SOF v AAG, WRC, JJ.MP & TW? WTF?

The Airlie Beach Main Street Upgrade 'Debate' has become pretty intense, especially when it's become a David versus Goliaths battle.

Poor old 'Save Our Foreshore' - they are making a terrific stand for a genuine cause. They've not only had misinformation said about them in the local media, but also had no support from the Local Member / Tourism Minister Jan Jarratt, and especially the Mayor, Mike Brunker.

SOF (No Land Swap) also have to now contend with the newly formed 'Airlie Action Group' - an interesting entity . . . reasons which we will explain a little later.

Save Our Foreshore has in the past had to resort to full page ads to correct a lot of misconceptions, rumours and incorrect news stories . . .

SOF have had to also issue lengthy statements in response to comments made by AAG (Land Swap) . . . (I said it was lengthy - I have reprinted their entire post at the bottom of this post).

It is interesting to note that at the end of that lengthy statement,  SOF have listed the members of the 'Airlie Action Group. However, they forgot one; Keli Medford - Boathaven Spa & Resort - Director, Tourism Whitsundays. The other members have a similar theme . . .
Tony Logan – Airlie Apartments - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Nick Talbot-Price – Eco Jetski Safaris - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Lynn Gregson – Adelyn Retail - Ex Chairperson, Tourism Whitsundays
Wendy Bradley – Ozone Whitsundays - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Alex Hawson – Rent a Yacht - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Mike Daly – Whitsunday Dive Adventures - Transition Committee, Tourism/Enterprise Whitsundays
Paul Burke – Leader Group - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Sam Zealand – Waterline on Shingley - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Ray Waters – Air Whitsunday - Member, Tourism Whitsundays
Steve Moss – Uplan - Developer.

I see a pattern . . . does anyone else?

Who else supports 'Airlie Action Group' and their proposal for the 'Land Swap'? Well, the CEO of Tourism Whitsundays, Peter O'Reilly does . . .

And, in no uncertain terms, we can tell how the Chairman of Tourism Whitsundays, Chris Jacobs wants as an outcome . . .

Tourism Whitsundays represents around 10% (or less) of businesses registered in the Whitsundays . . . so you would think out of the 13 folks we've mentioned, that 2, maybe 3 would be members of TW - not all of them. Uplan, appears to be a Developer.

If I was playing 'Join the Dots', then I'd have to say that AAG appears to be a front for Tourism Whitsundays, used to covertly promote its agenda without most of its membership or the wider community's knowledge.

The smell of 'Conflict of Interest' is getting pretty woofy.

It should be noted that the Chairman of Tourism Whitsundays, Chris Jacobs, is also the owner of 'Cruise Whitsundays'.
Peter O'Reilly, through his family, is a part owner of O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat.

Who's Supporting Who
Airlie Action Group	Save Our Foreshore
Cruise Whitsundays	Airlie Tackle
Waterline on Shingley	Airlie Court
Whitsunday Rent-A-Yacht	Airlie Waterfront Backpackers
Ozone Resort	Al's Laundry
Beachworx - Billabong Airlie Beach	Amazing Place
Whitsunday Dive Adventures	Avis Rent a Car
U-Plan Landscape	Beach Plaza
Boathaven Resort	Ju'lee's Beach Plaza Laundry
Aviation Adventures	The Beach Shack
Air Whitsunday	Cyclone Studios Architects
Whisper Bay Resort	Europcar
Leader Group	Fun Rentals
Airlie Beach Hotel	Harry's Cafe
Tourism Whitsundays	Just Souvenirs
Mayor Mike Brunker	Lea's Book Exchange
Tourism Minister Jan Jarratt	Mama's Boys
Eco Jet Safari	NZ Natural Ice Cream
Boathaven Resort	Off Ya Noodle
	Reflections
	Salt Seafood Bar & Grill
	Shipwrecked Restaurant
	Whitsunday Bookings
	Whitsunday Central Reservations

Sources:
Whitsunday Times
Save Our Foreshore


Statement issued by Save Our Foreshore
The Debate on the Main Street Upgrade

A small, newly formed AAG committee appears to have been formed with the express purpose of discrediting SOF and making sure Mr Brunker’s foreshore land grab goes ahead. This is the only possible explanation for the blatant way this small group have misrepresented SOF and misled the community through advertising and other methods. Their recent ad makes no reference to the fact that the land in question is zoned by the Government for open space and recreational use, the designated “Most Appropriate Use” under the Land Act.
In the interest of keeping the true story out there and not allowing the community to be conned, please read, below, the misleading and inaccurate statements by the Airlie Action Group along with the Save Our Foreshore rebuttals.
- AAG’s published official stance (in plain text)
- SAVE OUR FORESHORE’S RESPONSE (IN BOLD CAPS)

