Is Phil Hartwig waking up?

CairnsBlog readers will be well aware of the expose I've done on the debacle unfolding up near Palm Cove at Foley Road.

It is all about uncontrolled sediment run, just like False Cape. You know, the development at East Trinity that Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett closed down pending a clean-up by Cairns Regional Council. Interestingly enough, Council in their wisdom have decided to use ratepayers money to fund the clean up exercise at False Cape, and bill the owner, one John Ewens. Why they simply didn't dip in and use the $650,000 bond that they are meant to be holding, is beyond me. The Safe False Cape folk are still ever vigilant about this project and I doubt we've seen or heard the end of this rogue developer.

Meanwhile, back to Sediment Run-Off Criminal Number 2. Mr Hartwig.

The Combined Beaches Community Association first bought this site to the attention of the Government and Council a long while ago. At first they were exchanging information, then Federal inspectors visited the site at the same as the False Cape white coats were in town.

The wall of silence came from the EPA office, so the Beaches Association took me for a look at the site three months ago. Of course, I was shocked at was unveiling at this steep development site, and it was all being done by one man and his big yellow bulldozer.

Now I'm no expert on sediment controls or run offs, but this is 101 environment protection science. Community environmentalist and water watchdog, 71-year-old Terry Spackman, has been policing building and development sites for more than 10 years now, bringing his 'WaterWatch' results to the attention of Council officers. Just a couple of months ago, he shouted himself a nice Sony Handicam, and it's proved an invaluable tool in exposing rouge developers like Phil Hartwig at Foley Road and John Ewens at False Cape. Here's the video Terry and I filmed last month. This embarrassed Council and showed them up. Our objective it's not to be high and mighty, it's simply to get some action and make sure they're doing their job. We want Council officers to wake up to what's going on under their nose.

Last week an email was received from Lana Gishkariany about Foyley Road. Lana is the assistant policy advisor for the Office of the Minister for Sustainability. She said that the Environmental Protection Agency had received complaints from local community groups about sediment runoff on a property at Foley Road. Serious?! This is finally an admission that there is a problem, and just weeks before our wet season is about to take most of the Foley Road dirt into every river and creek below it, then the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will cop the rest.

There were a couple of statements in Lana's email, including:

• ‘Please note that the EPA is not a concurrence agency for this proposal and hence has no role in the approval and conditioning of the project’.

This is very interesting because although this development has been under construction for about two years, and was passed by Council under the non-transparent process of Delegate Authority. The EPA were not a concurrent agency at this time. Serious questions need to be asked why not, given the significant hillslope area and proximity being adjacent to the Wet Tropics Management Area, vegetation codes and waterway category of Sweet Creek.

This issue was later rectified when another subdivision went before Cairns Regional Council earlier this year (July 2008 – Lot 2RP808351) involving 19 Lots in a parcel of land situated below Mr Hartwig’s property. If you drive up Foley Road, on the left of Captain Cook highway heading north, this new approved sub-division is at the end of the road on the right.

Council’s recommendation in this approval was that lots 13-18 (6 Lots) did not comply with Hillslope, Vegetation and Conservation, and Waterways Significance Codes. Both Department of Natural Resources and the EPA were concurrent agencies in this approval.

• Hence, ‘the EPA advised Cairns Regional Council that they will not be investigating this matter at this stage, as CRC has the jurisdiction and necessary tools under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 and Environmental Protection Act 1994 to investigate and deal with sediment runoff concerns.’

This statement is interesting because it clearly identifies the Cairns Regional Council as having responsibility for all future run-off and sedimentation problems on the Foley Road site. Now are we shocked or surprised by this admission? What should surprise us is that Council are lame in the extreme at policing and ensuring controls are in place of approved Development Approvals. You'd think that's why us ratepayers pay them.

During a visit to Foley Road yesterday, it appears the developer has been made to stabilize the benched blocks with some sort of white material with planted grass being seen to be growing out of this material. Has Council made this rogue developer do something to stabilize the site?

Let's hope that this is enough to stop the whole slope from coming down over the next few weeks as our annual wet season kicks in so that further runoff from this site is prevented.

Update on Fearnley Creek drain shame

Three weeks ago I reported about the filth in and around the Fearnley Street Creek. We called it the Council's Drain Shame.

Molly informs me that the majority of rubbish in the overflow drain has been removed by person's unknown. This is a great improvement.

However, the bridge across the main drain and the crack in the bike path, still requires urgent repair before someone damages themselves.

Where's a good Council worker when you need one?

Quote of the week

When the Daily News closed, Mike Royko worked for its allied morning newspaper, the Chicago Sun-Times.

In 1984, when Rupert Murdoch bought the Sun-Times, for whom he said he would never work:
"No self-respecting fish would be wrapped in a Murdoch paper."

Sarah Palin is a Porn Star

If you think Sarah Palin is scary, you should listen to Republican congresswoman Michele Bachmann. This week she called for an investigation to get rid of "anti-American" sentiment.



Supporters of her opponent, Elwin Tinklenberg (I kid you not) pledged $500,000 a million dollars for her campaign with hours of her ranting.

And if you want to see who has been chosen to play Sarah Palin in a porn movie, click here.

CairnsBlog cartoon by Circusmouse

FNQ and climate change: Where’s the plan?

Syd Walker took along his crap detector when local MP Steve Wettenhall came for a spin up to Kuranda


Last week I attended a meeting in Kuranda called by local State MP Steve Wettenhall.

Steve has organized a number of similar sessions around the electorate. I decided to go along.

In Kuranda, attendees were small in number, but there was talent in the room: several experienced conservationists, a local expert in alternative energy technology and others with various interests in sustainable living.

Rather laboriously, Steve worked his way through government-prepared documentation. With a straight face, he apologized for the lack of a PowerPoint presentation. He took questions, but the main intent was clear: to show that (Labor) governments, State and Federal, are responding responsibly to the issue of climate change.

