THE PRESIDENT of the Organisation Sunshine Coast Association of Residents, (OSCAR), Johanne Wright, has issued a statement, hitting back at the development industry over claims that the Sunshine Coast was ‘closed for business’.
“The Coast (in line with the rest of Australia) is experiencing difficulties following the global economic crisis, and developers are also caught with difficulties in accessing funds which contributes to delays in building, a factor which is just as important to their financial success than is any Council policy.
Council is committed to developing and diversifying the Coasts’ economy in a way that both protects current lifestyle and is sustainable for the future. This requires a more
creative and innovative approach that is not based on excessive growth being the basis for our economy.
We do not need scare mongering tactics being used to frighten the community, instead we need sensible community debate about what a sustainable economy means for the region and how population growth can be better managed.
If the Property Council were to have its way we would see more and more Greenfield sites being opened up and a conurbation sprawl from Tweed Heads to Noosa – something the community has categorically stated it does not want. Surely we can learn from the mistakes of the past. OSCAR urges Council to keep true to its sustainability platform and not to be swayed by unjust criticism.”
Leave a Reply