The Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA)

Meander Valley Council Must Address These Issues Under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA)

The Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA) is the key legislation governing planning processes in Tasmania, including for the Meander Valley Council, defining the powers of councils as planning authorities and outlining the requirements for planning schemes and applications.

The Meander Valley Council, as a planning authority, has a legal and ethical duty to ensure that any development aligns with LUPAA’s objectives. This includes safeguarding environmental sustainability, fair land use, and public involvement while balancing economic interests.

Under (LUPAA) Part 1, the Council must evaluate the ABx bauxite mine proposal based on:

Sustainability & Ecological Integrity: The mine’s impact on soil, water, and biodiversity must be assessed to ensure long-term resource viability for future generations (Clause 1(a)).
Fair & Orderly Development: Land use must be coordinated and sustainable, avoiding irreversible damage to natural assets (Clause 1(b)).
Public Involvement: As stated in Clause 1(c), decision-making should reflect community concerns, particularly given the mine's potential effects on health, land value, and livelihoods.
Balancing Economic & Environmental Factors: Economic development (Clause 1(d)) must be secondary to sustainability principles, not at the cost of environmental and community well-being.

Under Part 2, the Council must:

Ensure Strategic Planning: Consider long-term environmental, social, and economic effects rather than short-term financial gains (Clause 2(c)).
Integrate Policies for Sustainable Development: Assess how the proposal fits within broader municipal, regional, and state planning frameworks (Clause 2(d)).
Protect Public Health & Infrastructure: Safeguard water, air quality, and essential services while ensuring community safety and well-being (Clauses 2(f) & 2(h)).

The Council must act in the public interest, ensuring full transparency in how these legislative requirements are addressed in their decision-making.

Reedy Marsh Resident's Voices

For those of us who have chosen to live in the peaceful, healthy environment of Reedy Marsh, the proposed bauxite mine threatens everything we value. Our family has invested in 6.5 hectares of land on the Meander River, dedicating 75% of it to wildlife conservation. We chose this area for its tranquillity, natural beauty, and supportive community. If Meander Valley Council approves the proposed bauxite mine, all of this will be at risk—our investment, our health, and our way of living, our life dreams.

Our Water

Those of us in Reedy Marsh rely entirely on rainwater for drinking and growing our vegetables, the risks are alarming. If this mine goes ahead, our water tanks will be filled with rainwater contaminated by bauxite dust. Our vegetables will be polluted, making them dangerous to eat—for both us and the wildlife that shares our gardens. The health implications are shocking and unacceptable. Bauxite mining doesn’t just harm wildlife—it endangers human health as well. Dust from bauxite mines is known to contain radioactive elements like radium and thorium, which are harmful to both the environment and people. Long-term exposure to these elements can cause cancer and other serious health issues. If high-aluminum concentration of heavy metals in sediments are deposited in the water, it will further dissolve and deposit into fish and benthic creatures.

Our Wildlife

The endangered Wedge-tailed Eagles, with fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild, are among the species that stand to lose the most. These magnificent birds are extremely sensitive to disturbances from machinery, habitat destruction, and pollution. The environmental consultants themselves acknowledged in their report that a more thorough survey of the area is needed to understand the full impact on these eagles. Yet, despite the lack of proper study, the project continues to move forward. Other endangered species, such as the Tasmanian Devil and the Spotted Quoll, roam freely across the countryside, and their habitat is also at risk. While we have protected a large portion of our property for these animals, their survival depends on the surrounding environment remaining intact. We cannot allow this bauxite mine to destroy the homes of these creatures. The wildlife in Reedy Marsh is part of what makes this place special—not only to us but to future generations. The irreversible damage to their habitat from machinery, land clearing, and toxic dust would be a tragedy for Tasmania’s biodiversity.

Our River

The Meander River, which borders our property, is another victim of this proposed mine. Toxic chemicals from bauxite mining will leach into the river, damaging the ecosystem and potentially wiping out fish populations. The harmful effects of bauxite dust on marine life are well-documented in places like Malaysia, where entire ecosystems have been devastated. If this mine goes ahead, we risk creating a "dead zone" in our own backyard, where fish, birds, and other wildlife can no longer survive.

Our Call for Action

This mine is not just a development—it’s a direct threat to everything we cherish in Reedy Marsh. Our peaceful lifestyle, our wildlife, our health, and our community are all at stake. We moved here to escape exactly these kinds of industrial risks, and it is inconceivable that Meander Valley Council would approve such a project given the dangers it poses. We strongly urge the Council to reject this proposal and, at the very least, to commission an independent and thorough wildlife survey before any decisions are made. Additionally, if the mine is approved, we recommend extending Deloraine’s town water supply to Reedy Marsh to mitigate the potential health risks posed by contaminated rainwater. This is our home. It’s worth protecting

MINE WATCH - MEANDER VALLEY

The Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA)

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