Population Growth in South-East Queensland

Eligibility - Queensland citizens
Principal Petitioner:
Debra Henry
PO Box 21
Cleveland Qld 4163
Total Signatures - 1,148
Sponsoring Member: Phil Weightman MP
Posting Date: 4/6/2007
Closing Date: 31/8/2007
Tabled Date: 4/9/2007
Responded By: Hon Paul Lucas MP on 1/11/2007
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland Citizens draws to the attention of the House the escalating public unrest over population growth in South East Queensland. The entire region is grappling with resource and waste disposal demands that are directly related to, and exacerbated by, population growth. Research conducted by Queensland University in 1996 and on-going studies, indicates SEQ's population already exceeds the area's sustainable carrying capacity. The water shortage, associated widespread implications, traffic and various forms of congestion are blatant indicators. Other unsustainable consequences include the urbanisation of an additional 60,000 hectares of SEQ over the next 20 years. The SEQ Regional Plan was devoid of consultation on population size, and then declared the population projections to be population targets. Councils are now required to demonstrate how these ‘targets’ be accommodated in their respective council areas through compilation and submission to State Government of a local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS). Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to: 1. recognise ‘growth management’ involves control over growth rate; that growth of the rate experienced and anticipated, compromises lifestyles and intergenerational equity 2. repeal the current deadline for submission of LGMS by local governments 3. defer State Government determination of LGMS until governments have: • provided their citizens with the choice to slow and eventually stabilise growth • calculated the ‘carrying capacity’ of respective areas of responsibility • disclosed to the community social, environmental and economic outcomes from continued rapid growth versus slowing and stabilising growth scenarios • determined local government electoral boundaries and concluded the 2008 local government elections.