Mayor’s Lake spray
Tate rejects claims of protesters
MAYOR Tom Tate yesterday hit back at critics of the filling of Black Swan Lake, saying the water there remains toxic, wildlife is not being killed and the end result will be a grassed area which can be used by the public.
He also rejected as completely false allegations his council is involved in a “property play”.
In a statement on the Mayoral Facebook page, Cr Tate said he wanted to debunk “some of the myths, lies, untruths and fake news being spread”. In the lengthy post Cr Tate argued:
The lake was a borrow pit. The lake was not a natural, pristine nature reserve and remained toxic.
Claims that swans and other aquatic animals were being purposely killed were “simply not true”.
That a photo of a dead bird in a bin supposedly near the lake and a turtle on a road verge that looks like it was run over by a car “clearly isn’t proof of anything”.
That campaigners were “pleading with people far and wide to send them photos of dead animals so that they ‘can use the photos in their campaign’.”
The post suggests the issue which has frustrated the Mayor the most is speculation about the site’s future.
“But the biggest lie being put about is somehow this is all part of a property play and that a concrete carpark is being built and somehow everyone involved is ’profiting’,” he said.
“The truth is that the area will be grassed so that it can be used as a horse pick area – after all we are talking about the Equine Precinct – open space for the public and during major events in the Equine Precinct like the Magic Millions for example.”
He said council had been wrongly criticised for “giving away public land” to the Gold Coast Turf Club.
“The Turf Club is a not for profit community organisation, not a commercial business,” he said. “By the way, I’m not on the board of the Turf Club and have never accepted a complimentary membership – another myth being put about.”
Wildlife Queensland president Sally Spain said residents would continue to lobby “the sensible elements in council” to stop the filling of the lake.
“Every effort continues to be made ... to see this does not occur by those who know the truth,” she said.