Enviroment

Partnerships

Protection of the environment is a responsibility we all share.  Cairns 1st will:

• forge partnerships with neighbouring Councils, other levels of Government, non-government organizations, regional economic development organizations, industry, businesses and all sectors of the community to work together to protect our environment
• offer practical support to groups involved in land management, conservation and rehabilitation activities, including the Baron, Mulgrave and Russell River Trusts, Landcare, Treeforce, BRICMA (Barron River Integrated Catchment Authority)Terrain NRM and the Wet Tropics Management Authority
• engage with the Indigenous Traditional Owners of the Cairns region to develop land management partnerships.

Making Council activities cleaner and greener

We will seek widespread recognition as a ‘green’ Council.  This commitment will be a responsibility shared by staff and councillors and reflected in all council activities.  In particular we will:

• re-engage with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives’ Cities for Climate Protection strategy and work seriously through the five milestones to achieving measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
• incorporate climate change assessment into council decision making
• reduce fuel and power consumption and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• reduce fuel emissions by immediately converting 20% of council fleet to hybrid or clean diesel vehicles and phasing in the rest of the fleet over time
• decrease waste and increase recycling in the workplace
• save water in buildings and landscapes
• establish design guidelines for all new Council facilities that reflect energy efficiency standards
• find more uses for recycled water.

It is the experience of other councils and businesses that these changes will also reduce long-term operational costs.

A clean green business community

A Cairns 1st Council, in partnership with the state government’s EcoBiz initiative, will assist businesses to follow our lead, to also become cleaner and greener, and save money.  We will:

• offer rebates and incentives to businesses and residents to adopt strategies to reduce consumption of energy and water
• provide planning incentives for developments that are more environmentally sustainable
• encourage businesses to reduce the use of packaging, minimise waste and increase recycling
• foster arrangements between businesses that can use other people’s waste and so create zero-waste cycles
• take a leadership role in “Clean-Up Australia” activities.

Reporting

We will provide open reporting on our achievements and:

• explore sustainability indicators to chart Council’s progress and regional performance; eg, renewable energy targets
• commission an independent audit of the environmental impacts of Council operations, particularly in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, which will allow Cairns to reach the milestones set by the Cities for Climate Protection Strategy
• report annually on the findings of the audit and attainment of our set targets. 

Environmental education

We will:

• seek funded positions, or realign existing staff, to make staff available to undertake environmental education and facilitate environmental activities in the community
• engage with James Cook University re partnering with them in environmental education and activities. 

Whole of Government approach

A Cairns 1st Council will work effectively with all levels of Government, including neighbouring Councils, the Wet Tropics Natural Resource Management Board, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and other stakeholders to develop a coordinated approach to protecting the natural environment.
To the greatest extent possible we will take responsibility for the impacts that our city and towns have upon the environment.

Landscape protection strategy

We will adopt a landscape protection strategy to protect and enhance the natural landscape and will:

• reduce/minimise hill slopes development
• protect urban vegetation through strict by-laws
• enhance and expand open space and wildlife corridors
• encourage good quality in-fill development and urban consolidation through planning incentives to retain rural areas and protect the environment
• establish an environment levy on all new developments with funds going into a properly administered environment trust to be used solely for environmental rehabilitation and procurement of an urban land bank.

Water, waste and recycling

We acknowledge that the provision of water supplies and the treatment of sewage, household and industrial waste have high impacts on the environment. Please refer to our Infrastructure and Planning Policies for policies and strategies in these areas.

Hill slopes protection

We will provide protection for hill slopes and:

• adopt a consistent approach to defining hill slopes land and applying controls to development in hill slopes areas
• negotiate land protection agreements and land use with hill slopes landowners.

Daintree

We acknowledge that the Daintree and Cape Tribulation coast is an area of great biodiversity and the foundation for a significant tourist economy. We know also that there are differences in approaches to development north of the river that have created division in the community. We will:

• initiate a community-based master plan for the area north of the Daintree that will bring together all stakeholders around economic, social, infrastructure, tourism and environmental needs
• lobby the state government to establish local area power grids in the place of environmentally unfriendly diesel power generation
• keep the ferry as a preferred option to building a bridge across the Daintree River
• support the on-going buy back of biologically valuable blocks in conservation areas.

Trinity Inlet

Trinity Inlet contributes significantly to the health of the surrounding marine environment, particularly the fisheries. We will:

• review and revise the former Trinity Inlet Management Plan as a holistic approach to managing this resource and reducing the impact of runoff from the catchment into the inlet
• investigate the alleged leaching of toxic waste into the inlet from the on-going dumping of household waste at the Portsmith landfill
• support the State government’s feasibility study to progress East Trinity as  valuable ecotourism precinct.

