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| Crowd at Marlborough Town Hall - Photo by ABC |
The proposed expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area
has caused plenty of talk in the community recently.
What Stage Is The Project At?
The proposal is currently in the
"master plan" stage. As part of the "business plan"
process and to help understand the effects of the expansion on the community
and Queensland economy, the Defence force are undertaking a Socio-Economic
Impact Assessment of the proposed expansion.
The Defence Force has already been
in contact with directly affected property owners; however this Impact
Assessment provides an opportunity for any member of the community to provide
feedback on the proposal.
Who Is Conducting The Impact Assessment?
The Assessment is being conducted
by independent advisory firm KPMG.
What Will The Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Look At?
The
assessment will consider all current and future socio-economic impacts of the
Singapore Military Training Initiative. This process will include analysing
things like the economic flow on effect of the extended military training
program and the upgrading/expansion of the training area.
For example
the assessment may look at the increase in demand on public facilities (eg say
pressure on the Base Hospital) or the increase in say tourism activities and
construction work for
businesses in town.
Alternately
it will also look at the effects of the loss of large cattle numbers from the
area and the flow on effects for Rockhampton businesses who are involved in the
agricultural supply chain.
How Can I Share My Views On The Expansion Proposal?
If you would like to share your thoughts on the proposed
expansion, whether good, bad or ugly, you can obtain a copy of the Submission
Form from the Defence force website and either email, post or fax it to KPMG. Further details on how to participate can be
found here.
http://www.defence.gov.au/Initiatives/SingaporeTraining/Assessment.asp
As part of the consultation process, KPMG will also meet
face-to-face with stakeholder representatives; however the dates for these
consultations are still to be advised.
Amy Gudmann is a Solicitor in the Environment, Energy and
Agribusiness Team at Rees R & Sydney Jones.
