Mayor’s View – 9th April, 2009
Intra regional rivalry and competition will always exist.
For example, traditional rivals the Tully Tigers and the Innisfail Leprechauns faced each other recently in a hard fought match. Possibly the only person present who was happy with the draw result was me, as mayor of both the Tully and Innisfail areas.
However questioning and criticising expenditure on renovating and re-opening the Shire Hall in Innisfail on the grounds that the Tully Multi Purpose Centre (MPC) project in Tully remains ‘in limbo’ is another thing again.
This criticism is not soundly based.
It is not a question of either one or the other project.
We now have the Shire Hall, a facility for the whole region to use and enjoy. Council is also continuing to work to make the MPC happen. The necessary funding for the two buildings comes from separate funding pools, plus, in the Shire Hall’s case, from cyclone Larry insurance money.
The decision to renovate the Shire Hall in Innisfail, principally using insurance proceeds, government grants and to a lesser extent ratepayers’ money, was made by the former Johnstone Shire Council Administrator. The new council inherited this and the decision council made to complete the process was in my view the only one that could have been sensibly made.
Likewise, the proposed Tully Multi Purpose Centre project was inherited, with funding unresolved, by the new council. The new Federal Government withdrew $770,000 of promised funding after we were elected. Representations to the state government were then made on the basis that Education Queensland’s share of responsibility ought to increase, given the facility is to be on their land. No response to these representations has been received to date. When the opportunity recently arose for federal funding of $2.1M for a major project anywhere in the Cassowary Coast Region, under the Infrastructure Package, council unanimously agreed to nominate the MPC.
There are many other infrastructure projects across the region that could have been prioritised.
Onto other matters. Two recent decisions by council regarding backpacker accommodation houses in Innisfail have caused some reaction in the community.
Firstly, the decision by council to require a builder to construct premises in Innisfail according to plan may well be appealed.
Minor amendments to plans are dealt with every day by council officers. What seems to have escaped public attention in this case is that, in the particular circumstances of the new backpacker premises in East Innisfail, the changes fundamentally alter the impact on neighbours.
What was supposed to be a narrow walkway at first floor level (essential for fire security) overlooking a neighbour’s back yard, has been built as a veranda that will be used for recreation by backpackers. This unauthorised change, including building the roof within set back areas, would not be accepted, in my view, by any reader of this column if their own property was so affected.
The second example concerns alcohol licensing a backpacker accommodation house situated directly opposite a church and a school. Both organisations made representations opposing the alcohol license on the basis that proximity to churches and schools are grounds for objection.
These decisions are never easy and are always contentious, but members of council can only vote on the basis of what they believe is the best outcome for the whole community and the new region as a whole.
Decisions won’t always be popular.