Issues and Submissions Archive

Since 1962, the Society has fought for conservation around Queensland, from the protection of the Great Barrier Reef, to protecting some of our less known plants and animals. Below are a selection of some of the past issues that have been the focus of the Society's efforts.

 

• Ban duck and quail hunting: Send a card and tell them you care - February 2005
• Ban electric grids that kill flying foxes - February 2006
• Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby: running out of time - February 2006
• Dugongs face oblivion on Queensland's coasts?
• Eastern Wildlife Corridor plan announced - March 2007
• The future of Far North Queensland - June 2008
• Let all Queensland's wild rivers run - August 2005
• New push to ban duck and quail hunting - October 2004
• Save the Daintree - Today - August 2004
• Queensland election: where’s the environment figure? - August 2006
• Vegetation Management
• Vegetation management in Queensland: Change, don't chop - October 2005
• Urge Governments to take action on bat netting deaths - February 2006
• Environment groups promote green politics - February 2006
• Help prepare Wildlife Queensland’s water policy - October 2006
• Protecting our Bushland Campaign: Sign the ePetition - July 2006
• Population growth that threatens the environment - May 2007
• Traveston Dam Senate Inquiry - March 2007

• Flying foxes: Booth vs Frippery case update - March 2006
• Queensland Government declares six Wild Rivers - March 2007
• What’s the future of Moreton Bay? - June 2007
• Savannah cats: the case against importation - July 2008
• Uncontrolled cats and dogs kill wildlife - July 2007

Back to current Issues.

Past Submissions during 2007

Gamba grass

Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation – December 2007

Wildlife Queensland, the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC), and the Wilderness Society (TWS) wrote to the Minister expressing concern about gamba grass, considered a major threat to Queensland’s biodiversity.

The three conservation groups asked that gamba grass be declared a Class 2 Weed under the Queensland Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002.

Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Discussion Paper 2007

Environmental Protection Agency – November 2007

Wildlife Queensland responded to the discussion paper with qualified support for the concept as a last resort if no other better outcome for the environment was possible. The use of offsets should not encourage inappropriate development and should provide a positive gain for the environment, ie. the offset should be close to the project; the offset should compensate at a rate of 200% for the damage it was offsetting;. We also noted that although vegetation offset was measurable, the damage to wildlife was hard to compensate for.

Draft Queensland Wildlife Trade Management Plan for Export – Commercially Harvested Macropods 2008–2012

Wildlife Trade Assessments, Federal Department of the Environment and Water Resources ­– October 2007

WPSQ made a submission stating that the Society was not opposed to the commercial harvest of certain species of kangaroos as long as a sound scientifically based management plan was in place; animal welfare issues were adequately addressed and an appropriate monitoring program ensured compliance with the plan and relevant legislation.

Wildlife survey of Protected Area Estate

SEQ Regional Nature Conservation Strategy Advisory Group – September 2007

Wildlife Queensland has urged the Queensland Government to systematically survey the fauna that live in the state-run national parks and reserves known collectively as the Protected Area Estate. It is Wildlife Queensland’s view that the government does not have an adequate knowledge of what wildlife lives on the estate it manages on behalf of the public and that current records are inadequate. This missing data is part of a knowledge gap in the state government that prevents the formation and implementation of adequate conservation management strategies. Wildlife Queensland will continue to raise this issue with the minister’s office.

More information on the need for wildlife surveys of the Protected Area Estate.

Hinchinbrook Resort Lease

Minister for the Environment and Multiculturalism April 2007

Wildlife Queensland has written to the Queensland Minister for the Environment expressing concern that the developers of the environmentally controversial Oyster Point resort development on the Hinchinbrook Channel at Cardwell might be handed the lease for the Hinchinbrook Island Resort.

Read the Ministerial letter

Traveston Dam Senate Inquiry

Senate Inquiry into Additional Water Supplies for South-East Queensland April 2007

Wildlife Queensland made a written submission to the Senate Inquiry and subsequently appeared before the inquiry when it met in Brisbane to take verbal submissions and responses.Wildife Queensland stated it did not support the Traveston Dam as part of the solution to south-east Queensland's water supply issues. Wildlife Queensland urged the federal government to examine its powers to block the project.

