Consultation on EVs projects, 2004-2006
- Consultation on the Environmental Values Projects and Queensland water quality guidelines
- Release of scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006
- Consultation activities for Moreton Bay/South-east Queensland, Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and Douglas Shire Waters, environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland water quality guidelines
- How the community accessed information and provided feedback
- Stakeholder groups from whom submissions were received:
- Major issues raised
This page summarises the results of consultation undertaken by the Department as part of a process to establish environmental values and water quality objectives for the waters of Douglas Shire, Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and Moreton Bay SEQ and the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006, from August 2004 to May 2006.
Consultation on the Environmental Values Projects and Queensland water quality guidelines
In August 2004, the department commenced a process to establish environmental values and water quality objectives under the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997, for waters of Moreton Bay/south-east Queensland (SEQ), Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and the Douglas Shire and to develop the Queensland water quality guidelines. Stakeholder consultation was an integral part of this process.
Consultation on the environmental values projects was initiated to review and update environmental values and water quality objectives for waters in Moreton Bay/South East Queensland and to develop environmental values and water quality objectives for the Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and Douglas Shire waters project areas.
Consultation on the draft Queensland water quality guidelines was part of the EVs consultation processes.
Three rounds of community consultation and information were conducted. Sessions were held with the community, peak bodies for industry, regional natural resource management bodies, catchment and landcare groups and local governments. Separate sessions were held with state agencies. More detail on the consultation activities is provided below.
Release of scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006
The Queensland Government approved environmental values (EVs) water quality objectives (WQOs) and the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006 as an outcome of this consultation process.
Note: these have been subsequently amended by the Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2007, that establishes environmental values and water quality objectives for Moreton Bay/south-east Queensland, Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and Douglas Shire waters, commenced July 2007.
The Explanatory Notes (PDF)* for the subordinate legislation inform the implementation of scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives.
The Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006 were also released on 1 May 2006.
Consultation activities for Moreton Bay/South-east Queensland, Mary River Basin/Great Sandy Region and Douglas Shire Waters, environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland water quality guidelines
The main consultation activities are summarised below:
- Ministerial launch:
- First Round Consultation was launched on the 20 th October 2004
- Second Round Consultation was launched on the 16 th May 2005
- Final environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006 consultation was launched on the 1 st May 2006
- Public notices:
- First round consultation information was published in State and Regional newspapers during October/November 2004
- Second round consultation information was published in the Queensland Government Gazette and State and Regional newspapers during May/June 2005
- The ministerial media release on 11 May 2006 announced approval of the environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006. Detailed information was also published on the department website in May 2006.
- Information kits:
- During the first and second rounds of consultation a total of 1600 information kits were distributed at information sessions and on request via the Free-call Infoline or email.
- First round consultation information kits included:
- a project brochure (PDF, 868K)* CD containing an Environmental Values Information Paper (PDF, 1.3M)* and draft Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2004
- media statements & public notices
- regional and catchment specific information relating to water quality
- draft environmental values, and
- draft high ecological value (HEV) waters
- Second round consultation information kits included:
- Regulatory Impact Statement brochure (PDF, 1.5M)*
- CD containing the Regulatory Impact Statement-Amendment to Schedule 1 of the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997 and draft Queensland Water Quality guidelines 2005
- media statements & public notices
- regional and catchment specific information relating to draft environmental values and water quality objectives and draft high ecological value (HEV) waters
- Additionally over 700 information kits were distributed during the roll-out program for environmental values and water quality objectives and the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006. Information kits included:
- CD containing final environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality guidelines 2006
- Media statement
- other support documents (including spatial (GIS) information)
- Information sessions:
- Over the period of consultation from October 2004 to August 2006 a total of 228 meetings were held across Queensland.
- First round consultation consisted of over 85 information sessions held from October 2004 to February 2005.
- 9 additional information sessions for the draft Queensland water quality guidelines were held in November/December 2004 in Brisbane and regional centres around Queensland.
- Second round consultation consisted of over 80 information sessions held from May to July 2005.
- After government approval, the department held information sessions on final environmental values and water quality objectives and Queensland Water Quality Guidelines 2006 with key stakeholders from April to August 2006. These totalled 54 information sessions and an open forum for development, planning and NRM interests held in June 2006.
How the community accessed information and provided feedback
- Free-call Infoline:
- From October 2004 to August 2006 over 117 phone enquiries were received on the environmental values projects and draft Queensland water quality guidelines. Stakeholders commonly requested information on specific questions or requested information kits and information session details.
- Website:
- First round consultation (October 2004 - February 2005) - 2407 downloads
- Second round consultation (May 2005 - July 2005) - 9090 downloads
- Submissions received:
- First round consultation (October 2004 - February 2005) - 56 submissions
- Second round consultation (May 2005 - July 2005) - 54 submissions
Stakeholder groups from whom submissions were received:
- members of the community
- peak bodies for industry
- environment/conservation/indigenous groups
- local government
- scientific groups
- catchment/landcare/regional groups
- industry
- State government agencies.
Major issues raised
Listed below are the major issues raised in submissions and addressed in the environmental values and water quality objectives and the Queensland water quality guidelines.
- Implications of scheduling environmental values and water quality objectives
- Policy development and its implementation
- Codes of Practice (COPs) vs legislation
- Process for subsequent updating of environmental values and water quality objectives and the Queensland water quality guidelines
- Requests to expand the geographic extent of the project areas
- High ecological value waters - boundary issues
- Recommended additional waters of high ecological value
- Levels of aquatic ecosystem protection
- Need for locally relevant water quality guidelines
- Instream sand extraction
- Enviromental flows
- Groundwater
- Status of the Queensland water quality guidelines
- Protection of river health
- Research and monitoring
- Regulatory impact statement
- Aquacultural and agricultural activities
Figure 1 below graphically compares the number of submissions received on each major issue in the first and second rounds of consultation.
* Requires Adobe Reader
Last updated 17 July 2007