The recent unanimous decision by the Brisbane City Council (BCC) to approve the destruction of the Minnippi forest near Cannon Hill confirms utterly the bankruptcy of all sides of the political 'divide' in Brisbane City Hall.
In this case, instead of merely being the cowardly 'opposition' acquiescing meekly to Liberal Lord Mayor Campbell Newman's dictates for Brisbane ratepayers and renters to foot the bill for an ever growing list of extravagantly expensive tollway-building projects, it is indeed the Labor Party itself which is primarily culpable for the latest planned act of environmental vandalism. It was Labor Lord Mayor Jim Soorley who entered into the contract with the developer BMD to build both a golf course and a luxury residential development in the Minnippi Parklands, home to sugar gliders and other endangered Australian fauna.
In the 2004 elections, Campbell Newman enlisted the active support of Cannon Hill residents, by promising to bar the Minnippi development. At no point did Newman offer any caveats. However, in a sudden about-face on 13 June, BCC Liberal planning spokesperson Carol Cashman announced that she had legal advice that backing out of the deal would have been too expensive.
Leonie Lea of Minnippi Against Development remains extremely skeptical of this excuse as any properly written contract would have had to have allowed for environmental assessments and community consultation.
Until they are able to see the claimed legal opinion about the Council's liability for compensation for themselves, Brisbane voters are entitled to suspect that Campbell Newman cynically exploited the Minnippi cause only in order to become elected.
Unless a community-based grass roots alternative to either of the two morally bankrupt political camps emerges before the March 2008 elections, the choice that Brisbane voters will face then will be very bleak indeed.
See also, Why I am Standing on candobetter.wikispaces.com
Comments
Anonymous (not verified)
Wed, 2007-08-01 22:41
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Is Brisbane Council insane?
Gabrielle (not verified)
Sat, 2007-12-01 05:07
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Destruction of Minnippi Parklands
admin
Sun, 2007-12-02 03:33
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Destruction of Minnippi Parklands