Environmental Issues
and Concerns
 

Download the complete Threatened Species Document by Joan Vickers in MSword  or PDF format.
 

AUSTRALIA'S "GREEN CAULDRON" DISHONOURED

Last year (August 08) Commonwealth Ministers Peter Garrett (Environment) and Martin Ferguson (Tourism) visited our region to declare us to be of national significance - beloved of all because of our unique landscape!
We were incorporated into the National Landscapes Program as "The Green Cauldron", along with Uluru and Kakadu and 14 other areas across Australia recognised for their iconic landscapes.  They spoke in glowing terms of our "rich biodiversity" and of the potential benefit to the area through "soft footprint . . . eco-tourism".  They also acknowledged the cultural heritage of this region supporting "
a greater appreciation of Indigenous community and understanding of culture".

Then a month later (Sept 09) their state counterparts got down to the serious business.  They announced the result of two years of secret negotiations between Events NSW (A company wholly owned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sports (CAMS).

The Australian leg of The World Rally Championship - Repco Rally Australia, was to find a new home in The Northern Rivers
 

      

 

 

 

 

      COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE REPCO RALLY
      ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT

  • The Study was conducted in Autumn for an event that will occur in Spring.
  • The study considers ONLY the risk of impact by rally vehicles (racing cars) but not other vehicles including heavy trucks, buses, emergency and spectator vehicles and the effect of a large number of low-flying helicopters.
  • The study does not consider the impact of other rally associated activities such as construction of spectator facilities or telecommunications structures, erection and dismantling of signage, fences and other works.
  • The study assesses the rally as a "once off" event.  It does not consider the cumulative impact of the event running in the breeding season each alternate year for up to 20 years.
  • Ignores impact of stress on the wildlife, in fact the strategies proposed in the report actually increase the stress on the wildlife.
  • Recommends strategies that will actually increase stress on wildlife such as having low flying helicopters "scare off" the animals before the racing cars and volunteers with sirens.
  • Does not consider impact during breeding season  (particularly on the 250 species of native birds potentially in their breeding -cycle at the time of the event)
  • Do not consider the impact of "rally related activities" by rally staff, volunteers and spectators (estimated at 20 000)
  • Rates activities against the lowest common denominator of State and Federal legislated requirements rather than current best practice.
  • Identifies significant numbers of threatened species on the proposed route.
  • Acknowledges the risk of vehicle impact.
  • Impact on threatened flora and fauna including koalas and species classified as endangered or vulnerable
  • The rally will occur in the breeding season every second year for up to 20 years
  • Bushfire risks associated with the rally have not been properly assessed or addressed
  • The rally is an affront to the many locals who work so hard to protect our local flora and fauna, through Landcare, Wildlife care groups and other similar groups.

  • Use of National Parks for a car racing event is inconsistent with current legislation and community expectations
  • Inconsistency of this event in an area identified as
    A bio-diversity hotspot (the most bio-diverse area in NSW)
    An iconic landscape equivalent to Uluru and Kakadu.
  • The Ecological Assessment prepared for the event has many deficiencies that have not been addressed.
  • Various environmental assessments prepared are deficient in regard to scope and recommendations.