DSSG: Deafening silence from environment group
RESPONSE DECLINED
The Douglas Shire Sustainability Group – DSSG – has preferred to remain silent in response to further questions we put to the organisation over its funding for court cases and other activities.
Newsport recently published a question-and-answer article in full, about DSSG’s influence in the Douglas Shire on development applications, amongst other issues.
In response to that piece, we received numerous questions and comments from our readers about DSSG’s links to other organisations, and about how DSSG funds its court actions and other activities.
We tried to put some of the questions to DSSG – but despite several attempts at emailing and contacting them by phone, there has been no response.
(Email to DSSG dated Monday, July 3 2023)
To the President and Secretary, DSSG.
Further to the recent question and answer article published on the Newsport website, we received a range of queries from our readers about DSSG and will be doing a follow up article this week.
May we please get responses from you to the following questions:
- In your Q&A with Newsport recently, you responded that "Douglas Shire Sustainability Group Inc, as an incorporated body under the Incorporations Act (Qld), has no direct link to Douglas News Network." Attached are screenshots showing that two officials of the DSSG - Mike Berwick and Laurene Hull - are also on the DNN 'editorial team'. Do you maintain that DSSG has no direct link to Douglas News Network?
- How is DSSG able to fund its court actions and appeals? Do you receive donations from the public towards legal fees in the Planning & Environment court?
- Does DSSG receive public funding, ie. funding and/or grants from local, state and federal governments? Does any of this funding go towards legal expenses such as those required for cases in the Planning & Environment Court?
- Has DSSG ever received, or is it currently receiving, any financial support or donations for such court proceedings from any developers or other businesses?
- Has DSSG ever received, or is it currently receiving, any financial support or donations from any developers or other businesses towards any other causes or campaigns run by DSSG?
- As DSSG is an incorporated body under the Incorporations Act (Qld), as you point out, what are DSSG's obligations to the public for financial and funding accountability? How often do you submit returns available to the public?
Thank you!
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