Freebody's faceless FaceBook and a 15-year old schoolboy

Rodney Hudson, a 15-year old schoolboy, may have saved the day for waterpark developer of Paul Freebody.

Hudson set up a Support For A Cairns Water Park FaceBook page just a few weeks ago, and within days, over 7,500 "supporters" joined up. There's now just over 8,000 members of the Facebook group.

However, in an interview with ABC's new drive presenter Ginger Gorman, a self-described gypsy, Rodney admitted that a lot of the supporters were not from Cairns. Gorman, with a unique high-pitched voice, lined up the schoolboy against Mayor Val Schier, who was simply not prepared with a decent answer when it came to tourism ideas.

Here's the interview...

Here's the letter that Rodney sent to the Mayor...

• Dear Miss Val Schier,
  
  I aa 15 year old Cairns resident currently attending Trinity Bay State High.
  
  I have noticed in the last few wweks some discussion about Mr Paul Freebody planning on building a Water Park at Smithfield. I also noticed that the council rejected permission to construct this water park due to flooding, environmental and planning concerns and although considering these factors is a great part in protecting the Cairns community from over development and potentialy threatening the Great Barrier Reef, as far as the public is aware the council has not proposed another site for a Water Park to be built.
  
  The Adventure Waters Water Park be ideal for Cairns. With Cairns' unemployment rate alarmingly high at the moment and the Global Financial Crisis, this Water Park would create many jobs and help boost tourism within the Cairns region and with Cairns being a tropical environment tourists are always looking for a way to cool off. I have also noticed a bit of discussion about tourism in Cairns recently, with a Ukulele Festival being proposed as an anual event to attract tourists to Cairns.
  
  While this idea is supported by a few Cairns residents and strongly by the yourself, there have been a lot more residents disagreeing with this idea as Cairns' way to attract more tourists to the region. A Water Park would attract a lot of tourists to the Cairns region and it could easily be themed with the Great Barrier Reef which is what most tourists come to Cairns to see. And the ukulele festival could still go ahead as the Water Park is a private project by Mr Freebody and won't come at much, if any, cost to Cairns.
  
  I have taken it upon myself to start a facebook page for people that support the idea of Adventure Waters Water Park as facebook is an easy way for people to express their opinions on topics and often get a point accross. There hav well over 2500 people so far that support this idea from around Cairns and from people that would visit Cairns if it had a Water Park.
  
  I strongly reccomend you take a minute to start a facebook page easily accessible by people of the Cairns Community so that u can easily be contacted and people would feel a more personal relationship with you. And after that it would greatly be appreciated if you took some time to look at the page and see what the people of the cairns community think about having a Water Park. I know you have a busy schedual and may not be able to do this but as i mentioned it would be greatly appreciated. To access the page you will need a login for facebook and go to the following link.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to read this and I am looking forward to your response,
  
  Yours Sincerely,
  Rodney Hudson
  [NB: copied as per original letter]

..and the Mayor's reply...

• Hello Rodney
  
  Thanks for your email and for taking the initiative to start up a facebook page. I will certainly take your views into consideration.
  
  I’m not sure where you got the idea that the council has “rejected permission to construct this water park” as that statement is not correct.
  
  The council actually voted unanimously to defer a decision on the proposal until there could be further consideration of some issues related to flooding and car parking. We could have voted on it this week but I understand that Mr Freebody himself has postponed the application going to council until 28th October.
  
  You have brought the ukulele festival proposal into the debate; the people behind this initiative will do the same as Mr Freebody and put forward a proposal that council will vote on depending on how it fits into our corporate and land use plan. People running the Jazz/Blues festival will do the same thing as will other developers who have proposals that they want Council to consider.
  
  I’ve had a Facebook page for years Rodney and people often use that as a medium to contact me and to give me their points of view.
  
  Thanks.
  Val
  
  Cr Val Schier
  Mayor, Cairns Regional Council

Rodney hit back at those who said he didn't write his letter to the Mayor...

"No my father didn't write the email. I know that you may not believe that a 15 year old is capable of writing an email like that, but it was written by me with absolutely no help or input from my father," Rodney said. "If you read the email again you will see that i didn't at any point mention her ideas as being 'stupid'. I simply stated the truth that there are more people that disagree with the ukulele festival as the way to attract Cairns' tourists."

"And lastly, the site at which the water park will be built is not going to put any place at risk of flooding. The concerns by the council were that the park wouldn't have enough parking spaces and that it may be flooded... not Yorkey's Knob. I dont see why everyone is getting so worked up about the location on the water park," Rodney Hudson says. "Where it gets put is up to Mr Freebody... all we are waiting for is Council to give it the go ahead. There is no way Council would ever let a major water park be built in South Cairns because they would lose their money from sugar world because everyone would be going to the bigger water park."

Here's some of the banter from the Facebook page...

Jim McMann wrote on October 12...

• I think everyone is favour of a waterpark. Just not in this location.Freebody was offered other, more appropriate locations adjacent to Skyrail. He refused. Freebody is a greedy bastard, odd for someone who claims to be a "born-again Christian". And anyone that thinks this is a "tourist attraction" has rocks in their head.
  
  NO ONE is going to come to Cairns for a water park, especially a lame little one like is proposed when there is a huge, spectacular water park at the Gold Goast. No construction should be allowed in the Barron River floodplain.

Rikk Altree wrote...

• This won't be built, get used to it. Freebody is an arsehole. Unless he moves somewhere else it won't be built, not by him anyway. The good news is, it wasn't going to be built with his money anyway, so maybe the company putting the money up will do it off their own back.
  I support a water park, and have done for many years, but NOT where Freebody wants to put it, on a bit of cheap, flood prone agricultural land he bought years ago.He was caught last week trying to alter the course of a creek on the site, only a broken track on the digger stopped him.
  The man is an arsehole, have any of... you read or heard the remarks he made about the female councillors?The water park should be constructed in Edmonton or Gordonvale, not where dickhead wants to put it.

Paul Freebody

• WOW over 7300 hits and nearly all supporting the Park. Thanks to everyone for their great support! Just for the record if my memory serves me correctly Rikk Altree was sacked for stealing from our business! Hence his rude comments on this site.

Greg Howarth

• why would we support another paul freebody project, he didnt care for cairns when a councillor, now he wants council to fast track his project.

Darren Anderson

• I think there is a deliberate reason why tourists aren't encouraged to the south side of Cairns... quite simply it isn't very nice down there. Someone mentioned that we should be letting the tourists see 'what the rest of Cairns has to offer'... all the southside has to offer is graffiti and low-bud...get housing developments. The southside simply doesn't have what is required to support or even supplement a tourist market.

Leaha Coxon

• yep we need somrthing like this in Cairns increase our unemployment

Howie Thomas

• I think Council will approve you Paul but i think they will garnt approval for a limited time period (18 months from date of approval to be up and running) and with you as the developer to see if you keep to your word.. I think that would be fair...cos you said some things in the heat of battle and whilst they cannot stop the people wanting this... they definitely want you to fall on your arse unfortunately.

Brett Youwish

• Mustnt be enough in it for the councilors to take positive action over it. You can bet your last dollar that if it effected them directly it would be pushed to the top of the adjenda ASAP and decided on that night just like their pay rises.

But wait, there's more Under-Waterworld adventures

Next Wednesday, the Cairns Regional Council is being asked to consider opening up the Barron River Delta to development.

It's a monumental change in land use for the flood-prone and vulnerable land that stretched from the Freshwater, and North to Caravonica.

The discussion on CairnsBlog over recent months about the proposed water park, is not in objection to it. It is however in objection to the use of the Barron River delta for commercial development. The evidence is substancial and compelling to not use this land for this type of development.

It's clear that many Councillors have been lobbied over recent weeks and been hoodwinked over a fake Facebook page that appears to have thousands supporting the venture only days after it was set up.

