Write to Premier Anna Bligh about the report on decline of koala population

Thanks Simon Baltais (CEO) of Queensland Wildlife Preservation Society for this:

A report released in May 2009 by the Queensland Government (Department of Environment & Resource Management) titled ‘Decline of the Koala Coast Koala Population: Population Status in 2008’ tells us that effectively koalas will be extinct in the Koala Coast region of South East Queensland by 2010 (next year!). Please write to ask for direct action. (continued »)

Extended! Comment on Environmental Approvals Report ASAP

[The deadline to comment has been extended to 6 July. Please write! Here is the post again:] The final draft of the Environmental Approvals Report (EAR) for the Kenmore Bypass Planning Study has been released for community information. You can view the EAR on the Department of Transport and Main Roads website: http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/Projects/A-Z-Search/K-M/Kenmore-Bypass-Planning-Study.aspx . [Note that this web address mysteriously changed during this comment period...] In short, they don’t see any reason not to do the Bypass, though the impacts are significant, especially to those who enjoy this green space.

The community is invited to provide their comments to the project team until 6 July 2009. Please do! Write to mainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au to be heard. An analysis follows. (continued »)

Assessment of where we are now

A number of people have raised with SOK one of two schools of thought:

1)    The Government won’t have the money it is never going to happen; or
2)    The study is continuing so it is inevitable.

So,what is right? Read on. (continued »)

Scathing Auditor-General audit of transport management

The Auditor General has released this report about the Bypass. Please take a look and use it as you take action against this debacle. If you need a reader for the PDF document, you can get it here. The Auditor General has slammed transport planning. An analysis follows. (continued »)

Comment on Environmental Approvals Report ASAP

The final draft of the Environmental Approvals Report (EAR) for the Kenmore Bypass Planning Study has been released for community information.  You can view the EAR  on the Department of Transport and Main Roads website: http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/web/publicCR.nsf/DOCINDEX/Kenmore+Bypass+Planning+Study . In short, they don’t see any reason not to do the Bypass, though the impacts are significant, especially to those who enjoy this green space.

The community is invited to provide their comments to the project team until 30 June 2009. Please do! Write to mainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au to be heard. An analysis follows. (continued »)

Give comments on SEQ Regional Plan

The Queensland Government has asked for public comment on the Draft SEQ Regional Plan 2009-2031. See http://www.gecko.org.au/index.php?email_seqplan to take action by Friday.

The Plan determines the future of SEQ:

• What is developed and what is not.
• Which habitat is saved and which is destroyed (continued »)
  

Courier-Mail article on Bypass and Flegg

Today the Courier Mail has highlighted Bruce Flegg does not have a congestion plan for our area, just an unfunded “commitment”. See page 17 for the whole article, and once we get an online link for it, we will link to it. Here are some highlights:

• Flegg yesterday confirmed he would get the road built, but admitted there was no money to build it.
• LNP Leader Lawrence Springborg was forced to furiously back away from the promise.
• “feasibility study put the cost at between $400 Million and $770 Million”

Bruce Flegg doesn’t have a plan to tackle congestion in our area – just more empty rhetoric.  Bruce can’t even get his own party leader to support it. (continued »)

Bypass mentioned on talk radio

Thank you to Madonna King for highlighting this important issue on 612 radio Monday morning.

Whilst the Deputy Premier did not give the answer we were all looking for - that he would stop the alternate Ipswich motorway here and that there are quicker, better and cheaper solutions to relieve local congestion - he does make a number of points:  this was Bruce Flegg’s idea; and  there are koalas in the corridor. (continued »)

Blog post mentioning Kenmore Bypass

Nice to see other blogs taking on this issue:

Bruce Flegg has worked quite hard to be visible but his vision of transport and congestion solutions is exceptionally limited, focussing largely on a Kenmore bypass.  As an educated medical man in an area where education and health are close to people’s hearts, he has nothing novel to say about either. No longer part of the leadership, we cannot expect back-bencher Bruce to have much luck in persuading them to focus on our area and issues.

You can read the rest here.

News article mentioning Bypass

We thank the Westside News for publishing an article discussing the Kenmore Bypass. No matter what our political affiliations, we all need this issue to be visible to the community, and Westside News has been a great boon. Read the whole article here.

Candidates debate 18 March, Uniting Church Hall

Reposting a notice from http://moggill.nnub.net/ . Word is that MP Bruce Flegg has accepted the invitation.

