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COUNCIL NEWS
24 August 201 6
Redland City backs call for
Olympic Games feasibility
study
Redland City Council has
thrown its support behind
calls for a South East
Queensland feasibility study
into hosting the 2028
Olympic Games.
Redland City Mayor Karen
Williams said councillors
unanimously supported her
Mayoral Minute at today’s
General Meeting, which
included endorsing the
findings of the SEQ Council
of Mayors pre-feasibility
study into the possibility of a
regional games bid.
“Today councillors have
agreed to proceed to the
next stage of conducting a
feasibility study, which will
provide the information we
as a region need to decide
whether it is in our interests
to continue with a formal bid
process,” she said.
“The decision follows
councillors being briefed on
the SEQ Council of Mayors’
pre-feasibility study which
showed it was possible for
SEQ as a region to host the
Olympic and Paralympic
Games in 2028.
“This is just one step in a
very long process.
Obviously there are a lot of
questions still to be
answered, but equally there
is a lot of opportunity and
we owe it to our
communities to gather as
much information as
possible so an informed
decision can be made."
Cr Williams said Redland
City Council would use the
potential Olympics bid as a
catalyst for much-needed
infrastructure in Redland
City.
“Redland City Council has
been crying out for
www.bayislandnews.com.au
upgrades to
our State
Government
controlled
roads and rail
line for years
and this
process could
provide the
carrot we
need to get
these projects on the
agenda,” she said.
“There is no doubt that to
successfully host the
Olympics there will need to
be new and upgraded
infrastructure across the
region and today’s decision
gives Redland City a seat at
the table when the SEQ
Council of Mayors asks the
State and Federal
government for that
infrastructure.”
Cr Williams said the next
step in the process would
provide residents with detail
on what it would cost to host
the games.
“Obviously everyone wants
to know how much it will
cost and what would be
involved if we were to host
the Olympics and the
feasibility study will help
flesh out that detail so our
eyes are open and we can
make informed decisions,”
she said.
“This isn’t just about the
three weeks that the games
will be held, the process has
the potential to raise the
profile of the SEQ region
over the coming years,
driving economic activity
and with it job opportunities.
“There are ongoing tourism
and community
infrastructure opportunities
that all need to weighed-up
against the potential costs
and all this will be made
clearer during the feasibility
study.”
The feasibility study is
expected to take 1 2-1 8
months. Redland City
Council will contribute on a
pro-rata basis with the funds
to be made available at the
first budget review.
Council takes
steps to protect
koalas
Redland City Council has
further strengthened its
support for koalas by
allocating five new Koala
Management Areas in key
locations across the city.
Redland City
Mayor Karen
Williams said
the addition
of the new
koala areas
were part
of an
amendme
nt to Local
Law 2
and were
adopted by
Council at today’s General
Meeting.
“We know that dog attacks
are one of the biggest
threats to koalas with
serious injury and death an
all too regular occurrence;
today’s decision will help
reduce those risks for
koalas,” she said.
“These areas will provide
added protection for our
local koalas by requiring
dog owners on properties
larger than 2000 square
metres in these areas to
den their dogs overnight to
reduce dog attacks on
koalas.”
The locations of the new
Koala Management Areas
are in:
Part of Thorneside;
St James’s Park, Birkdale;
Part of Thornlands;
North Stradbroke Island
townships of Dunwich,
Amity Point and Point
Lookout and
Ferntree Park, Capalaba
(see maps of new Koala
Management Areas).
Cr Williams said the
adoption of the new koala
management areas followed
extensive community
consultation.
Cr Williams said today’s
decision also committed to a
behaviour change strategy
to teach dog owners about
the importance of protecting
koalas from man’s best
friend.
“This is about encouraging
residents who own dogs in
areas of the city where
koalas are prevalent to be
responsible and conscious
that their pet can affect
the local koala
popul
ation,”
Cr
Willia
ms
said.
“Council
will
engage a
behavior
change
profession al to roll
out the program and we will
support it through our
ongoing environmental
education program.
“Koala protection is
everyone’s responsibility
and Council is committed to
encouraging the whole
community and all levels of
government to play their
role.
“We are currently working
on an amended koala
strategy and action plan in
consultation with the State
Government and other key
stakeholders that we hope
to adopt in the coming
months.”
The amended local law will
come into effect once it has
been gazetted by Council.
Note: Maps of the new
Koala Management Areas
can be found here. An
overall whole of city map is
provided as well as
individual maps for specific
areas. The maps show the
existing Koala Management
Areas in grey and the new
Koala Management Areas
(adopted today) in a
different colour for each
KMA.
“In February, Council asked
for community feedback on
five proposed new Koala
Management Areas across
the city, with 1 46
submissions received from
the community,” she said.
Bay Island News September 201 6 edition page 30