The fight continues to rescue what the Save the Great Brixton Wetlands Action Group states is still an integral part of the Brixton Street Wetlands, after the City of Gosnells agreed to a rezoning at its February 25 Ordinary Council Meeting.
And the group is now considering legal action in the form of a judicial inquiry to have the decision overturned.
“In a sickening decision the City of Gosnells rezoned over 250 hectares in and around the Brixton Street Wetlands for industry,” said Save the Great Brixton Wetlands campaign manager Paddy Cullen.
“With 847 species this area is described as the jewel of the crown of a global biodiversity hotspot and the most biodiverse place on the Swan Coastal Plain. The area is also home to all three black cockatoo species.
“Their decision flies in the face of the Environmental Protection Authority’s decision to protect the area which the City unsuccessfully appealed against. Their claim that rezoning the area as industrial would provide more protection is ludicrous and was thrown out by the Appeals Convenor, yet they used the same argument at the council meeting in their decision.
“It also goes against Ministerial conditions set down which at least two councillors said they had not read before voting. These conditions require detailed studies into hydrology and the cumulative impacts of industry on flora and fauna before getting to scheme amendments and rezoning. Such studied are hugely expensive, take years to fulfil and would most likely result in the area being saved.”
Meanwhile City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes said it was important to note the City had never proposed rezoning of the Brixton Street Wetlands, and in fact the rezoning application did not extend into the wetlands area.
“The rezoning relates to land adjacent to the wetlands, of which 95 per cent has been surveyed and is described as being in poor or very poor condition,” Mayor Lynes said.
“The rezoning process includes the opportunity to introduce new and contemporary controls over land near the wetland, to ensure its protection. At a regional level, the land surrounding the wetlands has been zoned for industry by the State Government for many years. Council is simply trying to bring its local scheme into alignment with the State Government’s framework, which is a legal requirement.”
Mr Cullen said he believes this is wrong.
“When the land was assessed in 2016 the EPA said they could revisit the assessment at a later date. They have done this and said it needs protection. The council has conveniently ignored that important snippet of information,” he said.
Mayor Lynes said the City was acutely aware of the importance of protecting the Greater Brixton Street Wetlands, which is viewed as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the City’s natural environment.
But Mr Cullen said the City’s view on the condition of the value of the land doesn’t hold up to the science.
“The truth is that the area they want to rezone includes conservation category wetlands, threatened ecological communities, rare and threatened flora and the flood plain needed to sustain the wetland. If the City of Gosnells get their way this wetland is lost,” he said.
Mayor Lynes said in relation to future environmental preservation, the amendments represent the first step towards the future rehabilitation of 57ha of land to high quality bushland and the establishment of buffers around the wetland.
“These buffers, and the rehabilitation which comes with them, will save the wetlands from the pollution and degradation which is currently occurring,” she said.
“There have been many detailed, site specific environmental assessment reports prepared to assess the viability of the amendment. Ultimately, the Minister for the Environment has issued a considered decision requiring specific planning conditions be included in the local Town Planning Scheme amendment. After careful consideration, on Tuesday, 25 February, Council resolved to endorse the Minister’s requirements and include them in the proposed Scheme amendment. Council’s decision does not represent final approval of the amendments. The final determination will be made by the Minister for Planning.”
Mr Cullen said the City may be aware of the wetland’s importance but clearly has no interest in saving it.
“If they were the least interested, they would not have appealed against the EPA decision to save it. This is not just a jewel of biodiversity for the City of Gosnells but a globally significant wetland. There is no other wetland like it,” he said.
“If the council get their way, they will have overridden the Ministerial conditions and we will lose one of the world’s great natural wonders. We have written to the Minister for an emergency meeting to resolve this breach of protocol. We cannot let the city get away with cheap grab for cash and risk losing the wetland forever.”
Greens WA Member for the South Metropolitan Region Brad Pettitt said the City of Gosnells decision to rezone parts of these Conservation Category Wetlands for industry needed to be rejected by the Minister for Planning John Carey.
“My understanding is that scheme amendments of this kind need to be signed off by the Planning Minister before they come into effect,” Mr Pettitt said.
“The Minister should reject this scheme amendment on the basis that it is not consistent with the advice of the Environmental Protection Authority and because it undermines the unique environmental values of the extraordinarily biodiverse area.
“The State Government must step up and correct this wrong before it is too late.”