Here's a few further comments in addition to last week's article that we cheekily called The Official Under Waterworld Unfeasibility Study.

Government Gestapo Tax, commonly known as GST, could impact either entry prices or profitability to Paul Freebody's waterpark. If it has to be added on top of the gate prices, as mentioned in Thursday's article, it would increase them by 10%, making going for a visit even less affordable. If it is included in the prices, it will reduce the gross income.

One eleventh of the entry price will be the GST payable, less input costs, of course. Items such as wages, compulsory superannuation contributions, workers compensation and payroll tax, which added up to some $3,081,550 in the guesstimate, do not include GST, so they are not included in input costs.

If Paul Freebody's operating costs were $5.4 million per anum, around $3 million of this amount would not include GST, thus leaving around $2.4 million, including GST. One eleventh of $2.4 million is around $218,000 to be offset against GST payable. If Paul only achieves annual sales of $5.4 million (inclusive of GST) then the GST collected would be around $490,000, leaving GST payable of around $272,000. So, if the operating costs were $5.4 million, he will still be liable to pay around 5% of gross sales in GST, even when the total of those sales is merely equal to the operating costs, thus resulting in a trading loss. One of the insidious effects of GST is that businesses can still have to pay it even in situations when where they are trading unprofitably.

Another factor, which may also affect Mr Freebody and his One-Man Excavator Attraction, is the interest if he is borrowing heavily to fund the project. A major expense will be advertising and promotion if he wants to seriously compete with the 500+ other local tourism and entertainment venues, many of which are constantly in the media.

If he plans to attract a large number of tourists, he will also need to promote his venue in local hotels and accommodation houses. Any local operator will tell you how difficult, and costly this is. It entails producing and printing clever glossy, full-colour brochures, which are then placed by Morgan Freeman Promotions, or Tour Dex in their display stands alongside brochures of hundreds of other offers. This is a charged service.

Furthermore, when the hotel’s tour desk arrange bookings for their guests, they receive a commission that can be as high as 30%. The operator has to absorb this cost, something that many local tourism businesses have asked Tourism Tropical North Queensland to intervene on, but never have. In fact, they don't even have a policy on it.

Now all this talk of entry prices and how it could affect anyone who wants to go to the flooded amusement park, may not interest the Council as they deliberate tomorrow, but it may well interest potential investors and bankers. Although Paul Freebody denies he will want to flog off the land with any Council-approval, there's a possibility he would do that to recoup his costs to date.

This whole torrid saga reminds me of a story told many years ago about how EPT won the massive contract to build the East Coast microwave network for PMG, the forerunner of Telstra and Australia Post. The story goes that EPT was the front runner for the contract, even though they had not carried out any major contracts in Australia, but had to provide proof of their ability to carry out such an enormous project.

They signed an option on an undeveloped 10 acre block of industrial land in Sydney and hired a D8 dozer for half a day. The machine was levelling the site when executives visited, and were suitably impressed. When the contract was awarded, they went to see the big bosses in Italy to secure the funding, and the rest, as they say, is history.

A classic example of who dares wins. Can history repeat itself at Dillon Road?

Another snippet from history from a CairnsBlog reader comes to mind. During one of the major floods in the early 70's, some wag placed a sign supported by the old timber handrails of the pedestrian crossing on the north side of a drain opposite the youth centre on Mulgrave Road. That area of Mulgrave was completely inundated with the flooding and locals were travelling around the CBD in boats. There was even an article in the Cairns Post regarding someone catching a Barramundi in Shields Street. Dave De Jarlais was the mayor of Cairns at the time. A sign appeared and read "Lake De Jarlais: A Cairns City Council Project". A photo of the sign was published in the Cairns Post, along with the response of the mayor and the Council, who were furious.

Should Paul Freebody's waterpark be approved by Cairns Regional Council, and when the site is flooded during the upcoming wet season, I will have my own sign ready for installation at the Dillon Road site: "Lake Freebody: A Cairns Regional Council Project".

During a Council election some years back, someone installed a sign near St Mary's, thanking then Councillor Freebody for the slip lane. I don't think he paid for it himself. Of course it was some simple self-promotion.

Here's a personal tour from local environmentalist, Terry Spackman, of the waterworld site at Dillon Road. It also shows the waterway system that Paul Freebody is interfering with and how the proposed 'Bund Wall' will simply block it off and disrupt neighbouring properties.

The reasons Paul Freebody deserves his waterpark approval

The Official Under Waterworld Unfeasibility Study

With all the bullshit floating to the top of the Barron River water table about Paul Freebody's proposed Waterpark, I thought we'd do a little maths.

Thanks to Jeremy Blockey, chief of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, who also runs Blockey Consulting, he has done an economic impact statement for Paul Freebody's Under-WaterWorld, planned to be situated right in the middle of an active river system, just north of Cairns.

Blockey concludes that the project is a $30 million investment, producing 57 full time jobs (not 200 as Freebody and the Cairns Post keep ranting on about), with an annual $2.7m wage bill.

With the help of a CairnsBlog reader, here's a few quick "back of a beer coaster" calculations, result in the following operating costs, excluding wages:-

• Rates
  
• Water charges.
  Present rate is $1.03 per kilolitre for commercial users. Would expect massive water usage with initial filling, maintenance, evaporation, splashing and visitors showering.
  
• Electricity.
  Would expect costs to be high with water pumping, filtering, chlorination, power, and security lighting
  
• Property insurance on large capital investment
  
• Public liability insurance on activity with risk of injuries or drowning.
  
• Workers compensation.
  Based on the Queensland average premium of 1.15%, the cost on $2.7 million would be $31,050 per annum.
  
• Compulsory superannuation contributions.
  9% of $2.7 million is $243,000
  
• Payroll tax.
  Approx. $107, 500 per annum on $2.7 million total wages if only entity. Higher if other related entities also pay wages.
  
• GST
  
• After hours security
  They didn't catch the CairnsBlog photographer last week.
  
• Maintenance costs including repairs and chemicals
  
• Telecommunications costs
  
• Vehicle expenses
  
• Etc, etc, etc

As an off-hand rule of thumb, one could realistically expect the other costs to at least equal, if not exceed, the wages total.

Paul Freebody has "conservatively estimated" annual visitor number to be around 250,000, based on some neighbouring tourism ventures are achieving.

• Even if he achieves this figure, based on an annual operating cost of $5.4 million, he would have to charge $21.60 admission per person just to break even.
  
• At 100,000 visitors per annum, the cost rises to $54.00 per person. After investing $30 million, he would probably expect a return on investment of 10% to 20%, equating to $3 to $6 million per annum.


• At 250,000 visitors per annum, a 10% ROI is $12, and a 20% ROI is $24 per visitor.
  
• At 100,000 visitors per annum, a 10% ROI is $30, and a 20% ROI is $60.
  
• Thus, if the operating cost assumptions are correct, even if he achieves 250,000 visitors per annum, and he is happy with a 10% ROI, he will need to charge every visitor $33.60.
  
• If Freebody wet dream only achieves 100,000 visitors per annum, and he requires a 20% ROI, the charges rise to $114.00 per visitor.

A little Google research provided the following details on some leading local tourism ventures.

• Kuranda Scenic Railway: 500,00 visitors per annum. One-way fare Adult $41, Child $21, Family $103. Return fare Adult $61, Child $21, Family $153


• Skyrail: Visitors per annum confidential Investment $35 million One way fare Adult $41 Child $20.50 Family $102.50 Return Adult $59 Child $29.50 Family $147.50
  
• Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park: Visitors per annum 150,000 (2006) Investment $10 million Adult $33 Child $16.50 Family $82.50
  
• Green Island: Visitors per annum 385,000 (2004) Adult $73 Child $36.50 Family $183
  
• Paronella Park: Visitors per annum, around 150,000. Adult $32, Child $16, Family $86 (admission includes unlimited return visits for 12 months, nice.)
  
