By MEGAN OGLE
NOOSA Parks Association (NPA) vice-president Michael Gloster has slammed a council candidate for not disclosing affiliations with a development group he claims “masterminded” the amalgamation of Noosa and Sunshine Coast shires.
In a letter to the editor Mr Gloster said council candidate Stephen Boyd failed to disclose his membership with the Property Council of Australia (PCA) and said this would create an “inevitable conflict of interest” which was “highly disturbing”.
Mr Gloster described the PCA as a “powerful developers’ lobby group” which he claims “helped mastermind the forced amalgamation of Noosa Shire with Maroochy and Caloundra Shires” in an attempt “to get rid of the Noosa Town Plan the development lobby so dislikes”.
“Given his intimate links to the Property Council of Australia, does the Noosa community really want to risk electing Steven Boyd as a Noosa councillor who decides developer applications, let alone one who can directly influence the writing of the new Noosa Town Plan?” Mr Gloster said.
Mr Boyd responded to Mr Gloster’s accusations saying the “assertions are a desperate political furphy” and “over-reaching”.
“I am a past working group sub-committee member of the PCA,” Mr Boyd said.
“As the manager of a local valuation practice I became a member of the regional Sunshine Coast Chapter of the PCA in 2007.
“When I left the practice to join the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2010 I resigned from the local chapter but continued in a ‘by invite’ capacity.
“Any points of contact with the PCA related solely to my professional expertise and are documented as such.
“The PCA has not contributed to my campaign and I have received no funding from any property-related entities.”
Mr Boyd said Mr Gloster’s description of the PCA and its role in the amalgamation of the shires was “nonsensical and sensationalised” and “downplayed the role” of the Queensland Government of the day.
“As a valuer active in the Noosa Shire around the time of forced amalgamation I can assure your readers that there was and always will be a clear relationship between Noosa Town Plan, the lifestyle it has supported and property values,” Mr Boyd said.
“As a resident I voted yes for de-amalgamation and as your councillor I promise to work to retain a Noosa Town Plan that protects our lifestyle, and ensures the Noosa experience for generations to come.
“On or before 19 March our residents will ultimately make their decision; they can choose one councillor out of seven with an understanding of property, one of the seven who has the knowledge and is qualified to take the stand against improper development in our Noosa Shire and one who seems to be standing in the way of Dr Gloster’s undeclared agenda.”
