A call from the community to save South East Queensland
As the 2024 State election approaches, we—the residents, wildlife rescuers and carers, catchment, and conservation groups of South East Queensland—are united in our concern for the future of our region. This includes protecting the green belt of the northern inter-urban break between the Glass House Mountains and the Pumicestone Passage.
23 October 2024
A call from the community to save South East Queensland
As the 2024 State election approaches, we—the residents, wildlife rescuers and carers, catchment, and conservation groups of South East Queensland—are united in our concern for the future of our region. SEQ is extraordinary: it is home to the oldest living cultures of our First Nations peoples and boasts incredible biodiversity, with rich ecosystems and natural beauty that define our way of life.
But our liveable region is on the precipice, and decisions made now and in coming years, will determine whether we preserve our liveability and natural legacy, or allow it to be lost to poor planning, destructive development and urban sprawl.
By building up in the right places, not out, and adopting sustainable design principles we can protect SEQ’s remaining 35% remnant bushland and 31% koala habitat and start making habitat restoration a habit - while still creating affordable, well-connected and liveable homes.
We can create vibrant, well-connected and affordable communities through smart and sustainable design preserving vital native habitat, maintaining adequate wildlife corridors and create more climate-resilient neighbourhoods.
We can design SEQ’s cities and localities to ensure people and nature thrive together. This means integrating more native flora, urban forests, public gardens, tree canopies, and biodiversity corridors into our cities and suburbs. These are critical for the survival of native species like koalas, and they benefit people with cleaner air and water, cooler temperatures, improved mental health and stronger community connections. Greener cities and towns will help us manage the growing risks of extreme weather, mitigate urban heat, and foster healthier active lifestyles.
We’re already seeing the fallout of poor planning and ill-considered developments: a sea of disconnected suburbs, massive infrastructure burdens, traffic congestion, degraded waterways, and devastating loss of critical habitat and biodiversity. SEQ must not continue to follow this path.
The next few years are critical in order to regenerate nature and society. This is our chance to lead with sustainable urban planning and development that achieves the right balance between people, planet and profit.
Political parties have yet to reveal their plans. Will they continue to favour large developers or listen to communities calling for sustainable development? Will they protect SEQ’s unique biodiversity or allow habitat destruction to continue unchecked?
Our communities are committed to conserving this region now and for generations to come. They deserve to be heard, and they deserve to know where our leaders stand.
We call on our political leaders to:
Stop destructive sprawl and unsustainable development
- Commit to no new expansion of the SEQ regional plan’s urban footprint.
- Undertake rigorous, science based bioregional planning for the whole region, applying the precautionary principle, providing certainty for developers & community.
Build smarter to give all Queenslanders a home:
- Drive development in the right places, in new, medium density climate resilient housing, close to services and public transport.
- Plan and invest directly in such developments, to demonstrate best practice and create accessible and affordable homes built for energy and water efficiency and the changing climate.
Create a living Olympic & Paralympic legacy:
- Create an urban Olympic forest - a strategic, connected network of open public space, expanded and enhanced parks, waterways, trees, greenspace, footpaths and cycle ways, across the region. Prioritise this infrastructure as essential, providing significant environmental, social and economic benefits.
- Adopt a nature and biodiversity positive standard of design for roads and major infrastructure, ensuring they avoid critical habitat, and that animal crossings and other restorative measures are built into projects.
Save our iconic wildlife:
- Protect all remaining natural habitats, and create strong biodiversity corridors across our cities and suburbs.
- Restore waterways and creeks to support healthy ecosystems and improve our community and climate resilience.
- Queensland Conservation Council
- Sunshine Coast Environment Council
- Gecko Environment Council (Gold Coast and Hinterland)
- Wide Bay Burnett Environment Council
- Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
- Kurilpa Futures
- Save the Koalas and Wallabies of White’s Hill
- Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA)
- Future Dreaming
- New Economy Network Australia (NENA)
- Save Deongwar State Forest
- Bribie Island Environmental Protection Association
- The Hut Environmental and Community Association, Inc. (THECA)
- Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA)
- Koala Action Inc.
- Oxley Creek Catchment Association
- Brisbane West, Australian Conservation Foundation Community Group
- Bremer Catchment Association Inc
- Logan and Albert Conservation Association Inc
- Brisbane Residents United
- Bat Conservation & Rescue Qld Inc.
- Brisbane South & Logan Australian Conservation Foundation Community Group
- Southern Brisbane Suburban Forum
- Take Action for Pumicestone Passage (TAPP) Inc
- Sustainable Population Australia (Qld)
- Griffith, Australian Conservation Foundation Community Group
- Blackall Range Land Use Planning Association
- Toohey Forest Wildlife
- Moreton Climate Action Now
- Redlands 2030
- Save Woogaroo Forest, Ipswich
- Manduka Community Settlement Co-op
- Koala Action Group (KAG) Qld Inc
- Mount Gravatt Environment Group
- Ipswich Climate Action Group
- Caloundra Residents' Association
- Coomera Conservation Group