Brickbat
Cr West has expressed disappointment that four of her fellow Councillors (all male) overruled the sentiment of gender equity equality by failing to vote for her to fill the final spot on the CEO recruitment panel.
I’m sure Scenic Rim residents have lost count of the number of times they have been “disappointed” when Cr West (and Cr Enright) have aligned and voted with the Mayor in relation to motions in Council meetings.
Cr West and her six (male) fellow Councillors were elected by democratic process.
Gender did not play an obvious role. Yet, now that all other attempts to sway the recruitment of a new CEO and to influence the constitution of the recruitment panel were failing, we have played the gender card.
If gender equity on the panel was truly the issue here, by virtue of being the only female Councillor, Cr West would have been appointed automatically, thus undermining the democratic process, which of late is showing some small signs of life at SRRC.
If Council cannot agree to select the panel members based on merit, what hope do we have of selecting a new CEO on that basis?
Brickbat
Council’s Planning Section has again missed a decision deadline for a contentious development application, resulting in the applicant lodging a P&E Court appeal against a deemed refusal.
This relates to MCU21/054 – business/tourist development in a residential area at 713-735 Main Western Road, Tamborine Mountain consisting of onsens (google it – you will be surprised!), cabins, caretaker’s residence and a renovated existing dwelling which actually forms part of the Development Application but was not included in it! 350+ submissions lodged.
This DA has been plagued by a litany of administrative errors by Council – I’ve counted ten so far.
Missed deadlines for information requests, failure to advise applicant that it was required to address the Strategic Framework, verbal extensions of time not recorded, assessment actions not updated, the list goes on.
Perhaps this can be attributed to the revolving staff door in the Planning section?
Who pays for Council’s court cases and legal costs? We do.
Council is still in court (review on 14 July 2022) re a similar failure in 2021 which resulted in an appeal in similar circumstances and which is coming up for an anniversary on 2 August 2022.
Development applications
RAL22/001 – 56 Pacer Ave, Beaudesert. Amendment of Community Title Scheme to increase common property area. Approved.
Lots of applications right across the Scenic Rim for dual occupancy, second dwellings, more bloody cabins, a gym in Canungra, subdivisions and boundary setbacks.
SRRC court cases
Two fresh Planning & Environment court cases against council:
1578/22 – Gillespie -v- SRRC. See Brickbat. Appeal against a “deemed refusal”.
BD1308/22 – Torcross Investments Pty Ltd -v- SRRC. Appeal relates to Council’s refusal of a one into two lot subdivision at 27 Curtis Road, Canungra.
