AFTA made urgent and successful representations to Noosa Councillors on members’ behalf and broadly circulated a letter critical of the process and the total lack of transparency on the proposed Noosa River Catchment Management Plan (NRCMP).
Whilst the Noosa Council cited the high level of consultation in Appendix 3 of the NRCMP, it was evident from the community and stakeholder reaction it was insufficient; furthermore, the NRCMP appeared to be so secretive as it was not publicly available on the Noosa Council website and that is a failing in communication and transparency by any standard.
At the meeting on October 26th, the Noosa Council vote was evenly split, and thanks to Mayor Clare Stewart using her casting vote, it was moved to defer any decision on the NRCMP until July 2024, when a newly elected Council will be in place following the March 2024 election. This will at least allow time for proper consultation, transparency and perhaps a freshly elected council that listens to the whole of their community.
This positive outcome was in part due to the tireless efforts of AFTA members Shannon Watson (SE & Central QLD Manager, Daiwa Australia), Peter Wells (Davo’s Tackleworld, Noosa) and Qld AFTA Director Kord Luckus (Wilson Tackle) providing on the ground advice and advocacy.