Upgrading the Main Street is undoubtedly vitally important for Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays, and to have over $17 million promised by the three tiers of Government towards its construction is a major achievement.
SOF AGREES WITH THIS STATEMENT BUT MAINTAINS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO UPGRADE AND ENHANCE OUR MAIN STREET WITHOUT SACRIFICING PUBLIC FORESHORE LAND TO A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

Airlie Action Group (AAG) was established earlier this year by a group of business owners to help work on projects that can stimulate the economic recovery of Airlie Beach.
HIGHLY DUBIOUS. IF THE RECENTLY FORMED AAG COMMITTEE THINK THAT GIVING AWAY OUR PUBLIC FORESHORE TO A PRIVATE DEVELOPER WILL STIMULATE ECONOMIC RECOVERY THEN THEIR JUDGEMENT MUST BE SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED. WE ALREADY HAVE PORT OF AIRLIE IN RECEIVERSHIP AND THEIR RESORT BUILDING STALLED, PLUS OTHER ACCOMMODATION AND SHOPS SITTING VACANT AND UNSOLD. HOW SOON DO THESE PEOPLE REALLY THINK MR DAVEY WILL GET FINANCING TO BUILD YET ANOTHER UNUSED BUILDING?

The Main Street Upgrade is one of those projects and we are firmly behind the final design that was carefully crafted over two years through extensive consultation with the stakeholders and community.
MISLEADING. THE COMMUNITY WAS LAST CONSULTED IN LATE 2010. THIS WAS ONE OF THREE BROAD ‘CONCEPTUAL’ CONSULTATIONS NONE OF WHICH INCLUDED THE PLAN NOW CLAIMED BY AAG TO BE “THE ORIGINAL”. ALTHOUGH SOME AIRLIE MAIN STREET TENANTS WERE SHOWN “THE ORIGINAL”PLANS IN EARLY APRIL, THE REST OF US, INCLUDING DIVISION ONE COUNCILOR CLIFFORD, DID NOT SEE THIS PLAN UNTIL AUGUST 30TH, LESS THAN A WEEK BEFORE TENDERS WERE CALLED.

Despite this extensive consultation process, in recent weeks there has been calls from some sections of the community to make last minute changes to the plan.
UNTRUE. THESE PLANS WERE TOTALLY NEW TO ALL BUT THE ‘PRIVILEGED FEW.’ AS RECENTLY AS JULY 14 THE TIMES REPORTED: AIRLIEBEACH.COM CENTRAL RESERVATIONS BUSINESS OWNER TONY LAURENT SAID THE SHOP OWNERS HAD ONLY RECEIVED VERY VAGUE INFORMATION ON THE UPGRADE AND HE HAD LITTLE FAITH IN WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD SO FAR. "IT IS GOING TO BE A DISASTER IF WE DON’T WORK TOGETHER AND GET THE JOB DONE," HE SAID.

Government has asked for reconfirmation that the final design is supported by the majority of the community and in particular the stakeholders.
We have therefore set out below; the final design for the central heart; the benefits it will bring to the community and clarified some important issues.
We have today asked the Whitsunday Regional Council to close its online survey for the main street design. It should be noted that in the process of accommodating the many proponents of the project that additional amendments to the original plans were made with out full consultation and with no acceptance or compromise by the Organisation it set out to appease.
UNTRUE. THE ‘ORGANISATION’ SO COYLY REFERRED TO HERE IS CLEARLY SOF. AT ALL TIMES, INCLUDING A MEETING WITH COUNCIL, MR HUNT AND MR DAVEY, AS RECENTLY AS EARLY SEPTEMBER, SOF HAVE ADVOCATED THE COMPROMISE OF TURNING THE BUILDING THROUGH NINETY DEGREES AND KEEPING IT FRONTING THE ROAD AND ALONGSIDE THE CREEK. THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO MR DAVEY FOR COMMERCIAL REASONS AND TO COUNCIL FOR ‘TECHNICAL’ REASONS.

Additionally it has come to our attention that the survey could be abused and does not prevent people from voting multiple times, which of course is not in the spirit of the survey.
POTENTIALLY ABUSED BY EITHER SIDE OF THE DEBATE! SOF HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE THE SURVEY WAS FIRST MOOTED BY THE RECENTLY FORMED AAG COMMITTEE - WHO HAVE NOW HAD IT DISCONTINUED, CLAIMING IT WAS DECEPTIVE AND FLAWED.

