Community Environment Network

News

Media Release: Gosford Alliance Opposes the Landing

An alliance of community, business and environment groups has joined forces to speak out in opposition to plans for the Gosford waterfront. The groups have joined forces to ensure the protection of Gosford foreshore, enhancement of public access and facilities and the orderly development of the Gosford CBD. The members of the group support the following four principles:

1. No multistorey buildings over the water (e.g. finger wharves) on the eastern shore of Brisbane Waters;
2. Retention of the Gosford waterfront and reserves in public ownership – NO sell off of public foreshore land;
3. Continued public access to foreshore lands and associated public facilities;
4. Government should focus efforts on implementing the existing Gosford CBD Plan to revitalize Gosford.

“The alliance strongly opposes the current proposals on the basis of economic, social, environmental and planning grounds” said a spokesperson. “The group calls on the State government to scrap current plans and focus efforts on the re-vitalisation of Gosford CBD.” The proposal to list the site known as Gosford Waterfront as a State Significant Site (SSS) and to rezone the site to facilitate future development is currently on exhibition until 31 January, 2012. (http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3966). “The volume of material on exhibition makes it virtually impossible for the general public to understand what is being proposed – however we urge Central Coast residents to oppose the proposal based on the key principles listed above and voice their concerns to the State government, local State MPs and Gosford Council“ said the spokesperson. A website www.savegosfordwaterfront.org.au has been established to outline how you can voice your concerns. Members of the Gosford Alliance in alphabetical order:1. Australian Conservation Foundation (Central Coast Branch)2. Community Environment Network (CEN)3. Central Coast Art Society 4. Davistown/Saratoga Wetland Support Group 5. Forresters Bushrangers 6. Friends of Caroline Bay Inc.7. Friends of Gosford P/L8. Multi Arts Confederation (Central Coast)9. Save Gosford Memorial Pool Committee 10. Terrigal Area Residents Association (TARA)11. Total Environment Centre (TEC) 12. Wamberal Action Group 13. Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society 14. Waterfront Action Group

Breakfast with the Birds 2012

This Event is now booked out (max 100 people)

Breakfast with the Birds – Pioneer Dairy Tuggerah

Saturday 4th February 2012 8-11am

Join us to celebrate World Wetlands Day – Pioneer Dairy, South Tacoma Rd, Tuggerah
(see Events for map)

Activities include guided bird watching walks, breakfast, wetland talks, water testing, dip-netting for water bugs, native plant sale, displays.

Cost: $6 Adults, $3 children (4-16yrs)
RSVP essential for catering by 5pm Thursday 2nd February.
Phone: 4349 4757 or 4349 4756 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Download Invite(PDF 462Kb) for full details

Federal Forest Inquiry

North East Forest Alliance is outraged at the bias of the Federal House of Representatives report ‘Inquiry into the future of the Australian Forestry Industry’ and its refusal to consider the timber supply crisis and the over-logging of north-east NSW’s public forests.
NEFA spokesperson, Dailan Pugh, said that most of the evidence presented in NEFA’s 111 page submission was ignored by the inquiry on the grounds that it “criticised the industry”. “What they didn’t ignore they misrepresented. This pretend inquiry was a sham” he said.
To read the full article go to the NEFA website

The Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) today announced it’s support of the findings of the House of Representatives Standing Committee inquiry into the Australian forest industry.
The Committee which is chaired by Dick Adams MP released its report yesterday. ‘Forestry has the potential to supply more building materials to the construction industry, to contribute more renewable energy to the Australian economy, and to improve land management practices across the agricultural sector’. Dick Adams said.
To read the full article go to the IFA website

Coal Seam Gas: A Disaster waiting to happen

North coast environment groups have described the extent of coal seam gas exploration licences in NSW as a disaster waiting to happen, and in a submission to the Coal and Gas Strategy have called for an immediate moratorium on any further coal seam gas approvals in NSW.
Submissions closed last Friday on the NSW Coal and Gas Strategy, which was released by the former Labor Government for public exhibition, but which the new Coalition Government has indicated it will probably go on to adopt.
“Just last week, as we finalised our submission to the NSW Coal and Gas Strategy Scoping Paper, we uncovered the full extent of coal seam gas licences across NSW” said Ms Carmel Flint, spokesperson for the North East Forest Alliance. “Using Department of Mineral Resources data, we found that 23.5 million hectares of NSW is already covered by petroleum exploration or production licences, and a further 13.8 million hectares has current applications pending approval. This equates to almost half of NSW.