JUNGLE DRUM: You Win!
LAWRENCE MASON COLUMN
Dear Douglas Shire Council
Thank you for the opportunity to be on your road reference group. I have appreciated the respectful adult dialogue and have never felt unwelcome. I also appreciate the hard work that DSC staff do to achieve funding for DRFA and other work. It is not easy and if anyone who thinks it is, they are fooling themselves. I don't for a minute doubt that the staff try to do the best job possible, within the confines of workplace process and procedure.
Nonetheless, the last meeting I attended will also be my last. I think it is better for my personal mental health that I don't continue with the process. I was especially affected at the last meeting because I had invited others to attend, and I witnessed at least one of those people become very negative and I feel that some of the responsibility for that lies with me.
It was made crystal clear during the meeting that the group is NOT there to have input into works and potential impacts of business and community but is more there so we can be informed personally of decisions that are already made. Given that this is the case, I can read Council's updates online; I don't need to make time to be told in person.
It was probably around eight years ago that I noted that 'forums' had just become places for the CEO to tell us what had been decided and what had and had not been done. Input from the community is still sought, and allowed to occur, but rarely if ever acted upon. Most decisions, like the work schedule for Noah Bridge repairs, are decided by a project manager and presented. There appears to be no process whereby anyone thinks "Maybe we should talk to the community first?"
In fact, instead of that DSC goes to TPDD and TTNQ, and tells them why it cannot be done differently. With not one local resident or business person in sight. These groups should direct them back to the affected community.
Even when questions are asked or damage to roads reported, there are no processes to action the reports. Holes reported stay in roads for months smashing our cars to bits until somebody decides that the schedule permits that hole to have a splash of bitumen in it. I even tried going direct to the crew that does the work and even at that level essentially got told to 'bog off' in so many words.
Some issues, like what vehicles can use Alexandra Range without an escort bounce from meeting to meeting, presumably because nobody knows the answer. I ended up going to the Member for Cook to get an assurance that funding was actually 100 per cent locked in for Noah Bridge replacement because the information we were given at road reference group meetings did not tally with Council applying for additional non DRFA funding immediately after saying DRFA had funded it.
There seems to be no clear plan for what happens if the temporary causeway which will be used when the new bridge is installed fails, or over tops. Will food and fuel cease at that point? What will happen if hire car companies get nervous about the low-level causeway and direct tourism elsewhere?
Last week TMR slapped a stop work order on the poorly conceived Paradise Palms work, which created tailbacks 5km long. But with 150 people living at Cape Trib, we can only dream of such clout. It’s easy to ignore so few.
DSC has no process at all for seeking input first and modifying plans to consider that input. I can only fervently hope that the new ferry reference group somehow finds the ability to achieve this. Because there is much to do so the new service improves on the old, and it is much much more than just a wider ferry and a new road.
Knowing the above, I must remove myself from the Road Reference Group. I think I am better off reading the updates. I will remain happier and healthier that way
Thank you for the opportunity. I will direct my hopes and dreams at the Ferry Reference Group and pray they are not dashed. You win this time. But know that it is a hollow victory.
Cheers
Lawrence Mason
General Manager
The Mason Family Trust ABN 95251724524
Mason's Cafe/Mason's Store/Mason's Tours/Mason's Farm
Lawrence Mason has lived at Cape Tribulation all his life, and has been involved in farming, timber and tourism. He is a former board member of Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, founding Chair of Daintree Marketing Co-operative, and has been a member of both Alexandra Bay and Mossman State High School P&C. He is also a member of the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and has a keen interest in local issues.
- The opinions and views in this column are those of the author and author only and do not reflect the Newsport editor or staff.