State Election Candidates’ Debate - The only candidates’ debate in Moggill this election

Transition Town: Kenmore District? - Upcoming Meeting: Wed March 18th 7:30 pm? Uniting Church Hall, 982 Moggill Road Kenmore

Candidates Unplugged! Forum topics: Food security — Land use – Transport — Local economy — Energy descent

Need signs posted

We need help please! We have several corflute signs with the printed message:  Stop the Ipswich motorway here.

We would like to place these signs on the corridor route through Anstead, Moggill, Pullenvale to Kenmore and Fig Tree Pocket.  We particularly would like some signs on Sugars Road, Mt Crosby Road, Witty Road, O’Brien Road, Rafting Ground Road, Grandview Road, Moggill Road and Pullenvale Road where Main Roads is clearly going to build the alternate Ipswich Highway.

We have proof Main Roads have already started buying up land for the on and off ramps.

If you know anyone on these roads who might be willing to put a sign in their front yard, please let me know as soon as possible.  I am happy to phone them but need contact details.  If you will put up a sign or know someone who might, please email me asap on:  erectasign@gmail.com.

Many thanks,  Marie

Volunteer on election day!

We urgently need more workers for election day and ask everyone to help if they can. Election Day is 21 March from 8AM to 6PM, and even a couple hours would help greatly.

Please write to the email address contact@saveoursuburbs.com and let us know: 1) Your preferred candidate (if any); 2) Your suburb; 3) The times on Election Day when you can volunteer. We will contact you to confirm the booth at which you can work.

Brisbane Times mention of the Bypass

Thanks to the Brisbane Times for mentioning the Kenmore Bypass in its article about the state Greens campaign launch:

The Greens will replace the $1 billion Kenmore Bypass proposal with a light rail concept connecting to the main Ipswich line as part of a network for greater Brisbane.

Read the whole Brisbane Times article here. (If you see any article about the Bypass, whether or not it relates to any party or candidate, please post a comment here on the blog and I will make a post about it.)

Sustainable Living forum 8 March 2PM at KSSS

On Sunday 8 March will be a forum on sustainable living at 2pm, Kenmore South State School. Speakers include frequent blog comment contributor Philip Machanick (Greens). More detail at http://greenupmoggill.org/events/.

A contributor’s analysis

John Craig wrote this analysis of the Kenmore Bypass:

I was fascinated to learn from your recent circular of the debate in state Parliament on 10 February 2009 about whether the route of the (so called) Kenmore Bypass had been preserved. (continued »)

Time to fight!

Yesterday, the State Member for Moggill was again advocating for the Kenmore Bypass in Parliament and the need and right to use pre-existing transport corridors for the freeway.  No doubt, he means the whole corridor from Karalee through to the Centenary Highway, like his mate, the Deputy Premier.  If they both want to build the Western Bypass through the middle of the western suburbs (now via Centenary Highway), let them both campaign together on it.  Thanks again to Ronan Lee for his support for local residents, for taxpayers and finding solutions.

• As taxpayers, we have a right to ensure our money is spent wisely
• As commuters, we have a right to ensure transport solutions make real improvements, not waste our money.
• As local residents, we have a right to expect our local member should hold the Government accountable
• As local residents, we have the right to expect our local member to help residents as local property searches haven’t revealed the extent of the Kenmore Bypass, and should be taking it up with the Government
• As Queenslanders, we have the right to expect our Government to stand by their statements regarding our environment and specifically protection of our state fauna emblem, Koalas.

At over half a billion dollars, to cut four minutes off peak trips, one minute off off-peak trips for about 4,500 return trips to the city, at the cost to the health and wellbeing of almost 4000 people, when there are better alternatives, we have every RIGHT to demand quick, better and cheaper alternatives.  We have every RIGHT to demand decent representation. Do this on our Actions page. (continued »)

Submissions for areas of koala habitation closing Friday

GHD (who did the KB pre-feasibility study for Main Roads) are closing submissions on areas of koala habitation for mapping.  You must email  SEQkoalastudy@ghd.com.au with the UBD reference points before this Friday the 13th at 5PM.

I will be emailing them tonight mentioning the habitat between Kersley and Kenmore Roads, along with the BCC owned park between Gem and Kenmore Roads, and the bushland from Gem Road to Rafting Ground Park.  Also, I will be sending the photos I have taken of evidence of the koalas living in the area.  Please do what you can also!

Analysis of the Kenmore Bypass

A supporter (who asked not to be identified) sent us this exhaustive analysis of the Bypass. Take a look and leave comments here! It’s a Microsoft Word document. If you don’t have Word you can download a free viewer here.

Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 1st March

From Julie Hagans:

Clean Up Australia Day is on Sunday 1st March this year.  Atkinson and Kingfisher Parks are now a registered clean up site.

