YOU SAID IT!!! "Locals" give us the lowdown

Dr Hugh Spencer - Letter to the Editor

Despite the Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch’s description of the Federal Government’s decision not to further fund the Daintree 240-volt reticulated microgrid decision as an “an act of political bastardry,” the conservation lobby and many locals laud the decision.

The Daintree Coast is a global World Heritage treasure and tourism icon and is one place where government investment should prioritise conservation, not development, for both environmental and economic reasons – visitors come expecting a pristine Wet Tropics environment, not suburbia.

The Government’s decision follows, Volt Advisory Group, the contractor, failing to meet its contractual commitments. Volt had also provided no guide as to how the extra $60 million required to complete the project was to be funded.

From the outset, the Daintree microgrid was poorly planned; the sensible and cost-effective solution was to have upgraded the many existing stand-alone solar systems:

There was little community feedback sought or information given,

The plan did not take account of the fact that most Daintree Coast households already have individual stand-alone solar power systems, and that these households were unlikely to pay the considerable cost of connection to the microgrid, fund the significant upgrades required to their domestic electrical systems to make them legally grid compliant, or start paying regular electricity bills.

The main proponents of the microgrid were a number of commercial properties that had, at that time, not gone solar.

However, Cyclone Jasper Disaster Recovery grants, totalling $2.388 million, have changed the Coast’s electrical landscape.

Many commercial properties, who were originally to be significant clients of the microgrid, have used these funds to install large solar power systems and no longer need a reticulated supply.

Conservationists argue that 240-volt micro grid would have driven new commercial and residential development in the area. Its downfall should be celebrated.

Russell O’doherty - Newsport Comments

For Hugh Spencer to say that the Daintree energy project has been poorly planned is a joke. As the original proponent and driver for over 20 years of the Renewable energy project I believe I am qualified to comment.

In that time we held dozens of community meetings to give the community updates and to give the community an opportunity to discuss the project. We carried out an extensive fuel usage survey which gave as accurate figures of in excess of 3.5 million litres per year which equated to thousands of tons Co2 every year.

Hugh Spencer and his DSSG mates have for years opposed the project and have deliberately used misinformation to encourage people to oppose the project, some of the deceptive rhetoric included that major developments including industrial and excessive housing would happen, Cape Trib road would become a four lane highway and the Daintree would be destroyed forever.

Warren Entsch was correct the pulling of the committed funding was an act of barstardry the only reason it took so long to get the neccessary permits and tick all the boxes was because of the tardiness of the federal beaurocrats. The project was one of the most extensive researched designed and engineered project to be seen in Australia a world's first, in fact good enough to encourage committed Japanese Investors .

All is not lost. Volt Advisory Group have not given up on the project and are looking at all options.

Tim Perry, Melbourne - Letter to the Editor

An open letter to the people of Port Douglas.

Me and my wife have been visiting Port for 20 years every year and love the nature, the people and of course the excellent restaurants and shops.

However, we've become increasingly concerned about the lack of transport at night time. On our last trip there were two occasions when after dinner the taxi didn't turn up, souring an otherwise great night.

I know some will say get a shuttle, but last time we did that it took half an hour to get back to the resort with a group of drunks getting on at a hotel.

If you really want to market yourself as a top tourist destination, the least people can expect on their vacation is a decent transport service.

Bob Pollock, Mossman - Letter to the Editor

Let’s digest this topic during your summer break and especially during a good feed of seafood which has been feeding on the excrement (macerated at best) being dropped off tourist boats on their way back to Port Douglas after a day-6 hours at least, with up to 300 people on board and doing this up to 7 days per week.

Your red emperor, mackerel, coral trout, nanni guy, barramundi or whatever share this area.

It is said to be legal that's why the boats participate in this abhorrent practice. 2025 is only a few sleeps away and we want this investigated and a pump out facility constructed before the next election. We are seeking drone footage of the events as they unfold on the Great Barrier Reef off Port Douglas Qld for distribution to all and sundry.

No sugar cane is grown/milled in the Douglas Shire as the mill has been closed down. So called fertiliser runoff cannot be blamed for damaging/polluting the reef in future.

Both state and federal governments are heading towards being a one term government so let's see some real progress on this issue.