council will not support approval of this coal mine, which threatens the Central Coast’s water supply and public health,” Mr Thomson said. “It is important that our councils stand up against a proposal which seriously threatens the Central Coast’s way of life,” Mr Thomson said. Mr Thomson has a private members bill in Federal Parliament aimed at prohibiting exports of coal from the water catchment area of the Central Coast, effectively stopping the

Wallarah Two or any other coal mine in the area. Formerly a Labor MP, Mr Thomson is now running as an Independent candidate for Dobell in this year’s federal election. Mr Thomson said he has been fighting the coal mine for several years. The mine was an issue at the 2007 and 2010 elections. “Now the mining company, Kores, is out in the community telling people its mine is virtually a rubber stamp away from proceeding. “I have called on both the prime minister and opposition leader to support my private member’s bill which will prevent coal export from our water catchment, effectively stopping the mine.” Mr Thomson said the people of the Central Coast will be able to express their opposition to the mine at the election. Gosford Council Agenda WAT.22, 16 Jul 2013 Media release, 17 Jul 2013 David Gardiner, Office of Craig Thomson MP


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