DEAR News Of The Area,

SUSTAINABILITY has thousands of definitions but primarily means meeting the needs of the current community without harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

It’s a common sense approach involving stewardship of our environment, its assets and resources.

This protects and conserves our environment, benefits our community and ensures future economic stability and progress.

It is essential to agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

Sustainability is an important decision-making tool.

It provides purpose to decisions and a reliable ethical agenda to strengthen society and ultimately improve its ecological and financial performance as well as the health of soil, waterways and community assets.

Sustainability guidelines frame decision-making to ensure narrow self-interest makes way for better living and long-term environmental, community and economic health.

A strong sustainable policy framework will reduce land use conflicts massively.

We depend on the input from industry, we need to protect it from industry processes causing environmental harm. Current indications from experts in the field raise concerns about water pollution associated with a new intensive industry.

This indicates there will be a need to revise and change some industry practices in the area to comply with State and Federal laws.

Council needs to carefully vet new industries as they enter the valley to make sure their impacts are only positive ones.

The primary tools in this process will be consultation, extension and close monitoring with an irrefutable principle guiding the process – sustainability.

Regards,
Marc PERCIVAL,
Independent council candidate,
Bowraville.