STEP Matters Number 138, February 2007
Development Fever: Murray Hogarth Talk Environmental Law 1,400 Units at the San Workshop Tuesday 27 March, 8 pm, The law firm, Environmental St Andrews Hall, Vernon Street, STEP has always argued that we Defender’s Office (EDO) is holding a South Turramurra suffer from the tyranny of small workshop at Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Murray will talk decisions in the loss of bushland in Garden on Saturday 14 April. This is a on the hottest of Sydney. A scout hall here and a road great opportunity to understand the hot topics, widening there all seem harmless in law governing planning and climate change, isolation but at a loss of a few development, threatened species and covering the hectares a year it will all be lost or pollution as well as one’s legal essential hopelessly fragmented in another 200 options. See the flyer enclosed. years. science, the physical Welcome TABS Members Losing a lot of bushland in one go is, impacts, media, community and however, a different matter. Local As previously reported the Thornleigh government papers have reported that the area environmental group, TABS, has responses and Adventist Conference wishes to build joined with STEP. TABS was managing the changes through 1,400 dwellings on 60 hectares of its established in 1987 out of concern carbon and emissions trading. land at Wahroonga along with an about threats to, and degradation of, expanded school, a nursing college, a the bushland around Thornleigh. Murray was environmental editor for leisure centre, a sports field and retail The Sydney Morning Herald, and a and commercial areas. In order to do The move is complete and both reporter for the ABC’s Four Corners. this the Church has attempted to Graham Jones and Barry Tomkinson He joined Ecos Corporation in 1999, a bypass Ku-ring-gai Council by going have joined the STEP committee. company that advises and assists direct to the government to have the There are economies of scale, even firms to achieve sustainability with site classed as of ‘state significance’ for environmental groups, and the improved productivity through sound under Part 3A of the Act (see page 3). additional members and the energy environmental practices. Murray also and ideas from Barry and Graham can works with Easy Being Green, a The Church’s partner in this is the only make us stronger. Johnson Property Group – the outfit purpose-driven Australian company, that is causing so much heartache at part-owned by Ecos, helping people to We welcome all the TABS members Pitt Town. (See Elizabeth Farrelly’s fight climate change in their everyday who have had their membership 15 Nov 2006 article at www.smh.com. lives. Murray is a regular speaker and transferred. We trust that you will stay au/news/opinion/how-do-you-cook- commentator on sustainability issues. with us and that you will let us know of kellyville-max/2006/11/14/116326 He is a member of the advisory panel any concerns that you have. 6547678.html (or ask us for a paper for the Total Environment Centre's copy). Green Capital Program, and is a long- Funding is reserved for a signage standing board member of the project planned for Thornleigh bush- Bushland on the site is on both sides Environmental Defenders Office of land. There is no reason that the of Fox Valley Road. The eastern side NSW. He is the author of The 3rd established Thornleigh regeneration has previously been protected by the Degree: Frontline in Australia's and other activities should not now abandoned freeway corridor and Climate War, to be published in April. continue, the more the better! contains a Wianamatta Shale plant community. The western side contains This talk will complement that given In this issue the headwaters of the Lane Cove last year by Dr Lesley Hughes from Development Fever at the San 1 River and some wonderful bushland. Macquarie University who dealt with Murray Hogarth Talk 1 (continued on page 3) the science of climate change. Clean Up Australia Day 1 Environmental Law Workshop 1 Don’t miss it! Welcome TABS Members 1 Walks Programme 2 Clean Up Australia Day Plastic Bag Survey 2 EDO Public Seminar 3 Sunday 4 March is Clean Up Australia Population – A Conspiracy of Silence? 3 Day. Our new members from TABS will In Case You Missed It 4 be working as usual at Thornleigh Oval, Email Addresses 4 Handley Avenue between 8.30 am and Another Book from STEP 4 1 pm. Good shoes, hat and sunscreen The Next Frontier 4 needed and volunteers need to register at the oval first. Diary Dates: Talk 27 March, Enquiries: Graham Jones, 9484 4220. Walks 18 March and 1 April. STEP Inc Community-based Environmental Conservation since 1978 PO Box 697, Turramurra, NSW 2074 [email protected] www.step.org.au ABN 55 851 3472 043 Population – A Conspiracy of Silence? Development Fever (cont from page 1) So how should we view this proposal? In his great book, Capitalism, As if the The Malthusian Outlook The San courts the community, World Matters (2005, Earthscan), We should be reminded again just including councillors, with its squeaky- Jonathon Porritt says ‘One area why this is important. It took the world clean hospital image and the where environmentalists and the until 1930 to reach 2 billion, another reputably clean Adventist lifestyle. progressive left are ‘as one’ is in their 44 years (1974) to reach 4 billion and There is a real goody-goody aspect to out-and-out refusal even to discuss it has now reached 6.6 billion on its it, the corollary of which is that they the importance of population … it’s way by 2025 to 8 billion and on to a are beyond reproach and it’s therefore hard to explain this conspiracy of current projected 9 billion by 2040. unfair to criticise. And who knows silence.’ While we carry on about the There are billions who now aspire to, when one needs to be admitted? evils of globalisation and impending and are reaching out for, our level of peak oil we never stop to ask how we consumption. In that scenario lie the On the other hand the Adventist are going to feed our current 6 billion seeds of conflict on a world scale as Conference has not, to our population, let alone the 9 billion it will 9 billion people fight over a declining knowledge, ever expressed the soon be, when the oil necessary for resource base. Then, as the slightest interest in, or concern about, food production is no longer available Malthusian vision becomes reality, we the natural environment. There seems at reasonable cost. Porritt tells us that will realise that we should have paid to be a blind spot there that reflects the continuing dramatic growth in the some attention to the people as well the old Judeo-Christian ethic of US population is ‘nowhere to be seen as to the beetles. taming the wilderness and counting on the mainstream environmental the well-being of the natural world as agenda in the US today’. So What’s to be Done? nought. It would be wonderful to be Over the last 25 years, while this So what can Australia, with its proved wrong on that score! newsletter did address the issue from relatively tiny population and Over-development and the removal of time to time, we felt restrained by the economy, do? It can become an bushland for building and for fire absurd political correctness dictum international activist. It can set an buffers will reduce wildlife corridors in that if you opposed population growth example for the world by campaigning the Lane Cove Valley and greatly add you were a racist – the implication for all those things that we already to the pollution load and degradation being that you opposed immigration know cause populations to decline: of the Lane Cove River. The loss of on racial grounds. In an interview on family planning, raising education flora and fauna would be very Radio National on 17 April 2006, Mark standards and confronting those significant. There are of course other O’Connor, author of This Tired Brown churches, the American neo- issues such as the traffic implications Land confirmed that that was exactly conservatives and others that are still and population densities in the area. the case with the Australian working to increase world populations. Conservation Foundation (ACF).