Catchment management

The impact of land activities on the reef and coastal environment must be minimised. We will:

• enforce strict controls for earthworks to prevent run-off and do not approve major works in the wet season
• develop and maintain trash racks, retention basins and wetland systems to filter pollutants from storm water run-off
• investigate the use of melaleuca forest swampland (eg Cattana wetlands, Daintree) as a tertiary treatment of sewage to remove nitrogen and protect the reef
• provide incentives for farms to adopt processes that reduce the level of fertilizers and other chemicals into our waterways
• further upgrade sewage treatment facilities in line with the Clean Seas Strategy, so that any waste water discharged into the sea is of higher quality
• preserve existing mangrove ecosystems in recognition of their contribution to fish breeding habitats and their ability to reduce nutrient loads
• re-vegetate waterways to re-establish riparian eco-systems
• adopt a strategic approach to managing development in the major river deltas in the region.

Coastal development

The coastline is a fragile and treasured environment. In light of the vulnerability that we face in future as a result of global warming, a Cairns 1st Council will:

• ensure coastal development does not impact adversely on beaches, coastal wetlands and vegetation, dune systems and the marine environment
• review existing zonings and consult with experts to  minimize impacts on areas under threat from coastal tidal surge, whether cyclone or tsunami generated
• guarantee public access to beaches and coastlines
• review the impact of domestic bores on the fresh-water table with the view of monitoring use of the aquifer
• in cooperation with EPA investigate improved sand replenishment and beach stabilization strategies with the view to long-term solutions.

Weeds and feral animals

We will develop a pest management plan to reduce the impact of feral animals and weeds on our environment, through a co-operative approach with landholders, residents and State government agencies.
The plan will address:

• humane strategies for control of mynah birds, pigs, cats and other feral bird and animal species
• management of tilapia, carp and other feral fish species
• control of introduced insect pests, like fire ants, crazy ants and Asian bees
• control of exotic domestic plants and agricultural weeds, especially in creeks, forests and hill slopes.

Cultural and Natural Heritage Register

In consultation with all sectors of the community, a Cairns 1st Council will:

• create and maintain a Natural and Cultural Heritage Register and actively protect those places that are important to our community.

Urban development

We will ensure new development adds to the quality of our living environments and:

• modify the “City in a Garden” concept of the current Council to promote the planting of native tropical vegetation, rather than exotic plants, to make the region distinctively Australian tropical and encourage native birds and fauna 
• provide incentives for developments that protect and enhance the natural environment and are more environmentally sustainable
• implement the concept of Transferable Plot Ratios to give developers the opportunity to contribute to open space, while providing certainty for their development ambitions
• encourage the use of waterways as open space within new developments and ensure a Code of Practice for Maintenance of Waterways is utilized, so that silt and runoff do not enter them
• apply open space contributions to units and other in-fill developments, and use them for environmental rehabilitation and development of open space in the area
• enforce controls on urban land clearing and site works
• enforce landscaping plans for new developments which include streetscape development
• retain key agricultural lands and acknowledge that they will become increasingly valuable as agriculture “moves north” because of diminished rainfall in southern Australia
• implement limits on signage and other visual pollution.

Urban waterways

Creeks are a treasured part of our urban environment that provide unique opportunities to create open space and wildlife corridors.
We will:

• develop and enhance creeks and drainage systems
• review the width of riparian corridors which have been recently reduced
• create linear parks and open green spaces for residents
• provide effective storm water drainage and flood mitigation
• investigate, with the cooperation of state government, the return of long term land leases along our estuarine creeks to provide an increase in fish breeding habitats; eg, Richters Ck.

Centenary Lakes and Flecker Botanic Gardens

Centenary Lakes and Flecker Botanic Gardens are an important recreation area for our community and a significant tourist attraction.
We will:

• support the ongoing maintenance and improvement of these important resources
• work with the Friends of the Botanic Gardens to secure funding support for the proposed new Conservatory
• pursue opportunities to extend the Centenary Lakes boardwalk system to the city along Lily Creek and provide a bike/foot link through North Cairns to the Esplanade
• complete a traffic master plan of the immediate area In order  to provide safer access and parking to this precinct.

Swamp and wetland reserves

There are several significant wetland sites throughout the Cairns region, which provide important fish, frog and bird habitats and act as filters for our storm water.
We will:

• complete an audit of wetland sites in the region and ensure appropriate protection of these sites 
• seek additional funding for rehabilitation
• investigate the use of melaleuca forest swampland (eg Cattana wetlands, Daintree) as a tertiary treatment of sewage to remove nitrogen and protect the reef
• foster community involvement in rehabilitation and management activities.

Protection of vegetation & local landscape

In order to retain vegetation in our suburbs, we will:

• establish a Register of Significant Trees
• support local residents to protect significant vegetation or environmental areas in their neighbourhood, including use of by-laws to control felling of trees
• ensure compliance with existing vegetation protection by-laws
• offer incentives to retain vegetation in new development.

Open spaces

We value the role of open spaces in our community for recreation, visual amenity and attraction of wildlife.
We will:

• develop an Open Space Master plan
• enhance open spaces through partnerships with community and land owners
• seek creative ways to make more open green space available to the community.

Environmental grants

• We will initiate a new grant program to encourage and support environmental protection and sustainability.