Eventually a more free-ranging Q & A broke out. I asked Steve if work had been done to analyze the FNQs greenhouse footprint. What sector makes the biggest contribution to our greenhouse emissions? And how does FNQ compare with Queensland and Australia as a whole?

Steve responded that transport was the biggest factor in FNQ’s emissions.

I leveraged his answer to raise my pet theme: rail.

I’m convinced that a modern rail system – in the Cairns area and on the tablelands – is a necessary investment for this generation. Steve knows this already. CairnsBlog readers may know it too. It’s said I have a fetish about rail.

As expected (based on past performance), Steve was dismissive. He waxed lyrical about the State Government’s sensible bus initiatives. Rail, he said, is not conceivable in places like FNQ, with such a low population base. Far too expensive! Rail is for cities…

I responded that it’s misleading to imply we need to become a city before we merit an urban rail system. FNQ is more comparable to a single rail line. We need rail to connect our main population centers in the Cairns-Tablelands region – not every small rural township.

Steve’s reply was that all this had been considered at the time of the State’s Integrated Transport Strategy several years ago. Rail for mass transit was ruled out then as a serious option. That’s it. End of story.

But is it?

The Integrated Transport Strategy was a follow up to the first regional plan, FNQ 2010. At the time, the Beattie Government’s focus was to justify building a 4-Lane Highway on the Kuranda Range, a pet project of the powerful Department of Main Roads. It had to consider alternatives (that is, to dismiss them as not feasible) as part of the environmental impact assessment process. Naturally, the ITS did not disappoint Highway advocates.

But there is a more fundamental reason why the ITS provides no adequate basis for the current government making rational decisions about transport infrastructure investment in FNQ.

In effect, it was written at a time when no governments in Australia acted as though greenhouse emission targets will require very significant adjustments to our way of life.

Last week, the British Government committed to an 80% reduction by mid century. There are compelling grounds for believing that’s the way the whole of the developed world must head, if we are to stabilize the climate.

Steve Wettenhall has a background in the environment movement and is fundamentally a decent human being, so it pains me to claim that he simply hasn’t ‘got it’ when it comes to climate change. To be fair, he’s not alone. Most of his party – and probably most of the general community at this time – are in a similar frame of mind. The penny hasn’t dropped.

Here’s my challenge to Steve Wettenhall, the planners at FNQ 2025 - and anyone else who imagines that anything resembling business as usual will suffice in the coming years. Show me the broad outlines of a strategy that delivers close to 80% reductions in FNQ greenhouse emissions which does NOT include a modern rail system. I doubt you can. But by all means prove me wrong.

I think with rail (and many other measures, not only in the area of transport) such reductions are conceivable and compatible with a high quality of life. But I’m not in government. You are.

Governments have custody of the public purse and resources to come up with well-researched, comprehensive plans. They can commission experts and put them to work. So, where are the Bligh Government’s plans for major greenhouse reductions in FNQ?

The answer, I suspect, is that such plans don’t exist. The government is still not really serious about grappling with climate change. Our FNQ MPs aren’t serious. They pay lip service, but in their heart of hearts, they can’t be serious.

If they were, they’d deliver a real strategy for change – or at least be angst ridden because it doesn’t yet exist. They’d insist that FNQ 2025 – the soon to be released new regional plan – is consistent with a deep greenhouse emissions target. As it is, they seem to act more like PR agents for business as usual.

It’s the same across a plethora of policy areas, State and National.

If lazy, conformist politicians can get away with business as usual, they will. To break the mould requires leadership and conviction. It takes guts to question entrenched beliefs.

Previous generations, with far fewer resources and less advanced technology, built rail systems. As a New Zealander attending the meeting pointed out, Christchurch is a city/region with rail and a fairly low population. I did some Googling after the meeting. Apparently those railways are a legacy of 1930s recession-busting. Yes, Christchurch’s population is roughly double FNQ’s today; however, its rail system is popular and still expanding.

But then, previous generations were often capable of doing new things. They built a public health system. They created public libraries (can anyone imagine today’s politicians proposing such an outrageous idea – Liberal or Labor?). They did foolish things too – but at least they found the courage to design and implement audacious schemes for the greater public good.

We need less spin and more direction from our current crop of local politicians. I’d have more faith if they had fewer glib pre-prepared answers and showed more interest in questions.

With a modern rail backbone, FNQ could develop in nodes around stations: towns, large villages and key Cairns suburbs. It's a development pattern far more conducive to overall sustainability than car-reliant sprawl. We’d stand a chance of meeting greenhouse targets. We’d be more resilient in the event of global fuel scarcity. What's more, we'd have built the beginnings of a sustainable transport system on the tablelands as some insurance against the quite conceivable circumstance that, within the next century, we are forced to abandon the coastal plains.

But hey – I may be wrong. There could be better ways to invest the resources and skills of this generation so those in the future cope better with pressures we can confidently predict they will face.

Maybe the government has a better plan?

If so, where is it?

The Good Ship KB is sinking

Ask yourself, were you had with the nearly half a mill of our rates going to KB's after mayor party ship?

I think someone should walk the plank for this one.

Could Desley Boyle really be President?

Boyle refuses to help

Those that questioned the practises surrounding the demolition of the 100 year old Yacht Club building, had strong reason to believe something was not going right.

Even Jan Wegnar, Professor of History and Heritage at James Cook University, slammed the way the building was pulled down. Nothing was recorded, and the notable unique ceiling was totally destroyed. We all saw large skips filled and dumped. The workers had no experience in deconstructing an historic building and were simply engaged to demolish the building, on the instruction on the Labor government.

Two large historic signs, uncovered in the last days of the demolition, were revealed and discovered for the first time in more than 60 years. Aquatic Dance Palias and Cairns Sailing Club were hand-painted in period typography on the Wharf Street facing weatherboard wall.

