the earth says thank you

Last Wednesday evening Council unanimously voted (in the absence of Clr Jim Mauger) to go to the public with a model for our next application to the Minister for another 5 year Environment levy . The model accepted by Council, if supported by the community and subsequently the Minister, will raise $5,391,799.55, for ongoing restoration and maintenance of our Environment.

To date the WOFE (Wingecarribee Our Future Environment Levy) has been one of the very real success stories of this shire. It has engaged Community members, school children,private landholders and others within the shire in the protection and healing of our local area.

To get to the stage where this levy is seen as an important part of Councils operations has not been an easy task. It has been a long battle. One that many bushcare, landcare and others with the community have assisted me in.

It is exciting to see an awakening within the mind of Council on this matter. Of course we have a very long way to go, but it seems that we are starting to acknowledge honestly the value of our precious environment and the advantage of having a special rate to protect it.

As we continue to work with private landholders and help them to maintain valuable stand of native forest on their properties and to educate school children and assist those amazing volunteers who continue to selflessly do so much work for the benefit of our shire and future generations, we can do so in the knowledge that there is an increasing acceptance of environmental issues within Council.

It is my hope that this will continue to grow and that we will eventually be in a position to strike a special rate in perpetuity. The public consultation process will commence in a month or so. The application needs to go to the Minister sometime in June. Hopefully by July, we will be in to our third term of WOFE. This is an incredibly satisfying reality for me.

Please look out for the public consultation phase and encourage friends and supporters to give their written support to the Environment levy. there will be many more important environmental projects under way soon.

Thanks again to all of you for your practical and financial contribution to our natural environment in the Wingecarribee Shire. It wouldn't be the same without you.

Media Release: Water Charge.

Clr Larry Whipper has raised concerns about the possibility of Wingecarribee Shire Councils water utilities being subsumed by Sydney water. “ Such a move would disempower the local community and have very real financial implications for all local water users.

The government believes that many Local Water Utilities face constant challenges to plan and deliver reliable services, but this does not appear to be the case in the Wingecarribee.

For many years Council have been the local water Authority and although part of the Sydney water catchment have in effect had autonomy over water and sewer services. We have been very successful I this area, in fact, in 2006 Wingecarribee Council was actually voted as one of the top ten best sewerage award recipients. This was largely due to the very expert staff management of these utilities.

There is the belief among country councils that a change is inevitable and there has been talk of our Council possibly being forced to align with Goulburn-Mulwaree or the Shoalhaven.

“Obviously our Council has concerns, particularly when this will have such a financial impost upon Councils revenue and resources. We have a strong desire to remain a stand-alone water utility in one form or another. This sector of Council’s operation is indeed very viable at the moment”. Clr Whipper said.

Sydney waters charges are also predicted to rise substantially in the future, some believe that this will be needed to fund the proposed desalination plant to sure up Sydney’s water.

“I am afraid I have become very skeptical when our State Government start talking about water reforms of this nature. Some believe it is just another attempt to legitimize their pilfering of water from the Shoalhaven and the Wingecarribee”.

“This seems like another move to cripple local rural government utilities and rope them in even further in an attempt to make sure that Sydney’s and their own political survivals are shored up, even if this is at the expense of everybody else.

“Such a move could also put our local water resources at further risk, particularly when recent reforms are opening the way for water trading rights and the potential for water shares to become an even greater reality. Under the current state philosophy, I guess we cannot even write off the eventual privatization of these utilities as well”.

“Maybe this is could explain the growing interest in the water resources of the Southern Highlands”?

Council will further debate the subject on Wednesday night.

Keeping the "B's" honest

An Extraordinary Meeting of Council will be held on Wednesday 16 April 2008 to consider the Reclassification of Community land the meeting it will be in the Bowral Memorial Hall commencing at 3.30pm.

There will also be an Extraordinary Meeting of Council be held on Wednesday 30 April 2008 in the Bowral Memorial Hall commencing at 3.30pm to consider the final endorsement of the Local Environmental Plan.

These meeting are very important. The first (ie) 16th of April will be D day or decision day for the reclassifications. One of the "D" Block, is starting to show signs that he is under mounting pressure. He told me the other night that he may consider taking the parks off the reclassification list. This will as he said still leave the reserves in jeopardy.

I have heard that some are trying to seek legal advice, with an aim to mount a possible challenge. I haven't had confirmation of this as yet.

There was a strong turn out last week for the taping of a piece fro Stateline. People gathered at the Bowral Pool and westwood Park as well. The piece is scheduled to air on ABC, Friday March 28, at 7.30pm.