Meeting point is Atkinson Park on Sunset road from 10 am until noon. Look for the Clean Up Australia Day signs.  This a great way to help show community pride in our beautiful parks and do something really positive for the environment which is in our backyards. (continued »)

Springborg and LNP acknowledge some truths about the Kenmore Bypass

Rick Kilgour sent a letter of Bypass opposition to several of those listed on our action page (and you can too!) Rick sends along for us to post this reply he got from Lawrence Springborg, Leader of the Opposition. It appears that Springborg and LNP acknowledge the bypass is a link to the Ipswich Motorway, and Centenary Highway is at capacity. (Note that this site does not endorse any political party; we duly report the positions.) (continued »)

Next steps for Stage 2 comment period

We wanted to wish you all a very happy festive season.

We welcome Main roads extension of the Stage 2 comment, but Main Roads still have a lot of information to release (noise studies, environmental reports, revised designs etc).  The results of the Government studies looking at transport in Western Brisbane is well overdue. (continued »)

Koala population drops 40 per cent

The Herald-Sun posted this article about the drop in koala population. Excerpts follow. Note that koalas live in the Kenmore Bypass corridor and would be badly affected. Please urge Anna Bligh to take this into account and find an alternative to the destructive Bypass.

…It is believed there are less than 20,000 koalas now in the wild in southeast Queensland…The surveys reveal that since 2001, koala numbers have dropped by 45 per cent in Pine Rivers….

…[Sustainability and Climate Change Minister Andrew McNamara said] the Government’s current koala plan was not working and the koala population was on the edge of an irreversible decline…

Greens meeting 7PM 10 December, Bellbowrie Community Church

From Philip Machanick:

West Brisbane Greens will be running a last meeting for 2008, to catch everyone before the school break and summer takes everyone to the beaches etc.

This time we are moving across the border to Bellbowrie, to get a wider group into the discussion of alternatives.

Everyone in Kenmore interested in the bypass and alternatives to fixing Moggill Road is obviously welcome to attend. Please also ask friends and relatives in other areas to show up.

I hope we see as many of you as can make it.

Details: 7pm Wednesday 10 December, Bellbowrie Community Church, 3077 Moggill Road.

Report on Stage 2 of Kenmore Bypass

Main Roads have moved to Stage 2 of the Kenmore Bypass Study.

It is my opinion, the impact of the options proposed by Main Roads Kenmore Bypass Study are far too great on the environment, individuals and the community to be considered.

At our recent meeting it was suggested that we should not support any of the Main Roads options and draw a line through their options, and instead take the opportunity to list your concerns on the comment section of the form.

From my CRG report you can see just some of the concerns I have of the impacts and the inadequate mitigation attempts by the Engineering company advising Main Roads have proposed. (continued »)

Ronan Lee speaks at our meeting

Ronan Lee, Greens MP for Indooroopilly, speaks at the Kenmore Bypass Walk Meeting hosted by Save Our Suburbs - Kenmore to Karalee. Ronan discusses Main Roads’ proposal for the Kenmore Bypass. You can see the video at http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ronan-lee-speaks-at-the-kenmore-bypass-walk/2955897756/?icid=VIDURVNWS08 .

Article on Bruce Flegg’s phone poll

The Westside news has an article reporting on the results of a phone poll conducted by Bruce Flegg. Please read the full article and leave comments. Many people polled must not know how drastically the Bypass will affect the area, and how little it will actually affect commute times. It is our job to inform people by directing them to the Save Our Kenmore site and this blog.

Notes from CRG Meeting 3 November

Here are my thoughts/notes on the CRG meeting held on 3 November.

Generally my opinion is the Project team will let nothing stop this project.  My input has not been incorporated into the study.  They still have done nothing about a representative from Fig Tree Pocket.  The last meeting will be February 2009.  Politicians are the only people who will stop this project and provide the better alternatives the western suburbs of Brisbane need. (continued »)

Corridor walk was a huge success!

1000 concerned local residents joined wildlife expert and media personality, Ric Nattrass, for a walk through part of the Kenmore Bypass Corridor. A report Ric undertook for concerned local residents showed that should the Kenmore Bypass proceed, it would not take long for all traces of local koalas to disappear. (continued »)

Article in Brisbane Times

Thanks to the Brisbane Times for this article. Here are highlights or see it all here.

Eighty-five homes would be resumed and a local koala population wiped out by a $500 million Kenmore Bypass plan preferred by the State Government…

…the bypass gave time savings of a maximum of only six minutes for local residents using the road…

The plan does not feature a bikeway… Gem Road at Kenmore would no longer be a through road…

See the whole article here.