• Cairns Tropical Zoo: Adult $32 Child $16 Includes returns for next 2 days Yearly Pass Adult $56 Child $28 Family $140
  
• Sugarworld: Adult $12, Child 5-14 years $10, 3-4 years $4, 2 years and under free, Family $38
  
• Wet n Wild Gold Coast: Adult $49.95, Child $32.95. Annual pass: Adult $145.95, Child $95.95

Sugarworld at Edmonton, only opens on weekends, public holidays and school holidays, obviously as the majority of visitors are locals who either work or attend school.

Whilst Paul Freebody could realistically expect a lot more tourists on his pie-in-the-sky visitor numbers, he would still have a much higher number of visitors on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

As there are 11 weeks of school holidays in Queensland, 42 weekends outside school holidays, and 4 public holidays outside school holidays, there would be 165 busy days and 200 quiet days.
On an assumption that visitor numbers would be 4 times greater on 165 days than on the other 200 days, then visitor numbers on the busy days would be 465 daily based on total visitors of 100,000 per annum, or 1,162 daily based on total visitors of 250,000 per annum.

The lower number, which is in keeping with his planned number of car park spaces, would result in extremely high entry prices, or very low gross income.

The higher number, which is in keeping with his expected visitor numbers, would require a much larger car park. He's planned on less than 200. Council say 700 is the minimum. Deputy Mayor Cochrane wants a compromise at 300.

Visitor numbers could also be expected to be lower during inclement weather during the annual wet season, and during the winter when unheated public pools actually close for the season.

I bet you didn't know, but in the 1980’s, a water-slide facility operated on a site on the western side of Lake Street near where the Playpen used to be. It used to be very popular prior to some moron placing old razor blades in the water, resulting in a few visitors sustaining cuts. There was a considerable amount of concern following the incident, with many visitors and former visitors worried about it occurring again, and the facility eventually closed down.

Some of the slides were transported to another water park in South East Queensland, and the remainder ended up at Sugarworld. I think the Lake Street facility was called Cairns Waterworks.

Now, where do I send my consulting bill to Paul? I mean, we are here to help.

Some food, and numbers, for thought.

Freebody defers Council waterpark vote

In an about face to Cairns Regional Council's deferral two weeks ago, Barron River waterpark proponent Paul Freebody, has requested that the Council not now consider his development application at next week's Planning and Environment meeting.

Freebody has asked that it be held over for another week, "so I have more time to consider the additional conditions."

One on the 40 additional conditions, was the substantial lack of car parking. Planner said he needs to provide 750 car parks, however only 200 were in the applicant's plans. Likewise, 30 were allocated for staff, yet Freebody has said there will be "over 200 staff employed."

Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane, a supporter of the applicant, is wanting a compromise and suggest that "300 car parks should be enough."

Some Councillors have made it known that a complete redesign of the park was needed, however Paul Freebody is clinging onto his cramped design that doesn't take the effects of roading infrastructure off the highway and the use of Dillon Road by large agricultural vehicles.

In the same correspondence requesting removal of the agenda item, Freebody noted that Councillor Linda Cooper would not be available at next Wednesday's meeting.

So the real reason that he has asked for his own deferral, is he'll be counting on every vote, after his outburst on radio two weeks ago, when he publicly insulted the female Councillors, calling them "witches and bitches."

The Mayor responding saying it was an odd way to carry out business by the applicant. Very odd indeed.

"The only one that is negative, and always negative, is Kirsten Lesina because - I mean, I don't know what the problem is with this young kid, but she hasn't got a clue," Freebody screamed on radio.

"I mean, how this city voted in some of these people is beyond me. When you put dumbos in there, you're going to get poor results."He accused Mayor Val Schier and Councillors Di Forsyth, Kirsten Lesina, and Julia Leu, and Nancy Lanskey. I just cannot believe that Lanskey and Leu and Forsyth and this young kid bloody Lesina, do not have a commercial [background] and that's the problem."

Linda Cooper is a supporter of the project going ahead on the doomed Barron River flood-prone site at Dillon Road.

"I have had many parents of children contact me about this, and there is a lot of support out there," Councillor Cooper told CairnsBlog.

Council's objection is that the development is in contradiction to the CairnsPlan stating that the use of the Barron River Delta should not be for uses other than agriculture.

Councillors have had further discussions with the objectors including the the development assessment manager Simon Clarke who repeated the rationale that neighbouring farmers will bear the brunt of the four meter high "bund wall". It will mean sugar crops become water-logged for longer period after flooding.

Although flood water is expected to rise in the neighbouring area as a result of the construction, the ability for the water to dissipate rapidly is fundamental for crops survival. This is the reason why the road north of the Barron Rover to the Smithfield roundabout, was never built up when it was constructed in the early 80's.

Meanwhile, the digging work on the Dillon road site that I reported was being carried out on Monday, has shown signs of illegal excavation.

The old excavator, brazenly sporting a bright 'Adverture Waters' logo, believed to be operated by Paul Freebody himself, now lies abandoned and broken.
It's rather amazing that this so-called $35 million development is being built by a nut being the wheel with an old excavator.
This follows a frenzied digging mission at the beginning of the week. Old telecom and power cables have been exposed and torn, even small trees ripped down in an effort that looks like a amateur madman has been let loose in a sandpit.

Tributaries of the Barron River water course have clearly being tampered with and diverted. It's expected Freebody is doing this work in an attempt to appease neighbouring farmers who have strongly objected to the development.

The Barron River channel runs right through the proposed land, and under massive culverts on the corner of Dillon Road and under the Captain Cook Highway. The story that he proposes to simply build a fortress wall around his new toy world, and believes there'll be no "upstream or downstream effects," is outrageous.

It is believed that no permit has been sought from local authorities for "altering the profile of the land."

The irony is that this time the applicant has asked for a deferral before Council. I wonder if Cairns Regional Councillors will go on radio today and return the serve Freebody dished out at them.

The waterpark application will now be deferred until Council's next Ordinary meeting on 28th of October.

Work starts on waterpark, flouting any approval

Yesterday morning a dormant excavator on the Dillon Road site of the besieged waterpark proposal, burst into life, as an act of frustrated defiance at Council's deferral.

The sudden activity on the property yesterday was cause for concern by neighbouring properties yesterday. Speaking with a local farmer yesterday, I was told that such work cannot occur without proper consent.

"I doubt this man has any permission to interfere with the contour of the land," he said. "It appears that he's trying to dig a channel and redirect the creek system that runs through the property."
Former city councillor Paul Freebody has owned the land for nearly three years, and is seeking permission by Cairns Regional Council to build a waterpark on the land. Simon Clarke, Council's manager of Development Assessment said the project should not go ahead on the site. His 80-page report detailed a raft of reasons why the site is not suitable for commercial development as it is graded agricultural, with development having both upstream and downstream effects.

However, Paul Freebody's defence of the major points in the assessment manager's report was that it's permissible to build in the Barron Delta provided "it has no adverse affects on neighbouring properties."

"Our flood modelling has clearly demonstrated that this project will meet the criterion of a 1 in 100 year flood event and will have no adverse affects on neighbouring properties," Freebody wrote in an open letter.

So who do you believe about the effect the annual wet season flooding will have? The developer, who is desperately seeking approval, or the planner and engineers who have taken their guidance from the CairnsPlan which sets the minimum guidelines for working within the Barron Delta?

In attacking the objections, Freebody claims that this site is the only "financially viable option." "Our feasibility study clearly reflects the north side of Cairns is the only location that is viable due to its close proximity to other tourist attractions," Freebody said on the weekend. Well this is not at all the case. There is substantial land available around the region that would better suit this type of project, and would probably not cause an iota of objection.

Freebody wants his baby approved on this site because he bought it yonks ago and wants to realise a return and a profit. Full stop. He doesn't get a dam, or a 'bund wall' for that matter, what happens to neighbouring properties, nor would he have a clue what the river system in full flood will do to his own investment. I'll be shocked if any financial institution would bankroll this hair-brained scheme and literally throw millions into the middle of a river system.

