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| Image: Onthehouse |
Echo NetDaily, 6 October 2018:
Around 100 protestors
made their point before council ignored them by voting 4–3, to reject Mayor
Katie Milne’s rescission motion in regards to the September vote, where
the majority of Tweed Shire councillors gave the thumbs up to a water mining operation
at Rowlands Creek.
Councillor Katie Milne
moved that a DA for a bulk loading/delivery of extracted water and roadworks at
Rowlands Creek Road be deferred for several reasons including that NSW Water’s
response to the pumping study was a brief email, not a formal review.
She asked that council
seek additional consideration and hydrological testing from the applicant as
outlined in a report by Professor Peter Cook (Potential Impact of Groundwater
Pumping on Rowlands Creek) and that a suitably qualified university review the
applicant’s report and subsequent response as well as NSW Water’s response and
Professor Cook’s reports.
The motion also argued
that the costings of road damage (referred to in the report but not provided)
be publicly released; that the Rowlands Creek / Kyogle Roads intersection
problem (which has been acknowledged and considered by the applicant’s traffic
engineers but remains unresolved) should be referred to an independent expert
for an opinion on the best practice approach; that council refer the problem of
the Rowlands Creek Road / Mitchell Street intersection to the same independent
expert for opinion on a best practice solution; and, that Council staff report
whether they have investigated previously claimed discrepancies in the road
width on the straight close to Uki – if not, to do so and if the Bitzios report
is incorrect propose appropriate corrective measures.
The motion also asked
that council seek independent legal advice on whether its public interest
assessment meets Council and other legal obligations.
The 4–3 vote went Crs
Cherry, Cooper and Milne for the rescission, and Cs Byrne, Polglase, Allsop and
Owen against.
Cr Milne told Echonetdaily that
this is not the end of the issue as far as she and council are concerned. ‘The
developer has to gain final sign-off from councillors that the roadworks
required are properly completed before he can commence operations,’ said Ms
Milne.
‘There is another
application in the system for Dungay, the court judgement for the Urliup
expansion, and numerous applications for amendments required to rectify
non-compliances of other existing operators as well as whatever else comes in.’
The mayor added that
some of her greatest concerns include the safety of local residents, the impact
on Rowlands Creek, the viability of the State Significant Farmlands adjacent,
and the viability of locals’ stock and domestic water bores as well as the
enormous costs expected for residents for these ongoing road repairs.
The Tweed Water Alliance
submitted a hydrology report which suggested the water mining should not go
ahead yet council still voted to go ahead. Ms Milne says the report was
unequivocal and absolutely convincing. ‘It was done by one of the world’s
leading groundwater scientists. There are always councillors who put
development before the community. Unfortunately the Labor councillor
joined them this time.
‘This is an issue that
affects the whole community across the Shire. Apart from the water
security issues, I’m sure our residents and pensioners would not be keen on
subsidising ongoing road damage from these heavy trucks.’
Tweed Water Alliance’s Facebook page suggests that direct community action is now being
contemplated.
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