Opposition to Airlie land swap

The Whitsunday Rate Payers Association (RPA) and Save our Foreshores (SOF) have joined forces and are planning a class action against the local and state government if they proceed with the controversial "landswap" decision in Airlie’s main street.

RPA secretary Tony Moscato said over 90 per cent of the community were against the land swap decision and would fight to keep the foreshore area in the community’s control.

"At the end of the day it will be good for locals and visitors alike. We want to retain the ownership in the control of the community and the best way we know to do this is if council owns the facility. We don’t want it sold to private enterprise," Mr Moscato said.

The plight of RPA and SOF has attracted the attention of the Federal Member for Dawson George Christensen and the LNP candidate for Whitsunday Jason Costigan.

Mr Christensen told the Guardian he had called on the minister for regional Australia to take a look at exactly how the federal funding was being used.

"A number of residents have raised valid questions with me that deserve answering.

"They want to know why the plan is to deliberately put a kink in a perfectly straight road. They have been told it is to open up a view, which would then be partially blocked by a four-storey building," Mr Christensen said.

"The community’s opposition stopped a similar proposal some years ago and it appears Mayor Mike Brunker and the Labor Minister Jan Jarratt are quashing public opinion.

"The Federal funding is supposed to be for the benefit of the community and the community should have a say in what that benefit is," he said.

"I have simply suggested the Minister should ask the council to conduct a proper survey of the community and heed its results.

LNP Candidate for Whitsunday Jason Costigan reiterates he is "all for the revitalisation" of Airlie’s main street and always has been.

"After all, Airlie has been to hell and back and we need to get the town back on a pedestal, like the Airlie of old. Anyone who says I’m against the upgrade must think I’m against Christmas. Who are these people? Are they Labor stooges or members of the Jarratt/Brunker fan club?," Mr Costigan said.

The debate here is about the land swap, Costigan says, which has been endorsed by the Labor Member for Whitsunday and the Labor-leaning Mayor of Whitsunday.

" I believe the land swap isn’t necessary and isn’t wanted, reflected by the views of more and more local people, including members of the Whitsunday Ratepayers Association. What we need is a straight out resumption, just like what happened in Townsville where a McDonalds restaurant was resumed to make way for the redevelopment of Flinders Street.

" I am not alone in this fight and I’m very pleased to have the support of Federal MP George Christensen and Airlie’s resident Councillor Cr Jan Clifford who, let’s not forget, was kept out of the original planning group back in 2009.

"The ratepayers, I know, won’t be going away and nor will the LNP’s ‘Can Do’ man for Whitsunday."