South-East Queensland Regional Plan, Sustainability

South-East Queensland Regional Plan, Sustainability

South East Queensland (SEQ) is experiencing a substantial growth in population and is expected to have an extra one million people by 2026. To deal with the growing population, a regional draft plan has been created (Mackenroth 2005). It includes strategies and objectives (table 1) in an effort to achieve a sustainable South East Queensland in 2026. The regional growth will put enormous pressures on the social, economic and environmental aspects of the region. South East Queensland will require an estimated 550,000 new dwellings and 425,000 new jobs, as well as better supporting infrastructure including services such as public transport, portable water to local parks and community facilities. The regional growth will have its negative effects on South East Queensland such as loss of vital open space, dwindling water supply and quality, insufficient supply of electricity, increase in traffic congestion and inadequate public transport. There are several economic tools and strategies that can be utilised to achieve some of the SEQ regional draft plan objectives (table 1), such as charge systems and financial instruments. With the introduction of economic tools and methods a sustainable South East Queensland can be achieved in 2026. (Mackenroth, 2005)

Table 1 - The South East Queensland's Regional draft plans objectives and possible economic tools.

SEQ Objective/Details/Possible Economic Tools

1. Natural environment, resources and rural production / A healthy and diverse regional landscape where key environmental, natural resource and rural production areas are protected, enhanced, used sustainably and adaptively managed / Charge systems

2.Urban Form / A compact and sustainable urban pattern of well-planned communities, supported by a network of accessible centres having a close relationship with residential areas, employment locations and the transport system, framed by Regional Landscape and Rural Production Areas / Financial instruments Charge systems

3. Strong communities / Cohesive, inclusive and healthy communities with a strong sense of identity and place - with access to a full range of services and facilities and appropriate housing to meet diverse needs / Fiscal Instruments

4. A diverse economy / A strong, resilient and diversified economy - growing prosperity in the region by utilising its competitive advantages to deliver exports, investment and sustainable and accessible jobs / Financial instrument.

5. Integrated transport / A connected and accessible region - based on an integrated transport system that supports compact urban growth and efficient travel; connects people, places, goods and services; and promotes public transport use, walking and cycling / Charge Systems

6. Infrastructure and services / Regional infrastructure and services are planned, coordinated and delivered in a timely manner to support existing and future settlement pattern and desired outcomes / Financial Instruments

7. Engaging Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Peoples / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are actively involved in community planning and decision-making processes and Traditional Owners are engaged in business about their country / Property rights.

This paper focuses on two of the main economic tools that could be used to help achieve a sustainable South East Queensland in 2026 - Charge Systems and Financial Instruments.

Charge Systems

Two major objectives that the South East Queensland regional draft plan are attempting to achieve by 2026 is the sustainability of the natural environment, resources and rural production (objective 1) and an efficient integrated transport system (objective 5). This includes the critical issues of deteriorating water supply and quality, inadequate supply of electricity and traffic congestion. Charge systems can help in achieving these issues objectives by 2026 to live in a sustainable South East Queensland.

Charge systems can be utilised to help rehabilitate damages from activities that are taking place. Charge systems are defined as 'payments for use of resources, infrastructure and services and are akin to market prices charge systems for private goods' (Panayotou, 1994, pp 19-20). Not related to government taxes, the users can be charged fees which will be put towards rehabilitating a specific environment that was degraded when they used it. For example, pollution charges would include emission charges, effluent charges, solid waste charges, product charges and noise pollution charges. This means that the users of a resource would receive fees to rehabilitate the amount of damage that is caused to the environment. This type of economic instrument would be effective in achieving the two objectives in the SEQ regional plan, as it includes the enhancement, protection, and sustainability of the environment, natural resources and rural production.

Managing air quality is one of the principles in the natural environment, resources and rural production objective (one) in the regional draft plan; it includes the minimal impact of urban form, transport and industry on the air quality of South East Queensland. A pollution charge could be utilized here, where users or sources of pollution are charged for the air quality degradation that they cause. Emission charges would require car users to pay fees for degrading air quality from the release of Carbon Monoxide into the air. The money received from these fees would then be used to improve and rehabilitate the air quality back into its natural state.

Other charges such as Betterment charges could ensure that the negative impacts of using the environment for activities such as agriculture will not always mean permanent damage. Betterment Charges can ensure that even though farmers use the land for agriculture, they must also pay for its rehabilitation. This might be imposed per 20 cubic metres of agricultural land. This would ensure that the natural nutrients stripped from the soil when growing crops would be restored by the government using the charge system.

The charge system would not only make people pay for the damage they cause to the environment, but also deter people from causing the damage in the first place. For example, in reducing congestions and pollution, instead of making a person pay $5 to drive to work, it would cost them $10 including impact fees and emission charges. People would then find the need to look for more efficient, environmentally friendly ways to travel e.g. car pooling or