Qld govt responds to LNP claims of ‘Clayton’s approval’ for Woodgate project

The state government has tried to pour cold water on LNP and Bundaberg council claims that red tape had held up much-needed work to address erosion at Woodgate beach.

Around 100 residents turned out at an LNP/Bundaberg council media conference calling for the state government to "urgently" approve works on the Woodgate beach sea wall project to protect the beach from further erosion.

The state government has tried to pour cold water on LNP and Bundaberg Regional Council claims that red tape is holding up much-needed work to address erosion at Woodgate beach.

In a joint media conference on Tuesday, September 19 attended by about 100 people, LNP Burnett MP Stephen Bennett and Division 2 councillor Bill Trevor called on the state government to “urgently” allow work on council’s Woodgate Shoreline Erosion Management Plan to take place during turtle nesting season.

Mr Trevor said approval for the project had been recently received from the Qld environment department, with conditions that the work not take place between October 1 and April 30, without an approved environmental management plan to minimise impact on nesting turtles.

He said council CEO Steve Johnston would be contacting the environment department to confirm council wanted to work on the project during the nesting season, but that it would take “a number of weeks” to prepare an environmental management plan and for it to be assessed by the department, potentially pushing the works out to the cyclone season during which time it would be difficult to work on the beach.

Woodgate and District residents' association president Pauline Greer said community's support for the demonstration on Tuesday was "amazing".

“This is just bureaucratic hold-up after bureaucratic hold-up while infrastructure is at risk and people’s lives are at risk if we get the wrong weather conditions,” Mr Trevor said.

“Let’s fix the problem before we’ve got to spend millions of dollars, see people’s property inundated in water and lives put at risk; let’s get down on that beach and do it as soon as possible.”

Mr Bennett said the state government’s approval of the project was a “Clayton’s approval” given it was provided 17 days before the start of nesting season.

“Environmental departments are notorious for over regulating, overcomplicating, and more importantly frustrating what are very important projects,” Mr Bennett said.

“This is a bureaucratic bungle 101, they need to recognise that, eat some humble pie and let us get on as a community to do what we need to do and that’s to fix the erosion on Woodgate beach.”

LNP Burnett MP Stephen Bennett said government delays in approving the project amounted to a "bureaucratic bungle".

In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 20, Environment Minister Leanne Linard said her department received an application from Bundaberg council for the Woodgate sea wall project on July 21, which was prioritised and approved on September 13.

Ms Linard said the marine parks permit did not include conditions prohibiting works to take place during nesting season, but required the council get approval “to ensure appropriate measures are put in place to minimise any potential impacts on marine turtle nesting”.

“I would encourage Bundaberg Regional Council to apply for approval from my department to undertake the works,” Ms Linard said.

“My department advises that council’s application would again be prioritised.”

Bundaberg council has asked for confirmation that Mr Johnston contacted the environment department about commencing works during the nesting season.

Originally published as Qld govt responds to LNP claims of ‘Clayton’s approval’ for Woodgate project