Dr Simson, who moved to the Valley with her partner three years ago, has become a small-scale primary producer in the domains of cattle farming and horticulture of bush foods.

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She is concerned that uncontrolled intensive horticultural expansion across the Nambucca Valley threatens the health and wellbeing of residents and the natural environment and implored Council to consider the benefits versus costs of allowing it to continue as it has.

“How does the vision statement of the Nambucca Valley Council ‘to value and protect its natural environment, maintain its assets and infrastructure and develop opportunities for its people’ align with decisions being undertaken in regulating intensive horticultural practices?” Dr Simson asked those present.

“What legacy will we choose to leave in the Nambucca Valley, homeland of the Gumbaynggirr people?” she said.

She urged council to take a proactive approach and requested that Council act immediately to ensure that no further intensive horticultural developments can be established pending amendments to the Local Environment Plan (LEP) and forced development applications (DAs) for such ventures can be put in place.

At the Council meeting held a fortnight previously, councillors voted to contact the Minister for Planning requesting the viability of changing the LEP 2010 to make intensive horticulture ‘permissible with consent’ in RU1 and RU2 zones as well as to make structures for these ventures require DAs.

Should the Minister determine that the changes can proceed, Council voted to consult with the community on the changes before making a final decision.

By Ned COWIE