In an exercise of embarrassing PR, the Port Authority ordered Anton Demolitions to cover them up with black plastic, so the public and passing tourists could not see the historic value of the site. There is now a hunt to get these signs back, after one was chainsawed out and thrown in a rubbish skip.

Here's a conversation with Martin Anton of Anton Demolitions...

• "Mr Anton, this is Anne Jackson with PADYC (People against Demolishing the Yacht Club). I believe the signs that were taken down were put in a skip. I would like to know what is happening with them."
  
  "They are in my possession, I have them and other artifacts from the site," Martin Anton replied.
  
  "What are you going to do with them?" Anne questioned.
  
  "I don't know yet."
  
  "When you do, would you please call me and let me know, I would appreciate it very much, thank you."
  
  "OK"

However, the Member for Cairns has overnight become an expert archaeologist and knows what was worth salvaging form the site and what was not.

We asked Desley Boyle to retrieve these important artifacts from Martin Anton.

"[The] sign is on wood that is rotten and unsalvageable," Boyle said.

"Others are property of Cairns Yacht Club and so it's their decision as to where they go. Cairns Ports says the core of building (and dance floor) is OK and will go to JCU as announced."

In fact the signs were not rotten, as the embattled politician would have us believe. They were cut out in haste to chop the building in half, and the lads from the demolition company failed to appreciate the significance.

What a bloody ding bat these so called-representatives of the people are. It's possible to save articles millions of years old, yet Desley believes that such memorabilia is not OK. I guess it's because Desley will be flat out saving her self from political history.

I am informed that if it was a demolition, then everything belongs to the demolishers, but a relocation has different rules. So goes the spin from the government. You really have to question the lack of involvement of the current Yacht Club committee in all this sad and drawn out saga. They have been somewhat compliant to this environmental and heritage vandalism. What does Commodore Warner Ferguson has to say about how the building demolition has been handled.

The Member for Cairns has also been silent on the call for an archaeological dig on the historic site. On behalf of the people of Cairns, I will put the call to Desley Boyle again today.

Bye bye Villa

After a year of arguing the former mayor's favourite watering hole is about to be bought down to size.

Villa Romana's illegal external Aplin Street wall, which claimed an extra 53sq meters of public footpath along the way, was torn down yesterday.

The de-construction work being done by Col Neate, of Neater Homes and Paramount Rentals. The word on the street is that none of the commercial contractors would touch the project, so owner George ended up hiring a home builder to remove the illegal external wall.

Professor calls for archelogical dig

When you reflect on the adjectives used around the Yacht Club building, it makes for some interesting analysis.

It wasn't until the building was stripped back, and she sat alongside a number of full rubbish skips of debris that Port Authority chief Neil Quinn admitted there was some 'historic' parts of the old building. This was in contrast to his defiance over the last four years that the building had no history that needed to be preserved.

Almost every protester who stood before a judge at the Cairns Courthouse over the last three weeks, was told they were disrupting the 'demolition'. It was a sad, but accurate description.

However local Labor politicians never expected such fallout. Barron River's Steve Wettenhall and Cairns' Desley Boyle genuinely believed that they were 'saving' the old building for posterity by 'relocating'. "It's better than demolishing it," Wettenhall said.

History and Heritage professor at JCU Jan Wegnar has been very critical of the way in which the Port Authority has undertaken the move. None of the interior was kept, and historic hand-painted lettering was chain-sawed through and thrown in the rubbish skip, as the rush to clear the site reached fever pitch.

It was the early removal of the roof, to stop protestors climbing on top, that encouraged the Port Authority to remove the roofing, without any plan to protect the Black Bean dance floor. Waterproof tarps were left rolled up for the secrurty gards to unravel. They never did.

Professor Wagner also asks about the slatted ceiling. "It was a major heritage feature of the building," she says. "I automatically expected it would go to JCU with the rest of the place but I've just queried them and found they weren't expecting the ceiling to come at all."

John Mickel, now minister of Transport and a director of the Cairns Port Authority, was Minister for Heritage not that long ago. In his new role, he had a vested interest to clear this site. As Heritage Minister he was apparently copping a lot of flak from developers who were annoyed by people putting in Heritage Register nominations on the properties they were about to demolish/develop. Mickel started a secret inquiry into heritage processes in Queensland and then brought in an Act which has had the effect of putting the State's heritage processes more under the control of government.

He's well-known as a hard-liner and unsympathetic to heritage.

"I suspect that a lot of the government's non-responsiveness over the Cairns Yacht Club building comes from Mickel being the minister in charge of the Port Authority," says Professor Wegnar.

Jan Wegnar has called for an archaeological dig on the Wharf Street site now laid bare. "Who knows what is buried below that site. After nearly 100 years there will be numerous items that made their way below the floorboards," Wegnar says.

"At the very least, an archaeological inspection should occur."

Cairns Regional Councillor Julia Leu says what has happened is absolutely outrageous. "Their days are definitely numbered up here," she says.

Councillor Leu was sorry she was unable to physically be at the Yacht Club protests, living north of Port Douglas at Daintree. "Fitting everything is a nightmare," Councillor Leu said. "Di [Forsyth] knows that I fully support her, I rang her the day she was arrested - outraged by the response by most Councillors," Leu said. "However, not unexpected. What a gutless mob!"

However, given the way the Cairns Port Authority, with the blind support of the State Government and local politicians has acted towards retaining this old building, it's unlikely they will entertain such an exercise.

When Rusty Market was redeveloped five years ago, two months of digging unearthed many remnants of Chinese workers and various items that dated back to the early settlement of Cairns.

So this whole Yacht Club saga was not a relocation at all. It was destruction and demolition. Not by any other word. Many have lost their faith in the political process through the demolition of the old Yachtie.

