Letter to the Editor

Hopefully most Hilltops residents are aware of the council elections to be held this coming Saturday (14th September). It is critical that you make sure you know who you are voting for and why. Council elections can often be seen as a popularity contest, where residents vote for the people they know and like. That should be the last thing on your mind when you vote. You should choose those candidates who understand the responsibility of being a councillor and who make the decisions that will you benefit all residents of Hilltops LGA.

The decision by 4 councillors to vote against the approval of the proposed Eulie Piggery and therefore reject the development application simply beggers belief. (I was not able to vote on the matter as I have a separate business interest with the proponent and therefore am conflicted). After 4 ½ years of work and hundreds and hundreds of pages of documentation, a report came to council at the August meeting where every government agency involved, Council’s independent consultant and then council staff recommended that the DA be approved.

On top of all the issues they are charged with examining as part of a DA of this magnitude, the government agencies also considered the concerns of objectors. The agencies made many, many recommendations and included all the necessary mitigation measures to ensure the piggery would be operated safely, as part of their recommendation that council APPROVE the piggery. Despite the overwhelming detail, 4 councillors (Roles, Fitzgerald, Foreman and Dodd) still voted NO. Cr Brian Ingram and Cr Jo Mackay voted for the approval.

The decision of the 4 councillors, goes against everything we as a society are taught from the day we begin school. Our very existence is based on the ability of humans to understand and advance the world we live in through scientific endeavour. The decisions and findings of the professionals who work for the government agencies when considering the piggery application is based on the scientific knowledge they have been taught through their studies and working careers.

Despite this, Hilltops council had 4 people who knew better than the scientists, yet none of them have ever worked in the fields concerned. The objectors have every right to object. Their concerns were listened to and examined by the government agencies, but the facts in the 100’s of pages of pages of documentation didn’t support their fears. The net result is the application by Edwina and Michael Beveridge is now certain to go to the Land and Environment court for determination. Council will have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to defend itself and if they lose the case (which is quite likely), there is the possibility that council may have to pay some of the legal fees of the proponent.

The total cost could get as high as $800,000. So how does that effect you, the ratepayer? It is ratepayers who will have to pay the bill. Council doesn’t have the money sitting in a spare bank account. Services will have to be cut or some works (probably roads) removed from the program. On top of the cost to ratepayers is the kick in the teeth, the 4 councillors gave to the residents of Harden.

My father was on council for 35 years and I have been on council for 16 years. Rarely have I known a development of this magnitude to come before council. Particularly in the case of Harden- the opposite is usually the case. The abattoir closing, Humes Pipes leaving, car dealerships closing, one supermarket closing, RTA depot leaving, railway station no longer staffed. The piggery will cost $15m to build and 25 FTE jobs created once it is operating. Imagine the difference that will make to Harden, particularly, the bakery, the newsagent, the schools, the supply stores such as Thompsons and Harden Bearings and Hardware, Tegra. The list goes on.

With successful businesses comes jobs, families, growth, renewal and community. Now more than ever as technology is taking over many jobs we need investments like the piggery. The same 4 councillors (Roles, Fitzgerald, Foreman and Dodd) were the ones who were more than happy to support staff when they sought to have council introduce a Special Rate Variation, which would have pushed rates up by over 80%. It was only the objections of myself, Ingram, Stadtmiller and the late Greg Armstrong who voted against going out to the public on such a monstrous rate rise. If Fitzgerald, Dodd or Foreman are re-elected at the coming election and the piggery succeeds in their case at The Land and Environment Court, I think many ratepayers would be asking them to resign.

When you vote this Saturday, you must chose a minimum of 6 candidates and make sure you chose the ones who are concerned about the financial performance of council and the businesses who operate in the towns. I will be placing myself, Ingram and Mackay as 1, 2 and 3 on my ballot paper and Dodd, Fitzgerald and Foreman at 14, 15 and 16.

Tony Flanery

This editorial piece is being paid for as part of an advertising package offered to all candidates.