The same would go for Council if the majority vote for approval, they will then be the caretakers for many subsequent problems that Freebody will demand help for. Council has an obligation for the existing area and local residents to consider in their impact assessment. Councillors would be foolish to ignore Clarke's rationale.

The large stagnant lagoon, a remnant from the failed Vic Hislop's Shark Show that can been seen from the Captain Cook Highway, appears to be the target for the creek diversion. One of the photos shows the creek bed leading to the lagoon being interfered with by the excavator.

Substantial mounds of soil can be seen deposited near the excavator.

Whilst a land-owner is allowed to clean up debris from land, there are strict regulations that prohibit tampering of the land profile without Council approval. This is reinforced by the fact that the site is not a field currently in an agricultural pursuit.

The dilapidated building on the site that housed Vic Hislop's business, is now a serious cyclone risk and should be completely removed.

I would call on Council inspectors to make an urgent visit to the site today, to ascertain the extent of the excavation being carried out on the land.

Council will consider the waterpark application at the next Planning and Environment meeting on Wednesday 14th October.

Deperate man pleads for his dream

Just 48 hours before his application goes back before Council, Paul Freebody is trying to swallow his angry vile rage, when he appeared on John Mackenzie two weeks ago.

Listen to this mad-man here.

Here's his groveling apology in today's Post, as a last ditch effort to turn around the five Councillors he called "witches and bitches"...

• "On September 28, I arrived back in Cairns from overseas and listened to a recording of my radio interview on the John Mackenzie talkback show [probably on CairnsBlog], which was held while I was changing flights last week.

We don't care where you were at the time Paul. You were a rude, disgusting man to spew such angry sexist language and calling our Councillors "witches and bitches". Such attitudes belong in the distant past. It really shows us the type of person you are and the way you do business.

• I admit my comments included some poorly chosen words and I can understand how my remarks may have caused offence.

Some words? Try all of them. Your rant was unrelenting and disgusting. Mackenzie allowed it to be broadcast. Could you imagine Roy Lavis carrying on like this when his application was lost two weeks ago? No, because he's a real gentlemen.

• My intention was to express my frustration with the delay in getting a decision on the water park. It was not my intention to offend councillors or 4CA listeners.

Some way to express frustration. How about shutting up and let the Council deal with your hair-brained scheme to build in the middle of a river system, in their own time.

• I know from experience as a councillor some items put in front of the council need to be deferred. I made an error of judgment in making some of my comments in this interview and I sincerely apologise for any offence they have caused.

“And you know these [women] will have a lot to answer if this doesn’t get up,” Freebody said on radio. That was a fine threat.

Councillor Kirsten Lesina was extremely offended as some of the worst vile was aimed directly at her.

“I just cannot believe that this young kid, bloody Lesina does not have a commercial [background]. If you look at their background, none of these people have a business background.”

Kirsten said the young people hearing that language about another young person will be discouraging for anybody trying to get involved in local government.

Freebody has a regular pattern of this kind of talk. He spewed his angry hatred to the Lesina that bet him for the race to public office last March.

"I'm surprised Mr Freebody would think his comments were an appropriate way of doing business.” Mayor Val Schier said after the outburst.

The Paul Floodbody Waterpark site

There are some very good reasons why the Development Assessment manager at Cairns Regional Council said no to building a large tourist venture on the Barron River Delta.

For those that wonder what all the fuss is about when questioning the site for the waterpark, well, it's all about water. Lots of water. Millions of cubic metres of water.

Every two or three years we get a substantial flood in the Far North, thanks to the Barron River. Every 10 years we get a huge flood, thanks to the Barron River. Then there's the 20 year one, 50 year, and so on. Back in the late 70's, there were three successive floods that caused widespread damage. You could have taken a boat from the Smithfield roundabout to Lake Street in North Cairns.

That's why we've called for a moratorium on development in the Barron River and Thomatis Creek Delta. Council need to stop incremental development in this area. The CairnsPlan is clear. The delta is suited for agricultural purposes and not for tourist ventures.

It would be a strong and intelligent Council that, instead of refuse Freebody's application, tell him they support the venture, but not on that site. Send a clear message that his development proposal is not at all suited to this site. The Council could also actively work with him to find a suitable area.

It will be a bold and strong Council that says no.

It will be a bold and strong Council that says yes, we'll support this venture, however not in this location.

It will be a bold and strong Council that upholds the CairnsPlan.

It will be a bold and strong Council that says we won't allow you to use abusive and derogatory language against our female Councillors, then demand we support you (more on that later).

You see, Paul Freebody bought this land for around half a mill two or three years ago, complete will bulldozer, and now he's basically seeking retrospective approval to use it for whatever he likes. Don't you think this is about face? He really should have sought permission first, and then purchased the land.

This is why Council has produced such substantial and detailed flood modeling. Via our rates, we have spent millions creating this information over the last 20 years. In fact a lot of the CairnsPlan was developed, designed and signed off when Paul Freebody was a Councillor. He actually endorsed the CairnsPlan. Now it doesn't suit him.

You see when Paul purchased the land, his comrade Kevin Byrne was running the show and he thought then his water pipe dream was a shoe-in.

Freebody says in his Cairns Post-sponsored advert this weekend, that his feasibility study clearly reflects that the north side of Cairns is the only location that is viable. "83% of visitors head north of the city," a number of his entire invention.

Visitors have come to Far North of Queensland for over 150 years. They are drawn and lured by the Great Barrier Reef, where the over-whelming majority leave from the city wharf terminal. The balance head to Port Douglas and then further explore the Daintree rainforest. People visit Cairns for the natural wonders of the world, not mad-man-made ones.

Any waterpark will only be successful if locals regularly patronise it. The substantial growing population in the Southern corridor is the ideal location for such a venture. The soon-to-be constructed Southern town centre at Mt Peter, with adjoining cane fields, is a fair way from the beaches and therefore would be a great draw-card.

To suggest that tourists are going to come half-way around the world to play in a water park in Cairns, is beyond a joke.

NB: The rest is a private note only to Cairns Regional Councillors. (please, this is not for anyone else, so look away now. Go make a cuppa or feed the cats.)

If you need one reason, and only one, to say no to the use of the Barron River Delta, then get your copy of the CairnsPlan and open to the ARI Flood overlays. Go on, do it.

The flood inundation overlay identifies the general location of the 100 ARI year flood event, based on the findings of the relevant flood studies and stream management plans, Council states.
Also, do yourself a favour Councillor: visit the Dillon Road site before the meeting on Wednesday 14th October where you will have to consider changing the precedent for building on the Barron River Delta. It's a massive change of direction. Drive around the area and talk to the local farmers and let them tell you why this patch of land ain't no weekend picnic.

You are meant to be our voice around the Council table, and your decisions will have long-term impacts. Peter Todd at Clifton Beach and his neighbours can tell you about the horrible legacy they've inherited from the last Council that recklessly allowed foolish town planning.

Click on the PDF overlay and you will be able to zoom in to see the extent of the predicted floods.

What's he hiding?

Hidden in behind the Car Wash Cafe website is a page you're not meant to see.

Managing Director Matthew Ogilvie, wrote to me last week, assuring me he was the current "owner", and waterpark man Paul Freebody isn't involved any more.

"Paul Freebody has not owned the carwash cafe for nearly 2 years now and we still manage to get dragged into the debates regarding him," Ogilvie said.

However, I then received a message from a CairnsBlog reader saying his comments were misleading. "He isn't technically correct that Freebody doesn't own the carwash - the new owners of the business are basically just leasing the business from the Freebody family."

Why does this all matter? Well, Paul Freebody publicly claims he's doesn't own the business any longer, however is still discussed publicly as connected with the car wash.

