Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman, along with Council candidates Donna Burns (Paddington), Michaela Sargent (Walter Taylor) and Charles Druckmann (Pullenvale), are today calling on the Brisbane City Council to close the Mt Coot-tha Quarry by 2025, with public consultation and a closure & rehabilitation plan by the end of 2020.
Greens candidate for Paddington, Donna Burns:
“Just a few metres away from our beautiful Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, sits the Mt Coot-tha quarry, a massive 30 hectare scar on the landscape.
“Dust, noise and vibration from the blasting is bad for the local environment and bad for the health of residents who live just metres away.
“Building on our community consultation, the Greens are today committing to close the quarry by 2025 and work with the community towards a rehabilitation and closure plan by the end of 2020.. We call on Labor and the LNP to match this commitment.
“The quarry site has enormous potential to be a world class, beautiful, environmentally sensitive addition to the Mt Coot-tha public parklands, a place the whole city can enjoy.
“Despite enormous community support for closing the quarry, Brisbane City Council is refusing to act. They’ve continually pushed the closure date further and further - 1998, 2025, 2032 - out without any public consultation.
“Council know they can source material from other nearby quarries, like Bracalba north of Brisbane, which operate under much more appropriate environmental conditions.
“Council’s own neighbourhood plan for Mt Coot-tha includes a closing date of 2025 but the Lord Mayor has confirmed to us that he has no intention of sticking to this. What’s more, Council has no rehabilitation plan and no funds at all set aside for this huge task.
Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman:
“Today I’m releasing a report from my community forum, co-hosted by Mt Coot-tha Protection Alliance, which shows clearly that the community wants a place that supports our local flora and fauna, celebrates Indigenous heritage, and provides recreational opportunities for locals and tourists alike.
“It’s been a real shame to see the LNP Mayor and Councillors for this area not listening to the community on this issue.
“They didn’t turn up to our community forum and all we get is copy-and-paste answers to our letters urging them to act.
“If the Councillors for Paddington and Walter Taylor wards won’t listen to the community, then voters will have a chance to voice their displeasure in March next year.
DETAILS:
- Further information is here: https://www.michaelberkman.com.au/quarry
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Quarry owned by BCC since 1925
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Mt Coot-tha Neighbourhood Plan (including 2025 proposed closure date): http://eplan.brisbane.qld.gov.au/CP/MtCootthaLP
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Letter from Lord Mayor confirming BCC has no firm closure timeline and has no plans for rehabilitation: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/maiwargreens/pages/400/attachments/original/1576019744/2018-10-26_Letter_Lord_Mayor_to_Berkman_re_Mt_Coot-tha_Quarry_rehab.pdf?1576019744
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Greens are calling for BCC to: (1) stick to its commitment to close the quarry by 2025 and (2) draft and begin implementing a rehabilitation and closure plan by the end of 2020.
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Key findings from community forum 9 October 2019 - community wants a publicly owned, accessible site that’s consistent with the natural heritage values of the Mt Coot-tha precinct: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/maiwargreens/pages/400/attachments/original/1575362313/2019_Report_Mt_Coot-tha_Quarry.pdf?1575362313