Minister refuses dead fish

Minister refuses dead fish.

THE DAILY MERCURY 9 OCT99.

PROTESTERS opposed to the east-west connector attempted to present Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer with a dead fish yesterday.
"This is a dead fish and there will be plenty more of them coming as a result of this road project that you're personally approving here in Mackay against the wishes of the community," one of the protesters Peter McCallum said. He called it the "BjelkePetersen award for mangrove protection''.
"It's pretty rare that we get somebody of your standing in the community here.
"It's not since the days of Joh Bjelke-Petersen, when he was running around here with a bulldozer knocking down native vegetation mangroves less than 20 years ago, " he said, referring to the failed mouth of the river project.
"So, we've decided that you should be awarded the BjelkePetersen award for mangrove protection.'' Mr Bredhauer did not accept the fish.

THE DAILY MERCURY 9OCT99.
Govt commits to road project.
By MARK SLEEMAN
THE State Government yesterday confirmed Mackay's east-west connector will go ahead, but protesters who interrupted the announcement have vowed to fight on.
Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer was confronted by protesters when he made a flying visit to Mackay yesterday morning.
He said tenders would be called for stage one of the $10.7 million project, and it would go ahead with stringent environmental safeguards in place.
But conservationists at yesterday's protest remained far from pleased, and voiced their concerns.
About 20 protesters were holding placards and banners and wearing shirts printed with the slogan: "You can't catch fish on a freeway''.
The protesters, who are launching a legal appeal, attempted to present Mr Bredhauer with a dead fish, chanted slogans during a press conference, and warned, if necessary, they would blockade the project.
But Mr Bredhauer said the decision followed detailed consultation with the community. All necessary clearances, including approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), had been secured.
Main Roads was conscious of the environmental considerations, and a range of planning was under way, Mr Bredhauer said.
The department would contribute $100,000 to the development of an environmental management plan for the mangrove area around Sandfly Creek in East Mackay.
Yesterday's announcement was made in an area of Queens Park in East Gordon Street, which is close to Sandfly Creek.
"We will also have the Central Queensland University involved in monitoring of the environmental issues before, during and after the construction of this (east-west connector) project," Mr Bredhauer said.
"We will also be acquiring an area of almost 23 hectares of mangroves, which we will be adding to the Bassett Basin fish habitat reserve, which will actually mean the fish habitat reserve will increase in size." Mr Bredhauer said the eastwest connector would contribute to the flood immunity of the North Mackay area, with Pioneer River Improvement Trust (PRIT) contributing to the project.

THE DAILY MERCURY 9OCT99.
Group pursues legal challenge.
By MARK SLEEMAN
OPPONENTS of the eastwest connector road in North Mackay are pursuing a legal challenge and have threatened to blockade the project.
"We have five community groups plus a lot of individuals who are fighting this project," a Mackay Conservation Group spokesman said.
"We are fighting it on a legal front," president Dr Michael Williams said at yesterday's protest.
As part of a legal appeal to the fisheries tribunal, they had asked for a stay on any work until it was heard, Dr Williams said.
"If any work is to commence there will be direct action from the community to try to stop it from occurring.
''It's likely there would be a form of a blockade. " Dr Williams said there was no community support for the east-west connector.
"As demonstrated here, there's significant community opposition. This is a very important and rich area of vegetation . . . It's an important part of the Bassett Basin fish habitat area.
"The habitat is currently suffering die-back. It's a stressed system. To clear more vegetation from the habitat area will be another nail in the coffin of the whole Bassett Basin fish habitat. " Dr Williams said other problems could range from the release of acid sulphate soil to spillages.
"These are things that will destroy our fish habitat area in the Pioneer River.
"It will contribute to our river becoming a sterile outlow for water.'' Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer refused to accept appropriate alternatives, Dr Williams said.
"The low-level connector would have far less environmental damage. He refuses to consider that.
"Upgrading Malcomson Street is certainly a very viable alternative as a short-term measure and he has refused to sit down with the business group and others to look at that possibility." Dr Williams said the fact yesterday's announcement had been kept quiet and was made away from the east-west connector site also highlighted that it was a "bad news story''.
SUNFISH RESPOND

Yesterday the Main Road Minister announced that the MR would call tenders for the EW connector road in Mackay which will destroy some 13 hectares of Mangroves in one of the most productive areas of what was the Bassett basin fish Habitat. This despite many protests by various groups including Sunfish Mackay, Mackay Conservation Group, the Bird Watchers Group and a syndiate of Mackay North businessmen whose livlihood will be affected deleterously by the road.

They justify the loss of $78,000 dollars for evermore to our fishery by giving some 26 hectares of otherwise useless (to development) mangrove area to the fish habitat. It should have been included in the original Habitat. They are giving some $100,000 to an environmental management for an area known as Sandfly creek which we stopped them destroying several years ago. Mr Bredhauer was confronted by about forty citizens and business representative but he refused to speak to them but did listen to the representative of the MCG Dr. Williams who challenged him to wait until the results of the Mackay Transport Study which is due for completion in the next year. Once again it shows just what this and any government will do if they really want to. So much for the stated resolve to protect our wetlands and mangroves. This 13 hectares represents 2% of bassett Basin Fish Habitat reserve.