Content
Seachange Taskforce promises a way forward
25 August 2007
During the week the National Seachange Taskforce held another conference on the Sunshine Coast. It attracted delegates from all over the country and some from overseas, all of whom were concerned about the challenges facing high-growth coastal, or “seachange”, communities like ours.
A monograph was launched and it comprised essays that collectively demonstrated the complexities of coastal development, and how current governance structures are failing us. We are not attracting sufficient resources: our advocacy has lacked clout. Neither are we addressing education, learning and technology issues concertedly enough. The threat of urban sprawl and the degradation of environment and quality of life need much sharper focus.
A discussion paper was also prepared for the conference and proposes the establishment of a ‘National Coastal Alliance’ to pursue infrastructure funding and address issues such as climate change, and larger scale regional planning.
The initiative was commenced by Kelvin Spiller when he was CEO at Maroochydore, and has been continued by Joe Natoli as mayor. It is a forum that could be very influential, and the conference evidenced some signs that this is becoming the case, because it attracted powerfully placed players on both sides of politics, and there appeared to be progress in that the infrastructure deficiencies of seachange communities are at last being recognised.
The Coast has over the years attempted various kinds of groupings or coalitions to improve planning and increase our lobbying success and there is little question that we have to address the demands of the future by continuing to work on our new vision. We can inform that vision by learning from other such regions nationally and even internationally.
If we are to plan positively and constructively for the future, we have to analytically and objectively deal with the ‘seachange’ issues head on. It is no time for parochialism and high emotion; a sensible and considered vision needs to emerge. One that needs to inspire, unite and address the huge challenges we face.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.