Cassy O’Connor Greens MR
The Tasmanian Greens today accused Premier Bartlett of front-lining public relations for Walker Corporation by ignoring the outstanding natural values of the Ralphs Bay sandflats, and misrepresenting the findings of a national study on coastal sea level rise vulnerability, specific to Clarence municipality.

And, Save Ralphs Bay MR

LENNON-LITE PREMIER BARTLETT STOOPS TO DOING WALKER CORPORATION P.R.
Cassy O’Connor MP
Greens Shadow Coastal Policy Spokesperson

Friday, 23 January 2009

The Tasmanian Greens today accused Premier Bartlett of front-lining public relations for Walker Corporation by ignoring the outstanding natural values of the Ralphs Bay sandflats, and misrepresenting the findings of a national study on coastal sea level rise vulnerability, specific to Clarence municipality.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/01/23/51185_tasmania-news.html

Greens Shadow Coastal Policy spokesperson, Cassy O’Connor MP, said Premier Bartlett had stooped to a new low in spruiking the alleged benefits of the Walker Corporation canal housing estate proposal*.

“The Premier yesterday told reporters that a canal housing estate of the type now banned in New South Wales and Victoria, could in fact be a good thing for the Tasmanian coastal environment. What planet is he speaking from, and for?”

“Walker Corporation proposes to drain, excavate and infill an internationally significant bird and marine habitat and designated Conservation Area, to build an unnecessary, outdated 469-block canal estate, in defiance of strong, sustained public opposition.”

“Demonstrating his wilful ignorance of coastal values, the Premier also said, ‘600 manufactured blocks on the waterfront, if you like, means that 600 blocks around Tasmania on the natural waterfront don’t have to be used or exploited.’”

“First, where does the figure of 600 come from? Is there something the developer has told the government that we don’t know? Second, the Premier uses the language of a property shark in describing a Conservation Area as waterfront. Third, he clearly believes theRalphs Bay sandflats are not a natural environment. Fourth, that they can be sacrificed to inappropriate development to save other areas because we ‘need’ to ‘exploit’ the coastline.”

“Mr Bartlett also misrepresents the ‘Climate Change Impacts on Clarence Coastal Areas’ report released yesterday, by using it to imply it confirms that the Walker development could protect Lauderdale from storm surges.”

“The report’s co-author, Dr Clive Attwater, told ABC radio this morning there was no link between the report’s findings and the proposed development. Indeed he said, a whole new set of modelling and analysis would be required before any conclusions could be drawn.”

“The report makes it clear that the best protection for Lauderdale will come from State and Local Governments which will need to plan better for a climate change future, to raise the level of South Arm Road at Lauderdale, and alter the drainage orientation to keep the canal empty.”

“Any Premier who had the best interests of Lauderdale, and of Tasmania’s coastal environment and communities at heart would condemn the Walker Corporation plan. But yet again, Labor in Tasmania is putting the corporate interest ahead of the public interest and doing the bidding of the party’s political donors,” Ms O’Connor said.

*It’s a 469 block proposal, according to Walker’s website.

…

MEDIA RELEASE

PREMIER DAVID BARTLETT MAKES INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF CONTROVERSIAL CANAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

23 January 2009

DOWNLOAD THIS MEDIA RELEASE AS PDF AT:
http://www.saveralphsbay.org/pdf/SRB_media_23012009.pdf

Save Ralphs Bay Inc. (SRB) was alarmed to hear Premier David Bartlett spruiking the Walker Corporation’s proposed canal estate in response to the report of the Clarence Climate Impacts Project.

“Has the Premier forgotten that the integrated assessment of the proposed canal estate is before the Resource Planning and Development Commission?”
asked SRB spokeswoman Jane MacDonald. “After the problems caused by the State Government’s vigorous promotion of the last Project of State Significance (the Pulp Mill), we are disappointed to hear the current Premier actively promoting the Walker development, ahead of its independent assessment.

“Mr. Bartlett’s statement that the proposal could be, ‘a good thing for the Tasmanian coastal environment’ shows astonishing ignorance. The proposal to bulldoze the sandflats of the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area, creating deep channels and artificial islands, would permanently destroy a vast expanse of protected shorebird feeding and roosting habitat, with far-reaching impacts for local communities and marine organisms.”

Save Ralphs Bay Inc. congratulates Clarence City Council on its participation in the National Climate Change Adaptation Program, and the production of its comprehensive and thoroughly researched report into Climate Change Impacts on Clarence Coastal Areas.

“Premier Bartlett is quite wrong to suggest the Clarence report gives a tick of approval to the Walker Corporation’s destructive proposal,” said SRB’s Jane MacDonald.

“If the Premier has any serious interest in canal estates and coastal policy, he should be studying the Victorian Coastal Strategy 2008, which prohibits the development of housing estates around man-made canals in a bid to protect estuarine environments.”