The deal that Freebody was demanding when the car wash was 'for sale', according to my corespondent, that it kept him in control of the business. He also said the "owner" was drawing $4,000 a month from the '5 Star Car Wash', and produced a document of 11 spreadsheets.

I asked Matthew Ogilvie about these claims after we exchanged three or four emails, then he suddenly went quiet and ignored any further correspondence about this.

No 'Car Wash Cafe' appears on the ABN registry.

On the business' website, the "About" page automatically redirects to another page (go and try it), so you can't read it. Written by Paul Freebody in the first-person, here's the secret page that wasn't removed, just tucked away from public view.

Here's the web archive of this erroneous page, you see, everything is archived.

Like every car wash that gets rid of dirt, seems like Paul may be hiding something. Or maybe it's all washed down the drain. Draw your own conclusions.

Angry Freebody says sorry

Following Freebody's hateful outburst on radio against a select number of female Councillors last week, he has sent a pleading letter of apology to Council.

In it he says he was out of character and "even his wife was surprised how he behaved."

Well, this is not true. Paul Freebody engaged in a similar sustained personal attack against Kirsten Lesina in the run up to the Council election in 2008. Freebody again used sexist and ageist language in a derogatory way. It appears a pattern of how he treats people when they challenge him.

It was Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane and Councillor Alan Blake that moved the matter be deferred, a motion that was carried unanimously, yet Freebody viciously attacked only a select number of Counclliors he detests.

Coucillors Lesina, Schier, Forsyth, Lansky and Leu, all received a sexist lashing from someone that is seeking their support.

"I just cannot believe that Lanskey and Leu and Forsyth and this young kid bloody Lesina, do not have a commercial background and that's the problem," Freebody bleated to a receptive John Mackenzie on radio 846am.

Council officers have recommended the development be refused because of serious flooding, environmental and planning issues because of its location in the Barron River Delta.

Councillor Nansky Lansky says that a series of 44 additional conditions were given to her just as the meeting opened at 10am. "There was no opportunity for their adequate perusal," she said.

"The decision to defer it was made after a majority of Council," Lansky says. "This includes Paul Gregory, chairman of both Works and Services and Water and Waste committees, expressed his concerns about drainage design and adequate provision for the adjacent cane farmer to continue to work his property."

However, Lanksy is keen to support the waterpark due to unemployment levels.

"Let’s hope a local firm employing local tradies gets the construction job if the project is given the green light, Lansky says. "When the theme park is up and running, that permanent residents, rather than backpackers, get the many promised jobs."

Employment levels will always bounce up and down, it's the nature of business. However this Council has a duty to look after and protect our region for future generations, not just for a five-minute plan from an angry enraged developer.

Waterpark go-ahead hangs by a thread

There now seems hardly any support for Paul Freebody's wet dream to build a waterpark in his beloved Barron River.

The talk around Council is that there's now even less support for his plan to develop the proposed flood-prone site, following his angry rant on radio where he attacked those that sort a deferral, after they were given 40 extra conditions to read two minutes before having to vote.

Paul Freebody claimed on radio last Thursday following Council's deferral decision, that a supplier of the waterslides had pulled out "because of Council." He went on then, with the grumping and groaning of radio hostess John Mackenzie in the background, "they wouldn't be involved anymore in the project."

Personally I don't believe it for a minute. It was a scare-tactic and in line with Freebody's self-promotion of this dodgy scheme over the last year. However, if a supplier has pulled out it would be because of the recommendations from Council's Development Manager's report who gave 70 pages of reasons why this site is not suitable and would have substantial problems. That would wake any investor up.

On radio, Freebody claimed that he'd paid tourist-grade rates on the property.

"We pay rates and have paid rates on that land for 30 years. It's under the rates notice, a freehold tourist attraction," and "now they say it's no good." Well we know Paul get tongue-tied, but he's only owned the 8 hectares at Dillon road for the last two or three years, including the ruins of the old Vic Hislop's Shark Show, along with a lonely a yellow digger that you can see when you drive along the highway. Maybe he was planning on driving that off to the "witches and bitches," as he called them on radio, when he threatened Councillors by saying they "will have a lot to answer if this doesn't get up in a fortnight."

What a way to conduct business. Did he think he was going to persuade them and their wavering support by publicly bullying and accusing them of everything under the sun?

If you missed the shocking outburst on radio from Freebody, you owe it to yourself to listen to this supreme nut, and the type of personality we're dealing with here.

The Councillors that moved and voted for a deferral were treated with such disgust. Anyone that didn't agree with his nutty idea, was worth the most condescending public insult. He said they all had no idea and had never run a business.

He attacked the clever Julia Leu and said she'd failed in business after running the Douglas Shire Council as CEO. He especially targeted Councillor Kirsten Lesina on Mackenzie's radio show with a number of sexist and ageist insults he's famous for, reducing any remaining creditability Freebody had in tatters. He appears to be an angry, twisted sole.

The best outcome for this would be for Council to approve the plan, but adding one more condition.: find a suitable site elsewhere. And for the record, there's no such thing as a "Smithfield Entertainment Precinct."

I heard a funny story the other day. Evidently the Shark Show on the same site, was so unpopular that Vic used to park a number of old cars in the car park, that he'd picked up from wreckers, to look like there was people there. I can just just imagine a similar scene.

A letter from the new Car Wash Cafe owner

• 29 September 2009 08:27
  
  Hi Mike,
  
  Someone has bought to my attention the recent comments on CairnsBlog under In orderly development - Barron and Freshwater Delta regarding my business owing people/other businesses in town money.
  
  I am a little miffed by such comments as I know them to be un-true. I would like it if they could be removed please.
  
  Paul Freebody has not owned the carwash cafe for nearly 2 years now and we still manage to get dragged into the debates regarding him.
  
  A lot of people put themselves out there to cop this sort of criticism and comments but I do not. I am not here to make an enemy or bring my business anymore un-necessary publicity.
  
  The comments have no merit or justification behind them and they insult me and my business.
  
  Kind Regards
  Matthew Ogilvie
  Managing Director
  Car Wash Cafe

I have honoured Matthew's request and edited or removed the offending comments from “Smithfield Sam,” “Nick” and “Factman.”

If readers have particular issues with the business, I suggest they email Matthew directly, or telephone 4053 4399.

I remind everyone about the CairnsBlog Posting Comments Policy.

Go to Georgia, Paul

Ninemsn reports the Scream Machine rollercoaster ride in Georgia, is now submerged after torential downpours and flooding over the last week.

The 32m ride, once the tallest in the world, has been engulfed in 6 meter floods and left in ruin. This theme park has all the hallmarks of the ill-fated Freebody Water Park plan, that Cairns Regional Council doesn't want a bar of on the proposed site, right in the middle of the Barron River.

No wonder his backers and the company behind the slide equipment are pulling out of the crazy hair-brained idea to invest millions in a business that will be literally washed away. Do you think he would have built his toy shop at this site?

LIVE: Paul Freebody out of control

Here's the outrageous outburst from waterpark nut, Paul Freebody, on John Mackenzie's 846am radio yesterday morning.

Cringe from the introduction where John has a wet dream about Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane, to the end when Paul almost gets tears in his eyes, and then blames CairnsBlog for his woes.

It's an Aria nomination moment.

• Download MP3
  
  

Vile angry rage on radio from failed waterpark developer

Yesterday morning, the former Cairns City Councillor, Paul Freebody was a special guest on John Mackenzie's 4CA 846am radio show.

He let loose, with displaying his uncontrollable temper and anger, at the majority of Cairns Regional Councillors, who agreed on Wednesday to defer any decision on his proposal to build a waterpark in the middle of the Barron River delta, that council planners have said would be cause significant problems.

Assessment Manager, Simon Clarke concluded to Councillors last Friday in a 70-page document, that the site at Dillon Road, just South of the Yorkeys Knob roundabout, was not suitable.said the plan. He said it was lacking in many aspects, and was not at all suited for this type of development. He strongly recommended against its approval.

