John O'Grady has been fighting on behalf of a number of residents along the Bluewater canal estate on Riverside Parade, Trinity Park, to get a "dredging tax" dumped by Council.
O'Grady fought and challenged the Council's right to impose this tax, and won the battle for his own lot. However is still trying to get the levy, which is around $2,000 per lot, removed for every resident. Most don't even have a boat access from the side of their property.
He took his campaign onto John McKenzie's 846am radio show, following Kevin Byrne's final words on Monday morning. O'Grady highlighted some of the reasons why he felt residents didn't feel included nor listened to under the last Council. I was surprised as I tuned in. This kind of caller would be a rarity in the past. It seemed like there was a new radio show in town.
After his local Councillor Sno Bonneau was returned to office in the weekend election, with a 30% swing from his previous margin, John O'Grady has been trying to get a response. He's hoping for a change of heart from his Councillor and the new Council.
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From: John O'Grady
Sent: Sunday, 16 March 2008 12:24 PM
To: cairnsblog@gmail.com
Subject: A fresh change in the air
Michael, one of those 'good to be alive days' I think.
I have today written to Sno Bonneau and asked him to now support the good people of our community. Here's what we wrote;
Hello Sno and congratulations on your win.
It now appears to be a time for a fresh start in Council and in the way Council deals with ordinary people and their serious concerns.
A hard lesson may have been learnt by those that did not do enough for the communities they were there in their roll to support.
As much as you may not like the idea, there are a number of us that today all feel we helped play a small part in toppling an out-of-touch and arrogant Council.
I now ask you to support the people of Riverside Parade and Bluewater to abandon this ridiculous wealth tax disguised as the 'special levy'.
The issue will clearly not go away and (as you have seen) is gaining momentum and support from beaches people.
Will you support and put forward a motion to abandon the "special levy"?
Kind regards.
John O'Grady
www.wethepeopleofcairns.com
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From: wethepeople info@wethepeopleofcairns.com
Sent: Tuesday, 18 March 2008 9:21 PM
To: cairnsblog@gmail.com
Subject: No answer from Sno
We have again written to Sno
Hello Sno,
You have not returned our email and replied.
As per my comments (on behalf of WTP web site) John McKenzie talk back show on Monday, we fully intend to take the matter of Council's 'wealth tax' (hidden in the 'special levy') to a new level following the election outcome.
John McKenzie has stated he will follow up with you about this ridiculous wealth tax (we will remind him) that the old administration you supported implemented.
Further, and following a meeting with 9 local concerned & affected ratepayers on Monday night, we have all agreed to host a meeting with a national media crew that has shown a great deal of interest in both the web site and what is happening with this Council tax.
I now ask you once again, will you fully support us (boat berth owners, yorkey's and Bluewater and waterfront owners) to propose to move a motion to abandon this travesty in light of Council's Rob Reilly (cairns rates) stating in writing to our question on why we are paying this ridiculous tax Rob Reilly has claimed we are paying for this for a "Safer Access to the Sea" We say:
Since When do private Citizens (some do not even own a boat) have to take responsibility for
Public Safety in a Public Waterway?!!!!!!
If you will not fully support us, will you be available to attend the public meeting with the media to explain your position?
Regards.
John
12 comments:
So our lazy Sno got re elected but not before getting a real fright. He thought he would just slide back into office on the back of those glossy brouchers.
Janine was no pushover as you first thought. Your Mr 75% image has been shattered. Your margin has now been reduced to a meager 7%. You have since confided to your confidants that this is your last term. We all know your fragile ego would not stand defeat.
But while you are there,
No more hiding behind the Mayor image with your false claims,
Mo more 2 months praying trips to India at the expense of local residents representation,
No more sno cover up jobs on issues that effect the residents lifestyle,
The residents in Division 9 will be watching you. They will be on your tail and will be as vigilant as the residents you deserted from Clifton and Palm Cove.
You have no place to hide Electric Sno Ant!!!
It was not so long ago, (October 2007 I think), when Mr O'Grady and his fellow residents at Trinity Park put up on their website, they gave Sno a ranking of 9/10 for being a wonderful friendly and effective Councillor.
My how times have changed.
One by one, Sno alienates his constituents. Welcome to the club!
Those of us living near Saxon Street are waiting (im)patiently for him to get his sorry arse out of Clifton and go live in his new division LIKE HE'S REQUIRED TO. Then perhaps someone will get in and give his dilapidated property a good clean and fix up.
Why should the ratepayers subsidise Bluewater owners for a water amenity when we already pay for road access to their house. Rich bludgers wanting us to pick up the tab for their choice of living near a stinking canal
Hmmm, Residents who bought blocks with water front access and the right to have a boat moored at the end of their block would've realised that the canal would need to be dredged regularly. Before they purchased they could have investigated who would end up paying for this. Was it in the glossy brochure?
I believe in the "User Pays" but only if you have canal frontage. If the boat ramp is public, then one assumes that there will be a charge to use the boat ramp to go towards the dredging.
There is an inconsistency with "user pays" in Cairns anyway, those at Holloways Beach pay a large levy for their rock wall, Clifton Beach owners do not.
Dredging in canal Estates comes with the territory, along with the crocodiles and Bull Sharks that also make these places home.
Why percieve that ordinary hard working people that either live backing onto water or own a marina berth at Yorkeys harbour are rich bludgers. Would you like to swap mogtgages wit them, I don't think so. Good luch to anyone for living the life they want without the tall poppy fear that the real bludgers wish to bestow on them!
Also, The people of Riverside Parade (many have lived there for 15 years) knew nothing about an introduced special levy. It's a public waterway mostly used by the public, guess who should pay the most!
The so called tall poppy is only ever trotted out by those who who rort, bludge and want a subsidy off rest off us also hard working rate payers
Tall poppy is a term used only by the privileged to dismiss legitimate comment on their constant attempt to socialise their expenses and capitalise their accruals.
Australians are supportive & proud of people who do well and pay their own way, all the way
Let the bloody canal silt up and then CEC or one of your other developer mates can build on it
My mortgage is large enough thank you & I don't need help from other ratepayers to reduce it
Blogger "John" [O'Grady]
what makes you a tall poppy? Who put you on a pedastal? Please take the other John [Babet] with you and dissappear.
It is only through a genuine collective community purpose that we will resolve the problems that have developed from the ultra-rightist politics that we have experienced at a Federal and Local level and unfortunately from a thinly disguised 'develop at all cost' State Labour Gov't.
Has anyone noticed that like the ever increasing bulge on Byrne's gut and jowls that Bonneau is following suit, come to think of it Babet is in the same mould. Where has your self respect gone gentlemen?
Great idea, let the bloody creek silt up. That's what some of want anyway you fool! I don't even own a boat so if it silts up, you small poppies will have to drag your tinnies over the mud Ha Ha Ha!!! won't bother me.
i feel sorry for sno, he appears to think life is about the calibre of clothes he wears, fair enough maybe? Afterall what is reality?
Why would a Wookiee, an eight-foot tall Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of two-foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! But more important, you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with this CairnsBlog post? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this CairnsBlog post It does not make sense!
Then again, Sno is laughing and the winner, cos he' sgetting $88,000 a year for nexy 3/4 years for doing nothing!
But then again he will be among the first up against the wall! Correct me if I wrong!
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