South Burnett accommodation providers call on Mayor to put locals first
Kingaroy NOT For Sale
Tristan Buckley and Colin Buckley.
South Burnett accommodation providers say local family businesses have been left fighting for their future after South Burnett Regional Council's prolonged engagement with the proposed 424-person Tarong West Wind Farm workforce camp at Kingaroy Airport.
Representing the South Burnett Accommodation Providers, Colin Buckley said Council's prolonged engagement with the proposal, provision of landowner's consent and resolution authorising the Chief Executive Officer to negotiate a lease of Council land created a powerful appearance that Council had already positioned itself in support of the workforce camp well before any genuine community consultation had occurred.
Mr Buckley said accommodation providers were not questioning Council's right to consider the proposal, but believed the sequence of events had left many residents and business owners with the impression that the outcome had been largely predetermined before the community had been given an opportunity to have its say.
According to Mr Buckley, Council also appeared to have shown little interest in ensuring the project developer first earned the social licence expected under Queensland's renewable energy framework before the proposal progressed.
He said that instead of insisting the developer first secure genuine community support, Council had helped advance the airport workforce camp concept by engaging with the proposal, providing landowner's consent and authorising lease negotiations before the affected community had been meaningfully consulted.
"Social licence isn't something that can be manufactured retrospectively once the key decisions have effectively been set in motion," Mr Buckley said.
"Communities deserve to be heard before proposals reach this stage, not after Council has taken a series of significant steps that create the appearance the outcome has already been determined."
Mr Buckley released an open letter to Mayor Kathy Duff outlining the group's concerns about the proposal and asked the Mayor to publicly answer a series of questions about Council's decision-making process, governance arrangements and community consultation.
Mr Buckley said accommodation operators and other local businesses had spent decades building the economic and social fabric of the South Burnett.
"Many of our members have invested everything they own into building their businesses. They have also provided human and financial support for local sporting clubs, community groups, schools and charities, helping make our region an incredible place to live.
"We've supported this region for decades and we simply expect our elected representatives to stand beside local businesses before they support the interests of a multinational, overseas-based corporation."
Mr Buckley said the group does not oppose renewable energy developments but believes projects of this scale should proceed only after genuine community consultation and with solutions that minimise impacts on existing businesses and residents.
"As part of that commitment, local accommodation providers have offered to fund the preparation and lodgement of a new Development Application for a workforce camp located on a suitable host property closer to the wind farm construction site.
"We're not just identifying a problem, we've put forward a solution funded from our own money that we believe would reduce traffic, lower transport costs, protect local businesses and community organisations, and help rebuild trust within the community."
The open letter follows Council's recent public comments suggesting some community concerns may be misleading and raises concerns about Council's role in facilitating the proposal on airport land, as well as its position as both planning assessment manager and prospective landlord.
The open letter argues locating the workforce camp at Kingaroy Airport could generate almost six million kilometres of additional vehicle travel during the construction period, creating unnecessary traffic through Kingaroy and Kumbia while increasing costs and pressure on local roads.
Mr Buckley said the uncertainty has resulted in local accommodation providers cancelling plans for 100 permanent local rooms.
“That’s a big investment that’s now on hold so they are determined to see all parties work together to find a better outcome. We are asking the Mayor to bring everyone to the table, that includes Council, RES, accommodation providers and affected residents so we can work towards a solution that allows the project to proceed while protecting existing local businesses and the broader community.
"We believe the South Burnett deserves a solution that earns community support rather than divides it."
For more information, visit the Kingaroy Not for Sale Facebook page.
