Pat Spicer

23:09 Mayor Wilkie: The next two questions are from Ms Pat Spice at Waterham Park. Your questions will be answered by Kim Warne, Director of Strategy and Environment. I'll do it. Thank you, Pat. Thank you.

23:23 Pat Spicer: With what other community housing provider, other than Coaster Bay, has Noosa Council had discussions, if ever, about provision of social and affordable housing in the Noosa Shire?

23:36 Speaker 3: Thanks, Pat. I'll read it on behalf of Kim. Kim's not involved today, so she's online. Over the last 10 years, Noosa Council has had discussions with at least a dozen registered community housing providers, some of whom have indicated an interest in building or acquiring housing in Noosa Shire. Some of these providers are expert in specific forms of housing, such as housing for people with disabilities, seniors, people escaping domestic or family violence, or First Nations people. There is a categorisation system of registration with only Tier 1 providers generally having the capacity and capability to do their own developments. A number of large CHPs, such as Brisbane Housing Company, have done many exemplary developments, but are typically at a scale and density more suited to the metropolitan system. Having said that, we still engage with them and seek their advice on design, feasibility and operational matters. Coaster Bay is the only Tier 1 provider specifically based on the Sunshine Coast.

24:35 Pat Spicer: Thank you. What other land in Cooroy, other than 62 Lake MacDonald Drive, does Noosa Council own?

24:45 Speaker 3: Kim's giving me a list here, if you'd like me to read them out. Council owns...

24:50 Pat Spicer: Well, there's a million of them, so I'm going to have a little bit of fun.

24:53 Speaker 3: Council owns land throughout the Shire, with most of it being parks, open space and land to protect vegetation. The table below is un-exhaustive, but this property is owned by Council close to Cooroy. I'm happy to give you this list, but I'll read some of them out. For example, 2 Maple Street is a skate park. 1 of the 7 Maple Street is a hinterland playground. 8 Maple Street and Apex Park is a park and car park. 9 Maple Street is a library.

25:21 10 Maple Street is a water factory. So it goes through... In Oak Street is the Astro Park. Garnet Street is the Oak Park Bushland Reserve. So there's a number of them there. So we do have quite a bit of land.

25:32 Pat Spicer: Yes, thank you. Okay. Is our list comprehensive?

25:35 Speaker 3: It's... Well, it's non-exhaustive. It's comprehensive. It's non-exhaustive, is what Kim said. Okay.

25:41 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you, Pat. Ladies and gentlemen... Councillors, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have a 10 minute break now. We have time to catch up if you have any questions.

25:52 Speaker 1: And we'll see you back in 10 minutes, Councillors.

42:04 Yes, sure.

42:09 Mayor Wilkie: Okay, welcome back everybody. We're at item 9, which is the Merrill Minute. I'd like to table the Merrill Minute as shown on the screen.

42:24 Councillor Lorentson: Can I request you to shut the door, please, K香? Thank you.

42:31 Thank you.

42:33 Mayor Wilkie: Okay.

42:36 The motion as reads is that Noosa Council write to the State Government commending them on the KPMG review of the Queensland Shark Management Plan 2021-2025 and request they trial the removal of mesh nets with associated education and consultation during whale migration season in Noosa while continuing the use and assessment of other measures such as aerial surveillance drones, catch alert drumlines, as per the KPMG review recommendations. Councilors, I am moving this as it's a compliment to the LGAQ motion provided by Councillor Lorentson, which we are supporting today also, which would have a State to the Conference, a recommendation that the LGAQ lobby the State Government to have the State support any Council that wants to trial mesh nets removal during whale migration season. This actually says, we would like to put up a handout. Now, it's an issue that the community's quite aware of, all councillors are aware of as well, and Councillor Lorentson has put a bit of work into the LGAQ motion, there's more detail there. This minute, the background of this minute is based on the KPMG report, which is quite an impressive body of work in itself.

43:53 So, as background, KPMG was engaged by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to conduct a review of the shark management program, provide recommendations for future versions of the program. The program started in 1962, following several fatal and non-fatal shark bites. The KPMG report states, support for the shark control program is undermined by the incidental capture of non-target species in drumlines and shark nets. The scope of the review included a range of things. And including the results of trials of alternative shark bite mitigation technology. KPMG's report included an implementation plan recommending updates and enhancements of the SCP in line with the state's evolving needs beyond 2025. The plan's principal objective remains to minimise the risk of human-shark interaction while simultaneously working to sustain and where possible improve ecological outcomes. Which is the impact on marine life. To achieve these outcomes, the plan outlines 20 initiatives across four areas. Operations, trials, research and education. The trial component is proposed to involve testing of the suitability of alternative shark bite mitigation technology with a focus on reduced ecological impact.

