Eff Seeney vs Green Groups

Here is a press release from the Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney.  It is a great example of the current Queensland Government's contempt the Environment movement.

Media Statements

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Friday, October 12, 2012

Coastal Plan under review

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said today the World Wildlife Fund and the Wilderness Society were being deliberately alarmist in their claims about changes to the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

Mr Seeney said Queensland’s coastal planning regime today is the same as it was for more than a decade up to February this year. 

In February, on the eve of the state election, the discredited Bligh Labor Government rushed through changes to the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

A draft State Planning Regulatory Provision (SPRP) introduced by the Newman Government this week removes the hasty policy change which was made without consultation with local government or other property industry parties. 

Mr Seeney said the draft SPRP would be in effect for 12 months while a new Single State Planning Policy was prepared. 

“We gave a clear commitment in our Property and Construction Strategy during the election campaign that we would revisit the Bligh Government’s last minute changes to the coastal plan and that we would reform the entire planning regime in Queensland,” Mr Seeney said. 

“My department is working with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and various stakeholders to review the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

“What the government has done in the meantime is to return coastal planning policies back to the regime that existed prior to February this year and was in place under the Beattie and Bligh Governments. 

“By introducing a draft SPRP we are providing a sensible basis for consideration of proposals in the coastal zone while the coastal plan is reviewed. 

“This will allow the Queensland Coastal Plan and State Planning Policy to be debated and consulted upon in a way that should have happened last year. 

“The unravelling of the Bligh Government saw normal consultation processes dispensed with. Instead Labor did a last minute backroom deal to pander to their Greens allies and shore up their support for the looming election. 

“Local government faced chaos and confusion in attempting to interpret and implement the new planning laws. 

“We have removed that uncertainty and will now proceed in a measured and professional manner to reform planning regulation. 

“We have informed local government organisations, property, planning and development industry bodies, the Environmental Defenders Office and the Queensland Conservation Council of this course of action. 

“Claims that the draft SPRP lowers environmental protections are nothing more than the usual baseless, sensational rantings of radical green groups which will do or say anything to further their aims. 

Campaign Ruby - a review

It was my Dad's birthday in March.

What does one get one's benevolent father, who (by his own admission) has everything he wants or needs?

I had a chat to my Mum and threatened to get Dad a copy of Jessica Rudd's first novel. My family has a history of buying each other presents that we would want for our respective selves.

Mum received a milkshake maker for one of her birthdays. Anyway, cutting to the chase, Mum thought "Campaign Ruby" might be inappropriate for my Dad. She thought is may be a little risqué or perhaps too Mills & Boonish. So Mum struck preemptively and bought "Campaign Ruby" for me.

I was hooked from the start. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of reading it through the night. I have a beloved wife & a 20 month old daughter who consume almost all of my waking moments (apart from the 40 hours a week that I spend peering down sewers). My family are my world & I have very little time these days for recreational reading.

So I read "Campaign Ruby" in installments. A half hour over lunch. Another half hour in the evening before acute hypersomnia would kick in. Like Bobby Sands through an hour glass, so are they days of our lives.....

Con-current to my interest in "Campaign Ruby", our illustrious former Lord Mayor announced his intentions to run for the seat of Ashgrove.

So I found myself filling out an application to join the Labor Party. After three years of waging a futile campaign against 32 000 tonnes of CO2e during construction and an estimated annual GHG emissions for the operation of the project are 18 120 tonnes CO2-e (averaged over a 12 year period from time of opening) from the Northern Link Road Tunnel.

So I followed Ruby Stanhope around a fictional campaign trail, as homework for an eminent campaign for the seat of #Ashgrove.

I found myself completely engaged in the world depicted by Jessica Rudd. I wanted to write letters to Max Masters (the Leader of the Opposition - also known as the LOO), supporting his immigration policy. I also wanted to scream when I realised that Ruby Stanhope - Former Senior Analyst (Emerging Markets) had no appreciation of ecological limits to growth.

I found it refreshing to read a novel with such great characters. The women were real women. The men were realistic men (with limited fashion sense, something I could relate to). My favourite character was Ruby's niece - Clem also known as Clementine Genevieve Gardner-Stanhope. My least favourite character was Ruby's brother-in-Law, Mark because I know blokes like that.

So, I basically I am saying that "Campaign Ruby" is definitely worth the read. It is not the "Brigit Jone's Diary" I was expecting and although Ruby swears like a trooper and sleeps with an egomaniac, the sex is not gratuitous. Thankfully, there is not too much information. The insights (and/or incites) into politics are fascinating and accessible, even to those without much interest in politics.

If @Taezar were to ask me HowmanyPandas? I would have to say six out of five Pandas. I will be interested to hear what my Mum thinks. Now I am waiting for the sequel- #RubyBlues

Jess Rudd reports on twitter: "First draft of #RubyBlues is almost ready to submit *throws air punch*"

I cannot wait.......but I guess i will have to.