The National Heart Foundation has been lobbying various Govt Agency's (on the quiet, in the back room) regarding vehicle access matters. Because of concerns about obesity, high blood pressure, high cholestroll and diabetes amongst recreational fisherfollk. Statistically on average recreational fisherfolk only live to the age of 67! This is ten years less than the national average. To much sitting and very little exercise. So vehicle track closures to fisherfolk is a way of getting peole out of theur cars and getting some exercise and hopefully extending ones life. A goog thing I reckon and something that should have E
Ms Joan van Leishout , 10th July, 2009
Mayor,
Tweed Shire Council,
Council Chambers,
MURWILLUMBAH. NSW. 2484
Dear Mayor,
RE: TSC Beach Vehicle Policy ? Licensed Permit Holders
Many and varied efforts have been made to gain improvements relating to 4WD Vehicle access to Intertidal Areas in front of Nature Reserves and other closed areas.
To give you some idea of the scope of these efforts, attached are copies of a selection of correspondence addressed to: Tweed Shire Council; Dept of Primary Industries: Dept of Climate Change and the Environment.
To summarise this correspondence the current situation is as follows:
1. Ian MacDonald MLC, Minister for Primary Industries & Fisheries, advised on the 27th April 09 that a dedicated Saltwater Access Manager?s position had been activated. Brooke McCarthy is this Manager and she is now holding all our correspondence that relates to access to the Intertidal Areas fronting the Nature Reserves.
2. The stumbling block in all negotiations is the Dept. of Climate Change and the Environment, and the input of the Advisory Councils of the National Parks and Wildlife Services, whose members are radically ?GREEN?. Minister Carmel Tebbutt has previously replied to our request for consideration, stating only the existing Policy. However further correspondence (copy attached) states that the matter may be under new consideration.
3. Most negative of all has been the response from Tweed Shire Council with the reply sent by Paul Brouwer, Regulatory Services Co-ordinator. This reply was in the negative to all the submissions to Council. This despite the fact that TSC Licensed Permit Holders pay an Annual Fee of $230.00 to the Council to access a miserable stretch of beach.
It should be noted that a Beach Access Permit to Disability Parking Holders can be obtained from the Byron Shire Council for the total sum of $29.00. A large disparity would you not think?
On behalf of all Tweed Licensed 4WD Vehicle Permit Holders, Pottsville Fishing Club, Tweed Coast Fishing Clubs Assn and ECOfishers Tweed Branch, we would like to revisit all matters previously rejected by the Council.
If you the Mayor, would seek informed opinions by meeting with local Fishermen and Women, a round of the Qld Beach Fishing Titles is being held on the weekend 25th ? 26th July on Tweed Beaches between Cabarita and Wooyung. There is a gathering breakfast 9.30 ? 10.00am Sunday morning at the Pottsville Bowls Club, and we invite both you and your husband, Peter, to attend.
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Alternatively, if you would prefer to meet with a small delegation to discuss this matter, we would be happy to attend at a time and place that would suit you better.
Thank you for your consideration of this very important local matter.
Yours Sincerely,
?
David Cranwell
Spokesperson
ECOFishers (Tweed Branch); Tweed Fishing Clubs Assn; Pottsville Fis
