Ralphs Bay: What Walker says

Media Release
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Environmental Studies show minimal impact on Ralphs Bay
Walker Corporation will spend $1.8 million on environmental projects around Ralphs Bay as part of its commitment to building a unique waterfront housing development for Tasmania.
Lia Morris, Walker’s Tasmanian project manager, said today Walker was committed to going further than required to ensure its project is environmentally sustainable.

She said that Walker had engaged some of Australia’s top scientists and technical experts to carry out 44 technical studies of all aspects of the environment in Ralphs Bay and surrounding habitats including birds, fish, the impact of climate change, currents, tidal effects, wind and the project development site seabed.

“This is the most comprehensive and detailed study ever undertaken of this area and we are confident that we have addressed all of the environment issues as required by the RPDC Guidelines,” Mrs Morris said.

“Generally the studies have shown that the Lauderdale Quay project will have a minimal impact on the environment.

“We acknowledge there will be some impact and, where necessary, have committed to projects to offset those.

Key findings of studies include:
There will be negligible impacts of heavy metals and other contaminants as a result of sediment disturbance on the
marine environment;
• No predicted impact on aquaculture;
• Improvement in the quality of water being released into Ralphs Bay from Lauderdale and surrounding area,
due to better pollution traps and treatment devices;
• Natural flushing will prevent potential mosquito breeding;
• No mechanical pumping will be required to maintain acceptable water quality
• Maintenance dredging only needed once every 50 years;
• No stratification or algal blooms;
• No endangered Spotted Handfish within 2.5 kilometres of the development area;
• Minimal impact on migratory birds with the loss of nesting and foraging habitat to be addressed by offsets

Mrs Morris said that Walker would fund a range of environmental projects to address minimal impacts of the Lauderdale Quay project and, in some cases, improve conditions.

“For example, our studies show that any wader foraging, roosting and nesting habitats that will be affected by the Lauderdale Quay development will be either lost or substantially modified by the projected climate change induced sea level rise of 0.5 m over the next 100 years,” Mrs Morris said.

“A number of mitigation and offset measures we are proposing to minimise adverse impacts of the development will also help address some climate change impacts. These include the establishment of foreshore parklands with profiles designed to provide habitat opportunities for waders and shorebirds and the creation of climate change secure high-tide roosting and nesting sites,” she said.

Major environmental projects include:
• A $500,000 Wader Habitat project to construct alternative high tide roost and nesting sites and new oyster
and mussel beds for foraging;
• $750,000 to install additional culverts and sluice gates beneath South Arm Road
• $350,000 to enhance East Marsh Lagoon and Racecourse Flats Management Plan to improve tidal
exchange between this area and Ralphs Bay;
• A $50,000 contribution towards development of a formal Ralphs Bay Conservation Area Management Plan;
• An estimated $125,000 towards development of a Spotted Handfish recovery plan and protection around
an identified habitat for the fish.

Mrs Morris said that all capital works would be directly undertaken by Walker Corporation and future Lauderdale Quay property owners would be charged an annual levy for a special environmental fund.

This fund would be administered by a specially created Lauderdale Quay Environmental Offsets Committee with representatives from Government, Clarence Council and research groups.

There will be no burden to Clarence ratepayers or Tasmanian taxpayers for ongoing monitoring or maintenance of the Lauderdale Quay waterways.

…

And what the Greens say

WALKER CORP DELIVERS MEANINGLESS P.R. PITCH
Claims Will be Put to the Test by RPDC and Independent Experts
Cassy O’Connor MP
Greens Shadow Environment Spokesperson
Tuesday, 3 February 2009

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today said while Walker Corporation is well entitled to put the best possible spin on its unpopular canal estate proposal for Ralphs Bay, all its claims are meaningless until it delivers a Draft Integrated Impact Statement which will be put to the test by the Resource Planning and Development Commission.

Greens Shadow Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said no-one should make any assumptions of minimal environmental harm based on Walker Corporation’s presentations today and tomorrow.

“With respect, Walker Corporation would say that wouldn’t they? All these claims of minimal impact should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt until they are put to the test by independent experts and the community via the RPDC process,” Ms O’Connor said.

“Of course Tasmanians will be told not to worry about anything to do with this canal estate proposal; the developer knows there is overwhelming public opposition to its plan.”

“Walker Corporation wants Tasmanians to believe a canal estate that would be unlawful in NSW and Victoria, will have almost no environmental impacts. It beggars belief.”

“One thing that did become clear today is the likely profound negative effect on the resident and migratory shorebirds dependent on Ralphs Bay, who will be displaced permanently during the 7-10 year construction phase and thereafter. As Birds Tasmania has pointed out in the past, this development would kill shorebirds.”

“Coastal biodiversity has for too long been sacrificed on the altar of a development-at-any-cost agenda. Times and values have changed, clearly ahead of Walker Corporation and the Bartlett Government which still hasn’t delivered a decent State Coastal Policy, three years behind schedule.”

“On a slightly more positive note, at least Walker Corporation is now doing its own public relations instead of Premier Bartlett spruiking the development’s alleged benefits on the Corporation’s behalf!”

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MEDIA RELEASE

WALKER CORPORATION’S PARALLEL UNIVERSE

4 February 2009

DOWNLOAD THIS MEDIA RELEASE AS PDF AT:
http://www.saveralphsbay.org/pdf/SRB_media_04022009.pdf

In the Walker Corporation’s parallel universe, a development which would transform 146.5 hectares of the marine and coastal environment of Ralphs Bay into a Gold Coast style canal estate would cause only, “minimal”, “negligible” and “minor” environmental impacts.

“The Walker Corporation would like Tasmanians to believe that the construction of a major housing subdivision in Ralphs Bay would cause little more disturbance than the gentle waves rolling in and out,” said Save Ralphs Bay Inc Communications Coordinator Jane MacDonald.

“The presentation was clearly intended to smooth all anxious frowns from the foreheads of worried Tasmanians, but it is likely to have the opposite effect. The slick reassurances that this proposed assault on nearly 150 hectares of critical estuarine habitat would be so benign to the shorebirds, the spotted Handfish and the entire web of life inhabiting the sandflats indicates the mismatch between the Corporation’s perceptions and those of concerned Tasmanians.”

Save Ralphs Bay Inc Chair, Bill Edmunds said, “The sandflats of the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area at Lauderdale are Crown Land belonging to all Tasmanians and, as such, they should not be for sale to this or any other developer. The Ralphs Bay Conservation Area was fought for and declared in order to protect critical feeding and roosting habitat for both resident and migratory shorebirds – and that is exactly how it should stay.

“Survey after survey has shown that around 70% of the community opposes this development, and, in our experience, community opposition is as strong as ever. Residents of the South Arm Peninsula have a very strong sense of place and we like our beautiful peninsula just the way it is. Selling off our local Conservation Area so that a developer can bring the Gold Coast to Tasmania just doesn’t sit well with the values shared by most members of our community.”