ABOUT NOOSA BIOSPHERE ASSOCIATION INC.
The Noosa Biosphere Association Inc. has been established and incorporated under the Queensland Associations Incorporation Act. It is a transparent, independent, grass roots community group with membership open to anyone who agrees with the following aims.
AIMS:
1) To further the objectives of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve as agreed between the commonwealth and UNESCO, namely:
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To monitor the contribution to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic diversity within the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. |
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To foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable within the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. |
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To support environmental education and research in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development. |
2) To ensure that, in keeping with the original Biosphere proposal, there is adequate independent community input and community co-ordination in the Biosphere project. This must include individuals and community groups who remain separate from Council's Company model with its Council-appointed Board of Directors and hand-picked participants.
3) To develop forward planning strategies for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. The Biosphere offers opportunities for the Noosa region to demonstrate innovative excellence in future sustainability. With the community's support, we will debate local issues such as recycling, carbon footprints, population strategy, green belts, alternative energies etc.
4) To act as a watchdog over actions of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council as well as the Queensland State Government with the aim of ensuring that appropriate values and principles are maintained in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. In other words, we intend to keep a close eye on future decisions that may impact on the sustainability of land and water use, human development and nature conservation within the Noosa area.
Following a workshop of Association members in 2008, the following Manifesto was adopted:
The Noosa Biosphere Association Inc. supports a Greater Noosa Biosphere Reserve, ideally governed locally under a de-amalgamated Greater Noosa Council. To achieve this we will work towards:
1. Extending the current boundaries of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve to include Eumundi, Verrierdale, and Doonan, and thus achieve a Greater Noosa Biosphere Reserve.
2. A Sunshine Coast Regional Council town plan that contains within it a separate Greater Noosa town plan reflecting the proposed larger Biosphere Reserve.
3. Constructive debate within the Greater Noosa Community on the type of council and Biosphere governance system it would like to see.
Each of these aims must assist rather than hinder Greater Noosa's determination to achieve self-governance, and furthermore encourage maximum community participation in the process of improving local governance.
Self-governance for Noosa and the EDV area took a potential step closer in March 2010 when the LNP promised to de-amalgamate the region should they win office at the next State election. This policy is unconditional and will not require a referendum. Whilst welcoming the proposal, Noosa Biosphere Association remains politically non-partisan and hopes that Queensland Labor will see fit to match the LNP's promise.
WHY SET UP A BIOSPHERE ASSOCIATION?
1) To retain Noosa's identity and values.
Following amalgamation, Noosa Shire no longer exists. Unless de-amalgamation occurs, the term Noosa will gradually cease to refer to Peregian Beach, Tewantin, Tinbeerwah, Boreen Point, Cooroy, Pomona and Kin Kin. They will simply become yet more postcodes in the greater Sunshine Coast region. The Noosa Biosphere Reserve, however, continues to effectively define the old Noosa Shire.
We believe that Noosa Shire residents take significant pride in the past achievements which have led to the establishment of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. We will work to encourage them to continue to identify as Noosa people, because they remain residents within the Noosa Biosphere. The Reserve is thus an important, symbolic entity. The Noosa Biosphere Association will also be a model of community good will and cohesion. Both of these aspects of the Association will benefit any future de-amalgamation bids.
2)
Because of the forced amalgamation.
Despite vigorous and protracted protests from local residents, the Queensland State Government forced Noosa Shire to amalgamate with neighbouring Maroochy and Caloundra Shires, both of which were considerably larger. As of March 2008, Noosa Shire no longer exists. It is now the northern section of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) – the fourth largest municipality in Australia. The Noosa Biosphere Association Inc. is currently the only Noosa based and owned body solely focussed on the Biosphere.
3) Because the original governance model has been changed.
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has decided that the Biosphere Reserve be “governed through the formation of a company limited by guarantee, owned by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.”
More significantly, as the committee report states, the “Sunshine Coast Regional Council would be the sole member of the Company.” And further, “The company would seek to appoint eleven directors as their Governance Board.” It’s important to note that the SCRC will have just 2 councillors elected from the Noosa Biosphere area (Divisions 11 and 12). Plainly, the final responsibility for governance of the Noosa Biosphere rests with 12 councillors and one mayor of whom no more than 3 (when a mayor is elected from the Biosphere region) reside in or represent the interests of the Biosphere.
We believe this is contrary to the original aim of self-management and strong community involvement as agreed by Noosa Council's own Working Group. Indeed, the nomination documentation presented to UNESCO by Noosa Council stated, "The administration of the Biosphere program will be through an incorporated non-statutory body established as an Incorporated Association." Nowhere does the document refer to creating a company to govern the Biosphere. The nomination documentation also stated, "Individuals will also be eligible to seek membership of the Association." Yet there is plainly no provision in the new company governance model for individuals to participate as ordinary members (unless they are already on Council-approved community sector boards or else appointed directly by Council). Whilst the community sector boards do represent a wide range of local interest groups, Council nevertheless gets to vet every member of those boards and choose the representatives to sit on the Biosphere Governance Board. Ergo, the new governance model represents 100% control by the SCRC. It has limited opportunity for individual involvement from the community at large, and there can be no members or representatives involved without Council approval. This is why, for example, Noosa Parks Association has been wilfully excluded from participating.
History has demonstrated that our Council cannot be relied upon when it comes to sustainable development and ecologically sound policies. Had it not been for half a century's work by enlightened residents, primarily through the Noosa Parks Association (NPA), Noosa would have become just another mediocre concrete and bright-lights seaside resort. For most of NPA's existence its initiatives have been opposed by local Council. A watershed occurred when NPA Life Member Noel Playford was elected as Mayor in 1988. Finally initiatives such as banning high-rise, extending Noosa and Cooloola National Parks, and the establishment of a population cap were incorporated into Noosa Council policy.
The Noosa Biosphere Association remains opposed to the amalgamation of Noosa with Maroochy and Caloundra Shires. We are also opposed to sole management of the Biosphere being handed over to a company owned by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council - most of whom have little vested interest in the Noosa area.
NOOSA WILL SURVIVE! We urge you to support not only the Noosa Biosphere Association, but any other groups who are actively working towards the maintenance of the environment and lifestyle we have worked so hard to establish.
WHO IS THE NOOSA BIOSPHERE ASSOCIATION INC.?
Following the AGM held on Saturday April 17th 2010, the Committee consists of:
Michael Gloster - President
Greg Reddaway - Vice President
Jo Ball - Secretary
John Chester-Freeman - Treasurer
Noel Bird - Committee Member
Noel Playford - Committee Member
Barry Farrin - Committee Member
Membership is open to anyone who agrees with the Association’s aims. We strongly urge all residents of the old Noosa Shire to join us. We particularly encourage those folks who are interested in maintaining Noosa values and the Noosa identity and who would like to see Noosa de-amalgamated. Community sector boards and other Noosa-based groups have been invited to join us. We have also written to all SCRC councillors offering to work co-operatively with them.
Membership of the NBA is free to all.
Please note however, that due to time and financial constraints, all correspondence, updates and newsletters will be sent out electronically. Therefore you will need a current email address to receive these. (If you don’t have a computer of your own, you may care to use someone else’s email address, or else go to your local library and set up an email address.)
HOW DO I JOIN?
Please go to the membership page. Become a Member
(all images © Tony Wellington)