Adjournment Debate – Acid Sulphate issue in Palm Meadows

Mr Speaker, I rise tonight to ask the question “What is the role and purpose of the Department of Environment and Resource Management?”

On searching the DERM website, it states“The role of the Department of Environment and Resource Management is to conserve and manage our natural environment for the benefit of all Queenslanders.”

That leads me to ask another question, “Why hasn’t DERM acted on behalf of the residents of Palm Meadows?”

The Carrara floodplain contains acid sulphate soils that were disturbed during lawful land clearing and drainage works conducted over 50 years ago.  As a result, residents have foul smells, dirty water and fish kills in the surrounding canals around their home.

In 2000 a report was commissioned by the Palm Meadows Golf Club, Gold Coast City Council and the EPA on the acid sulphate soils that were located in the area.

For eight years nothing was done by the Queensland Labor Government on this issue.

It wasn’t until a petition was lodged in June 2008, that the then Minister for State Sustainability, Andrew McNamara, directed the EPA to find a solution to the problem caused by acid sulphate soils from the Carrara floodplain leaching into the Nerang River after heavy rain.

I have been working on this issue with the residents of Carrara since 2007 and since being elected as the Member for Mudgeeraba, affected residents Bruce Fraser and Mark Spinks, have continued their fight to have this issue rectified.

And what did I find?

That again, this Bligh Labor Government had treated these residents like second-class citizens.  Nothing had happened since the Minister’s announcement although nearly a year had passed.

Even though a report had been on their desk since 2000, DERM proved they really a ‘toothless tiger’ by not taking any pro-active action for the residents’ benefit. 

As a result of a Question on Notice I lodged in June 2009 to the petulant Minister for Environment who routinely evades questions, DERM finally acted to meet with the Gold Coast City Council to look at options and solutions.

In September 2009 as a result of these meetings, management options were tabled to the developer.

Not surprisingly, the developer responded late last year objecting to the options, and believes it does not hold any responsibility for the exposure of the acid sulphate soils.

So where does this leave our residents?

Well, they are still experiencing disgusting smells in their own homes, and dead fish litter their waterways as a result of DERM not having the fortitude to act strongly on this issue.

This would have to be one of the longest political football games going around.

I ask members opposite – Would you like to have disgusting smells invade your home on a regular basis?

Enough is enough.  It’s time for the Minister to stop the buck-passing of her predecessors and instruct her department (DERM) to take strong, decisive action so these residents can get some relief, and normalcy back in their health and everyday lives.