So where to from here? The waterfront is the next battle line.

Cairns architect Mark Buttrose says that we need to put pressure on the Premier Anna. "We need to ensure our waterfront becomes an asset to the community and not a liability," he says. Bligh has finally rejected the waterfront scheme opposite Southbank in Brisbane.

The State Government have just announced that they have canned the North Bank Development after spending $5 million and six years pondering about. Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said it had nothing to do with the credit crisis, but it might have a lot to do with developers going belly up everywhere and the State's $50 billion debt.

"The Government always indicated that we wanted people to have a say," Lucas said. What an insult to the people of Cairns. This is the same Government that didn't listen to 11,500 residents. Lucas went on to say that people had a say in almost 2,300 submissions; 93% were against the development. This is supreme political two-facedness, when there was five times more objectors in Cairns.

Even former Mayor Kevin Byrne wants to throw up when he hears of Captain Bligh in a hat hat spouting about all things South East Queensland.

Bligh infamously said that she was "going to govern equally for all Queenslanders" when she took over from Beattie.

We now know this is not the case.

Oh, to be a VP, or not

• "We were making a list of who are some celebrity singers who could come out and help us and gosh, for the life of us, the pickins were slim there.
  
  Who's quasi-conservative out there in the celebrity land?" - Sarah Palin

A fish out of water

The old 100-year old Cairns Yacht Club building or what's left of it, is now sitting on a vacant slab of land, 24 klms north of it's original and historic waterfront site.

Thanks to the Labor government, especially Member for Cairns Desley Boyle, everyone can marvel at her foresight and clever town planning. Good one Desley!

Thanks to JCU Student President, Billy Colles for these photos.

Postcards to Brisbane

Thanks to Bryan Law for these photos.

Bligh in Mossman

From the fire to the frying pan, Premier Bligh will attend a public meeting at Mossman while the State Parliament sits in Cairns this Sunday.

Anna Bligh will be convening the meeting on Sunday 26th October at the Mossman Shire Hall, in Mill Street at 1pm. A full notice will appear in this week's Gazette.

The State government will get the weight of public anger when they hold their Parliamentary sitting in Cairns.

In what many will call another crazy idea, Bligh will bring her full government team to Cairns, just days after they've cleared the last remaining historic building from the waterfront against huge public opposition, on top of the anger from Douglas Shire residents and the large lobby group Residents Against Crime. That's a lot of messages for these blind and deaf politicians to digest.

A large protest is planned for next Tuesday 28th October, at the Cairns Convention Centre. 12:45 – assembling on Grafton Street side of the Convention Centre.

Richardson replies to Emily

CairnsBlog commenter Emily said she is totally sick and tired of this Labour Govt.

"I would like to ask Wendy Richardson if she will actually continue listening to people if she were to get elected?" she asked in a post over the weekend.

"We have just had local elections and we all know that promises have and will again be broken. My question is will you listen to people and then act? Will you cross the floor if your electorate asks you to do it? Or will you just tow the party line as soon as elected and forget those who put you there?"

Emily hopes that whoever wins this next election, we have some good Independents or Greens who will hold the balance of power. "It is the only way Queensland has any chance of democracy, since the Parliament is a unicameral system," she says. "Remember Liz Cunningham anyone? She is the only reason that the last National Government was unable to fulfil it's plan to destroy the Daintree."

Wendy Richardson replies...

• Emily, I guarantee you that I will stand up for the people.
  
  My middle name is ‘Joy’ but I sometimes think it should have been ‘Fair’. I cannot abide injustice or situations that are not fair and I will always seek to defend a situation where prejudice or ‘bullying’ tactics exist. I, like Sue, am appalled at the way this government and the Port Authority have behaved. It is not over yet! The first principle of Cityport’s plan was that it should be a cooperative planning venture between them and the Council and the people. It has moved a long way from that over the last decade.
  
  The whole Yacht Club issue is just one example of my stance on the people’s issues. I was well aware when I took it on in 2006 and again this year, that there were some powerful people locally in my own political arena and the community generally, who did not want me to do this, yet I persevered despite the fact that I ran a real risk of alienation over it. The battle to save it has been arduous – many, many hours writing emails and heritage applications, having meetings, endless phone calls, reading legislation, trying to get legal help … the list goes on. And all while I held down jobs and cared for family. I’m not complaining, but believe me it was not a ‘hobby’.
  
  It was done too because I could see the anguish people were feeling and I wanted to do my best to help them on a matter that I personally support; the preservation and promotion of our history. It was always going to be a political battle because the people forcing the loss of the building were a government and its statutory authority. I don’t see how it could have been anything else. However, I assert yet again it was not done to get me political brownie points – that was something that came out of it, but it was not my goal. I would have far rather saved the building and gotten no publicity for me, but that wasn’t possible.
  
  I have been asked to stand as an Independent for the next election many times by many people, and I assure you and others, I completely understand why. I understand the cynicism and bitter disappointment that everyone is feeling towards politicians generally. However, I believe there ARE good people out there who can be true representatives, independent thinkers, and stand up for their constituents while still being members of a party. These people can change party policy and culture from within if they are strong enough to persist with their arguments on behalf of the people.
  
  Barnaby Joyce would have to be a prime example of this.
  
  The benefits of being part of a party though are many, including for the electorate. Policy development is an enormous task if policies are to be thoroughly thought out and researched. Having a team who can share this load is a great advantage. Another consideration is that independents can find it very difficult to gain benefits for their electorate UNLESS they hold balance of power. Being an independent is an electoral gamble that could result in a member’s voice being drowned out, no matter how much you speak up. And I have no intention of being drowned out!
  
  All I can say to you Emily is that when people have asked me “Why do you want to get into this dirty game of politics, Wendy?’ I answer, ‘We can’t just leave it to the b*#@*#’s to run the country can we?’
  
