Cr Brian Stockwell has used the latest edition of his Noosa Coast and Country newsletter to hit back at the “myths” that saw him denied a vote on the crucial issue of adoption of the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan in late October.
It’s now ancient history that at an emotion-charged Noosa Council meeting on 26 October, Cr Stockwell was excluded from the meeting over an alleged conflict of interest, carried by the casting vote of the chair, Cr Clare Stewart. This led to a procedural motion, again won on the casting vote of the chair, to defer consideration of the River Plan until July 2024, four months after the end of the current council’s term, effectively kicking the can down the road and into a whole new world of newly-elected responsibility.
Introducing his “Mythbuster” special edition, Cr Stockwell writes: “The months before an election aren’t called the ‘silly season’ for nothing. We are well and truly in the midst of it in Noosa. I stand on my record and try not to make undeliverable promises, so this edition is focussed on busting some of the myths recently put into the public realm. These furphies are not just spread by those seeking to gain a political advantage, nor are all designed to hurt and intimidate but all are unsubstantiated allegations that should not be believed.
“Front and centre is the charade that took place surrounding the non-adoption of the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan. I get it, [that] the pro-development, self-interest sector tends to reject any steps forward in the conservation of Noosa’s natural assets, and it is their democratic right to oppose them. But you know they are getting desperate when they start to make things up to spread fear amongst the general public and river users alike.”
Cr Stockwell goes on to present and “bust” five recent “myths” concerning Noosa Council, starting with the alleged misinformation circulated on social media and the circumstances of his exclusion from the vote on the River Plan.
MYTH 1: There’s a dastardly plot to take your power boats away.
A recent petition to Council included the following very misguided statement: “Council keeps telling us that they have no intention of removing power boats from the river … that is a big lie.”
REALITY: As a long-time environment campaigner, I was cast as the bogeyman on the basis of a badly-edited video designed to trick people. What I actually said was, “the use of the river both by powered and unpowered (craft) is really important”. A Facebook post by a prominent member of the Noosa Fishing and Boating Alliance included a short grab from an online recording of a meeting last year using the words, “the main driver for us is about the non-powered use”, looped to repeat. In a shameful fear campaign, it was used to erroneously suggest that I had plans to restrict powered craft on the river.
The clip was taken completely out of context. I had just outlined how Marine Safety Queensland has the mandate to regulate power boats and to protect our waterways and the people who use them. I went on to suggest that safety was just one of the issues that arise from the currently cluttered and congested estuary. It was in this context that I suggested the main driver for Council was “about the non-powered use – the relaxation, the amenity benefit, the character of the river.”
I later reiterated in my closing arguments in that debate that: “The use of the river both by powered and unpowered (craft), is really important … I have enjoyed powered and non-powered recreational boating on the Noosa River for over 40 years and for about 15 years as a Noosa Sea Scout Leader. My interest is in protecting the river experience for future generations.
MYTH 2: Councillors are compromised and should be excluded from a meeting if they provide feedback to Council staff.
In October the Mayor outlined the following reasons for suggesting I should not participate in the deliberations on the draft Noosa River Catchment Management Plan: “Never before have I asked the question nor do I think anyone at this table … has Cr Stockwell provided advice or feedback to the staff in regard to a plan that is coming before us? I think that compromises Cr Stockwell, and I think it is prudent that he is out of the room. Based on that fact and those statements, I will not be supporting Cr Stockwell to remain in the room.”
REALITY: Councillors providing input into policy and planning is a core part of their job. As clearly stated in the Local Government Act, the role of a councillor involves “participating in council meetings, policy development, and decision-making, for the benefit of the local government area.” Reviewing draft plans, strategies and policies is a core function of a councillor. My feedback and advice on the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan was generally in response to verbal and written staff requests for all councillors to provide comment. Sometimes I also see the need to request staff’s consideration of process improvements, for example, in regard to community consultation. I progress my concerns and suggestions through the appropriate channels.
While the Mayor’s statement may say something about her own grasp of the role of a councillor, it certainly does not, in my opinion, provide any justification for a councillor to be excluded from debate.
