SENT: 20 February 2017

Friends of the Earth Far North Queensland
POB 795
Kuranda QLD 4881

 

Dear Coordinator General,

Community Reference Group for KUR-World proposal

We ask you to investigate the following concerns about the Community Reference Group set up for the KUR-World proposal:

  • the Community Reference Group (CRG) appointed for the KUR- World group is unrepresentative of the Kuranda area
  • the CRG has been cherry picked and not chosen in the usual way by requesting expressions of interest
  • The majority of members are working for KUR-World
  • This appears to be more a development rather than community group
  • One of the main concerns expressed by the community and being investigated by the government is the environmental damage this proposal would do and has done to the unique and ecologically fragile Myola valley. Only one permanent member of the committee, Cathy Retter of Kuranda EnviroCare, is representing not only the environment, but also planning and community. Though both Cathy and Kuranda EnviroCare are highly respected, more representation of these interests would have been called for in order to have a more balanced CRG.

Please see the list of attendees of and apologies for the first meeting pasted below at end of this letter.

At the first meeting, there were eleven attendees, seven working for KUR-World in a paid capacity ( there are eight included on the committee- Mark Lawson was absent), only one member of a Kuranda group and no Indigenous representation to our knowledge.

Groups obviously absent on the CRG :

  • Indigenous representation as stated above e.g. Bulwai Cultural Heritage Lions Club, Djabugay Tribal Aboriginal Council
  • Close neighbours directly impacted on by the proposal in the Myola valley
  • Representatives of any residents group in the wider Kuranda region such as the Kuranda District Residents Association or Speewah Residents Association.
  • Representatives of the Kuranda Business and /or Kuranda Tourism industry

With the above missing, it seems bizarre to be including the representatives of the wider area :

  • Mareeba Chamber of Commerce & Mareeba District Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association ( Jo Moro) and not Kuranda Chamber of Commerce or Kuranda tourism advisory committee member
  • Cairns Centacare and not our local organisation Ngoonbi or Kuranda Neighbourhood centre

It seems highly unlikely, with the make up of this group, that any meaningful feedback on the concerns of the Kuranda region will be evident in its conclusions.

Yours,

Sarah Isaacs

KRPG

 

KUR-World Community Reference Group

Attendees and Apologies for first CRG Meeting: Thursday 15th December 3-5 pm at 112 Barnwell Road :

Attendees: Kathryn Edwards, Envirocare, proxy for Cathy Retter Allan Dale, RDA FNQ & TS Gary Searle, Terrain Anita Veivers, Centacare Cairns Michael Huelin, WGC Lawyers (KUR-World) Geraldine McGuire, SSG (KUR-World) Alex Blake, KUR-World Neil Boland, NRA (KUR-World) Harry Sou, KUR-World Nathan Lee Long, ARUP (KUR-World) Ana Palma, SSG (KUR-World)

Apologies: Sharon Jones (Kuranda District State College), Joe Moro (Mareeba Chamber of Commerce, Mareeba District Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association), Nerida Mitchell (Cairns Airport) Mark Lawson (KUR-World)