Read the Full submission to the inquiry; the Address to the inquiry.

South-East Queensland Regional Outdoor Recreation Strategy

Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation March 2007

Wildlife Queensland recognised the recreational needs of Queensland’s growing population but expressed concern that the strategy contained no commitment to protect the limited remaining natural areas and their important biodiversity.

• We urged the government to provide funding for the acquisition and management of recreational estate distinct from the protected area estate.
• We commented that the discussion paper didn’t provide much detailed information or guiding principles.
• We suggested...
  • a user pays system in places in conjunction with a permit system could be appropriate;
  • user education about weeds and disease risks; adequate budget to protect areas of biodiversity;
  • partnerships of all levels of government, community and user groups to be charged with the care and maintenance.

Brisbane River North Bank development

Submission to Department of Infrastructure March 2007

We criticised the selected developer (Multiplex)’s proposed design concept for these reasons:

• Varies a great deal from the State Government’s Preferred Strategic Plan for North Bank released in November 2004 (on which WPSQ made comment, see archive) including ignoring guidelines on building height.
• Ecological destruction of the Brisbane River and destabilisation of the riverbank by encroaching on the river, which damages a major asset of Brisbane.
• Proposed increased car access and parking to service multistorey commercial buildings will increase traffic congestion, detract from the city’s liveability, add to pollution and increase pressures on infrastructure.
• Destruction of the amenity of existing public space in the city.
• Impacts too heavily on the context and surroundings of Brisbane’s last vestige of historic and cultural heritage in the William Street/Queens Wharf Road precinct.

We supported the provision of pedestrian and bikeways.

Review of the Integrated Planning Act 1997

Submission to the IPA Review, Queensland Department of Local Government and Planning

Wildlife Queensland urged the State Government to amend the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA) to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Queensland. Predicted rapid global climate change will raise temperatures in Queensland too fast for animals or plants to migrate or evolve to deal with the changing conditions. The results will be widespread species death and extinctions before 2070. Wildlife Queensland's proposal recommends strategically amending the IPA to preserve Queensland bushland vegetation so that animal and plant species are more likely to survive.

Read a 1-page summary; the executive summary (8pp); the entire submission (62pp); the recommendations (16pp).

More information about Wildlife Queensland's Protecting our Bushland campaign.

Federal responsibility for National Parks

Submission to Senate Inquiry on National Parks, Other Conservation Reserves and Marine Parks March 2006

Wildlife Queensland put in a submission to the federal inquiry that raised these issues:

• exploitation of National Parks for commercial gain
• lack of development in the marine park system
• failure to achieve target acquisitions under Australia's obligations to the National Reserve System and the deficiency of the current model related to funding cuts, among other topics
• the possibility of a levy to fund the development and acquisition of land for parks and reserves in Australia.
• threats to National Parks and other parks that could be addressed by better government management at all levels.

Read the full submission

Past Submissions during 2006

Banning monofilament netting

Submission to the Federal Minister for the Environment February 2006

Wildlife Queensland asked the minister to support a ban on the import and/or sale of monofilament nylon netting because its use on backyard fruit trees is killing and maiming flying foxes.

Past Submissions during 2005

Cannon Hill Community Links (previously known as Minnippi Community Links)

Submission to Brisbane City Council October 2005

Wildlife Queensland strongly opposed this proposal and expressed grave concern about the potential loss of green space from the city's environs and the threat to wildlife in general, and the local squirrel glider community in particular. The potential damage will include loss of vegetation and fauna habitat, damage to and pollution of wetlands and waterways, and waste management problems. Wildlife Queensland also noted that there are remnants of Of Concern Regional Ecosystem vegetation in the affected area.

Brush-tailed rock wallabies at Perseverance Dam

Submission the Queensland Minister for the Environment and Local Government October 2005

Wildlife Queensland asked the Minister to protect the colony of brush-tailed rock wallabies that live on the dam wall at Perseverance Dam, Crows Nest. The small but significant colony of this species, listed as vulnerable in Queensland, is shrinking because the wallabies are being killed by traffic when they cross the road that runs past the dam. WPSQ asked the Minister to get her two departments to work together to produce the necessary Traffic calming measures and wildlife-friendly road structures.

