In court, Mr. C Billing attempted to claim ‘ownership’ of the Paterson Central Carpark site in Central Launceston and the court found otherwise.
Apparently, almost at the stroke of midnight for the calling of the Federal Election, this ‘drought grant’ seems to have been reallocated? If it has, the City of Launceston Council should be able to provide details.
However, in response to a question Council management played the ‘dead bat answer’ technique, saying that there is “Nothing to Report”! How can this be? In fact, how can the elected representatives let it stand?
IF the insiders at Town Hall are not telling Councillors and their constituency information they need right NOW in order to make informed decisions at ‘election time’ why not?
IF the city’s elected representatives and Council’s executive – all on mega salaries – cannot provide insights in regard to such anticipated expenditure shifts why not? What legitimate ‘commercial in confidence’ or ‘operational issues’ could possibly be in play here?
Apparently, Launceston’s brand new front line project that is said to have “strong community interest, benefit and support” for this money is that it goes to a developer’s vision, namely the kanamaluka CULTURAL CENTRE - a $60m so-called landmark arts facility, hoped to be a real vote winner for Bass Member Archer.
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Bass voters with an eye on the electorate’s real needs harbour deeply felt hopes and aspirations. They see that such a use of this PUBLIC MONEY is what it would be, a bizarre misuse of funds, if diverted to this purpose.
With the inevitability of the ‘cultural centre’ sitting right on the flood plain, not even in Northern NSW or Queensland could this deal float in a climate change world.
With failed flood mitigation infrastructure leaving the diabolic devastation that it did in Lismore that we have all witnessed on our TVs for weeks now – we are alert to the folly.
As surely as day follows night Launceston’s so called ‘flood mitigation’ will be exposed to an extreme weather event and, like in Lismore, the flood plain will flood.
Anyone who remembers the 2016 flood in Launceston will know that the city’s levy banks came within “an inch or two” of failing.
But is this just fake news? If so, why is it apparently being hinted at during a background press briefing? Who has lost that recently much spoken of 'Moral Compass' that guides good people at times like this?
There are more questions but these here need to be answered first.
