Mayor Green answers please

Sent to Mr Green 8/2/10
greenp@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au

Mayor Green

I am writing to you in reference to a letter sent by one of the followers of the “Friends of lake Tabourie” [see attached] I am wondering why you have not responded or at least acknowledged receipt of the email and look forward to your reply. I would also like to bring to your attention our blog site http://laketabourie.blogspot.com an internet forum we created that provides a platform for concerned residence and regular visitors to air their concerns in relation to the deteriorating condition of the lake. The site has only been operational since Australian day and is gaining momentum daily, it would seem there is a large portion of your constitutes that feel they are being grossly mislead and misrepresented in regard to the responsible parties for the caretaking, well being and maintenance of Lake Tabourie.

I am sure you would be familiar with the objectives and mandate of the “Lakes, Rivers and Estuaries Management Policy” prepared by State Government under which local Council are required to maintain these assets and halt degradation. This certainly is not happening, Council may very well be throwing money at the lake but, what is being done is not preserving status quo or halting and degradation - the lake is worsening by the day. Council by their own admission, have been recording the declining conditions of the lakes since 1997 - 13 years ago. One would think that after 13 years we would be fairly close to being on top of the program. So far the little amount of money being spent has being is primarily on study after study, seems duck shoving at best. These assets are a valuable resource to the community, but are treated with what can only be described as contempt. I appreciate Council needs funding support from the State Government but, noted is the lack of pressure / attention in a timely fashion to acquire or manage the acquisition and budgeting of the needed funds. After all the management plan was drafted back 1997, 13 years to petition funding or budget for the expense, what went wrong?

I also appreciate the fact that these ecosystem are sensitive are we should not simply bulldozer a track, however, the objective and mandate of the lakes, rivers and estuaries management policy requires Council to maintain these assets and halt degradation. Council have implemented a flood management plan, a questionable point - we have sanctioned intervention when it is convenient to us in the name of flood control, to prevent damage to property. If the argument is such that the shoaling of the lakes is a natural part of the lakes cycle then we should not interfere with raising water level either. The flood plain that exist now is massive due to the extremely high sand build up across the entrance, why simply apply some common sense and under the maintenance plan remove this sand, lowering the dam wall as such in the name of flood control, from there mother nature may very well take over and break through flushing the lake.

Under the current circumstances do you not think a biannual review is a little long in the tooth, especially in the planning process should Council not be more proactive and concerned about these resources. I noted that at a recent meeting held on the 2nd February 2010 by the “Crown reserve community and commercial operations committee” the Far South Natural Resource & Floodplain Management Committee was not directly involved, why would they not be informed and represented at a meeting, after all this committee was set up and devoted to the development and implementation of the Estuaries Management Plan as required by State Government.

Contrary to your comment about climbing on Coaches and heading off to Government house in order to petition them into action – the lake is Councils responsibility, however, I have written to the HON Tony Kelly pointing out the poor condition of the lake and the lack of attention as required under the Lakes, Rivers and Estuaries Management Policy laid out by the State Government.

The Lake Tabourie Tourist Park has heavy bookings for the Easter period were we plan to hand out fliers and bring to the 2-3 thousand visitors, [regular and migratory] attention, the blog site so that should they wish to air their concerns they can do so either directly on the blog site or direct to the representatives of Council listed in the flier, I hope in the mean time we have enlisted your support moving forward.

I look forward to your acknowledgement of this email and your future support.