House debates

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Statements by Members

McPherson Electorate: Gold Coast Quarry

1:54 pm

Photo of Karen AndrewsKaren Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Boral Resources is pushing ahead with its proposal for a quarry in Tallebudgera Valley within the electorate of McPherson, despite significant opposition from local residents as well as the broader Gold Coast community. My office has been inundated with calls, emails and letters from a community that is outraged over the proposal. So determined is the community to stop the proposed quarry that a community action group called 'Stop the Gold Coast Quarry' has been formed and is actively campaigning against the project. The management committee of 'Stop the Gold Coast Quarry' comprises community representatives Sam Stewart, Robert Balanda, Marco Scholten, Lorraine Cook, Niki Naday and Tony Davis. They are united in their determination to stop the proposed quarry.

A petition tabled in the Queensland state parliament and essentially asking for the development application to be refused received over 9,000 signatures. I have attended several community meetings about this issue, including a recent rally held about two weeks ago. This rally alone resulted in an additional 1,000 signatures for the petition, gathered in a couple of hours.

Residents do not want a quarry in their backyard. They do not want their pristine bushland torn up. They do not want trucks clogging the already congested roads on the southern Gold Coast. They do not want to listen to the noise from blasting, sirens and crushers. They do not want the value of their property to drop. (Time expired)