battle for wello pt lost, the WAR continues...

[ozynorts]

I am wondering if the strategy should be changed to "include" those who are doing the wrong thing. They are parking there because there aren't enough spots for them to park elsewhere. They are facing the same problem as you are.
Get someone who has a way with words to get an online petition going that is directed at the council and basically says that there is insufficient parking at Wello point. Use the council and state guidelines in relation to parking requirements in the petition and sign it off as "The Users and Rate Payers of Redlands Council"
Some of the wrong doer's don't have any idea they are in the wrong, some have an idea that it is wrong and take the chance anyway and others that don't care either way. The last group won't change. The others might if they are made aware and there is some where for them to park.
My point is to get them involved and present a united voice to council and then see what they say.
You could also get the local businesses to sign it. They will want more parking. If the users and businesses are wanting the same thing they might listen.

[netmaker]

I am wondering if the strategy should be changed to "include" those who are doing the wrong thing. They are parking there because there aren't enough spots for them to park elsewhere. They are facing the same problem as you are.
Get someone who has a way with words to get an online petition going that is directed at the council and basically says that there is insufficient parking at Wello point. Use the council and state guidelines in relation to parking requirements in the petition and sign it off as "The Users and Rate Payers of Redlands Council"
Some of the wrong doer's don't have any idea they are in the wrong, some have an idea that it is wrong and take the chance anyway and others that don't care either way. The last group won't change. The others might if they are made aware and there is some where for them to park.
My point is to get them involved and present a united voice to council and then see what they say.
You could also get the local businesses to sign it. They will want more parking. If the users and businesses are wanting the same thing they might listen.

there are lots of problems here:
1. council doesn't want to spend money.
2. council doesn't want to collect money and piss off tourists.
3. they are not making any more land down there, nor will green laws allow reclamation.
4. if they remove se playground area and bitumen it for cars, another hundred cars will be down there.
5. residents at top of hill get pissed off with cars (and more so) trailers parked out front.
6. 1 local loony lobbying for kite surfers/wind surfers to share trailer bays.

strangely, problem number 6 seemed to have quite an effect on council conversation. as soon as one councillor proposed sharing bays another piped up with "not just trailer bays, but car bays too." so our geniuses in council who know better than their advisers found themselves talking about allocating 6 car bays to wind/kite surfers. and i thought the whole affair was about trailer bays. so goddamned frustrating listening to the waffle...

i think it would prove very helpful to set up a poll here. some questions require voting on.
1. in favour of total block out or softer approach?
2. will you participate if hardline approach adopted?
3. are you prepared for multiple attacks, um bbq's?

can someone with the know how to do this please pm me?

[netmaker]

further today: sent thank you emails to councillors murray elliott and lance hewlett for their votes. received pleasant emails from both today. no replies from emails sent yesterday to paul bishop and karen williams. funny that.
no replies yet from sunfish or marine queensland.
no replies from courier mail.
signed up another protester at work tonight (and a new client at that) - we are at 52 now!
call back from 4bc. lined up for an encore performance sunday night at 7.15 with dave downie.
spoke to msq general manager and told "right bloke" would call me back. still waiting on that 1.
called judith kerr at the bayside bulletin. you can check out her story here http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/
she also took a few words from me today for the next one?

[OODIES]

You are relentless Davo and that is just what the doctor ordered in this case.
Will be listening Sunday night for sure mate.
I'll record it and send it to you, same as last time, so you can have a listen.
Go hard mate and thanks.

BINGO

[netmaker]

still no luck with maritime safety queensland, the mayor, paul bishop or the courier mail. sent this letter to the editor of the local today:

i attended my first council meeting tuesday 4th of september. the agenda included parking at wellington point reserve. what i bore witness to beggars belief. apparently the experts that council employs know nothing as our wise elected leaders decided to overrule their own officers' recommendations concerning penalty enforcement of illegal parking at the point. instead they have proposed a "trial period" of "shared parking" whereby people without trailers will be able to park legally in 11 of the trailer bays. for those that dont know: state govt recommendations dictate that there should be 135 trailer bays at the point. there are 75. now council wants to take another 11 back leaving ramp users with less than 50% of what is recommended. redlands boaties pay rates and boat rego of which a percentage is remitted to council from maritime safety qld for ramp and parking upkeep. it appears that council is more interested in attracting more tourism to the point than providing the services that we already pay for. those in the know are well aware that due to council apathy the whole damn carpark has been under a "shared" basis for a long time now. kudos to councillors murray elliott and lance hewlett for their votes and raspberries to the rest of them.

[Boat Hog]

Dave, one suggestion ... (among the many).

I suggest it would be a good idea to figure out some sort of flyer or fact sheet to hand out. Not so much for the public, but for those involved in any protest.

The media is very adept at turning up at this type of thing and interviewing someone that 'hasn't got a clue' why they are really there or what the issues are and making everyone look like a pack of mindless drongos. So, it would be wise to have everyone singing from the same song book.

Not saying you should be writing up a manifesto, but rather a 'cheat sheet' of why you are doing this and what you want to achieve.

Get Clever
Get Organised
Show a United Front

Cheers,

[netmaker]

cheers jim. i have done up a flier referring to this thread and also with my mobile number on it. i am down at wello pt most mornings (fair weather mornings) putting fliers under boaties wipers. i also hand these out to my tax clients. i have also enlisted the help of a PR expert who will be helping with the protest strategy.