The 9 minute 20 second telephone interview, was a hate-filled angry rant, probably the worst outburst from a sulking developer this town has ever seen.

In it he called those that didn't support his plan as the "five witches or bitches from east side." Paul Freebody said Councillor Julia Leu was "unsuccessful as a CEO when Port Douglas [Shire Council] went under."

However Freebody saved his most invective venom for Councillor Kirsten Lesina, who defeated him at the polls in March 2008.

"The only one that is negative, and always negative, is Kirsten Lesina because - I mean, I don't know what the problem is with this young kid, but she hasn't got a clue," Freebody screamed down the line.

"I mean, how this city voted in some of these people is beyond me. And I pray that we learn at the next election that councils do make a huge difference in economics of a city. And when you put dumbos in there, you're going to get poor results."

He accused Mayor Val Schier and Councillors Di Forsyth, Kirsten Lesina, and Julia Leu, and Nancy Lanskey (or as John Mackenze said, Lancy Nanskey), as all failed in life.

"I just cannot believe that Lanskey and Leu and Forsyth and this young kid bloody Lesina, do not have a commercial [background] and that's the problem," Freebody bleated to a receptive Mackenzie.

"If you look at all their backgrounds, outside of Leu who was unsuccessful as a CEO in Port Douglas, it went under, if you look at their background, none of these people have a business background, none of them have achieved anything in their life, we're paying them 120 grand a year and we get results like this."

"But to defer it yesterday because you've got Kirsten Lesina coming out going 'oh I don't understand the report'. Of course she doesn't understand it, she's 21 and she shouldn't be in council. But read the report, girl. I mean if you're going to be a councillor do your job and understand the report," Paul Freebody said.

Actually what occurred at Wednesday's meeting, is the last minute 40-condition 20-page recommendation, was handed out to Councillors during the meeting. There was no time whatsoever to even open it or read and consider what it meant.

For Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane to push this under Councillor's noses and force them to make a judgement of this project in two minutes, is a professional insult to all her colleagues. Serious questions also need to be raised who directed the Council planning staff to prepare the second report at the last minute. No Councillor has the right to order or direct Council staff.

Freebody, in trying to defend what changes were required for an interim approval from Council, said it was just "minor changes in car parking." In fact it wasn't just carparking, however that alone was going to turn almost half the entire allotted land into a carpark. There were 40 extra conditions, that were almost impossible for him to meet.

"There was a few minor changes, minor changes in car parking. That was the changes put forward and they tried to use that as an excuse to defer this thing for a fortnight, and they're arguing against it," Freebody said, as his voice got more emotional.

"As you can probably tell I'm pretty wound up about it because I'm pretty upset the fact that we have lost a major attraction to Cairns."

Even CairnsBlog got a roasting, not the first time on Mackenzie it's come in for some free publicity.

"I can tell you Councillor Cochrane is wonderful. I mean they're saying because she's a mate of Freebody's and all this on this silly blog site that guy runs," Freebody said.

"That is rubbish. She understands the commercial reality, she's been in business, as does Councillor Bonneau, Pyne, Blake, Gregory and Cooper. These people have a business background, they understand the commercial reality and they're not tree-huggers who say oh you can't have it in the middle of a cane field," he said.

In a brief moment of reason, John Mackenzie said that Freebody's publicity that the park was going to get 250,000 people a year "could that have been wishful thinking."

Freebody said "we have six intelligent councillors who have given us a fair go. They have looked at the report. They have read the report. They understand the report."

If Paul Freebody wanted to move his agenda forward yesterday, and persuade more Councillors to support him and his hair-brained scheme to build a business in the middle of a river bed, then he failed miserably. In fact, I doubt he could have done any worse. He showed his true colours.

What an angry vile individual to talk about our elected Councillors in the way he did. He deserved nothing except a kick up the arse and the public shame of being run out of town with his broken toys and inflated ego.

Here's the recording here:

Fraudulent email purports to be from Cairns Mayor

A fraudulent email was sent yesterday afternoon to CairnsBlog, and all Cairns Regional Councillors, purporting to be from Mayor Val Schier.

It was sent from "v.scheir@cairns.qld.gov.au" and signed "Valley Girl."

The spelling of "Schier" was incorrect, and it contained the hallmarks to indict the Mayor, that's if anyone believed it was from uke-loving Val.

The email makes references about Councillors Linda Cooper and Di Forsyth. It appears to make inference about the Kerie Hull sacking and the emails that circulated at the time. It talks of a development at Smithfield and "now that Cooper is on board (promotion is such a powerful carrot), I have all the numbers."

"I need them gone now before they subpoena the emails," the email says, purporting to be the Mayor writing.

It also says that the Cairns Post could be "distracted with another story."

• To: Mike@CairnsBlog.net
  From: "valley girl"
  Subject: be more carefull [sic] Mike
  
  "Hello Mikey,
  
  You sent another message to my CRC box and that could be very dangerous to us all.
  
  If we can monitor his messages, they could monitor mine and that would be disaster so send it to the other address. I'm up for the concert on Friday and we can meet with Di and the others after to talk over the H strategy.
  
  I like your new direction on this so make sure it goes out next week so she has no credibility left. She can still make a noise so we have to distract the CP with a new story about her so they don't go looking at me on this
  
  I looked over your ideas on Smithfield and I think it could be done but only if we alter the plan - not impossible and I have the numbers but we will need to trade favours on this.
  
  And yes, you will get the job but we need to let this die down a bit. This court case will cause some real ruffles and that might be the best time to get you in to the chair while the paper is full of it. Then we can get our agenda under way. Di has some great ideas and now Cooper is on board (promotion is such a powerful carrot), I have all the numbers.
  
  And he's powerless to stop us because nobody listens to him any more.
  Have you had any luck tracking down the server messages yet.
  
  Do your magic, I need them gone now before they subpoena the emails or I'm in deep here!
  Talk tomorrow
  VG"

The awkward and confused message, hardly makes sense. Interestingly, waterpark developer Paul Freebody used the same introduction in previous email messages to me saying "Dear Mikey."

You have to ask what was the intent of the sender.

The Council IT manager has been aked to launch an investigation and track the email origins and the author of the malicious email. The acting CEO Peter Tabulo says it's simple to determine in an email is a legitimate Council communication.

"I advise the public that such items are being circulated and that they need to be mindful of the content of such, especially if it does not contain a Council disclaimer about its authenticity."

However, Council's manager of information services Dennis Littlewood says the sender used an email service to deliberately with hold information about it's origin.

"The result is that the service doesn't allow us to determine who initially sent the email as the anonymous emailer's purpose is to hide this," Dennis Littlewood says.

The email was sent from a UK internet provider Dannix Limited (Localhost.seproductions.co.uk) which provides an anonymous emailer service via Sharpmail.co.uk. Littlewood is working with Council's email filtering company, Webroot, to find out how the this email made it through the Council computer network in the first place.

"The email contained a spoofed address and therefore shouldn't have made it through our filtering," Dennis Littlewood said. Council are contacting the provider of the anonymous email service, to advise that their service is being used to send fraudulent emails.

For the record, I've been the recipient of a number of fake emails over the last year or two. They often send them to my employer, in an attempt to discredit me, as they don't like a Blog that airs issues from different viewpoint to the controlled-sleepwalking print media.

There was a string of them from Councillor Alan Blake's supporters (probably both of them), during my writings of the dodgy radio deal that engulfed Council and led to the downfall of Blake as Finance Committee chair, the former CEO Noel Briggs and Communications Kerie Hull.

They used the same email provider, and also names like "Maxx Brown" and "Majella Martin". The Cairns Post even published a letter online yesterday from "Majella Martin of Bungalow." "Maxx Brown" also has had letters published in the Cairns Sun. These are fake invented names and the local NewsLtd papers never ever check to see if the writer is authentic. No such people by these names exist.