  I believe LNP is not just a stitched together assembly of two old parties. I believe there is fresh thinking and a change for the better including in environmental and social policies. Recent announcements on LNP’s Alternative Energy and Education policies prove this to me.
  
  I also believe that they want strong, independently-minded representatives for the people; that they want to know what’s happening and what’s needed in the regional areas – and I intend to tell them!
  
  So Emily, keep speaking up – I’m listening.
  
  Wendy Richardson
  LNP Candidate for Barron River
  Ph 4034 2248 / Mob 0418 196 011

Sharon in court this morning

Sharon Powell, who scaled the fence at the Cairns Yacht Club building, will appear in court this morning, to answer charges of trespass.

Sharon was one of a number of Cairns residents that have been incensed that their government has ignored repeated calls to preserve and protect a significant historical building on our waterfront.

Please show your support this morning at the Cairns Courthouse, Sheridan Street this morning.

Restful weekend

Well, I had a rather restful weekend, away from historic roofs and serial activists.

I did some law-abiding gardening and work around the property. Long overdue.

I have a list of pre-wet-season things to do, however my tasks pails into insignificance when you look at what Council has to deal with at False Cape in the next three weeks.

Then there's Foley Road up near Palm Cove. What a disgrace that place is, yet Council's mud police couldn't see a thing wrong when they went for a drive by in the air con inspection vehicles. I think they have a sediment trap outside the door of the planning department.

Terry Spackman and I have our Blog camera pointed at some other environmental time bombs for all to see.

If you spot some dodgy development in your neighbourhood, drop me a line and this new Citizen's Watch army will allow everyone to see what's going on.

CairnsBlog cartoon by Circusmouse

The Culture of Labor

This morning I wake up to the news that Leichhardt Federal Labor MP, Jim Turnour believes a cultural strategy would enhance our region.

He says this on the day his Environment Minister and his local State colleagues tore one of the last remaining significant heritage assets out of the heart of Cairns.

What do these people take us for? Stupid?

Last month Boyle ranted on about cleaning up the CBD, and the other day she gave $20,000 to put a 'Cultural Tourism Strategy' together. A bunch of pre-schoolers from Parramatta State School could do this while waiting for the bus this afternoon.

Boyle's been in office for how long now, and as Tourism Minister for how long now? Yet she wants a 'strategy'. Well, here's an idea. How about stop stuffing up and taking the heart out of our city.

The new walled perimeter being constructed along the Trinity waterfront that Labor has endorsed and got it's dirty paws in, is not something that will attract visitors to this part of Australia. When you hear these announcements, in the election year, you know a political party is desperate and out of ideas.

With the best will in the would, local arts lobby group Arts Nexus, will help develop this strategy, however night clubs and live entertainment venues have been stripped from our fair city over the last four years at an alarming rate.

I agree with the Mayor that the so-called Festival Cairns is a farce. Nothing more than a collection of things already happening, stuck on one piece of paper parading under a $300,000 logo. What a joke. I've done my share of festivals from Edinburgh to Wellington, from London to Tokyo, and this one here is embarrassing at the least and a corporate con job at worst.

Boyle says that the strategy will take a new approach to marketing our local tourism. "It'll broaden our already world-famous eco-tourism products to include the best of what we have to offer culturally.'' Of course, hot of the heals, wearing her demolition boots, this statement is laughable. We could have had a stunning tourism icon, a legacy to this city, but Wettenhall and Boyle et all, lack any vision to manifest such a venture. The money-hungry, debt-riden State government is making decisions on how to get money in, and if that means selling off waterways access and waterfront views to the highest bidder, then they will.

Desley wants to make sure that visitors not only enjoy our beautiful Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, but also when they wander into the city to see our wonderful Indigenous art galleries, vibrant cultural festivals and talented local musicians. Now there's a quote that will come to haunt her come the next election.

Even Turnour is on the bandwagon. Jim believes that cultural tourism has the potential to create jobs and stimulate the local economy. Well where was he on the waterfront demolition gang this month? Another polly that didn't say SFA and therefore was complicit by neglect.

From environmental mis-management to heritage raping, Labor is a party that cannot connect with the people. They've lost the ability to represent and defend for the people, in riding rough shot over those that matter most in a democracy.

As Roof top protester Terry Spackman says that Labor's handling of the Yacht Club issue is abhorrent . "I fear, that as a result, the 100+ year history of Labor representing Cairns, will suffer the same fate as the Yacht Club Building."

A week is a long time in politics

After along and at times disparate Yacht Club campaign, bringing to the attention of the community and expose our politicians hypocrisy, serial doer Bryan Law reflects on the effort to protect our heritage.

There were plenty of tears today as a small group of us gathered and watched the heavy machinery tear into the timbers of the Aquatic Dance Palais.

Mark Buttrose swung by early and photographed the destruction. Mark says that all pretense is gone now, and the demolition process has so destroyed the building that it will never be put back up.

When the big truck with the roof trusses started to leave the site, Wendy Davies stepped forward and stood in its path. Wendy was staunch in her determination and refused to leave when directed by Police. So effectively that Police arrested her and charged her with 'contravening a Police direction'. Wendy stayed in the watch-house till 3.30pm, and will re-appear at Court No 1 at 9.30am Friday. The arresting police officer was brusque to brutal with Wendy.

I lay down in front of the truck and was carefully relocated by Police into a Paddy Wagon. I was driven to the watch-house and released with a 'move on' direction to stay away from that section of Wharf Street. I came back to the Casino (across the road) and planned a little action where I trespassed on the demolition site. Rather than stop the machinery and wait for Police once I got on site, I was assaulted and ejected from the site by workers from Anton Demolitions. Then police arrested and charged me.

I feel bad that maybe I asked people to do too much. I seem to always do that.

