Charity ends rehab battle

AN expensive four-year legal battle that polarised a small town has ended with Christian charity Teen Challenge abandoning its plans to set up a drug rehabilitation centre in the former Meander Primary School.

Meander Area Residents and Ratepayers Association (MARRA) filed an appeal against the use of the site for a rehab facility after Meander Valley Council leased the school to the charity to set up its Home of Hope.

The appeal with the Planning Appeal Tribunal (RMPAT) was upheld in the Supreme Court by Justice Alan Blow in June. Justice Blow found vulnerable use facilities could not be situated in bushfire risk zones unless they addressed a range of criteria.

Teen Charity executive director Tanya Cavanagh announced the decision on Wednesday saying another site would be sought for the facility.

“There are no winners in this situation, only losers – the desperate Tassie mums and kids that have no help here for them,” she said.

Ms Cavanagh said facilities where mums with drug addictions could get help outside of the prison or court system were “desperately needed in Tasmania”.

MARRA president Bodhi McSweeney said the centre of a small town was not the right place for a rehab centre.

She said the group, with 85 registered members and purportedly more supporters, was not happy with council’s process to award the use of the school to Teen Challenge.

“It’s a faith-based program, so it’s not medically based or regulated and so we’re very concerned about that,” she said.

“We want to see the school opened up to the community.”

Ms McSweeney said

MARRA spent $150,000 on its legal case, backed by Meander business Timber World Tasmania, some of which it hoped to recover.

Ms Cavanagh said Teen Challenge had considered nine other properties before settling on the school site.

Meander Valley mayor Wayne Johnston said the community had been polarised by the issue.

“It is disappointing that a planning technicality that is now obsolete has resulted in four years of delayed support to women and children in need,” he said.

A government spokeswoman said: “There are a range of services, including rehabilitation, counselling, life-skills development and ongoing support as required, run by both the government and community service organisations, that cater for all Tasmanians, including women and children.”

patrick.gee@news.com.au