Calls to axe ’anti Bowen’ council

BOWEN’S business community is backing calls to sack Whitsunday Regional Council over its lack of support for a proposed $1.1bn housing development.

Calls to “get rid of the council completely because they’re not doing anything for Bowen at all” rang out at a Bowen Chamber of Commerce meeting last Wednesday night after GRW Group general manager Blake Thomas provided an update on the stalled Whitsunday Paradise project.

Mr Thomas told the meeting a long-running dispute between his firm and the council over who should pay for the development’s water, sewers, parks and roads infrastructure, showed no signs of reaching a resolution except through a lengthy, costly court process.

Recent mediation had addressed some of the other issues in dispute, Mr Thomas said, but the Gold Coast-based firm was still “at loggerheads” with the council over the infrastructure charges.

Mr Thomas said GRW Group was frustrated and disappointed it had not been able to enter into a “partnership” with the council on the project, but confident in its own legal position after consulting multiple experts to “make sure we got this right”.

He claimed the council was “ignoring” expert advice in proceeding with the court battle and could face a court costs order of $1-1.5m if it were to lose that battle.

Audience members spoke up immediately following the presentation, criticising the council’s willingness to spend ratepayers’ money on a court case, but not on a development that could help relieve the region’s housing supply shortage.

Bowen business owner Allan Bryson suggested a town-hall meeting and letterbox drop to get the “true facts” out about Whitsunday Paradise and combat council “fear tactics”.

Others voiced concerns about the council’s general approach to development proposals for Bowen, with a comment addressed to Mr Thomas that “you’re not the only one council’s doing it to – they really don’t want development in Bowen” met with applause across the room.

Mr Bryson said the community was so fed up with the situation, there was “a possibility of a vote of no confidence” in the council.

Representing the council at the meeting was development director Neil Mcgaffin, who, when called on by Mr Thomas to present the council’s case, responded: “I’m not going to debate it with you.”

“There’s two sides to every story and we will put our case on the table in court,” Mr Mcgaffin said.