Please help stop the rifle range at hilltop.

From: Julie Cook
Date: 19/03/2008 6:01:58 PM
To: No Gun Club
Subject: Exhiition of State Proposal


Dear All,

Here is a submission letter for you to sign and send or drop into the boxat the shop. Please forward this letter to all your friends so we get the word out about this outrageous proposal. adding your own comments on the back or a separate sheet is very important too.

Council is supporting our group to oppose the State proposal and we will meet with them again next week to inform their submission. Our consultants and lawyers are forming up a substantial submission for HTRAG and have found all EA reports from DoS to be grossly inadequate and unable to be considered by the Minister - so this will stop in its tracks for some time (if not for good which is our aim). Community input from individuals is very important.

Media is starting this week to bring this proposal and the existing contamination and fauna issues and dodgy public consultation and planning processes into the public arena - SMH next Wednesday is taking it on so keep your eyes open - letters to the editor and talk back radio are all good - Alan Jones etc. This needs to be loud.

Here is the link to theDoS reports again http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/major_projects.asp (ensure you are in the Exhibitions page and click the "3a projects" button the left -) scroll down or search "shooting"

If you have any specific comments about any sections please reference them and send them to us. We will be passing all community comments to our planners.

Please respond to nogunclub@optusnet.com.au with any queries

Please post the attached letter - by 27 March or drop into the Hill Top Shop Box by that date.

Julie Cook
for
HTRAGI

message for your information

Dear friends

This is to invite you all to participate in the annual Koori Flagraising Ceremony at nin garang thurree currobung (The Place Between the Rocks) near Cherry Tree rest area in Gibbergunyah Reserve, to commemorate that this land is and forever will be the spiritual home of the traditional owners, the Gundungurra people.

Friends of Gibbergunyah, your families and friends, are invited to attend the ceremony which will take place around 3.00pm on Saturday 12th April 2008 at the designated place.

Refreshments and cold drinks will be provided, but please bring your own eats and drinks if you wish. From here there are short trails to the 90 Acre Hill Lookout with extensive views of the Gundungurra lands.

We will once again attempt the mirror flash experiment with Katoomba. This year we have our own volunteer who will be flashing from Katoomba (weather permitting)

We extend a welcome to Gundungurra and other Koori people w ho wish to be a part of this event.

Please pass this information on throughout your networks to make this a special event.

Please contact me if you have any queries, suggestions or contributions to make.

recission defeated

friends, the recission motion to stop reclassification of public land until at least after the poll at the next election was soundly defeated at the last council meeting. clr jim mauger went against his previous support for our original motion to vote against the recission. myself, clr clark and clr sara murray were the only ones to support the recission. from this it would appear that other councillors are not really concerned about peoples concerns about losing their land. it is a great concern that they are so fixated on teh leisure centre, right ot wrong. i will bring a motion back again in three months time, which is the soonest i can do so. it seems that the council electrion on the 13th of september is our last chance to correct the imbalance and really make sure the community's concerns are heard.

we cannot let our land be sold for an election promise

hi all.
well i will give it one more go tomorrow night. i will be moving a motion of recission on the amended motion that was carried at last weeks meeting. i thought we would have more lead time, but it has been listed for wednesday the 5th of march. if we loose it, we will not get another chance to move a motion ofn the subject for 3 months. if i am successful in getting support for a recission i will be moving the following motion. we cannot stand by and watch our precious land be flogged off to fund an election promise! i will fight to the end on this one.

WINGECARRIBEE SHIRE COUNCIL


Notice of Motion No: __________Date: ___


NOTICE OF MOTION

1. THAT a Council poll be held at the next election to determine public support for the construction of a Leisure Centre and the funding model.

2. THAT the wording of the question be determined by Council prior to 31 May
2008.

3. THAT the LEP process continues but the reclassification of all community land be suspended until after the results of the poll are determined by the incoming Council.

4. THAT two tender prices be obtained, for the construction of the leisure Centre; one for a July 2008 Commencement and one for a commencement date in November 2008

5. THAT Council determines a financial model for the construction of the Leisure Centre prior to 31 May 2008 including possible grant funding for consideration by a future Council after the 2008 Council election poll on this matter.

This will give us some certainty that land will not be reclassified before the election and that a new council make the determination based on the results of the poll.

i am hoping that some councillors are reading the community voice and will reconsider their stand. lobbying will again get the message through as will asking questions at question time.

thanks to all those who are passionate about our inheritance for the future and who want to protect our " breathing spaces".
regards,
larry