I have just been talking to msq and unfortunately they cannot do too much. apparently they own the "wet" part of the facilities and council the "dry." nonetheless i was advised that they can and will contact council on our behalf expressing their "concern." i figure this is still better than nothing and the more help the better.

[mowerman]

Davo.

Don't expect anything from Paul Bishop.
He is part of AMCS and the Wilderness Society(Boltass mob)
Fishermen are evil.

Email sent to Beard and Williams.
I know both through Saint A's.
Also, 2/3rds of my customers are pensioners.
And they love to spread the word.

Rod
40 year resident of the shire.

.

[mowerman]

Karen,thank you for the phone call.

Yes, this thread is being read.

A trial only and the rules will be enforced on weekends. Enforced.

We will see how that goes.

Rod

.

[netmaker]

hi rod. considering i was just informing them that their vote cost them my vote i am not really expecting a reply from paul nor karen.

as mentioned earlier i had a good chat today to the "right bloke" at msq. a very efficient man, he emailed me a copy of the email he sent to rcc infrastructure manager this afternoon. he doesn't want it posted up, which i will respect. suffice to say i was happy with his effort and the fact he bothered to spend time on it today. he also suggested emailing the minister, so tomorrows email off to scott emerson.

also picked up another protester today. another new client who also took a handful of fliers to give to his mates.

[tropicrows]

Below is a copy of my email sent to Redlands council, and below that the response I received back from Paul Gleeson.

Dear Councillors,

The recent decision, which went against the recommendation of your own officers, was a slap in the face for them and the boating community in this City. Does this mean that your own officers do such a poor job, there recommendation are to be ignored.

Already, parking available for boat parking at every single boat ramp facility in this City is below the numbers set out in the standards and guidelines set by the State Government. And now, you have made it even worse with the decision to try some form of shared parking at Wellington Pt ramp. The council cant even police the existing parking problem let alone when you make it more complicated. Does this also mean that if all boat parks are occupied a car and trailer can park across a number of car parks if they are free !!!! and will not be fined.

We boaties are residents too, and in addition to our rates which help cover parking at reserves such as Wello Pt, we also pay fees to Qld Transport each year, part of which goes towards boat ramps and associated facilities including car parking at boat ramps. As you know, Qld Transport funds Council to do much of this work on their behalf. So we pay for, and are entitled to get, better service on issues such as this from you, our elected Councillors.

We are not asking for special treatment, we just ask that the services we are currently getting at Wellington Pt are maintained and improved, not eroded even further below the accepted standards set by the Government than they already are.



Hi Bruce,

Having read your email and comments from Dave in the local paper, it seems that you’re not happy. I’m under the assumption that you wanted more consistent policing at Wellington Point to avoid the problems that the boaties have been facing for years. I have stated that council must have more regular, and more consistent policing of the area and I’ve also suggested that the fines should be increased to $200 to really deter the illegal parkers. I don’t really see the implementation of one row of shared car parks after 1pm being a problem for boaties. I’ve been using Wellington Point for years now and probably know the area almost as good as you and Dave. What it will do, is appease many of the complaints that may arise from increasing the fines to $200. I’m sure the benefit of improvement in the morning situation will far out way losing a few bays in the afternoon.
If however, you’d like to remain with the status quo, I’m happy to leave things as they are and go back to the officers recommendation but, that doesn’t seem to be working too well... up to you.
Feel free to give me a call if you’d like as I’m happy to help find a solution.
Regards


Paul Gleeson
Councillor for Division 9
paul.gleeson@redland.qld.gov.au

[TREVELLY]

Hi Dave/Bruce,

This consultation and decision making process by Council appears to be a bit fragmented and disjointed.

I hope through communicating with them you get clarity and purpose back.

Paul Gleeson - a good result would be officers recommendations. You are dealing with two issues - one is parking spaces available and one is level of deterent. Do you believe the fine as it stands is not a deterent? Any fine would be a deterent to me - but $200 is not a money grab? Why get their recommendations and disregard them?

Dave, you will find that softly gently will be ignored. Just keep it legal (not suggesting you would do otherwise)

If you choose protest - get two or three people as designated spokes persons so the message is consistent. Others simply refer the enquirer to them.

Bruce I did copy and send your letter on.

If I can assist I will.

[netmaker]

thanks bruce. i must be missing something here. is he suggesting we may somehow get a better quality of policing if we give up these extra bays? all these extra bays will do at best is accommodate another 22 cars. those of us that use wello know that this will make stuff all difference. last sunday saw more than 120 illegally parked cars. like we can really expect cars 23 and onwards to drive on past. all this will do is confuse the matter more. people will see cars parked in trailer bays and will then do the same. they dont pay attention to signage now. what makes council think they will all of a sudden start obeying them? it would be great to see the fines increased but with councils history of reluctance to penalise offenders i would be very surprised to see it happen. as far as appeasing complaints go, stuff em. do the crime, pay the fine.

[netmaker]

and this from the bayside bulletin: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/st...oposal/?cs=212

please note the "your comments" section at the bottom and add yours.

[netmaker]

and another letter in the bulletin this week about an unhappy family that were kicked out of their gazebo at raby bay because another family had "reserved" the gazebo and had the paperwork from council to prove it. what is this crap? our public facilities are available for rent or do you just call and reserve for free? if so, maybe we should be emailing council with trailer parking reservation requests?