FOR THOSE who are easily offended by everything I do or say, may I suggest you stop reading now.
Please note that all email communications relating to Council issues and requests need to be sent to my Councillor email address and not to my personal address.
The good news: Our Council received a silver award at the 75th Australasian Reporting Awards in Melbourne on May 29, 2025 for its 2023-2024 Annual Report, prepared in-house by a multi-skilled staff member who is currently participating in weight-lifting championships in Europe! These awards are across private, public and NFP industry sectors and Council competed in the Public Sector category. It was an honour to attend the awards on behalf of Council. Finalists for Report of the Year were the Audit Office of NSW, City of Stirling, Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation (the winner), Hort Innovation, New Zealand Police, Perenti Ltd, The Smith Family and Wesfarmers Ltd.
Budget discussions continue. Several submitters made presentations of their proposals, projects and suggestions to Council. Some contained well thought out projects, some didn’t.
It was my pleasure to present Sophie Newman’s petition re Integrated Multipurpose Pathways on Tamborine Mountain to Council at the Ordinary meeting on May 28, 2025. I commend Sophie for taking the initiative in highlighting infrastructure needed by the community to accommodate all mobilities on the Mountain. The petition contained 1,518 signatures and will be considered under Council’s Integrated Transport Plan. Good to see someone so young coming up with solutions – well done Sophie!
Gallery Walk carpark – work progresses, weather permitting. Concerns raised by local residents have largely been addressed by Council, with some proposed changes made including noise reduction 1.8m timber fencing along the southern boundary adjacent to residential properties, with landscaping between the car park and the fence, and the eastern and northern boundaries will have chain mesh fencing. For those wanting a better view of the work underway, take a drive along Huyber Lane at the rear of the site. Council will be releasing a community update this week which will include the net increase in carparking numbers resulting from Stages 1 and 2 (with any luck!).
MCU24/025 30 Kidd Street – granted a further extension for the provision of an information response until June 12, 2025, based on the applicant advancing work on amending the proposal’s design to address matters raised within Council’s Information Request and through feedback from ongoing community engagement; and the preparation of revised technical reports to support amendments to the proposal’s design.
MCU24/174 – 24-34 Macdonnell Road – retirement facility – also granted an extension until 24 July 2025 to provide an information response, due to amending the proposal’s design, and to work on engaging with State Government departments to review the proposal’s design and its compliance with other relevant legislation; and preparation of revised technical reports to support amendments to the proposal’s design. DTMR have imposed conditions: Provide road access works comprising of a left-in / left-out / right out only vehicle crossover and associated centre island; Provide a 2.5 metre acoustic barrier along entire road frontage; and Carry out the stormwater management of the development. Perhaps the real estate agent which sold the property in July 2024 might remove their signage, although it is in better shape than the increasingly deteriorating fence. The “sale” sign has outlived its purpose and needs to go.
MCU23/189 – 19-25 Capo Lane – short-term accommodation – Council has requested an extension to 25 July 2025 with the intent to bring this to the Ordinary meeting on 23 July for a vote. Awaiting response by the applicant. If they do not agree, this will result in a deemed refusal. I believe there are at least 2 Air B’n’Bs on Capo Lane – can someone please provide me with the addresses?
Increased Land Valuations – properties impacted by severe weather events (Cyclone Alfred, the tornado) can seek an extension to lodge an objection.
The Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) has dismissed (another) complaint against me. In this one, it was alleged that I had made “unsubstantiated, libellous and defamatory accusations”, however the Independent Assessor dismissed the complaint under section 150SD(2)(c)(iii) of the Local Government Act which states that (the alleged conduct) “(iii) clearly does not constitute a conduct breach or misconduct“and the complainant has now been advised of the dismissal. The complaint outcome will be published on Council’s Councillor Conduct Register at my request. I was not provided with a redacted copy of the complaint.
The not so good news: The complaint originated as retaliation to the calling out of false and misleading facebook comments made by the complainant against me, which prompted me to seek legal advice. Those comments included that “…I have watched Amanda doing this for the past decade and accomplishing nothing other than getting a court order for costs against herself and the TMPA which caused their closure“…..
I was not in any way responsible for the order for costs made against the TMPA Inc, and consequently nor was I responsible for TMPA’s closure. That comment was defamatory, unsubstantiated and libellous – a point which was lost on the complainant, who, unfortunately, continues to make offensive comments about me on Facebook.
I would not normally make public posted offensive Facebook comments, however when they are blatantly wrong and made against me as a Councillor, I feel I have little option but to call out bad behaviour. Here is one of the latest comments posted in response to my published Cr Comment about rental properties: “Laws apply to some. With our councillor now extending her authority over rental properties on the Mountain, she could become seriously agitated if the indigenous population decided to reclaim their land.” Really? Some of us are clearly on a different planet. Legislation re dwellings exists to protect occupants – I don’t make the laws, however those who rent out dodgy accommodation should be worried. The subsequent post when this one was deleted was just as offensive. Clearly, blocking me from the Facebook page does not prevent the comments from reaching me.
Those who consider themselves to be a martyr to some unknown cause need to ensure that their published comments are factual and able to be substantiated – if not, from this point onwards, I won’t hesitate to report the Facebook page and seek its removal, which would be a shame as some of the posts are useful and informative – but cease to be when they become obsessive and vindictive.
The role of Councillor is difficult and time-consuming enough without the added stress of dealing with those who consider themselves self-appointed activists fighting to bring about change. Please seek help.