MYTH 3: A sinister, unseen hand of world control hovers over Pomona.
In a deputation to Council in September an individual expressed his concerns about the Pomona Placemaking Pilot Project. In part we were apprised of his view that there was “a lot of community concerns about Pomona becoming a Smart City or 15-Minute City.” The speaker went on to outline that “if you type in placemaking and 15-Minute and Smart Cities you get tonnes and tonnes of results. It is clear that the concepts are related”.
REALITY: Placemaking priorities are set by the people living there. I was bemused about why this was an issue until I asked my Sustainability Class at Sunshine Coast University, where a student told me that there is a conspiracy theory surrounding the concept of the 15-minute City’. An ABC online piece explains: “There are two very different views of the 15-minute city idea. To some, it’s an urban planning concept that promotes sustainable and healthy living by designing neighbourhoods so that you can access shops, healthcare, recreation and jobs within a 15-minute walk or ride … To a small group of others, it’s a plot by ‘tyrannical bureaucrats’ to take our cars and control our lives, which could lead to a ‘real-life Hunger Games scenario’.”
For the record, Pomona has always been a 15-minute village … While improving pedestrian and cycling connectivity has been a significant issue for the town for many years, it certainly isn’t about turning the town into a dystopian city controlled by unseen international hands. The priorities in Placemaking Plans are set by the community and can cover a wide range of social, cultural, economic and environmental issues that locals and Council can address together.
MYTH 4: Council staff harass and discriminate against homeless people
In October Council had a deputation about a good little “pay it forward” initiative aimed at assisting the homeless and others who are struggling to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the speaker then went on to make allegations which are at odds with the caring and considered way that Council officers treat and support the homeless. It was alleged that: “Discussion with community members reveals that our homeless, at times, are being targeted by Local Laws during the night to move on or be issued with a fine. This is seen to be harassing and discriminating.”
REALITY: Noosa Council works closely with a network of welfare organisations to reduce the pain of the housing crisis. While Local Laws has put in place overnight parking restrictions in areas known to have social and environmental health problems associated with travellers looking for free place to camp, a more compassionate approach is taken when genuine cases of homelessness are encountered. Our Council teams have a range of committed and caring staff who often go the extra mile to help those in need. Our Community Development and Local Laws teams are trained to help vulnerable people. They work hand-in-hand to develop trust with people experiencing homelessness and connect them to services which can provide meaningful support. Often people experiencing homelessness have complex backgrounds and it can take time to help them so we would only relocate these people when this is voluntary or there is a health or safety issue.
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MYTH 5: The blokes on Council arguing for environmental protection are “bullies” because they hold different views to women Councillors with other agendas.
This myth is in the whispering stage in the leadup to the next election, so expect it to emerge more as we get to the “dirty tricks” point of the campaign.
REALITY: Councillors, regardless of their gender, should be able to debate freely and forthrightly on policies and processes, it’s their job. Over the past term, two of the unsubstantiated complaints made about me, in my opinion, included fabricated claims in regard to me not treating female councillors with courtesy and respect. On both occasions the Office of the Independent Assessor dismissed the complaints, noting in 2022 “the alleged conduct does not raise a reasonable suspicion of inappropriate conduct”, and in 2023 “did not consider your behaviour towards Councillor [X] and Councillor [Y] was meant to bully or intimidate”.
As a son of a courageous, talented and intelligent single mum I have experienced the impact of, and railed against, male chauvinism my entire life. As such, addressing the historic gender imbalance in many spheres of public and commercial life is important to me. Every person, regardless of their gender, deserves to feel safe in the workplace. It is with the knowledge that women are just as capable of robust debate, of resolving disagreement, and logical argument construction, that I engage with every councillor with undifferentiated respect. This respect means I believe that they are just as capable of engaging earnestly with my advocacy as anyone else in the room.
I raised my daughter as a fiercely independent and analytical thinker, and she certainly has no issues taking me to task when she believes I am wrong. When speaking with her on this, she suggested that “identity-based smear campaigns have been used to discredit many independent politicians at every step of the political hierarchy”.
So I guess we will just have to get used to it and call it out when it occurs.
