SAKDMIHING on MORETON ISLAND House of Representatives
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Parliamentary Paper No. 362/1981 The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia SAKDMIHING ON MORETON ISLAND House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Conservation Report October 1981 The Commonwealth Government Printer Canberra 1982 © Commonwealth of Australia 1982 ISBN 0 644 01695 7 Printed by Authority by the Commonwealth Government Printer HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION TERMS OF REFERENCE That a Standing Committee be appointed to inquire into and report on: ; (a) environmental aspects of legislative and administrative measures which ought to be taken in order to ensure the wise and effective management of the Australian environment and of Australia's natural resources, and ' • (b) such other matters relating to the environment and conservation and the management of Australia's natural resources as are referred to it by: (i the Minister responsible for those matters, or (ii) resolution of the House. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN THE 32ND PARLIAMENT Chairman Mr J.C. Hodges, MP Deputy-Chai rman Dr H.A. Jenkins, MP Members Mr M.A. Burr, MP Mr E.G. Cameron, MP Mr P.H. Drummond, MP Mr B.L. Howe, MP Mr A.J. Mackenzie, MP Mr S.J. West, MP Secretary Mr J.R. Cummins CONTENTS Chapter • Paragraph 1. Introduction 1 2. Moreton Island 4 Description 4 Moreton Island Impact Study . 7 Committee of Inquiry into Moreton Island 10 Conservationist View 13 3. Conclusions 18 Appendix 1 Dissent Appendix 2 Map of Moreton Island Appendix 3 Recommendations of Committee of Inquiry on the Future Land Use of Moreton Island CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1. The Committee has received many representations concerning sandmining on Moreton Island. 2. Inspections were conducted on Moreton, Stradbroke and Fraser Islands on 11-12 September 1981. During this visit the Committee was accompanied by and held informal discussions with mining company representatives, conservationists and residents. 3. On 14 October 1981 the Committee resolved to report to the Parliament on sandmining on Moreton Island. The Committee decided to report without inquiry, not only because of its commi tments to other inquiries but also because legislative mechanisms exist which would allow an Inquiry to be undertaken by the Commonwealth Government. It is emphasised that while Members hold personal views on sandmining on the Island, as a Committee no decision opposing or supporting sandmining has been made. 1. .:-,:.. CHAPTER II . " • ••• • /. , . , ••... \ \,_ MORETON ISLAND : ,. •-' •/' Description ,• ,. ; ; 4. ..: Moreton Island is a sand mass of 18,960 'hectares, lying; 4 0 ki-l-oirtet.res .of f shore from Brisbane. Together,- -with the' o.ther sand islands, Bribie Island and North and South Stradbroke Islands, Moreton Island forms the eastern boundary of Moreton Bay. The Island has been .formed from .quartz sands which are weathered from,rocks on the Great Dividing Range.-and; then carried to the sea by the rivers of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. - • •' . • • ,-...-.,'•• 5. The Island has only 4 small villages and its sand dune structure and' associated biota give, it an. important1 scientific and scenic value. Parts of the Island are. relatively flat and contain many dune lakes. Mt Tempest (280 metres) is reputed to be the highest .sand dune in the world. Archaeological evidence shows that the Island was inhabited from about 3,000 years ago. Although only 40% of the Island has so far been surveyed more than 400 sites have been recorded including rock tool areas, shell middens, dinner camps and village sites.- -. • -; 6. Moreton Island, was entered on the Register of the National Estate on -25 August 1981. ' :'. ' .. Moreton Island Impact Study 7. Following controversy on the possible land use on Moreton Island the Queensland Government in. October 1975 commissioned the consultants A .-A. Heath and Partners to carry-but, an environmental study of the island and make recommendations'1on its future land • • use. In advertising its inves't.igat ion.; the consultants advised, that the Queensland Government had di rected' 1 that an independent body carry:out a total environmental impact 2. • study and strategic plan for Moreton Island taking account of the environment aspects of options for land use and development in respect o£ national parks, tourism, residential, recreational and mining prospects. 8. • ' " In April 1976 the consultants report was forwarded to the Queensland Government. The major findings of the Heath^Report included: •* . * major impacts of human land use are confined 'almost entirely to within 500 metres of the beach; feral horses and goats have caused serious breakdown of .frontal dunes; serious long term erosion exists at various parts of the island; ... '. ar need for a program of scientific monitoring to safeguard the- eco-system of the island; • "..• • .' sandmining . should be excluded from the western escarpment of high dunes which face Moreton Bay; • , - . most of the Island should .be converted to a ' . : . combination of national and environmental parks; and i that, the whole of .Moreton Island should be placed •under- the management of a single authority. 