Kirrawee brickpit developers playing politics.
On Thursday I received a large envelope to my home address. Referred to as a “candidate information pack”, it had been sent out by the Kirrawee Centre Pty Ltd , the developers behind the contentious Kirrawee brickpit development proposal. The package contained a cover letter complaining about council “tactics” whilst not mentioning the fact that Kirrawee Centre Pty Ltd submitted one plan, then added a large retail complex later.
Of course the idea behind this “information pack” is an attempt to bribe candidates into supporting their proposal by asking candidates to fill in and return the accompanying survey in exchange for “free” advertising during the council elections:
To give residents more information about where you stand on this proposal we are giving you the opportunity to participate in a survey regarding the development. We will be publishing the results of this survey extensively in distributed brochures, the media and in advertisements in local newspapers.
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To have your views included and to avoid embarrassment and giving your constituients the wrong impression please have your responsess back by C.O.B. THURSDAY, 21 AUGUST.
Needless to say, the survey is full of loaded questions like
- “Do you support the creation of over 600 full-time jobs in Kirrawee?
- “Are you aware that the most environmentally friendly and economical option is to use this quarry pit for car parking spaces and retail stores, including supermarkets?”
- Are you aware that large amounts of carbon dioxide are being released into the air by Kirrawee residents who are forced to drive all over the Shire instead of being able to do their weekly shopping at a local, convenient shopping centre within walking distance to their homes?
If Kirrawee Centre Pty Ltd are so concerned about CO2 emissions, why are they building 1480 car parking spaces if they expect those “evil polluting” Kirrawee residents to walk to their retail abomination? The answer is that they are not interested in the environment, they do not care how people get to their development nor do they care what people think, they are just another greedy developer chasing the holy dollar.
As far as I’m concerned, they can take their development and stick it where the sun don’t shine. We do not want the Shire turning into some ugly concrete urban jungle with walls that will end up being covered in unsightly graffiti.
Darrin Hodges.
“D” Ward candidate.