Our city is in turmoil, we must change our council

CONGRATULATIONS to Paul Weston for his article in Friday’s Bulletin which shone a light on the disunity within council.

This investigation needs to go further in the public interest.

Our Mayor has perfected his management style … “do what you’re told or you’re on the outside looking in”.

Councillors Crichlow, OwenJones, Tozer, Young and Mcdonald need a hearty “thank you” from the community.

They are the only councillors it seems standing up to him both inside and outside of the chambers.

The legal action by our Mayor Tom Tate against Peter Young is a pretty good example.

The other councillors need to be very sure they’ve picked the right side, the one looking out for the community not just the developers when the axe falls.

Many in the community are simply not aware that the Gold Coast is in turmoil.

From Beenleigh to Coolangatta residents have formed protest groups against inappropriate development approvals and land grabs.

These people are not left-wing greenies as the publicity machine would paint them but everyday people with good commonsense.

Black Swan Lake is a good example, it is not just about the swans.

Since when do we allow valuable land controlled by the community to be effectively gifted to a gambling /sporting group?

The end result is that people have simply lost all trust in the council as they consistently put developer interests above those of the local community.

The Council Planning Department are pretty well approving everything despite strong and well-informed opposition by concerned community groups.

I hear people screaming “but we are a tourist town, we need the jobs”.

Well having travelled widely, I am very confident we are on the road to destroying the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg.

People want our natural beauty, beaches and the green behind the gold, not the 88-storey monoliths blocking out the Queensland sun on the beach. There is such a thing as smart development.

It’s time for a change in council. I hope Minister Hinchliffe is listening. DERICK GATTEGNO, ASHMORE