Page 14 - BOL Nov 22 Edition
P. 14

Mayor tells TMR to go back to


                     the drawing board in Griffin








       Moreton  Bay  Council  will oppose  State  “TMR  has  said  they’re  not  currently  botched this process by not gazetting this
       Government plans to resume properties in  investigating that option and they need to  road corridor.
       Griffin.                            explain why.
                                                                                “I was reduced to tears just speaking to local
       Mayor Peter Flannery and Deputy Mayor Jodie  “The Deputy Mayor and I will be going out  families so I can’t even begin to imagine how
       Shipway were briefed by the Department  to meet with impacted homeowners about  they’re feeling right now,” she said.
       of  Transport and Main Roads on the Bruce  all these issues, because we will need their
       Highway expansion proposal today, after last  support in advocating for a better outcome if  “In some cases residents had only received the
       week’s shock announcement broke in the  we’re to succeed.                keys to their homes hours before they received
       media.                                                                   the email, that is just unthinkable.
       “I think everyone can agree that this process                            “It’s  absolutely  galling  that residents were
       was botched from the start and TMR needs to                              notified via email, after business hours, and
       go back to the drawing board,” Mayor Flannery      “                     without any consultation.
       said.
                                                                                media literally one day before the State
       “The fact that there has been no press release,   It’s absolutely galling   “Worse  is  the  fact  that  the  news  broke  via
       no public consultation, and no news until TMR   that residents were      Government’s Housing Summit.
       updated its website with new maps a couple of
       days ago has created a cloud of secrecy around   notified via email,     “How does it make sense for the state
       this process that TMR urgently needs to clarify.  after business hours,   government to announce they intend
                                                  and without any               knocking down new homes, in the middle of
       “Council absolutely supports expanding the                               a housing crisis?
       Bruce Highway, but we cannot support the     consultation.
       way TMR has gone about this.                                             “The announcement was shocking, the
                                                                                timing  is  shocking,  and  I am  choosing  to
       “I will be writing to Minister Mark Bailey asking                        believe that the Ministers weren’t aware of
       him to intervene on his department’s plans and                           the Department’s actions because it defies all
       come up with an alternative road alignment                               logic.
       that doesn’t impact as many homes.  “My concern isn’t just for Griffin, my concern
                                           is for our entire region as we work to  “Fortunately our local member is the Deputy
       “I can only apologise to residents for the horrific  accommodate booming population growth.  Premier Steven Miles and I’m confident he will
       situation they find themselves in because this                           be able to get the government to see sense.”
       wasn’t a gazetted road corridor, which means  “TMR urgently needs to progress its work on
       there was no way for Council or the developer  the gazettal of the Bruce Highway  Western
       to know this would occur almost as soon as  Alternative so we all know the route that road
       their homes were built.             will take and can plan around it.

       “My preferred road option here remains the  “This will be a David and Goliath battle against
       ‘Moreton Connector’ which would not require  a department like TMR, but I sincerely hope
       the resumption of these brand new homes,  common sense prevails.”
       and would instead create a new road along
       existing road reserve.              Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway agreed TMR had
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