We wholeheartedly thank each and every one of you for signing and sharing our petition. We greatly appreciate your ongoing support.
The Care4esK group recently met with the Somerset Regional Council and presented their updated alternative proposal for Mount Glen Rock. With the primary focus on Fauna and Flora conservation, the proposal does not support any MTB trails or the increase of any Rock climbing sites on Mount Glen Rock.
It does recommend that Council seek an alternative location that is not environmentally sensitive, should they choose to proceed in promoting these recreational activities in the Somerset Region.
Those present at the meeting included the CEO, Mayor, Deputy Mayor and all Councillors.
Whilst having received some positive feedback for the alternative proposal, the Final Master Plan for the Mount Glen Rock Adventure Park Development is yet to be revealed. Cultural Heritage surveys and Environmental Impact assessments are to commence soon and will provide greater clarity for the future outcome of this project.
Further information regarding the sincere concerns of Care4esK and a longer term, sustainable Eco-Tourism vision for Mount Glen Rock, can be found on the Care4esK Facebook page. There will be further updates offered on Facebook, and on the petition page for those not on Social Media.
Please keep sharing the petition to support an alternative proposal.
With a new Federal Government recently elected, we are hopeful for change.
We welcome the appointment of Tanya Plibersek as the new Federal Government Minister for the Environment and Water, and now address our petition to her, along with Meaghan Scanlon, the Queensland State Government Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef.
One of the final acts of the previous Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley, just prior to the recent election being called, was to quietly scrap 176 National Recovery Plans for Endangered and Threatened flora and fauna species.
With a newly elected Government, we can only be hopeful for a positive change of attitude and some genuine meaningful action regarding the plight of all Australia's Endangered and Threatened species.
In an article by The Guardian on June 2nd, Tim Beshara, the Manager of policy and strategy at The Wilderness Society, called the former Environment Minister Sussan Leys decision, 'disgraceful'.
He said he hoped the new incoming Minister Tanya Plibersek, would revisit this.
He went on to say, "On what sort of planet does the Commonwealth think they don't need a Recovery Plan for a Tasmanian Devil, one of the ecologically most important species in existence, or the Critically Endangered Christmas Island Flying Fox, a species entirely under Commonwealth control, and one of Australia's most likely next extinctions".
Like Tim Beshara, we too hope that Tanya Plibersek can come to understand the 'entrenched policy dysfunction' in her portfolio, shown clearly through the example of 'administrative ineptitude and contempt for the community'.
Prior to the election, the Federal Labor Government promised $224.5 million for a National Threatened species program, that would include addressing a backlog of overdue and outdated recovery plans.
Let's hope this new Federal Government follows through with this and more. May this include significantly strengthening the Environmental Protection laws, to ensure that such laws do actually save, protect and preserve the flora, fauna, and habitats of all Australia's beautiful native species and environment. And that such laws are strongly enforced so there can be no loopholes for big developers to find a way through.
Let us hope this new Government is responsibly forward thinking, with a much greater respect and genuine appreciation for our natural environment, with positive actions that create a brighter and more sustainable future for our planet and for all generations to enjoy.
May they have the courage to show good strong leadership to effectively create the positive change desperately needed throughout the Federal, State and Local governments of our country.
Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Stock photo by Susan Flashman