AAG supports the original Main Street design that was developed over a period of 2 years and involved input from many stakeholders and the community.
MISLEADING. SEE COMMENTS ABOVE – THIS “ORIGINAL DESIGN” WAS ONLY MADE PUBLIC 31 AUGUST, 2011.

We have received numerous submissions from the business community wanting to reconfirm their support for the original design.
HOW MANY SUBMISSIONS? WHERE ARE THEY? IN ONLY TWO FOUR HOUR SESSIONS AT THE AIRLIEBEACH LIONS MARKETS, SOF HAS RECEIVED 1045 SIGNATURES FROM LOCALS AND VISITORS WANTING THE PUBLIC FORESHORE TO REMAIN PUBLIC LAND FOR PUBLIC USE AND RECREATION.

In the next few days we will be providing a means by which they can show their support for the original design, and will be coming back to Council and State Government in due course with their submissions.
The Final Design:
The drawing below shows the position of the relocated building which currently houses the chemist and convenience store. After input from Department of Environment and Resource Management, the position of the relocated building is set back from the creek and is the exact shape of the current building. The white curved line shows the shape that was depicted in the consultation process.
THE ARCHITECT’S CONCEPT CONFLICTS WITH:
WHITSUNDAY REGIONAL COUNCIL’S TOWN PLAN
STATE PLANNING POLICIES
CURRENT EXPERT THINKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN STORM SURGE AREAS, PARTICULARLY LIN LIGHT OF THIS YEAR’S YASI CYCLONE EXPERIENCE.
RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE PRINCIPLES.
IT ALSO PLACES THE COMMUNITY AND RATEPAYERS AT RISK FROM COSTLY LITIGATION.
THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES AN UNDERGROUND CARPARK AND A ‘NEW’, HIGHER GROUND LEVEL. THE STORM SURGE RISK IS OBVIOUS.
APPROVAL AGENCIES, STATE AND LOCAL, ARE ALREADY AT RISK OF COSTLY, DEBILITATING LITIGATION FROM DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS THAT IGNORE RISKS SHOWN IN CURRENT CLIMATE CHANGE PREDICTIONS.
CAN WE AFFORD THIS?


The Benefits:

The reason we (Airlie Action Group) embarked upon this project was to beautify the town for the benefit of residents and visitors and at the same time, solve problems with drainage and traffic.
The final design achieves a number of key benefits. Including:
• Transforming a bleak, concrete tunnel of a road into an attractive, green, pleasant shopping experience, which for this tourism focused community is essential to improve the visitors experience .
UNTRUE. CALLING AIRLIE MAIN STREET ‘A BLEAK CONCRETE TUNNEL’ IS A LAUGHABLE EXAGGERATION. WHILE THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WHICH LANDSCAPING CAN ACHIEVE, THIS KIND OF RIDICULOUS HYPERBOLE DOES NOT AID THIS AAG COMMITTEE’S CREDIBILITY. AS FOR ‘AN ATTRACTIVE, GREEN, PLEASANT, SHOPPING EXPERIENCE’ THIS, OF COURSE CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH A STRAIGHT OR CURVED ROAD. IT DOESN’T REQUIRE GIVING AWAY OUR PUBLIC FORESHORE. NOOSA’S HASTING’S STREET OR MACROSSAN IN PORT DOUGLAS ARE TWO EXAMPLES.

• Creating a green heart in the centre where we will bring the wonderful foreshore inwards to link with the road, instead of being hidden by buildings.
UNTRUE. THE GREEN HEART IS ALONG THE FORESHORE. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. IT IS NOT EVEN CURRENTLY HIDDEN BY BUILDINGS. IT CAN BE SEEN BETWEEN THE DAVEY BUILDING AND MONTIPORA AND ON THE OTHER SIDE ALONG THE CREEK AND PARK ENTRY. TO MOVE THE ‘GREEN HEART’ TO A SMALL LANDSCAPED ‘ISLAND’ BETWEEN MAGNUMS BAR AND THE MAIN ROAD IS NOT A POSITIVE MOVE. IT WOULD SOON BECOME A ‘BEER GARDEN’ EXTENSION OF MAGNUMS. EVEN THE LOCAL POLICE HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS.

