Paradise project causes a stir
Council votes to not fund infrastructure
THE Whitsunday mayor has spoken passionately about ratepayers not being forced to foot a $20m bill for water and sewer infrastructure for the massive Whitsunday Paradise development.
However, developers say ratepayers would not have to cough up any cash.
The issue sparked heated discussion around the council table on Wednesday after developers proposed the council enter an infrastructure agreement for the project.
Council agenda documents state the request proposed the council refund 100 per cent of the costs of providing water to the estate, sewage infrastructure and the costs of decommissioning the existing onsite sewage treatment plant.
The council estimates the total cost of the works to be about $20m.
Earlier this week, council’s development services director Neil Mcgaffin said the agreement effectively meant developers would pay for the infrastructure upfront and council would give them credits for the cost of doing the water, sewer and decommissioning the plant.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Andrew Willcox said the council gave the $1.1bn project the green light in October because it promised to create jobs.
However it was approved with conditions.
“Conditions that we have for every other development we have in the region, nothing special, nothing different,” Cr Willcox said.
Cr Willcox said part of the developers’ infrastructure agreement stated the works for a water reservoir, land contribution for a water reservoir and sewer infrastructure would be done at no cost to council.
However, a different part of the infrastructure agreement stated the costs of those works would be offset by the council.
“What that means is that 100 per cent of the infrastructure for water and sewer is being worn by council,” Cr Willcox said.
“That has been a convenient detail that has been left out when this is being peddled around the community.
“Where does the money come from if the developers do not do it?
“The Tooth
Claus?
“The ratepayers.
“The ratepayers who have put us in here to look after the financial stability of the region, of the organisation.”
Cr Willcox said the council gathered about $50m from rates annually.
“I’ll let everyone do
Fairy?
Santa their
own maths of how much extra burden on the ratepayers this is going to be so developers can make a bit of extra money,” Cr Willcox said.
“Ever since I have been here this council – same as the last council – has spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we
kept the rates in the Whitsunday region to a minimum.
“If this is supported and we do not decline this, then it is going to cost the ratepayers a lot of money for a long period of time.
“The Whitsundays is open
for business but good business.”
Whitsunday councillors unanimously voted to decline to enter the infrastructure agreement for the development.
GRW Group is the developer behind the project and the
it is open for
organisation’s general manager, Blake Thomas, said GRW Group had entered good faith discussions with the council about what is trunk infrastructure, which are the main water and sewage pipes to suburbs, and what are cost offsets.
“Council’s refusal to enter into an infrastructure agreement will mean questions over what is defined as trunk infrastructure and what are cost offsets will now be determined by the court unless the council agrees to negotiate with the developer,” Mr Thomas said.
A REGIONAL council mayor says she has “lost patience” with Indian mining giant Adani over the development of the Carmichael Mine in her patch.
At its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Isaac Regional Council unanimously supported an urgent mayoral minute flagging a laundry list of concerns about work to date on the Carmichael Mine.
The concerns raised included a local landowner being “detrimentally impacted”, the ongoing legal dispute between the council and Adani over road construction standards and the “abject failure” of Adani to manage local recruitment.
Isaac Mayor Anne Baker said Adani, now known as Bravus Mining and Resources, was not being “good corporate citizens”.
A Bravus spokeswoman hit back at the council’s claims, describing them as “misleading and incorrect”.
“Frankly, Isaac Regional Council has lost patience with the behaviour of this company,” Cr Baker said.
“We are disappointed with Adani’s treatment of local landholders and their noncompliance with some of their obligations, and also disappointed by exclusive job advertising in and around Rockhampton and Townsville and not local communities like Clermont.
“We remind them that their social licence to operate is a precious thing they should value and protect.”
The mayoral minute said: “… in dealing with Adani over various aspects of the Carmichael Mine development and in light of recent circumstances of a local landowner being significantly and detrimentally impacted by the mine project, it is appropriate for council to restate its position.”
The Bravus spokeswoman said the company was disappointed the council had “ignored” dispute resolution processes, describing the actions as a “smear campaign”.
“All of the maintenance work and upgrade work on this council-owned road is being funded by Bravus – there is no cost to the IRC or the ratepayers within the Isaac region.
“From the outset we said that Rockhampton and Townsville would be the primary hubs of employment for our project and that this would not exclude people from other regional centres being engaged on our project.”
The spokeswoman said Bravus was committed to working in a professional manner with the council.
“However, if a similar attitude does not exist with the Isaac Regional Council we will be seeking the Queensland state government to intercede,” she said.
“The livelihoods of thousands of workers on our project are too important to be swept up in local political issues.”
The council’s CEO Gary Stevenson will reach out to Bravus to discuss details of the mayoral minute.
Burdekin MP Dale Last said he backed the council’s call for Bravus to honour any commitments made.
“When you make a deal with the people of regional Queensland they will support you but you better deliver on your promises,” Mr Last said.