SENT: 1st February 2017
TO: sdainfo@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au
CC: info@dsd.qld.gov.au; integratedresorts@dsd.qld.gov.au; Cairns@dsd.qld.gov.au; info@kurandaregion.org

Minister for State Development and Ministers for Natural Resources and Mines
Hon Anthony Lynham
PO Box 15216
CITY EAST QLD 4002

 

Dear Minister for State Development and Ministers for Natural Resources and Mines.

RE: COMMUNITY REFERENCE GROUP FOR KUR-WORLD IS NON REPRESENTIVE OF LOCAL COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS

As you are aware the Kur-World project in Kuranda has been gazetted as a ‘coordinated project’. As part of the EIS process the proponent is required to engage in community consultation.

The first attempt at any consultation has been farcical to the extreme which is indicative of this entire project from the start. The landclearing, construction of illegal dam and extinction of the endangered Kuranda tree-frog within the seasonal creek below the dam are some issues to be urgently addressed.

However, with regard to the Community Reference Group the EIS states the following:-

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Community Reference Group

Membership

There will be 10 permanent members of the KUR-World CRG:

  • Two representatives appointed by Reever and Ocean
  • Two representatives appointed by Mareeba Shire Council
  • Six individual members to represent the following areas:
    1. Environment
    2. Indigenous
    3. Community
    4. Tourism
    5. Education
    6. Social Services
  • Members will be recruited via Expressions of Interest to be publicly advertised:
    • Public Notice in the Tablelands Advertiser and The Cairns Post *didn’t happen
    • EOI published on KUR-World website *didn’t happen
    • Email Newsletter to KUR-World database *didn’t happen
    • Invitation will be sent to selected community groups *didn’t happen
    • Media release issued *didn’t happen
    • EOI published on the KUR-World Facebook page *didn’t happen
    • *local publication Kuranda Paper not included

The first Community Reference Group was held on the 15th December 2016.

Attendees were:

Michael Huelin (Kur World)
Geraldine McQuire (Kur World)
Alex Blake (Kur World)
Neil Boland (Kur World)
Harry Sou (Kur World)
Nathan Lee Long (Kur World) (EIS Manager for ARUP consultants and also Vice-President of the Cairns and District Chinese Association Inc. which received a $100,000 grant!)
Ana Palma (Kur World)
Gary Searle (Terrain)
Anita Veivers (Cairns Centacare) Why Cairns Centacare and not Kuranda rep?
Cathy Retter (Kuranda Envirocare)
Indigenous Rep (not selected)

 Apologies:

Mark Lawson (Kur World)
Nerida Mitchell (Cairns Airport) Nerida is HR Manager at Airport?
Joe Moro (Mareeba Chamber of Commerce) Why not a prominent Kuranda Tourism representative?
Sharon Jones (Kuranda State College)

Is this a joke? Is there any way we can convince the cowboys running this Kur-World outfit that community engagement is necessary to win trust from the local community. Every action taken thus far by Kur-World beggars belief. There is no indigenous representation nor any local business representation nor local tourism representation?

Mr. Lynham, can you intervene and enable us the community to be involved in what is supposed to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever delivered in Far North Queensland. This is our home, our workplace, our environment that these people are playing with.

Please attend to this matter urgently. We are preparing for the biggest rally Kuranda ever seen against this project in late-March because the proponent just does not engage with us the community and treats us with contempt.

Yours sincerely,

Steven Nowakowski

PS I have just heard there is a ‘neighbours meet and greet’ on the 7th February and neighbours opposed to this development haven’t been invited. In fact advertising for this event has been secretive. Another box ticked I supposed for community engagement.