Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Redlands, in Queensland, is geographically blessed. It is surrounded by North Stradbroke Island and the koala corridor and it has a very wide river between us and Logan. But it is also an area that has tremendous ecological challenges, so for a city with a relatively small population we are trying to manage that growth carefully. With projections of around a 1.1 per cent growth rate over the next 30 years, that still means some significant planning challenges—around 560 new lots every year. Obviously no resident who moves in the hope of tranquillity likes to see the next person coming along to share a slice of paradise. But we have to accede to the fact that we are all having children, there is migration and we need to be able to support future generations both in the lifestyle we have come to expect and also with jobs and economic opportunities.

That is why I am delighted that the former LNP Campbell Newman government was able to identify two priority development areas—Weinam Creek and Toondah Harbour. I would like to speak about the latter today. These are the jumping-off points for the islands in Moreton Bay, surely the most traversed, visited and recreated place on Australia's eastern seaboard. The fact is that there is no bridge, lots of water taxis, plenty of dugongs and a lot of happy fishermen. Those things come together as, effectively, a need for a nexus to reach the islands.

Though I love my electorate, at the moment I have to concede that both the Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek areas look a little more like East Timor on a bad day. There is only so much tarp and tyres tossed onto rocks that you can look at before you realise we are being left behind in what is a truly wonderful opportunity to showcase Moreton Bay to the world, the nation, the state and the city. You do that by taking a priority development area and working with the best—in this case, Walker Corp—to put together what is required to bring new people and new opportunities to our great city. That is the Toondah Harbour development, which has gone to public consultation this week for the first time. It is a very exciting period. Because the development falls on Ramsar areas, it has been referred to the environment minister as a controlled area for EPBC assessment. That is very important. Simultaneously, we are talking to the state government and the Coordinator-General to deem it a coordinated project and do the appropriate EIS.

If you live in Redlands City, the important thing you all need to remember is that there will be so many opportunities to have your say. We will be polling the population and no view is not welcome in this process. I look forward to hearing the views of every resident and ultimately making sure that Toondah Harbour is a place that we can showcase in Redlands and be proud of worldwide.