9. The, consultants devised, two preferred strategies. Strategy A allowed no sandmining. Strategy B allowed limited sandmining on approximately 7% of the Island where according to the consultants much of the landscape was degraded by overgrazing and other causes. Strategy B would permit access to 42% of the total heavy mineral on the Island and would leave 93% of the land undisturbed by mining. • ". ' • • 3. Committee of Inquiry into Moreton Island , : 10. In July 1976 the Queensland Government appointed a Committee of Inquiry under the Commission'sof Inquiry Acts, 1950 to 1954 (Cook Inquiry} to make a full examination of the preferred strategies outlined in the Heath Report. The Committee of Inquiry reported to the Government in March 1977. 11. The Committee found that the interests of the Region and the State would be best served by permitting, with some minor modifications the limited amount of mining proposed in Strategy B of the Heath Report. The Committee emphasised that such mining should be strictly controlled and rehabilitation measures adequately supervised and that mining lessees put up. a sufficiently high deposit, guarantee, indemnity or bond to ensure the fulfilment of all the conditions of mining, 12. Following receipt of the Cook report the Queensland Government established an interdepartmental committee to consider its findings. On 23 June 1981 the Queensland Government announced that it had decided to accept the recommendations of the Cook report which allows mining of 6.4% of the Island with 91.2% becoming a national park. Conservationist View 13. The Moreton Island Protection Committee believes that sandmining is incompatible with conserving Moreton Island as it would endanger the ecological integrity and destroy the natural recreational values that presently attract so many people to the Is land. Sandmining involves the complete removal of all vegetation in mining areas causing changes to water bodies, soil structure and topography which it is claimed is virtually impossible to restore to original condition. Sandmining would have an impact on the current increasing recreational use of the 4. Island. It is argued that an estimated 200 archaeologic-a'l sites could be lost altogether if sandmining occurs. 14., The Moreton Island Committee argues that the value of Moreton Island's natural state is enhanced because of its proximity to Brisbane and the growing recreational needs of the population, in South East Queensland. No other coastal :.;area in South East Queensland is able to provide the nature based recreation which exists on Moreton Island. 15. This year the Queensland Conservation Council commissioned a publie opinion poll in the Moreton region which showed that 68.1% of those polled opposed any mining of the Island. •16. The conservation movement argues that the Cook Report is now outdated as a result of significant archaeological finds and new scientific evidence about the natural dune sheet in the north east corner of the Island. Recreation use has increased approximately 1400% since the report was published and that most usage Is in the proposed mining areas. 17. Before minerals from the Island can be exported, approval must be given by the Commonwealth Government. Given this Commonwealth involvement the conservation movement has called for a Federal inquiry. 5. CHAPTER III CONCLUSIONS 18. While the more recent rehabilitation work which the Committee saw on other islands was impressive the Committee notes the arguments against allowing mining on .Moreton Island particularly those relating to new evidence on degradation and archaeologleal sites and increased recreational usage since the publication of the Cook Report. 19. The Commonwealth Government is directly Involved with Moreton Island because before minerals mined on the Island can be exported from Australia, approval must be given by the Commonwealth Government. 20. As Moreton Island has been listed on the Register of the National Estate the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975 applies. Section 30 of the Act provides that before the Minister takes any action which adversely affects a place on the Register of the National Estate he must be satisfied that there is no feasible or prudent alternative, to the taking of that action. Section 44 of the Act provides that the Minister may direct a public inquiry under the Enyi ronment Protection (Impact^ of Proposals)^ Act 1974 into any proposal likely to affect a listed place. 21. The public hearing provisions of the Enyironment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 may be invoked Independently of the Heritage Act. Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act states that the object is to ensure to the greatest extent that is practicable, matters affecting the environment to a significant extent, are fully examined and taken Into account. Section 11 of the Act provides that the Minister may direct a public inquiry. 6. 22. The Committee believes that before the Commonwealth approves the export of minerals a public inquiry should be conducted.