• It will open up vistas from the road to the foreshore and water.
UNTRUE. THE VIEW CORRIDOR DIAGRAMS, CREATED IN SUPPORT OF THE DAVEY RELOCATION, HAVE BEEN SHOWN BY LOCAL ARCHITECT JIM RIDDELL TO BE MISLEADING. THE RELOCATED DAVEY BUILDING AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING WOULD HAVE MUCH THE SAME IMPACT ON THE VIEWS.

• It solves the flood issue for the main street by raising a section and turning the creek into an attractive feature.
MISLEADING. THREE PREVIOUS FLOOD STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THE STREET DOES NOT NEED TO BE CURVED FOR FLOOD MITIGATION. THE PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED UPSTREAM FROM THE MAIN ROAD. SEVERAL ENGINEERS, INCLUDING COUNCILS, HAVE INDICATED A CURVED ROAD IS NOT REQUIRED.

• And it decreases the amount of traffic making it a much more people friendly place to be.
UNTRUE. WHAT POSSIBLE REASON WOULD A CURVE VERSUS A STRAIGHT ROAD HAVE FOR DECREASING TRAFFIC?

• It is pertinent to remind ourselves that this is a commercial precinct , that treated sensitively will become the showcase for Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour Road has long been seen as a hotch potch of buildings , that do nothing to enhance our reputation as a welcoming , modern village. We must continue to strive for outcomes that help our town compete with other destinations.
A PROBLEM THAT HAS MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION!

• This project will also become the catalyst for other stakeholders to deliver a better quality standard of buildings and commercial precincts.
WHAT IT COULD DO IS CREATE A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR OTHER ADJACENT LANDOWNERS TO MAKE SIMILAR CLAIMS OVER THE ADJOINING PUBLIC RESERVE.


Specific Issues:

Building height: Under the town plan, ALL the building along the seaward side of the main street can seek a development application that would allow the height to 12 meters as long as they meet the Town Planning Act. There has been no deception. All the previous plans and concepts for the main Street Upgrade which showed elevations, and were part of the 2 year consultation process, included a multi story building.
MISLEADING. THE HEIGHT IS NOT THE ISSUE! THERE WERE NO DEFINITIVE PLANS. ONLY CONCEPT DRAWINGS. AT ALL TIMES THE SOF GROUP MADE IT CLEAR TO ARCHITECT HUNT THAT BUILDINGS INDICATED OUT ON THE FORESHORE WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED AS UNTRUE BUT NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN SHOWN BY MR HUNT. THE TEXT FROM AN SOF LETTER TO MR HUNT, FROM LATE 2010 SAYS “WE WANT TO SEE A CONTINUOUS SWEEP OF COASTLINE FROM THE SAILING CLUB TO THE LAGOON UNMARRED BY THE CURRENT CARPARK AND INAPPROPRIATELY PLACED COMMERCIAL BUILDING," BUT THE INTENT OF THIS STATEMENT WAS CHANGED WHEN THE WORDS “INAPPROPRIATELY PLACED COMMERCIAL BUILDING” WERE CHANGED TO “AND SUPERMARKET” WHEN OUR STATEMENT WAS INCLUDED BY MR HUNT IN HIS PRESENTATION DOCUMENTS.

Building footprint: the area of land currently occupied by the chemist and the convenience store, is EXACTLY the same size of the land that will house the new building. It will be simply turned on its side.
MISLEADING. THE PLANS FROM MR HUNT ACTUALLY SHOW EXTERNAL DECKING AREAS OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT THAT WOULD CLEARLY BE USED FOR HOTEL AMENITIES SUCH AS OUTDOOR DRINKING AND DINING. HOTEL LANDSCAPING WOULD TAKE UP FURTHER AREA AND AN ACCESS ROAD WOULD BE REQUIRED TO THE UNDERGROUND PARKING, CONSUMING EVEN MORE PUBLIC PARKLAND.

No loss of green space: The small area of the carpark that will be taken up with the new building will be returned to the community as green parkland on the street side of the building. The heart of our foreshore will remain a public open space, for visitors, family recreation and for promoting community and tourism events.
UNTRUE. HOW CAN THE HEART OF OUR FORESHORE REMAIN A PUBLIC OPEN SPACE WHEN IT HAS A FOUR STOREY HOTEL IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS ABSURD. INSTEAD, ACCORDING TO THE ABOVE WE WILL GET ‘GREEN PARKLAND ON THE STREET SIDE OF THE BUILDING.’ IF THE RECENTLY FORMED AAG COMMITTEE THINKS THIS IS A REASONABLE EXCHANGE THEN THEIR JUDGEMENT MUST BE CAREFULLY QUESTIONED.

