Redlands2030 brings you a weekly summary of Redland City Council news, and other information.
Issues discussed at Council Meeting 20 May
Redland Bay sports field to be upgrade
Redland City Bulletin photo for story on the sporting field upgrade
Council decided to spend $120,000 upgrading a mutipurpose sportsfield in Redland Bay. In its report the Redland City Bulletin said: “The field, in Denholm Boulevard, Redland Bay, will allow the Victoria Point Magic Football Club juniors to practise on the grass surface after school.”
Request to change state planning regulatory provision 257-259 Wellington Street Ormiston
Ormiston koala photographed in Tolson Terrace
In item 11.3.1, Council voted to reclassify a residential property’s koala habitat conservation status from Bushland Habitat to High Value Rehabilitation. This change means that it will now be possible for the owner to remove koala habitat trees if the loss of trees is “unavoidable” when redeveloping the property.
Mayor Karen Williams absented herself from discussion on this item having declared a perceived conflict of interest stating that she was a recipient of in-kind support in her election campaign. Three other councillors made declarations of perceived conflict of interest which did not relate to election support and they chose to remain in chambers and vote in the best interests of the community.
Corporate Plan 2015-2020
Council adopts Corporate Plan with new mission statement
Council voted to adopt a new Corporate Plan for the next five years. The Redland City Bulletin report noted that the new plan “aims to set out policies, strategies and activities to help council deliver services, programs and facilities while balancing growth, jobs and lifestyle”. Mayor Karen Williams is quoted as saying:
The community was then asked to comment on this draft with 54 responses received along with face-to-face engagement with council officers. Feedback included a desire to see the city’s environment protected and for increased opportunity for tourism development.
The Bulletin also reported that former senior council officer and Thornlands resident Lavinia Wood told the meeting the plan was of great concern as it did not reflect community wishes set out in the Redlands Community 2030 plan.
Redlands2030’s views on the new Corporate Plan are discussed in the post: The Corporate Plan destroys 15 years of work!
Public recording of Council discussions
Councillors discuss if people should be able to record Council proceedings
During the Council meeting Cr Paul Gleeson moved an urgent motion without notice to ban the public from recording the meeting. The motion was defeated. A Redland City Bulletin report on the issue said that the matter would be discussed again at the next Council meeting on 3 June. Further information about this issue including a link to a video recording of this discussion is available in the Redlands2030 post: Lets make Council meetings more public.
Here is a link to the minutes of the General Meeting held on Wednesday 20 May.
Council media releases
There was a sod turning event on 20 May for the Bay Islands Sports and Resilience Hub. This was attended by Federal MP Andrew Laming, Mayor Karen Williams and Cr Mark Edwards. The $1.0 million project is being jointly funded by the Council and the Federal Government. Here is a link to the Council’s news release.
A 19-metre traditional Polynesian canoe will dock in the Redlands next week as part of a four-year journey to grow the global movement toward a more sustainable world. Redland City Division 6 Councillor Julie Talty will welcome the vessel the Hokule’a, (which means star of gladness) when it arrives in Raby Bay next Friday (29 May). Here is a link to the Council’s news release.
Report by Redlands2030 24 May 2015
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
Why do we bother having areas classified? When it comes down to it, the Council just vote to change the classification when there is interest in developing the area. I can’t believe that we can have such an irresponsible group of people who are in charge of looking after our beautiful Redlands. The majority of people came to the Redlands to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and all of the wildlife that this entailed. The councillors and mayor are however choosing to destroy this same `gift’. This `gift’ is for all Redlands residents and those who choose to visit our city. I’m pretty sure it’s not down to only a few to decide the fate of all who live here (including wildlife).
I also don’t understand how the mayor stands in front of the different media people and says how “we’re all for conservation and preservation and looking after the wildlife and habitats”, when really she’s up to her eyeballs in development. If she’s about development, then she should have the courage to stand proud and state it for all to hear. It’s a very little person who campaigns in favour of important issues to the community and when voted in to power turns her back on those election promises and constituents and runs with her own agenda. I think these people should be made to leave politics and we should be able to vote someone else in…. I mean if you were in business and you promised something to a customer and you didn’t deliver, you’d have to make right on your promise or you’d find yourself being sued. Why is politics any different?