One hate email to me even used the name "Xerses Dillon", probably a reference to the waterpark site address.

Minutes after I posted the Assessment Manager's recommendations last Friday, I received three emails, some which I allowed to be posted. The messages were hate-filled rants with poor grammar and little cohesion, all the hallmarks of Freebody's previous communication he's infamous for.

Paul said at the time that the errors in his leaflet were "a storm in a teacup."

"I'm not in Council for my spelling. I am in Council for more important issues like keeping us on track in the economic stakes. This is important stuff. Not a bloody spelling contest," Paul Freebody said prior to the Council election in which was defeated.

For IT geeks, and to show you the substantial amount of "footprints" that are left when you send an email, here's the full email path:

• Received by 10.143.12.7 with SMTP id p7cs22376wfi;
  Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:13:09 -0700 (PDT)
  Received: by 10.216.15.70 with SMTP id e48mr450287wee.1.1253682788032;
  Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:13:08 -0700 (PDT)
  Return-Path:
  Received: from localhost.seproductions.co.uk (localhost.seproductions.co.uk [213.171.222.208])
  by mx.google.com with ESMTP id 10si1471000eyd.8.2009.09.22.22.13.07;
  Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:13:08 -0700 (PDT)
  Received-SPF: pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of apache@localhost.seproductions.co.uk designates 213.171.222.208 as permitted sender) client-ip=213.171.222.208;
  Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of apache@localhost.seproductions.co.uk designates 213.171.222.208 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=apache@localhost.seproductions.co.uk
  Received: from localhost (localhost.seproductions.co.uk [127.0.0.1])
  by localhost.seproductions.co.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4227E277ED
  for ; Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:13:07 +0100 (BST)
  X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at seproductions.co.uk
  Received: from localhost.seproductions.co.uk ([127.0.0.1])
  by localhost (localhost.seproductions.co.uk [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024)
  with ESMTP id hjtdp+BN1Gek for ;
  Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:13:06 +0100 (BST)
  Received: by localhost.seproductions.co.uk (Postfix, from userid 48)
  id 0A6DE277EE; Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:13:03 +0100 (BST)
  Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
  Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------2.7273720260413e+17"
  MIME-Version: 1.0
  To: Mike@CairnsBlog.net
  From: "valley girl"
  Subject: be more carefull Mike
  X-PMID: 13097520
  X-COMPLAINTS: abuse@sharpmail.co.uk
  Message-Id: <20090923051303.0a6de277ee@localhost.seproductions.co.uk>
  Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:13:03 +0100 (BST)

Post waters down waterpark

BLURRY VISION: The proposed waterpark site this morning, covered in dust and 64 reasons why it's the wrong place to build a recreational facility.

The Cairns Post may have woken from their valium-induced coma.

They seem not to be able to read nor understand that it's rather stupid to build a massive tourism venture in the middle of a river system.

A ten-year-old could work that one out.

"The waterpark proposal for Smithfield would bring hundreds of jobs during and after construction, while diversifying the tourism offering in Cairns," editor Andrew Webster bleats on this morning in his editorial. Yesterday Councillors voted over-whelmingly to not vote on an extra 44-amendments that was shoved in front of them at the last minute yesterday.

He says, on developer Freebody's marching order, that the project would complement the nearby Tjapukai Aboriginal park and Skyrail, etc, creating what he coins a "action-adventure entertainment precinct."

"So far, the idea ticks a lot of boxes, however, as council officers have rightly said, the proposal presents serious issues in relation to flooding in the Barron delta flood plain and could impact surrounding development," Webster says in what is a reality check for the developer.

He rightly comments that Freeboy's waterpark site is contrary to the Far North Queensland Regional Plan, you know, the one that Desley said you all did such a stirling job over.

"It's inconsistent with the description and intent of the Barron-Smithfield district," Webster writes in his editorial today. "The Cairns Regional Council made the right decision in deferring a decision on the proposal, which has been in the pipeline for about three years."

However, he's still hell-bent supporting this on the Dillon Street site. Webster says another two weeks "won’t hurt if the result is a stunning new tourist attraction that adds another string to Cairns’ bow while avoiding the potential long-term pitfalls of building in a flood-prone area."

Well the only way that can happen is if Freebody finds a site that isn't in the middle of the Barron River delta. And why can't he do this? Because he's been offered this chuck of dirt for a few pennies. It's useless for anything beyond farming. He'd have to pay up to four of five times the amount for a similar lot of land on the South side of Cairns, where the growing population around the new south city hub will form. It would be an idea location for such a park.

One prominent city architect told me yesterday after he heard the plan was rejected, said it wasn't the kind of development welcome in the Far North.

"People go to the Gold Coast for that kind of thing, maybe if they put it out where Sugarworld is, out of sight, then it might be okay," he said.

Editor Webster agrees that the final decision might be to reject the proposal.

"Council had better be very sure it has first done everything possible to help the cause."

His own paper this morning reports on page 5, that 200 staff will operate the business, yet Paul Freebody only allocated 30 car parks at the remote location. Planners slammed the design and the crammed infrastructure. They said that at least 700 car parks were needed, leaving little room for a waterpark, just a monster carpark in the middle of cane fields.

Mind you, they'll get get flooded like the stupid car park that services the Cable Ski park every year, and several car get destroyed.

Regardless, nothing will negate the damming conclusions that Simon Clarke, Council's manager of development assessment made in his recommendations. He said that this site is the worst that could have been chosen for such a venture.

Best of luck Mr Freebody, but find a place that meets with community and the Council's approval.

Freebody's waterpark deferred; No to Lavis subdivision

Cairns Regional Council has deferred a decision to approve Paul Freebody's controversial waterpark proposal, that is planned for construction in the middle of the flood-prone Barron River delta.

Deputy Mayor and Freebody sympathiser, Councillor Margaret Cochrane wanted a second recommendation that she promoted, loaded with extra conditions, to be voted on today. This was in stark contrast to the Assessment Manager's original recommendation, that slammed the project going ahead on the Dillon Road site.

"I think we should press ahead," Cochrane told the meeting.

However serious concerns were raised by Councillors, who had only just been provided with a copy of the second recommendation. They felt there was no time to give the new recommendation, that amounted to more than 20 pages, any consideration.

Councillor Kirsten Lesina, supported by Julia Leu, led the charge to defer any decision, and said it should be considered at a later meeting. There was a heated discussion in the Council Chamber as the decision was made to defer the developer's application.

ROY LAVIS
The application to sub-divide a large Roy Lavis' lot of private land above Mansfield Street, Whitfield, was not supported.

FALSE CAPE
Council voted 8-2 in favour of the amendment to backzone False Cape from Special Facilities to Rural 1. Only Paul Gregory and Alan Blake voted against. Council agreed to spend more money on urgent remediation work at the beleaguered site, East Trinity. Last year, $150,000 was spent to prepare the land for the wet season, as the owner fled under a Federal investigation of it's future.

AFL BUCHAN STREET
The application AFL for an accommodation facility on Buchan Street, removing much-needed sports ground, was approved. The conditions will be presented at a future meeting

CANOPY'S EDGE UNITS
The application for a multi-unit housing alongside the Canopy's Edge hillside development at Smithfield, was pulled by the applicant at the last minute. Council planners have recommend that this not be approved.

11th hour deal done to save waterpark proposal

An eleventh-hour deal has been negotiated between the Cairns Regional Council, promoted by Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane, and the developer, former Cairns City Councillor, Paul Freebody, to save his proposed waterpark, that was roundly refused by the initial Assessment Manager.

It's not uncommon but is rare, for two recommendations to be presented to Council. However it will confuse and certainly persuade some to support the political nature of the latest recommendation.

This is a compromise recommendation to save the waterpark development application from defeat, Councillor Robert Pyne says.

