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Links supporters rally in Brisbane |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 10 December 2005 |
Links
Project Manager Garth Greenaway said the decision to call-in the
project had woken Montville's sleeping giant. "The residents are now
angry," he said. "And they want a series of events to inform the
press and the Premier that the silent majority want to speak up."
About 100 Links Montville Country Club supporters vowed to tell Premier Peter Beattie their side of the story as they headed off to rally at his office yesterday morning. This was in the wake of last week's decision by the state to "call-in" the project and follows a similar rally at Parliament House by opponents last month. A bus load of about 60 supporters was to be met by a further 40 or so people in Brisbane to send a message to Peter Beattie that Montville backed the Links Country Club.
Montville businessman John Goundrey said it was time for supporters to stand up and be counted. "We don't need small, un-elected, self appointed fringe groups speaking on behalf of the Montville community. That is the message Premier Peter Beattie is to receive loud and clear today when Montville residents send a large delegation to his office,'' he said. Renowned artist Kevin Oxley said the Premier needed to understand there are two sides to every story. "... and we believe this project offers the residents of Montville and the wider community a sustainable future with many social, economic and environmental benefits.
"What the fringe groups never tell the media is that our unsewered township as it stands is a major threat to Kondalilla National Park and on occasions after heavy rain many of our shops are closed because of the stench of un-treated sewerage leaking from septics. "The Montville Country Club project will fully sewer the township removing the threat to the stream which feeds Kondalilla." Mr Goundrey said false claims by opponents - such as a ten hectare shopping village were totally baseless.
"The only retail area proposed is 1000m2 and that would fit on an average house block,'' he said. "As residents we are concerned that our township, which is 110 mostly tourism orientated shops visited by 10,000 people a week, does not have a more secure community residential base. The links project will add just 50 homes a year over an eight to ten year period, on abandonned farmloand behine and not visible to the Montville Main street.
The gropu will present a statement to the Premier requewsting a delegation to discuss the future of Montville.
Links supporter, Brian McLennan said people had come at short notice to support the cause which he said had wider implications. "We've had the state call in two developements, at Montville and Noosa and really it's starting to put a notice out that the State's closing the door to development and growth. "Is the Premier no longer interested in creating employment opportunities and sustainable development that could be a model for other regional areas?"
He said the SEQ regional plan and the Maroochy Town Plan "had to be a little flexible to allow for what the community wants."
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 September 2006 )
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Range News 2005 - ON 