Can we as a community purchase the building?: the answer is no. Council and State Government have said they will not put in any more money and the community does not have the time to raise the money themselves - We only have until the end of October to provide Government with a clear understanding of what the majority of the community wants. After that we risk losing the promised Government funding.
UNTRUE. THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THREATENED THE LOSS OF PUBLIC FUNDING IS MR BRUNKER, AS PART OF HIS ONGOING ATTEMPT TO FRIGHTEN AND DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY. NO STATEMENT TO THIS EFFECT HAS COME FROM GOVERNMENT. THERE IS NOTHING TO STOP COMMENCEMENT OF STAGE ONE, THE WESTERN ROUNDABOUT TO THE MONTIPORA BUILDING. THE $17MILLION WILL NOT EXTEND BEYOND THIS STAGE ANYWAY.

A straight road will save on cost: in the short term it might be cheaper to build a straight road, although there are significant costs associated with redesign, flood mitigation etc. But the long term loss and potential cost to the community will be an aesthetically pleasing design and a flood proofed village heart.
MISLEADING. IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM THE OVERALL COST OF THE SLIGHTLY CURVED OPTION WITHIN THE CURRENT ROAD ALIGNMENT WILL BE CHEAPER. THIS HAS BEEN CONCEDED BY COUNCIL ENGINEER. AS FOR THE SECOND OBSERVATION RE ’LOSS OF AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING DESIGN’, THIS IS MERELY AN OPINION.

Does Save Our Foreshore group have a mandate to claim the community supports them?
Historically SOF opposed the FKP hotel which was proposed for the car park. This had four stories, was approximately seven times the size of the building housing the chemist and convenience store and stretched across the full width of the street from Harry’s café to the Airlie Creek.
UNTRUE. HISTORICALLY SOF OPPOSED USING THIS PUBLIC FORESHORE FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. AS WE HAVE SAID, NEARLY 7,000 PETITIONS SIGNATURES WERE OBTAINED TO “RETAIN AS PUBLIC SPACE AND IN THE SHORT TERM … THEN THIS AREA OF LAND MUST BE DEVELOPED AS OPEN SPACE FOR COMMUNITY USE”. THESE PETITIONS REJECTED THE PRINCIPLE OF ALIENATING OUR PUBLIC FORESHORE. NO MENTION OR REFERENCE OF ANY KIND WAS MADE IN THIS PETITION TO THE SIZE OF THE FKP PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. AT THE TIME THE LABOR STATE GOVT SAID THERE WOULD NEVER BE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT ON THIS PUBLIC WITHOUT “OVERWHELMING COMMUNITY SUPPORT.’ TEN SELF-INTERESTED BUSINESS PEOPLE DO NOT CONSTITUTE ‘OVERWHELMING COMMUNITY SUPPORT.’

The upgrade of the main street is all about beautifying the town and enhancing the green space. It is totally different and the opinion of AAG is that the support SOF had last time does not give them a mandate to oppose this project.
MISLEADING AND UNTRUE. THE AREA IN QUESTION IS STILL ZONED PARKLAND FOR USE AS OPEN PUBLIC SPACE. THE CURRENT LEGISLATION AND MOST APPROPRIATE USE POLICY ALL STATE THAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE USE IS AS PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. THIS IS NOT SOF’S MANDATE. THIS IS THE COMMUNITY’S MANDATE. ALL SOF IS ATTEMPTING TO PROTECT IS THIS MANDATE. UNLIKE THE RECENTLY FORMED AAG COMMITTEE WHO ARE QUITE CLEARLY HAPPY TO SEE THE COMMUNITY’S FORESHORE HANDED OVER TO ANOTHER LOCAL BUSINESSMAN.

Airlie Action Group strongly urges all stakeholders to voice their opinion so as to at least determine
For themselves their preferred outcome

Airlie Action Group Representatives:
Tony Logan – Airlie Apartments
Nick Talbot-Price – Eco Jetski Safaris
Lynn Gregson – Adelyn Retail
Wendy Bradley – Ozone Whitsundays
Alex Hawson – Rent a Yacht
Mike Daly – Whitsunday Dive Adventures
Paul Burke – Leader Group
Sam Zealand – Waterline on Shingley
Ray Waters – Air Whitsunday
Steve Moss – Uplan
JUST 10 SELF INTERESTED BUSINESS PEOPLE WITH NO REGARD FOR COMMUNITY WANTS AND NEEDS!