Water war at boiling point

THE man at the centre of Tweed’s water fight has taken out an AVO against a rival after an alleged incident as his helicopter came in to land.

Matthew Karlos said he had filed an apprehended violence order against the person after the incident as the helicopter was approaching his water extraction business in the Tweed hinterland.

Mr Karlos also claimed it was part of an extended bullying campaign by green activists to run his family’s business into the ground. He said the person was a “member” of Tweed Water Alliance.

Alliance spokesman Jeremy Tager said the group did not have members and refuted Mr Karlos’ claims.

The Karlos family and environmental groups have been at war for years with the alliance claiming the business has been operating illegally.

The alliance alleges the business operates trucks carrying water to be bottled without the correct permits and that the business also breaches its hours of operations. As well, the greens, including Tweed Shire Mayor Katie Milne, are philosophically opposed to extracting water to be bottled.

The use of trucks to and from the Urliup property is being decided in the Land and Environment Court.

“My helicopter has had firearms trained on it on approach to the farm by persons ginned up by mayoral and activist rhetoric,” Mr Karlos said. “I have taken out AVOs against them. They are members of the Tweed Water Alliance, closely affiliated to the Mayor.

“Surveillance cameras have been located in trees on public property adjacent to our farm, invading our family’s privacy and illegally capturing footage of truck carrier movements.

“Cars have deliberately swerved towards family members and visitors inspecting surveillance camera sites across the road.”

Cr Milne said she had not had any personal dealings with Mr Karlos and bore him no ill will. “That would be horrifying if someone shot at Mr Karlos’s helicopter,” she said.

“My only interest is to ensure compliance with planning laws and ensure commercial water extraction does not deplete our local creeks or ground water nor create a safety hazard or unfair maintenance burden for our ratepayers from large trucks on unsuitable rural roads.”

Alliance spokesman Mr Tager said he had heard about the allegations but those in the community laughed them off.

He said the Karlos family weren’t being bullied but rather were being forced to operate legally by the council which now has a majority of green councillors.

“For 15 years it has been a neighbourhood traumatised,” he said. “They have the right to have a business in their neighbourhood to operate lawfully.”

In July, the council rejected Mr Karlos’ application to build a helipad. At the time Mr Karlos told the Bulletin he would continue to fly.

Councillors voted on September 20 to force the Karlos family to demolish their water extraction equipment, however, it deferred the enforcement notice until after the Land and Environment Court hands down its decision.