We got to hear firsthand that the Department of Transport had based all their decision making and claims of community consultation and support by providing only one option for the people of Cairns to consider. No other option was ever put to the people of Cairns.
These bureaucrats took it upon themselves to decide for the people of Cairns that only one option should be provided for consideration. There are a number of other options available without ripping up City Place, yet bureaucrats decided these other options would not be considered or even put to the people of Cairns. All the claims in the reports, submissions and media releases etc that people supported the current option have been shown to be a farce. The local and state governments have made subsequent decisions based on the information provided to them, which has now been shown to be seriously flawed.
These people further tried to insult our intelligence by saying the community supported this option because if they didn’t people would have protested against it. This shows they just don’t get it. The consultation was a farce. People couldn’t protest about it, because they didn’t know about it. Claims to the Council and State government that this was the preferred and supported option, were not giving the full picture and were misleading.
I am sick to death of out of town bureacrats treating the people of Cairns and FNQ like a bunch of country yokels that don't have a brain in their head, incapable of making informed decisions. These people made representation to the council and government that the bus route through Cairns City Place was the preferred option supported by the people of Cairns. This was clearly misleading as these bureacrats already decided without putting other options to the people of Cairns and that is a disgrace.
We need urgent action from our current elected local Members of Parliament and the Transport Minister to step in and review this farce.
Your description of this process, as told both hear and to the McKenzie jerk is grossly in error. There has been plenty of community consultation on CBD transport, for actually several years. The fact that you show up at the 11th hour and lodge this whinge doesn't change the fact. I was at meetings where at first the Trinity Wharf was pushed by Main Roads, then the reef fleet terminal, then the Cairns Central parking structure. All were criticised by the attendees, and finally the.plan we have now. Elimination of the worthless City Place and buses.back on Lake Street, serving the largest part of the population. As it should be.
ReplyDeleteCouncil the voted to accept this option, over two years ago.
Case closed.
Thanks for the comments Bryan, but you appear to have missed the point. You must have listened to someone else because I clearly made the point in the Mckenzie interview that extensive information sessions were carried out.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is that Transport Dept made the decision to provide only one option, being a route through City Place. People were never given another option. Council did not get to vote on a second option, so it should not have been case closed. someone should have asked "Is there only one option"
Given you used a nickname I don't know if you were at the last meeting but the transport Dept head was clear that THEY decided on the route and ALL consultation after that point was based on that flawed process.
If the people of Cairns decide that is the route they want, then so be it.My problem is having things shoved down our throat and then claims it was community consultation/community supported.-DJ