Paradise Bums

Tom, you've proved us right again. Developers are scum. Or should that be - the dirt at the bottom of the river?

I see today's Cairns Post reported Hedley has been fined $90,000 for allowing sediment from Tom's Paradise Palms tragic development.

Laurel-Lee Roderick wrote in the Post that Hedley allowed sediment into the protected Deep Creek, classified as an endangered regional ecosystem and is a habitat for native fish, turtles, and other native wildlife.

They were fined an additional $10,000 in costs and plead guilty to two environmental nuisance charges. This is the first time Hedley has been successfully prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The erosion was bought to the attention by neighbours. Magistrate Comans the offences were serious. “When developments such as these are undertaken, the environment must be considered a priority.” Amazingly, no convictions were recorded.

When big fat rich developers do things like this, it make my skin crawl.

I've followed the raping and pillaging of the land at False Cape over the last year. What eternal damage those hill slopes will sustain is beyond comprehension. After this next wet season, a similar tale will probably unfold over there as occur ed at Paradise Palms.

Next time you go driving past a 'development' site. Stop. Take a pic and see what they've done to the surrounding environment.

I watched Council's bed buddy CEC, destroy the green space next to Serpent Hostel a few months ago at top end of Lake Street. You know that chunk of land, one of those many green parks our lovely Council voted that we didn't need recently. Not only was the green space taken away from us, but the trees were ripped out, and now that land is gone forever.

Whilst there may have been some merit to certain "land reassignment" (I think that's what they call it!) I bet your Councillor didn't ask you. Did he/she?

If you need another reason to take these type of decisions back to the people, EPA just gave you another 100,000.