It’s a pity efforts like the website Open Noosa are necessary to force reform by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation (NBRFoundation). Noosa Council is the only organisation wielding a big enough stick to get the foundation’s board attention to initiate change.
However, the way in which the Council is pushing back doesn’t augur well for reform. What should be an admired and respected organisation, NBRFoundation isn’t.
I believe it was to be closely modelled on the original business plan for the Noosa Biosphere Centre for Sustainability, under Noosa Biosphere v1, NBRFoundation is a pale horse indeed of the initial idea.
We wanted a creative, open and engaging centre for sustainable environmental and economic projects – six flagship projects were identified. These sought to work creatively and in partnership with the community, special interests, five universities, commerce and branches of State and Federal government.
We had investment and work-in-progress for nearly $2m – all without any ratepayer’s funds invested in the Institute. Start-up would need working capital but investment was active well before running costs were contributed.
Yes, it too could accept tax-deductible gifts, we had models for bequest programs and philanthropy initiatives, based on Harvard Alumni.
What went wrong? Well, as explained to me, the ideas and successes of the first biosphere model were to be regarded as anathema to version two. All the experience, know-how and track-record were to be disregarded. The funds ignored, the partnerships let lapse and the best bits of the institute plan purloined.
What appears to be is an organisation wrapped in the dark cloak of a secretive operational constitution designed by self-interest, the new model has successfully entered a black-hole of its own making.
What has resulted, as displayed by Open Noosa is a secretive, opaque and mystery organisation of Frankenstein character. Many of us have tried to help but, like a bad blind date, the ‘calls’ are not returned.
Michael Donovan is former Inaugural Chair of Noosa Biosphere Ltd v1.0
