Tapping into Springbrook water continues unabated

A GCB article in March 2014 was headlined “Soft drink giant CocaCola blamed for Springbrook National Park water shortage”.

Since then there has been no evidence of state or council departments controlling the amount of water being extracted.

Correspondence from the office of the councillor responsible for Springbrook on November 15, 2017, confirmed there are three sites under investigation about water extraction, namely, those at 133, 199 and 263 Repeater Station Rd, Springbrook.

However, the correspondence failed to answer three crucial questions put to the councillor by email on October 3, 2017:

What are the contract conditions imposed by state or local governments on these water extraction sites?

How does the flow rate of water extracted compare with independent scientific studies which would determine the required environmental flows for the creek and aquifer systems under Australia’s obligations to maintain the World Heritage listing of the Springbrook National Park as part of the Gondwana Rainforest?

What government mechanisms are there to monitor and enforce the amount of extracted water?

The 2014 article states this water is put into plastic bottles, and sold by Coca-Cola under the Mount Franklin spring water label, instead of finding its way down the natural watercourse and into Hinze Dam to be part of our water supply.

Furthermore, the Gold Coast City Council has received special mention under the State Government’s 2017 Belcarra investigation into council corruption.

I call on Councillor Glenn Tozer and State Minister for Environment, Heritage Protection and National Parks, Minister Dr Stephen Miles or his successor, to reveal all details of all private exploitation of water sources at the above addresses and any others serving the Springbrook National Park, and to answer at least the above three questions.