Cruise terminal in the Broadwater, Gold Coast.

Submission to the Premier April 2005

Wildlife Queensland opposed this proposal because it will reduce public space and destroy the beauty of the area. We believe the ecology of the region will change and there will be more pollution and increased turbidity that will damage seagrass beds. Biosecurity will also be a problem.

Codes for better control of broadscale clearing

Submission to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines March/April 2005

Wildlife Queensland supported the improved codes because they protect fauna habitat but we are concerned about the exemptions given to mining and State projects. We asked for:

• fodder harvesting to be restricted to mulga lands and other parts of western Queensland where harvesting happens already
• better guidelines for issuing weed control permits
• the codes to include a process for declaring areas of high conservation value.

Draft Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan and Management Program 2005

Submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) March 2005

Wildlife Queensland thanked the Government for the plan but said it doesn't do enough. Our criticisms included:

• The plan is based on codes that are not available.
• The mapping of the management areas and zones seems inaccurate.
• Research and monitoring is restricted to South-East Queensland.
• The Queensland Government keeps allowing development on land that includes koala habitat.

We asked for:

• compulsory covenants to protect koala habitat
• enough resources to put the conservation plan into practice and make sure it is carried out
• a decision by the Queensland Government on how many people can sustainably live in South-East Queensland
• the Queensland Government to take account of how many eucalyptus trees are likely die because of global warming.

Declaration of Great Sandy Strait Marine Park (Northern Section)

Letter to Environmental Protection Agency February 2005

Wildlife Queensland thanked the Queensland Government for declaring the Marine Park as promised. However, we are disappointed that only 4 per cent of the total area is protected. We said that:

• commercial fishing has too much access to the area
• the proposed zonings don't protect the area enough.

South-East Queensland Regional Plan

Submission to Regional Planning Minister February 2005

Wildlife Queensland congratulated the Queensland Government on the proposed plan. However, we think it is too limited to deliver ecologically sustainable development. Our criticisms included:

• The planning principles are not best practice.
• The urban footprint is too large and affects areas of high conservation value.
• Population needs to be limited to be sustainable.

We asked for:

• better protection for high conservation areas, wildlife corridors, waterways and wetlands
• more accountability by the people responsible for putting the plan into practice.

Brisbane River North Bank development.

Submission to the Department of Public Works February 2005

We asked for the development to be changed to cause less damage to the area's environmental and historic values. We also asked for more vegetation and parkland and better public transport/bicycle facilities.

Changing Nature Conservation Act 1992 regulations.

Submission to the EPA February 2005

Wildlife Queensland supported the redraft of the regulations, including increased penalties for serious wildlife offences and better control of commercial ventures in protected areas. We opposed fishing in protected areas or allowing people to own electric grids to control flying foxes.

Past Submissions during 2004

Protecting mineral and mining resources.

Submission to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines December 2004

We criticised how the draft State Planning Policy (SPP) conflicts with existing approved planning uses, significant regional ecosystems, wildlife corridors, agricultural land, Ramsar areas, World Heritage Areas and other parts of the SPP. We also criticised how the Queensland Government manages resource demand and the impacts of extraction.

Managing macropods.

Submission to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), EPA October 2004
Wildlife Queensland supported the plan's continued licensed commercial harvest of kangaroo species as long as the practice is humane and sustainable. Wildlife Queensland opposes the harvest of whiptail wallabies and recreational hunting of any kind. Wildlife Queensland supported the decision for each of the regions to have its own quota, rather than one quota for the whole state. However, we also asked for at least two more regions to be created. Wildlife Queensland is not opposed to EPA staff issuing Damage Mitigation Permits but we asked for the total number of animals killed under permit to be part of the total kill quota.

Conservation in Carnarvon National Park.

Submission to QPWS, EPA August 2004

Wildlife Queensland supported the draft conservation plan for the national park, but we opposed low-level joyflights being introduced.

Back to current Issues and Submissions.

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, email or call us on +61 7 3221 0194.