Wildlife Queensland has congratulated the Environment Minister Kate Jones and the Queensland Government on their decision to halt the environmentally damaging Rainbow Shores Stage Two development at Inskip Point but has said that the proposal would not have progressed at all if the government’s existing Coastal Management Plan had been put into practice.

'The decision to stop the Rainbow Shores development was absolutely correct,' said Des Boyland, Wildlife Queensland spokesperson.

'The likely impact on endangered fauna in the area such as the black-breasted button quail and wallum frog would have been extremely difficult to defend.’
'However, the government took too long to come to its decision,' said Mr Boyland.

'If the Government’s Coastal Management Plan, which was implemented in February 2002 was properly enforced, the Rainbow Shores proposal would never have seen the light of day,' said Mr Boyland.

In the Queensland Government’s Coastal Management Plan, the government claims to have a 'strong commitment to protecting the coast' through 'effective protection and management of the coastal zone'.

The plan specifically states that 'future urban development on the coast to be in existing townships.'

The Rainbow Shores State Two development, adjacent to Fraser Island, was proposed for undeveloped dune and foreshore outside the established development envelope of Rainbow Beach township.

As required by the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995 (Coastal Act), the State Coastal Plan outlines directions for effective protection and management of the coastal zone.

The coastal plans have the effect of State Planning Policies (SPPs) under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA) and are required to be considered during the making or amending of local government IPA planning schemes or in the assessment of development applications.

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