"It would make it more of a preliminary approval to my way of thinking, with some of the hard questions remaining unanswered," Councillor Pyne says.

Here's the detailed new draft proposal, that Margaret Cochrane asked Council's Development Assessment Manager, Simon Clarke to prepare.

It is in direct contrast to Clarke's damming and direct conclusions that he submitted to Councillors last Friday in a 70-page document, where he said the site at Dillon Road, just South of the Yorkeys Knob roundabout, was not suitable.

"The provisions of State Planning Policies and CairnsPlan do not support the establishment of urban uses in this vulnerable non-urban/rural location," Simon Clarke wrote in his report.

He said that granting approval for this development would create an undesirable precedent.

"While there may be a case that there is a need for such development in the Far North, that need is not considered to be so overriding that it justifies the establishment of this water park in this location," Simon Clarke recommended. "Due to the site’s proximity to the Barron River and location on the flood plain such raising or bunding results in significant upstream effects."

"While the most significant effects of the upstream increases would predominantly affect similarly zoned Rural 1 sugar cane land, the implications in approving this development are nevertheless significant. The Barron River Delta is known for flooding events and is set within the Rural 1 Planning Area due to this in order to avoid the establishment of such uses which are incompatible with flood events. The Description and Intent of the Barron-Smithfield District specifically states that the Barron Delta should continue to be utilised as productive agricultural land because of susceptibility to flooding."

However, the hurried 17-page Draft Recommendation that was prepared and distributed late yesterday to all Councillors, in advance of this morning's meeting, agrees to grant the development approval, subject to a substantial string of pre-conditions.

They include:-

• a total redesign of the development to "demonstrate that the afflux from the 100 year rainfall event does not cause a worsening of flood stormwater to adjacent properties."
  
• A revised, detailed hydrological report required and must include sufficient information to assess the impact of the development on Flooding and Stormwater Flow Paths adjacent to the development;
  
• The development layout must be amended to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Council, how the proposed levee bank system will work;
  
• Undertake a local drainage study of the site to determine the drainage impacts on upstream and downstream properties and the mitigation measures required to minimise such impacts;
  
• Upgrade Dillon Road to a "major collector standard," and show how the effects of
  increased traffic will not detrimentally affect existing cane harvesting operations;
  
• Undertake an Acid Sulphate Soil investigation in the area to be affected;
  
• All floor levels in all buildings must be located 150 mm above the Q100 flood immunity level of 6.4 metres;
  
• A water supply and sewerage infrastructure plan and supporting information including hydraulic network analysis must be submitted for assessment;

These additional conditions have to be approved prior to a development permit for any construction being issued.

The new draft recommendation also demands that a minimum of 763 car parks be allocated on the site. Freebody's submission had only 340 and 20 staff parks, however told the Cairns Post that there would be over 100 staff working at the waterpark.

Simon Clarke, Council's Assessment Manager, along with objectors, said the site was far too small to house the proposed development, and that this would cause significant problems.

The new draft recommendation also demands that the developer pay a monetary contribution
for the upgrading of the road, additional financial contributions for "community purpose infrastructure, stormwater mitigation, drainage services, stormwater quality, and a public art contribution".

A final condition is also included that when the waterpark goes broke, after spending the extra millions to fund the new conditions, all structures and buildings over 8 metres, must be demolished and removed from the site. I guess that also includes Paul's ego.

When I first wrote about Freebody's proposed waterpark nearly a month ago, he subsequently threatened and bullied me.

Councillor Julia Leu, who is expected to appose the application at today's meeting, says the numbers will get it across the line. "If that happens, a complaint to the State Government may result in greater scrutiny or it being recalled."

For her support, I can exclusively reveal that Paul Freebody has guaranteed Councillor Margaret Cochrane the first ride down the 33 meter Thunder Down Under Ride, so long as she promises to wear Paul's regulation knee-high lady's swimmers.

More fake comments on Cairns.com.au

Again today, another nutter posts a comment on the Cairns Post website, purporting to be written by me.

This has occurred at least a half a dozen times now, when I've had to ring the nice folk up, who manage the online comments. However, every time I ring the Cairns Post, change my voice, wear dark glasses and put on a fake moustache (just in case), I always quiver a little when I dial the Post main telephone number, which has "666" at the end.

Whilst imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I get sick and tired that the Cairns Post, with all their staff, doesn't apply the same control to their published letters column in the print edition, as it does to their online letter writers.

They state that letter writers must "provide your name, home address or PO Box number, and contact telephone number for verification." They strongly state that "letters that cannot be verified, will not be published."

Well, why don't they apply these rules to their online forum?

Now you could argue that I should do the same on CairnsBlog. However, I do. Well I do when a comment is submitted for publication from a known, or a full name. For instance, I will not ever publish a comment from a proper name, without verification. I guess that's why so many choose to use "Fred of Cityview", instead of their full, real name. I've raised this debate on here previously, in the first year of the Blog's life, but it was greeted with concern and apprehension. I would really like everyone who comments and engages in the free debate on CairnsBlog to submit their real name. I know many won't though and feel concerned if they submit their full name to an online website, especially one that the good Christian Paul Freebody calls "grubby and dirty."

A real name validates and gives strength to any debate. It also receives a great deal more weight to the argument presented and, I believe, warrants more respect for the author.

It's all too easy to sit on the sidelines, and hide under a false identity, firing all sorts of mischief or allegations, from the safety of anonymity. That's what cowards do. That's sad and any normal reader would give such contributions little credibility and almost no respect.

When I suggest the Cairns Post should verify all comments, I'm not talking about those from "Fred of Bayview" or Sally of Gorndonvale". I'm talking about those that come in with what appears to be legitimate names attached. especially a known name. The Post's comment capture form only asks for a "working email address."

When you submit a letter for publication in their print edition, you have to provide a address as well as a telephone number, for verification.

Some letters for the print edition, have slipped through the shaky system, as they've done on CairnsBlog from time to time. In May, the Post published a horrible hate-filled letter, and were forced two days later to apologise. The heat that was generated and outcry from CairnsBlog contributors about the incident, made the editor publish a second apology, five days later.

I just wonder why they don't take a few extra minutes to check the comments before they publish them.

In what appears to be written in the style of the waterpark developer himself, Paul Freebody, who writes in broken English at the best of times, uses confused grammar and spelling mistakes in today's letter, that is meant to be from me. He even spelt my (his?) name different twice.

In a comment about his proposed waterpark ""Micheal Moore" [sic] says "If councillors don’t over see the stupidity in this recommendation then they are not the visionary people we need taking Cairns forward in these troubled times. Good on you Mr. Free body for having the guts to have ago and don’t worry about the tall poppy syndrome (as I sure you don’t) that exists in Cairns," the letter writes says.

"The Problem you have is a minority of people relying on government handouts as they have no work ethic, Hence in their view no one else is allowed to be successful."

It was signed "Michael Moore" and then again "Micheal Moore" at 11:40am.

When I chatted with Andrew at the Post today, who looks after website comments, he said there are probably more than one person with my name in town. I agree, that could be so. However, it would have been appropriate to at least verify the comment with the sender.

He did remove the comment, pended a reply from the sender's Yahoo email address, which was subsequently sent, and the comment was replaced online.

I guess the thing is that anyone can fake a name via email. Gosh, I should know, I crafted a classic, if I may say so myself, on April Fool's day, when I set up the Mayor and her media staff and I sent out a fake press release announcing her "book launch." It must have looked the real McCoy, as three radio stations and two TV channels ran the story and turned up at Council for the "launch". The then CEO launched an investigation into how the email system could be breached. I told Noel that a 12-year-old could do what I did. Even Henry Poyntz of Fosnez Blog, who used to be a Council IT staffer, agreed how simple it is to fake an email address. However, they are traceable and there are simple clues that will show in the email's path, hidden in it's properties.

Maybe, as Oscar Wilde said, it's better to be talked about, than not be talked about.