Howdy dear availees...well, this has escalated quickly...not unlike a frog in a sock on a hotplate, the whole Hastings Cunningham Reserve Sell-off issue has exploded onto Mt Gambier City Councils' official website (see below) and their Instagram...if y'all ain't aware of that which I speak of, please avail y'allselves of my most recent posts...
Since I posted earlier this arvo, I've been onto MGCCs official website and, as promised, researched through their roster of upcoming Information/Briefing Sessions...and, well, rather than repeat myself, here's a copy of my Facebook post about this research...***
As promised, I have conducted further research into the issue of Mt Gambier City Council selling Hastings Cunningham Reserve for housing development.
I again refer to The Border Watch article (Friday 27th Jan 2023) about the Residents and Ratepayers Assoc reforming, and the statement there-in about Council holding a "confidential meeting (about) public housing and Hastings Cunningham Reserve" on 7th March.
I have now reviewed MGCCs' stated roster of every 'Special Meeting' currently planned for 2023, as available on their website.
Go to MGCCs' home page and follow these prompts,
1) Agendas and Minutes, and then
2) Information/Briefing Sessions.
That is a total of 13 'Sessions' up to September, and on dates where there are multiple items, eg, 2 items on each of 3 dates in February, each item is listed separately.
Of 2 items separately listed for 7th March, the "confidential meeting" states "Update Hastings Cunningham Reserve Area and Public Housing".
If MGCC does not plan to sell-off HCR for housing, why are they listed as 1 item?
And even as I type this, MGCC have posted on Instagram an official denial that are planning to sell HCR, stating that they are just seeking to, quote,
"provide a coordinated and strategic planning approach to
the provision and development of sport and recreation
infrastructure, ensuring it is fit for purpose and meets the
community's needs."
Why then, if this meeting on 7th March is about "sport and recreation", why does the notice say "public housing"?
***and here's the notification in full, I've highlighted the subject matter, and also the link...***
Civic Centre, 10 Watson Terrace
Mount Gambier SA 5290
PO Box 56
Mount Gambier SA 5290
Telephone 08 87212555
Facsimile 08 87249791
city@mountgambier.sa.gov.au
mountgambier.sa.gov.au
Reference: AF22/549
MAYOR
COUNCILLORS
CITY OF MOUNT GAMBIER
Members
1. The Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Philpott has arranged an information/briefing session of
the Council to be held in the Council Chamber, Level 4, Civic Centre, 10 Watson Terrace,
Mount Gambier on Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 6:00 PM to discuss the following matter/s:
Update Hastings Cunningham Reserve Area and
Public Housing 7 March 2023, 6:00 PM
2. The session described above will not be held at a place open to the public as the matter to
be discussed is of a confidential nature within the ambit of section 90(3) of the Local
Government Act 1999 being:
(j) information the disclosure of which:
(i) would divulge information provided on a confidential basis by or to a Minister of
the Crown, or another public authority or official (not being an employee of the
council, or a person engaged by the council); and
(ii) would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest;
(m) information relating to a proposal to prepare or amend a designated instrument under
Part 5 Division 2 of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 before the
draft instrument or amendment is released for public consultation under that Act
***...and after posting that (on Facebook), I went back to MGCCs' website, and there in 'News' was their full statement, so, for the record here's my most recent Facebook post providing MGCCs' denial...***
Here is Mt Gambier City Councils' full statement denying plans to sell Hastings Cunningham Reserve (for housing), now also on their official website***
The City of Mount Gambier has no intention of selling Hastings Cunningham Reserve. For some time, the Council has been enquiring with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport about the acquisition of the rail lands adjacent to Hastings Cunningham Reserve, to link the reserve with the popular Mount Gambier Rail Trail.
***...apologies if those multiple (***) cause confusion, but that most recent Facebook post is these 4 slanted paragraphs...and further for the record, here's the straight cut-'n'-paste from MGCCs' website, including link...***
https://www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/news/hastings-cunningham-reserve-not-for-sale
Hastings Cunningham Reserve not for sale
30 January 2023
30 January 2023
To reiterate, the City of Mount Gambier has no intention of selling Hastings Cunningham reserve which is community land. Rather, there is a desire to improve the reserve per the endorsed Sport, Recreation and Open Spaces Strategy, which states the need to develop a master plan for Hastings Cunningham Reserve in partnership with site users. This plan will provide a coordinated and strategic planning approach to the provision and development of sport and recreation infrastructure, ensuring it is fit for purpose and meets the community's needs.
***...(and like wow, that's some sort of denial, twice in 2 paragraphs, 'just to re-iterate exactly what we just said'-Ed)...indeed, that's an emphatic denial of an alleged non-issue...but the fundamental questions remain, 1) why does that Info/Briefing Meeting notification say "Update Hastings Cunningham Reserve Area and Public Housing" if it's actually about "sports and recreation"?...and 2) if the HCR and Public Housing are somehow separate issues, why, relative to every other Info/Briefing Session notification, why are they listed as one item?...furiously emphatic denials directly related to unanswered fundamental questions...
Tomorrow: At This Rate? MGCC Denies Involvement In JFK Assassination?
I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...(can I just say, given you were gunna' give this 'ere blog away, and effectively re-booted just to address this issue, can I just say it's been one shreck of a productive week-Ed)...indeed, so it's cheers and laters until next time...
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