REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday April 2, 1982

IT was 1982 and the battle royale between the State Government and Gold Coast City Council was in full flight.

Relations between the council and Premier Sir Joh BjelkePetersen were never strong and things took a turn for the worse when the government stunned city hall by rejecting major parts of the new town plan.

Councillors declared the rejection was a “slap in the face” for ratepayers. The move would give the go-ahead for a twin highrise development to go ahead in Hollywell that the council had twice rejected.

Council health committee chairman and future mayor Denis O’Connell blasted the government and said it was a “tragedy”.

He said the government did not have to give reasons for its decisions, some of which were “inexplicable”. He said he was concerned about the highrise reversal in Hollywell.

“I am very disappointed by this,” he said. “The council has twice refused consent for multiunit development here and is fighting it in court. And now the government does this to us.”

Changes included forcing a 30-storey limit near Biggera Creek, while the council wanted to enforce a three-level limit.

Meanwhile, On Golden Pond, starring the late Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn was released in cinemas. First in line for a sneak preview were Burleigh senior citizens Mervin and Mildred Duffy.

Back in the political arena, Justice Minister Sam Doumany told State Parliament he could not provide details of shareholders in a company behind a proposed high-rise. The company, Colwal, was linked to government minister Russ Hinze.