Report will induce angst

Fears of insurance hikes and ‘eco-anxiety’ as draft document on table

A BURDEKIN councillor said a new report predicting Groper Creek and Jerona will be “the next Atlantis” would lift insurance premiums and bring on a wave of eco-anxiety.

Burdekin councillor Max Musumeci was one of three to vote against the draft Our Coast Our Lifestyle document, which goes to public consultation this week.

He feared there would be “very real negative impacts” for residents.

Councillors Michael Detenon and John Bonanno also voted against the motion.

The document, which is part of the final phase of a state government funded Qcoast 2100 program, said low lying parts of the coastline would be more prone to tidal inundation with a sea level rise of 0.8m by 2100.

“At the start of this year we were told how resilient the Groper Creek was because they have adapted to their surroundings, yet this report kind of condemns the area,” Cr Musumeci said.

“When we predict that several parts of the coast line are going to be the next Atlantis in the year 2100 I think it is going to cause unnecessary stress and possibly more eco-anxiety.

“Ultimately it’s my feeling that a report using the word potential … will only cause insurance premiums to rise and property values to decrease.”

Cr Detenon said the report would be “some pretty scary stuff for some people” and that it should have been done for a shorter time frame.

“There is people on properties here and they are saying that it has to transition, there might be a three generation property that are hoping to make a fourth and then they see this and think ‘well that’s not going to happen’,” he said.

“It will be some pretty scary stuff for some people I don’t like the way it is worded to look that far into the future.

“I definitely think we need to plan … I just think it is too far ahead.”

Council director of infrastructure, planning and environmental services Nick Wellwood said the strategic document was about adapting the district’s coastal zone and planning for climate change.

“When we get the feedback from the community, we will then come back and assess all of the feedback we’ve got (and) see whether we need to make changes on the recommended strategies or approaches,” Mr Wellwood said.

The project is scheduled to be completed by March next year.