By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSA Council has slammed claims made by Sunshine Coast Alliance president Steve Bennett that the council “appears like a basket case” and was “on track towards financial ruin”.
Mr Bennett’s claims were made on the front page of last week’s Noosa Today (11 September), with several residents expressing outrage at Mr Bennett’s comments.
Mayor Noel Playford has also written a letter to Noosa Today expressing his disappointment in the article, which you can read on page 25 of this week’s edition.
Mr Bennett told Noosa Today that he feared the suburbs of Eumundi, Doonan, Verrierdale and Weyba Downs should not join with Noosa Council.
The current re-boundary application is with the Minister for Local Government David Crisafulli and is pending a decision next year.
The Sunshine Coast Council has already made a submission against the re-boundary bid, while Noosa Council remains on the fence.
Several Noosa residents have also questioned Mr Bennett’s motives and whether he aligns himself with the Sunshine Coast Council’s pro-development philosophies.
Meanwhile, memberships for the Sunshine Coast Alliance have since increased with more than 100 members now signed up.
Mr Bennett said if there was no support against the EDV re-boundary bid before, there is now.
“We have had an absolute outpouring of support from the community, with dozens of new members signing up every day since the article,” he said.
“In particular there have been a number of residents from Doonan who are against the EDV re-boundary bid and were, until now, silent.”
Mr Bennett said the EDV group had been given a free rein in the media to push their agenda and messages across many platforms, but those opposed had been ignored.
“There was a need to bring some balance to this debate and we’re here to provide that balance,” he said.
Several residents and Noosa Council said Mr Bennett’s claims about the Noosa Council’s financial situations were false and they have re-iterated that the council is on a path towards both sustainability and prosperity.
EDV Residents Group vice-president Paul Prentice also wrote to Noosa Today and said the battle-lines were now drawn.
“It’s time for EDV residents to take a stand,” he wrote.
“The EDV proposal to become part of the Noosa Shire has become an absolute imperative.”
The EDV Residents Group said it would also be sending out a flyer to residents informing them of ways to get involved.
Read more from Mr Prentice, Mayor Playford and other residents on page 25.
Noosa Today contacted EDV president Johanne Wright for comment but she was overseas and will return in one month.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you think the EDV debate has been balanced? Email your thoughts to newsdesk@noosatoday.net.au