I see from the e-mail traffic that many folk are coming to that hard place where the building itself is lost, and there’s a relentless effort by our various opponents in government and media to belittle and undermine our efforts. That Cairns Post article by Roger Dickson on 'Wet’n No Balls' is a classic example of distraction and ridicule. The infantalising of politics.

Another example is the deliberate manufacture of allegations that Di Forsyth has somehow offended against the Cairns Regional Council Code of Conduct. What piffle, and yet it has been used to guide discussion of the issues – while democratic accountability and the petition of 11,000 has been left out.

The direct action campaign is over. There is no more that can be done. I’m looking forward to a week of getting back to chores and everyday responsibilities. Go for a swim. See a movie.

But I’m also going to follow through on some of the problems disclosed during our brief moments of defiance.

I’m going to Cairns Court Friday morning to support Wendy Davies, and on 24 October for Sharon Powell, and 30th October for Di Forsyth and John Rodden.

I think that for Councillor Di Forsyth, I’d like to organise a presence of scores of citizens to express support for her efforts at sticking up for People before Profit. We still face the issue of strengthening democratic culture. Supporting good women like Di is one way of doing that.

I’m going to follow through on complaints to Police and Cairns Port Authority about actual violence used by workers and security guards during this week’s direct actions (ladder pushing and assault). This is to increase safety and respect in future protests and dissent, and generally to pursue nonviolent culture.

I’m going to continue questioning our MPs Desley Boyle, Steve Wettenhall, Mayor Val Schier, and various others about their conduct in relation to this issue.

I’m going to question Wendy Richardson and other candidates for election about what they’d do differently, and how they’ll develop Cairns waterfront.

Thank you everyone.

Boyle and Wettenhall lied to the people of Cairns

Just a few short weeks ago, local Labor members of our Parliament, Desley Boyle and Steve Wettenhall put out this statement regarding relocating and preserving the 100 year old Cairns Yacht Club building.

"We recognised that funding may be an issue, so the Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall and I recently announced that $150,000 is available towards the relocation of the building. This means that demolition can be avoided and the old building can be saved, " so said Desley Boyle.

Well, the evidence of what has happened over the last three weeks will clearly show that they lied and have not upheld their end of the agreement.

Anyone who stood outside the old club house this morning, would have witness the building being smashed to bits.

Boyle had the audacity to say that "this means that demolition can be avoided and the old building can be saved."

Boyle didn't know what was going on, one block away from her taxpayer-funded office on Spence Street.

"Michael, I have asked Cairns Ports to make a statement this afternoon with photos showing which bits of the core can be saved," she told me today. "I understand that the additions at the edges have been found to have wet rot and termite damage."

This was another lie. The weatherboard painted signs, discovered just a week ago, were fine, and were photographed and should have been kept for the restoration.

No attempt was made to salvage anything over the last three weeks. The old building is gone and has not been saved as Boyle and Wettenhall promised. They have both officially lied to the Cairns community. They have not monitored what has happened, even though they knew this was one almighty sensitive issue that the community was emotional involved in.

Cairns Ports is answerable to no one. It seems they just do what they like when Boyle is running this town. What an outright disgrace she's turned out to be when the people came calling for her help. Even in the last few days, she's been nothing back a arrogant defiant corporate suck up.

This act of utter vandalism lies on the doorstep on a government out of control and in total disconnection from the people.

And where was Val Schier, our new Mayor who campaigned for nearly a year before getting elected on the ticket of heritage preservation after she was sick of the 'big end of town' running this place. What a massive disappointment. Everyone of her former Cairns 1st team, bar young Kirsten Lesina, showed up to the site and protested. Val may not have been able to save this important piece of heritage, but she was rather silent on this, in compliance with the Labor Concentration Camp.

Val, you will forever be remembered to be forgotten, come the next election.

Quinn opens his mouth, first time in 5 years

• MEDIA STATEMENT BY CAIRNS PORTS AUTHORITY
  
  YACHT CLUB RELOCATION PLANS PROCEEDING
  
  The original central structure of the old Cairns Yacht Club building is being prepared for
  relocation to James Cook University shortly to be used as the heart of a new master
  planned student and community facility on campus. The central structure includes the dance floor.
  
  The building has been inspected by James Cook University architects who are excited about the reuse of this building.
  Cairns Ports Chief Executive Officer Neil Quinn said the building has had a series of add-on structures over the years, including the rear verandah and the entrance structure.
  
  “These were never intended to be relocated. It was planned for these elements to be
  dismantled by the demolition contractor and reused where possible.” Mr Quinn said.
  “Work undertaken to date has revealed the building is in a terrible state of disrepair.
  Many parts of the add-on sections are unsalvageable and unrepairable. The extent of decay of these elements, particularly in the front section, was extensive. The extent of major deterioration of beams, columns and joists put the whole structure at risk.”
  
  A sign painted onto what was once an exterior timber wall will be retained for future display.
  
  The sign, which reads CAIRNS SAILING CLUB, had been covered by various layers of cladding attached over the years to the exterior of the front extension.
  
  “The contractor on site adjusted the work schedule to ensure careful removal of the sign
  could be carried out as requested by Cairns Yacht Club and Cairns Ports. A further sign was unsalvageable due to its poor condition,” Mr Quinn said.
  
  “We are now looking at options for the future display of the salvaged sign with the Cairns Yacht Club.
  
  “There may be opportunities to incorporate the sign, along with other components, into the Cityport Heritage Precinct. Alternatively it may be decided to display it at the new Marina Point home of the Cairns Yacht Club,” Mr Quinn said.
  
  Thursday 16 October 2008

Bloggy Janine

Look what I started!

Janine Aitken, who ran for the Northern Beaches division in the March Council elections, has launched a Blog.

Janine was unsuccessful in her bid for Division 9 in the Cairns Regional Council, however she says after watching "broken promises and unacceptable rate rises decided it is again time to stick up for Cairns and question those in authority."

