A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all the Toondah tribe :)) THANK YOU for your unwavering determination to keep Toondah ‘naturally wonderful’.
Our people-powered commitment to stop an environmentally bankrupt political and developer coalition from destroying this ecologically important public land for private profit is turning the tide of public opinion further against this development.
With 86% of unique submissions out of 26,225 submissions opposing this 3,600-unit mega development, the timeframe for a decision by the Federal Environment Minister has been extended by 60 business days to 23 April.
PLEASE, if you haven’t already, write to Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek (Minister.Plibersek@dcceew.gov.au) asking her to save Toondah.
If you don’t have time for an individual message, please use Birdlife Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation or Redlands 2030’s proforma letters and add a unique subject line – it will only take a few minutes to add your voice to the Toondah shorebird chorus.
In other news, two more high profile politicians acting to seal this real estate deal have joined the growing list of Toondah decision-makers sent to the sin bin, leaving legacies stained by their support for this wetland wipeout.
Last month, Queensland Premier, Anastasia Palaszczuk, who refused to revoke the Toondah PDA, resigned. Redland City Council Mayor, Karen Williams, who requested the PDA in June 2013 and signed a secret ‘commercial-in-confidence’ deal with the Queensland Government appointing Walker the ‘preferred developer’, also announced she would not seek re-election.
They join Josh Frydenberg, Jacqui Trad and Terri Butler who have lost office, Malcolm Turnbull and Jeff Seeney who resigned from Parliament and Andrew Laming who said he would not stand again and was disendorsed by the LNP. Former Federal Environment Minister, Sussan Ley is now in opposition.
Unfortunately, Queensland’s new Premier, Steven Miles, has a poor track record on Toondah too. As Environment Minister, he even advocated for the Ramsar boundary to be changed to accommodate Walker’s development.
Meanwhile the Greens are continuing to campaign hard to save Toondah, with Green’s Senator Larissa Waters still going strong and making waves on Toondah.
Please note the above comments relate to their record on Toondah and not any other actions while in office.
Finally, with a Ministerial decision due by late April and our petition passing 67,000 signatures with over 803,794 views and 12,463 shares, I will be looking to lodge it with the Federal Environment Minister and Queensland’s new Premier in late January. Please SHARE again - www.change.org/SaveToondah
Some highlights from 2023
- World Wetlands Day (5 February) - see positive 7News coverage of this well-attended celebration
- “Flyways - The Untold Story of Migratory Shorebirds” film (6 May) – directed by Randall Wood, featuring Toondah Harbour premiered in Wynnum
- Walk for Toondah (14 May) – see Redlands 2030 video footage of over 2,000 marchers here
- Toondah rally at ALP National conference (19 August) – hundreds rallied outside the Convention Centre to request Labor honour its national policy platform on Ramsar
- Welcome Back Shorebirds (14 October) – around 2,000 people gathered to celebrate everything we love about Toondah with music, art and community stalls, a message of support from Peter Garrett topped off by special guest, the fabulous Hannah Maloney from Gardening Australia
- Protection of Moreton Bay’s Migratory Shorebird petition (October-November) – Robert Bush secured 2,904 signatures and submitted them to the Queensland Parliament.
Thank you again, Team Toondah you are incredible :)) I hope you have a big, bright year full of cheer and the Toondah PDA is no more in 2024.
Best wishes
Dylan