The results of the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) councillor candidate surveys on sustainable development indicates the low priority that many candidates place on this critical issue. Questionnaire results demonstrate, that despite all the talk about sustainability, there is often a low level of understanding and an insufficient commitment to implement the required reforms to ensure sustainability becomes a reality.

CAFNEC urges those voters concerned about the future of the Far North to look at our election website and gain a better understanding of each candidate’s views on planning for sustainability.( http://www.cafnec.org.au/temp/election08/ ).

"We continue to lose our remaining natural areas, including important wildlife corridors and key riparian zones. These green zones are continuously eroded by nearby development and wildlife is disappearing from our landscape. As wetlands and native river vegetation are cleared or degraded by development, natural flood protection services and wildlife populations become impacted.

Although trees are being planted by council and non-government entities to improve vegetation around some rivers such as the Barron, longer-term strategies for ensuring protection and enhancement of a connected system of riparian/wildlife corridors is greatly needed.

“The planning schemes offered by our Local Governments as protection of our natural and scenic landscapes can be changed at will, and are on a regular basis. The recent clearing of an identiified wildlife corridor in Myola demonstrated just how easily a council Planning Scheme can be undermined. (see Attached excerpt from the Myola decision)", said Steve Ryan, CAFNEC Spokesperson.

The reality is that although the concept of sustainable development is getting through to some candidates, as evidenced by their use of this term in their election campaigns, a bolder vision and stronger actions are needed to make it a reality in local government decision making processes.

CAFNEC asked all councillor candidates* in the Cairns and Tablelands Regional Council to complete a survey outlining their vision on sustainability. It was disappointing that 66% of candidates did not manage to fill out the survey. Of the 30 Tableland Regional Council Candidates surveyed, only ten responded. Of the 32 Cairns Regional Council Candidates only 11 responded: 7 were Independents, 4 were Cairns 1st and zero were received from Cairns Unity candidates (one was received from a sitting councillor, but was unnamed and sent from the generic Cairns City Council Fax number).

We encourage voters to look at the responses and get further insight to their candidate's views on our environment and sustainable development in their division and the wider region.

For more information contact:

Elaine Harding 40321 746 or 0408113281
Steve Ryan 0425 344 746
Sarah Rizvi 40321 746

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Steve Ryan
Campaign Director
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
T: (07) 40321 586
M: 0425 344 746
F: (07) 405 33779
Skype: Steve Ryan - CAFNEC
campaign@cafnec.org.au

PO Box 323N North Cairns 4870
http://www.cafnec.org.au/

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Inappropriate Development?
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"such is the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must..."
Elrond (J.R.Tolkien)