In her first post, she discusses the antics of Councillor Di Forsyth. "It has prompted me into speaking out about what is going on in Cairns," Aitken says. "Cr Forsyth is not the only member of Council who ran on a platform of heritage preservation, yet she is the only one who stood up (or climb up as the case was) to be counted on the issue."

Aitken asks where is the rest of the Council is on the important issues and that only three Councillors have really stood up to be counted in the first six months of this new Council.

"We have heard from Councillor Julia Leu who stood up for her division over amalgamation. We heard from Councillor Rob Pyne on his opporsition to the Council rate rises. We know we have three Councillors that are willing to stand up and be counted," says Janine.

"Where does that leave Councillors Gregory, Lanskey, Lesina, Blake, Cooper, Cochrane, Bonneau."

In a final swipe at her former running mate - or leaflet deliverer - she questions Val Schier. "Let's not forget our leader Mayor Schier. I would love to hear your stances on any of the issues you campaigned on."

It's genuinely great to have another blogger, join the stable of indeppendant writing here in the far north.

Who would have thought a few years ago, we'd all have a mobile phone, an email address, a profile online somewhere. Now everyone seems to have a blog. Who needs the ol noospaper anymore!

You can find all local blogs and websites on my 'links' list in the right-hand sidebar of CairnsBlog.

You had to be there. Cairns Esplanade 8:30pm

Last stand

Cairns residents will make a last stand tomorrow against the demolition of the historic Cairns waterfront Aquatic Dance Palais and Cairns Sailing clubhouse.

Today Cairns Ports, along with Anton Demolitions, removed the roof trusses from the beautiful old building, and laid them on a low loader for transport to James Cook University. As part of the preparation the 'Aquatic Dance Palais' sign was cut off the front wall of the building and dumped in a rubbish skip.

Tomorrow Cairns Ports and Anton's will cut the remaining hall into two parts and load them onto the loader.

Anyone interested in making a last stand about this grotesque travesty of town planning is invited to assemble on the footpath outside the Casino from 8.30 am.

Come to witness. Come to tell stories. Come to howl. Come to Act.

We will be taking direct action, and invite others to join us, or to take actions of their own design. We have the morning available to trespass on the site and stop work and/or to impede the egress of the loaded truck from the site.

An open letter to Steve and Desley

Following the last three weeks of demolition of the historic Cairns Yacht Club building, we have been continually incensed at how this once grand old building is being 'preserved', 'retained' and 'relocated'.

Labor announced that it would donate $15,000 to preserve and relocate it.

We now know, from photos and intruder reports from the inside of the building, that it is simply being systematically pulled to pieces. Either Labor politicians outright lied or have not taken any interest in how it is being prepared for removal by the company contracted.

The old old hand-painted exterior wall signs, that were first uncovered less than a week ago ( "Aquatic Dance Palais" ) were today cut out with a chainsaw and thrown into the rubbish skip. This is so extremely insensitive to the historic value of this building.

SEE:
http://www.cairnsblog.net/2008/10/uncovered-for-first-time-in-64-years.html

The Port Authority have now escalated their arrogant action into bloody mindedness. There will be nothing of any remaining historical architectural value.

These painted wall signs were iconic of the period when they graced this once proud waterfront location. We should all feel so aggravated, aggrieved and ashamed that this is all happening under our very eyes, with the endorsement of local "representatives" Steve Wettenhall and Desley Boyle. They will both be hung, drawn and quartered at the next election, and we will all remind the voting public that this issue alone does not warrant their return to office.

Labor should have known full well Cairns Ports have no experience in dealing with historic buildings, let alone relocating them. After all, they employed a demolition company.

So far they have filled eight large rubbish skips, containing various remnants and artifacts from the building that should be carefully pulled apart by experts.

Desley and Steve, I implore you to rescue these old wall signs as mentioned above and be gracious to allow those who care to retrieve these from the site on Thursday morning.

I await your telephone call.

Anyone can be VP

Hat Tip: Syd Walker

Richardson for Barron River

As the newly merged Liberal National Party (LNP) line up their players for the 2009 State election, I can confirm who's who.

Yacht Club PADYC campaigner, and former Tablelands Council candidate, Wendy Richardson has been endorsed for the seat of Barron River.

"I'm a person of and for the people," Richardson told me this evening. "I'll be out within the next few days listening and meeting people in the electorate."

The Barron River catchment includes Aeroglen, Redlynch Valley, Whitfield, Kuranda, to Wangetti Beach.

What many commentators will probably analyse as an odd choice, Richardson has landed the seat most winnable in the upcoming State election. Currently held by Steve Wettenhall witha small margin, Richardson will present a stark alternative choice for voters.

She will ride on the back of a strong and determined community engagement campaign she has lead over the last six months, however proof of this will be in maintaining an effective post-mortem, when the remnants of the old Yacht Club are moved in large rubbish bags to within her new Barron River seat.

I thought Blind Freddy would have directed the LNP to put Richardson into the Cairns seat, against Demolition Desley. Sure this famous safe Labor seat needs a much bigger swing as it's been held continuously for over 100 years by Labor. However this election isn't normal, and the issues are obvious for Cairns voters as this town has had development, equating to open heart surgery, to much disgust. Many traditional Labor folk will betray their party of choice, as they see a State leader that has ignored them on local environmental management and heritage protection, in favour of commercial big end of town business.

It's also pretty obvious that the Member for Cairns is getting tired. Very tired. The Yacht Club saga has worn Desley out. Even on TV, championing a community crime programme, she looked tired and stilted. The once gracious character, is replaced with forced smiles and an all to common forced delivery. I'm no longer convinced she has her heart in the job, and I bet she will drop her interest in re-standing for the Cairns seat.

His Loser the Former Mayor Kevin Byrne will not be running for the LNP, to the delight of many insiders who spoke to me today. "Yeah, we're quietly glad that he won't be running anywhere. He's not even on the radar."