How dare the mayor and councillors offer the community the right to have input about serious issues that affect all of us in some way, and then dismiss any recommendations that are made or refuse to consider any valid points raised. This token input is rubbish… we know it and you know it! Community input is given with the best of intentions. It’s our habitat as well as that of the wildlife who choose to live here. It’s NOT your right alone to decide what happens to our city. You are employed by us, to act on recommendations made by us and to give your expert input to help ensure the outcomes are the best for the majority of the city (including wildlife). You are the conduit between the residents of the Redlands and those who are employed to maintain and nurture our city to be the best it can be. You’re not there to create an everlasting legacy for yourselves and to change the Redlands into something that we don’t want it to be. When it comes to us having a say, it again is no simple process. Your surveys need serious work to enable people to have a true say on what they feel, instead of having only a couple of choices that are worded in such a way as to basically agree entirely with what you want. Be accountable! Be true to your people! Make honest and balanced decisions that are based on solid evidence and leave bias at the door. Don’t allow your decisions to be bought, because quite frankly the developers don’t give a rats about our community… it’s all about the mighty dollar!
Don’t destroy what we’ve all come here to enjoy!
Summary of the goings on in Council
1. The Denham Bvld Park in Redlands Bay was identified for the use of a footie club over 3 years ago, nothing moves fast in the Redland council. Sadly the amount of people now living in Victoria Point, Redland Bay and Mt Cotton has increased by thousands, there had been a report highlighting the need for more sporting fields in the southern part of Redlands, as most developers only give land in a flood plain that they cant build homes on.
The Council engaged a consultant and a report was done over 7 years ago which identified land in the centre of Redlands around Sheldon College for a regional Sporting Facility as it showed that each footie, hockey, cricket,rugby,soccer,touch club has grown like topsy and yet there had been no land set aside for a large regional park for sport for over 20 years. Like most Councils in SEQ they have planned and build these types of facilities, but just after the 2012 Election land identified for this use was taken out the budget plan and sadly the owners of some of that land have been given approval for residential development, even land that was outside of the urban footprint. I think there may been donations received from people in this area during the 2012 election. Another lost opportunity
2. How convenient that the owner of land in Wellington Street Ormiston gave in kind donations to the Mayor and some councillors, lodged an application to have certain koala food trees removed to make way for more development and it got a tick, This is the same area where we have just recently lost 24 beautiful koala food trees. A few years ago there was a development approved but thankfully the council was able to negotiate to get a corridor between the bay and the development protected, at one time I could walk a short distance in this conservation area and find 12 koalas hanging out of trees, only 2 weeks ago I did the same walk and saw one lonely koala clinging to a tree, where did his mates go. The say “No tree No Me” rung in my ears. Another deal done.
3. The Corporate Plan, well I think reading a recent post by Redlands2030 said it all. The council couldn’t give a stuff about the community and their views, most Councillors wouldn’t even know what a Corporate Plan was and sadly have not read any of the detailed submission by the community. Another bad outcome.
4.This was about debate on videoing of meetings, Good story by Judith Kerr shows that Gold Coast has been doing it for years, but in Redlands it is all about keeping things behind closed doors and hoping that no one turns up to the General Meetings. When the community decides they are keen to listen to debate, they are made out to be the enemy. Some people get up in the public participation time and think they have some right to discredit other community members whilst the Mayor sits and twiddles her fingers and plays on her Ipad, until the community stand up and says enough, the Chairing of the meeting is a Sham, double standards.
5. “The canoe left New Zealand at the beginning of May and brings with it an important message of sustainability, one that will be carried across the globe as part of its four-year voyage,” Cr Talty said. Well well , the jokers of all jokers, Ms Talty , claiming that Redlands is following good sustainability practices, that statement was dead and buried after the 2012 election, it is now all about development at any costs, I would invite people to drive down to Hardwood Drive Mt Cotton in Ms Talty Division and see the beautiful rainforest and bushland just totally trashed, this area was home to rare yellow bellied gliders, Koalas and other wildlife.
So for last week it was business as usual in Redlands, good to see Redlands2030 highlight this week again, always so much to write about, shame it is not positive.
Noted Toni’s comments about bushland & rainforest along Hardwood Dr Mt Cotton, in Cr Talty’s division, trashed.. that was home to yellow bellied gliders, koalas & other wildlife. Also noted in last week’s Redlands Bulletin Mayor inviting people to visit family’s ‘rainforest’ gardens in Mt Cotton on former Goleby property. Australia is said to have the highest rate of mammal extinctions in the world so on reading in this week’s Bulletin was alarmed in seeing names of DEVELOPMENT Reference Group Mr Hargrave, developer, Mr Fiteni & co, developers, Mr Loney, developers, Peter Endacott, developer, who filled our wetland 29-37 Moreton Bay Rd Capalaba that had been under Special Protection under Koala Coast Policy, lowered towering concrete walls by cranes onto our once lovely creek bank, killing off our koala habitat, destroying amenity and wellbeing of local community..with help from Cr Talty’s father John Burns & Alan Beard, along with then head town planner Gary White. Today it’s a dangerous, dark place, lost to us locals.