September 3, 2012
Local Greens spokesman Grant Newson said today the South Burnett Regional Council’s public consultation on the proposed sale of part of Kingaroy’s Adermann Park was disappointing, and that its actions in approving the sale to a private school were “shameful”.
In an email to the Council’s CEO, Mayor, Local Government Minister David Crisafulli and Environment Minister Andrew Powell, Mr Newson said that – unlike the South Burnett Regional Council – he had personally doorknocked houses on Ivy Street to assess the views of residents living near the park.
“100 per cent of the people I spoke to had concerns about this proposed sale and losing a portion of the park,” Mr Newson said.
“Local residents claim that the park is regularly utilised by themselves and many others.”
Mr Newson said other concerns residents had raised during his Ivy St doorknock included current and future traffic congestion and parking problems, loss of public access and the loss of flora and fauna in the park if the sale proceeded.
Mr Newson also said he thought the views of the Adermann family on the matter had been misrepresented.
“Cr Tessman stated that he had made contact with the Adermann family and reported (to Council) that he believes the family is just very happy to have been thought of during this process,” Mr Newson said.
“My understanding is that the family are glad for the opportunity to express their views on this matter, but are disappointed with the thought of losing a portion of the legacy left in the family’s honour.”
Mr Newson said the issue had been “pushed through”.
“It is disappointing to think that Council are trying to push this issue through without public consultation as Adermann Park was left as a legacy to the people of Kingaroy,” he said.
“It is also shameful that Council are trying to turn this public park into privately owned property without proper consultation of the people of Kingaroy or (the South Burnett) shire.
Mr Newson said he doesn’t support the sale of Adermann Park and believes that St John’s School should buy land elsewhere for its future expansion needs.
He has called on Council CEO Ken McLoughlin to conduct an investigation into the matter.
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