While it is early days yet it seems The Conspirators are Us What can our environment clear that the Church will push ahead When we look at the ACF website we groups do? They can recognise with development and, undeniably, see that population has been added to that an over-populated, under-fed that is their right. Private land is not, the list of issues – right down the and under-resourced world is the however, free of planning restraint bottom. Their Policy Statement No 51, greatest foreseeable threat to and the bushland on the site will not evidently developed in 2003, lacks Australia’s and the world’s necessarily be available for teeth. In the April 2005 Habitat environment and well-being. destruction. The Conference should magazine the ACF had an article be asked to have a survey of the headed Population? No Problem that What can our environment groups do? bushland on the site carried out by a contained the pathetic advice that if They can recognise that an over- professional acceptable to it, Council we all reduced our consumption then populated, under-fed and under- and STEP. Only then can we assess population growth was quite OK. The resourced world is the greatest with certainty the extent and value of ACF claims not to have the resources foreseeable threat to Australia’s and the bushland. Resolution should come to campaign on population. They have the world’s environment and well- through the bushland being gifted to their priorities back-to-front! being. They can shed their reluctance the community as the quid pro quo for and campaign against the major The Nature Conservation Council has permission to develop the remainder. political parties, the well-intentioned a population policy adopted in 1986 bleeding hearts and the Business that says some appropriate things in a Council of Australia and so raise gentle way but you will have to listen EDO Public Seminar – Part national consciousness. They can hard to hear them campaigning. The 3A and the Public Interest – 7 March realise that all environmental term ‘population’ on the Greenpeace problems from climate change to site seems to mostly concern whales. Part 3A is the widely criticised Act that biodiversity will be improved more by The Greens are revising their policies allows the Minister to take larger halving the world’s population than by but they did have a policy that we projects out of the hands of councils. any other action that they might take. accessed in 2006. This is another Hear speakers on both sides at a free lukewarm statement akin to saying seminar chaired by Jeff Smith, CEO of Weeds or People? that one ought love one’s mother. the Environmental Defender’s Office. So if we value Sydney’s bushland and When was the last time you heard Wednesday 7 March , 6 to 8 pm at the natural world beyond we may well Bob Brown campaigning to stop the DLA Phillips Fox in the city. be better occupied campaigning for disaster that 9 billion people promises Enquiries: Tisha, 9262 6989, population reduction than in pulling up as fervently as to save the beetles
but, all too often, they have been Worldwide, some 20% of electricity The purpose of this book is to provide marginalised by the huge weight of use is for lighting. The next generation an inspirational resource for people sceptics funded by vested interests. of light bulbs, according to The who already are enraptured by our Economist (23 September 2006), will landscapes and to provide an insight We shall try to address these issues be light emitting diodes (LEDs) with to what is out there for others. The and take them to the wider efficiencies many times existing more our natural world is appreciated environmental community. The lighting. Another five years or so of the less pressure there will be to population article in this issue is a development is thought to be needed destroy it. case in point. There is not a lot of time before we are putting them into our left to get it right if the human race is light fittings despite the fact that some This will be a beautiful book that we to retain its well-being. $5 billion worth are now sold annually hope thousands will want to own and for specialist applications. to give as gifts and will be available Doubtless you won’t always agree but later this year. we shall be happy if we stimulate some thought.
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2007 Walks 2007 Walks (continued) 2007 Walks (continued) The 2007 walks programme continues Meet: grassy area near Cattai Creek, Location: West Head Road via McCarrs last year's theme of exploring new under tall trees, left fork (downhill) at Creek Road, Ku-ring-gai Chase National areas in the Sydney Basin having end of access road. Park. diverse landforms and a variety of Parking: ample parking. Cost: $11 park entry fee unless you vegetation communities. Tea and Grade: moderate; meandering forest have an annual pass. bikkies will be provided wherever track, moderate hill climb, may be wet Meet: Elvina Trail car park, 1.3 km on possible after each walk. underfoot. right after right turn at Liberator General Duration: about 3 hours. San Martin Drive. For all walks wear good walking Suggestion: it's a longish drive so Parking: ample parking. shoes and a hat, bring binoculars and consider making a day of it. In the Grade: mostly easy to moderate short telephoto lenses/binoculars, morning visit Scheyville National Park walks; some rough eroded track sunscreen and water. (Cumberland Plain Woodland), sections. Longneck Lagoon (bird life) or the Duration: about 5 to 6 hours. Sunday 18 March, 1.45 for 2 pm main Cattai National Park next to the Contact: John Martyn, 9449 7962, 0402 Warriewood Wetlands and Irrawong Hawkesbury River nearby (grey 284 366, Reserve kangaroos, historic farmhouse).