45:12 In terms of stakeholder sentiment, the KPMG review advised that trials of non-lethal shark mitigation equipment were seen as appropriate and were broadly supported. Stakeholder sentiment. It was noted that trying this technology at popular beaches is also favourable. Social attitudes about the shark control program were found to have shifted during the last five years. And that shift in sentiment coincided with a period of greater information sharing and awareness of the program and its ecological impact. Support for the use of mesh nets and traditional drumlines was said in the report to have increased. But support for non-lethal methods, such as catch alert drumlines, savannahs and other types of equipment, were not. The report states that quantifying the number of shark bites prevented by the program cannot be effectively measured. It indicates that the number of sharks caught can be seen as a means of reducing the likelihood of human-shark interactions. Most sharks were caught on drumlines. More sharks were caught on drumlines than mesh nets during the last five years. 399 hooked up annually across Queensland. And drumlines as opposed to only 40 in mesh nets. Therefore, this strongly suggests the potential likelihood of human-shark interaction may only be marginally affected by any trial of mesh net removal during wild migration season.

46:35 The use of nets in the winter months has become an increasing concern due to the recovering wild populations, resulting in more frequent entanglements. Mesh nets were first deployed in 62. And they are the oldest form and least selective form of shark control equipment. They lead to a high non-target species death rate. With an average of 3.62 non-target marine animals killed by mesh nets for every target shark captured. The total average annual bycatch killed over the 21-24 planned period increased by 19% to 363 compared with the previous 20 year average of 305. The reports did say that all entangled whales, were fortunately released alive. But included concerns about the impact entanglements have on the long term health and survivability of these animals as a result. Queensland remains the only jurisdiction where shark nets remain in the water year round. That's around the world. Shark nets were removed in New South Wales during wild migration to prevent entanglements. And the New South Wales government announced it was removing shark nets one month earlier on March 31st in response to increased turtle activity in April. Trials involving a phased approach that managed risk, gauged public sentiment and provided evidence were stated to have an important role when considering introducing changes to the Queensland Government's shark control program.

48:04 The recommendation of the report 3.2 says removing mesh nets during the wild migration season reduces the environmental impact of operations by preventing whales from becoming entangled. This measure will not only improve the safety of our Department of Agriculture and Fisheries staff who do undertake dangerous marine animal rescue team operations to release entangled marine animals, but will also mitigate negative media and community sentiment and boost community sentiment. Cost savings from this should be redirected to community education on shark safe behaviours and program updates. The report also recommends the trials of catch alert drumlines and drones, such as those already operating in Noosashire, should continue. The extensive analysis of catch data and the shifting public sentiment included in the KPMG report explicitly and implicitly supports trial removal of shark nets during wild migration season to reduce impacts on whales and mortality rates among non-target species such as dolphins, turtles and rays and provide evidence to inform any future long-term changes to the Queensland Government's shark control program. In 2007, Noosa was the first site in Queensland to be declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a place recognised as having achieved a notable balance between environment and sustainable human development.

49:26 Biosphere reserves are also considered as living laboratories or learning places for sustainable development. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, such as any trial changes to the shark control program. Which sit at the interface between the humans and the marine animals we are committed to protecting. For all the reasons above, it is appropriate that Noosa Shire become a trial site for the removal of mesh nets during the wild migration season. And I'd like to commend Councillor Amelia Laurison for her work done in this field, along with that of Sandy Bolton, and Councillor's support for our algae IQ motion in this regard, and hopefully for this funeral meal. Thank you.

50:17 Councillor Lorentson: I have a few questions. My first is, what consultation has been undertaken to inform the development of the mural in it?

50:30 Mayor Wilkie: As I said earlier, the consultation is mentioned in the KPMG report, where they refer to stakeholder sentiment. So extensive consultation is done by KPMG. I'm not suggesting by any means that Noosa Council should do that. I'm saying that it's been a consultation that we've done the consultation on. But as said in the recommendation, any trial removal of mesh nets will be associated with education and consultation conducted by the State Council.

50:59 Councillor Lorentson: Have you spoken to the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, the Noosa Bicycle Reserve, Noosa Surf Club, Noosa Board Riders Club, Noosa Malibu Club, Tourism Noosa? Have our swimmers, tourism, business operators or local residents been consulted?

51:20 Mayor Wilkie: There is consultation work that was done by Sandy Bolt and MP about the trial removal of mesh nets. The sentiment was overwhelmingly in favour, I think it was at least 60%. And I've been following, we've all been following the media about the groups involved in discussions around protecting the wilds during wild migration season. And there is an alliance of groups, Sandy Bolt, I've contacted Sandy Bolt, that are interested in the removal of shark nets during wild migration season. And it does include some of the groups that you've mentioned.

51:57 Councillor Lorentson: You referenced Sandy Bolt's survey. Are you aware of how many people surveyed?

52:03 Mayor Wilkie: I can take that question on notice and get exact details. For you at a later date.

52:10 Councillor Lorentson: I can answer that. 405 people were surveyed. In terms of overall formal or informal community consultation, can you please let me know whether by email, telephone, who has been consulted?

52:28 Mayor Wilkie: I'll take that on notice. I'll confer with Sandy Bolt about the individuals and groups that have been consulted. But the main thrust of this minute, this motion, is that the State Government will decide whether, when it comes to trialling the removal of mesh nets, that whether or not Noosa will be one of the trial sites. And they will be conducting community education and consultation about this.

52:55 Councillor Lorentson: You reference mesh nets and drumlines. Can I ask Mayor Wilkie, what are the key differences in how mesh nets and drumlines operate in shark control programs?

53:08 Mayor Wilkie: Drumlines involve, well, everyone knows that drumlines involve the setting of baited hooks.