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Developer claims back land |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 14 July 2005 |
As expected, it happened early in the morning. But nobody really
anticipated the vast police presence which finally ejected about 40
protestors who had been camping on the 2-4 Bunya Street site. More
than 140 police consisting of Brisbane?s Safety Response Unit and local
officers drawn in from other duties, 30 private security guards and 26
Hutchinson employees, marched down the street onto the site along with
a convoy of supply trucks.
To some extent a sizeable police presence was necessary, after construction workers had been chased off site three weeks earlier by more than 200 protestors. They say the project will destroy platypus burrows, cause traffic chaos and eventually jeopardise the economics of local producers. But with all flanks guarded by police, there was no way for the off-site campaigners to invade the plot and help their colleagues as they did on June 23.
One by one, about 40 protestors who had been holding up a valiant pocket of resistance for almost a month were escorted off the site peacefully, in a manner which both the developer, Police and even protestors applauded. For those against the supermarket giant opening up in Maleny, it is a bitter blow and could be the definitive moment in a struggle which, in one form or another, has spanned three years.
With the machinery on site and both developer and police readying themselves for 24/seven activities if necessary, it indeed looks likely that the ?fresh food people? will be opening up shop in around 24 weeks. Work is already under way and the supermarket giant wants the opportunity. ?Our position remains as before,? said Peter Thomas, Woolworths? Property General Manager. ?We intend to honour the agreement to lease the supermarket once constructed.?
Hopes for the protestors had been focussed on the developer selling the land back to the community after Environment Minister Desley Boyle opted not to intervene. This was despite cries from protestors that platypi would be endangered. But even this hope has dissolved and there?s little doubt now that the build will go ahead.
?There was a community voice that talked to us about a buy back,? said Greg Quinn, Hutchinsons? Managing Director. ?But they didn?t comply with the terms and conditions to progress down this route and failed to provide us with proof they had the funding by the close of business on Tuesday (February 5). I haven?t heard from anybody since, thus they have not established the capacity to pay.? Any payment was always going to be difficult for the proportion of the community looking to raise about $1.6 million, especially with a muted $1 million contribution from the Government-funded Indigenous Land Corporation looking ?a long way off.?
Meanwhile Mr Quinn said that they would take whatever measures necessary to conduct the build. ?We are building a Woolies shopping centre with whatever security is required,? he said. Moreover Mr Quinn did not dismiss threats of legal action he?s made against certain campaigners, suggesting he will pursue those with assets and seek damages and compensation for the lengthy delays he says they had a part in causing.
?We have instigated action and will be pursing it to the full,? said Mr Quinn. ?But I can?t really speak about the outcome at this early stage.? Mr Quinn said that he applauded the way the Maleny community dealt with the contentious process on the day. ?There were about 180 people here today and a vast majority of the protestors were really peaceful and conducted themselves professionally,? said Mr Quinn. ?There were about 30-40 radicals present who dug in, but I think the Maleny community handled things well.?
He also hinted that he felt the turn out on the day was indicative of a silent majority which wanted the supermarket built and would relish the competition as consumers. ?We had under 200 people out of a community of about 8,000,? said Mr Quinn. ?It?s time for people to do the maths, which I think shows that there are a high proportion of quiet supporters out there in favour of this development.
?Every other town in Australia has a Woolworths, so why not Maleny?? he added.
So a Maleny Woolworths marches on to reality ? and while it would be unwise to discount the resolve of people who have already hounded the previous developer, Cornerstone Properties, right out of town, you have to agree the odds are stacked against them.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 July 2005 )
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Range News 2005 - ON 