A former Australian Army officer and banker, Joel Harrop, will be the Cairns candidate for the LNP. In his early 30's, he will appeal to a new demographic, that feel betrayed by the current regime.

The Mulgrave candidate is Vic Black, a former British police officer, now involved in tourism and hospitality.

LNP have not yet selected a candidate for Cook.

Next year's State election will upset a great majority of what have been solid Labor seats. Get your tickets early I say.

Where's Wally?

Two hours after Councillor Forsyth came off the Cairns Yacht Club building, in protest about the silence dished out from the State Government, the war room on Level 3, Spence Street went into defence mode.

They flicked out a media alert at 11:03am:

Interview Opportunity: Mayor Val Schier and CEO Noel Briggs @ 12:30pm.

However, what was interesting about the hastily called media confab, was who called it and who wasn't there.

Val sent in her chief foot soldier, who earns double her salary, to front the public spotlight. Let's not forget, Briggs is not an elected representative of this community. He's a paid servant of the elected representatives. However, I think that truth be told, he wears the high heals, and Val the gumboots, but not in a KB drag kind of way.

Briggs read a prepared sentence or two, with the help of his fresh-faced $120,000 p.a Communications Manager, Kerie Hull.

"Councillor Forsyth did this by herself," Cairns Regional Council CEO Noel Briggs told a media scrum this afternoon. "She does not represent the Council," he announced firmly.

Well, in my opinion, Forsyth was representing Council, or at least the decision to engage and talk with the Premier. She was motivated by Council's resolution to engage the Premier.

The big question is why didn't the Mayor front the media at 12:30pm? Just over an hour prior, she announced she would be there. What happened in those 86 minutes? Was it simply a cheap lure to get the media along? Val is now becoming known for not fronting to talk the tough issues.

One cameraman said that this was a typical weak Mayor. "We're loosing respect for her, us lot," he told me.

Why the Mayor didn't see the potential for a good media opp, nationally syndicated, is beyond me. It was handed on a plate, there for the taking. I've worked in politics for long enough now to know that this was an easy one - even if she wanted to disagree with what the Councillor did this morning.

Here's some suggestions Val. How about you came down and said something like...

• "I disagreed what Councillor Forsyth did today. It was not endorsed by me, nor was I aware what she was planning to do. However this old building and it's funeral is a result of the last administration. It's Kevin Byrne's legacy to this city. He and his Council were complicit in not saving or protecting it. Heck he didn't even list it in Council's city walking trail of historic old buildings. My new Council is different, although we are new, we will approach such issues differently with a different outcome. I campaigned to get your vote by saying that this town was often run by the big end of town, and this is a clear example of this.
  I am sad that we didn't get an audience with the Premier as we voted, following your 11,000 petition. I tried but was snubbed. Our community was snubbed. This is a sad day for democracy in Queensland.
  

Val gave me an answer on the phone this afternoon, that I've heard her use more than once now. She doesn't see much point in supporting a motion or a subject that will hardly get the full support of her Council. "Why waste time if there's not sufficient support," she told me.

"I only would support things that would have a chance of success."

"I'm flat out getting on with things that need my attention," the Mayor said, deflecting her interest in Forsyth's roof-top action.

"To me, the battle was lost a long time ago. The State have made this clear they were not willing to change their mind," Mayor Schier said. "Had the building been heritage listed, we could have raised funds for refurbishment."

"Anyway, what was going to be achieved by this today?" Did she [Dianne] think that the Premier would all of a sudden have a change of heart? I tried to talk with with the Premier. Dianne sat outside her office, we didn't get listened to," Mayor Schier said.

Noel Briggs said that Councillors should be concentrating on the real issue of Council. A strategic planning workshop is on the agenda for Tuesday and that, according to Briggs, is more important to deal with than such antics of saving an old building, and, presumably, listening to the will of the people. Anyway, why on earth are we being lectured to by a highly paid public servant instead of an elected Councillor? This is all topsy-turvy.

Just before CEO Briggs left the Council foyer, he said "Now I'm off to do some real work."

In a bit of mirth, Cairns 1st candidate at the last election, and city architect, Mark Buttrose telephoned Val Schier, as she was heading into a breakfast meeting at the Cairns Colonial Club around 7:15am.

"Val, it's Mark here," Buttrose said. "Oh, Hi Mark," Val Schier responded.
"Were having a Cairns 1st meeting down at the Yacht Club building. There's Janine Aitken, and Paul Matthews here. Oh, and Dianne Forsyth. She's up on the roof," Mark said with a straight dead pan delivery.

"Are you serious?" Val responded. "I'll see if I can leave here soon and come down," Val told Mark Buttrose.

She didn't show, probably after taking advice from her media minders, and Briggs, no doubt.

At the conclusion of the media set-up at Council this afternoon, Councillor Gregory was waiting in the wings, hanging out to tell all about the feral dear, running rampant in the south of his Division.

However, the story of the day, was all about the animals loose within Council.

Uncovered, for the first time in 64 years

This is not preservation, it's demolition

This is the house that everyone's talking about.
This posting on CairnsBlog is not for you, my regular reader. It's for the Honourable Member for Cairns, Desley Boyle. It's also for the Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall.

Last, but not least, it's for the Premier of our good State of Queensland.

The above photo was taken this morning from those that breached the so-called security fence at our historic Cairns Yacht Club building. It clearly shows a completely different story from what our local Labor politicians said would happen, when they caught us all by surprise three weeks ago, and announced the old building would be preserved and moved to James Cook University land, 22 klms north of Cairns city.

However, today the protesters have enabled me to show you what is really going on inside the green demo walls constructed around this waterfront icon. We see a building that is being demolished, not preserved in any way. We see a building that is been pulled apart and being thrown into large rubbish skips on the Southern side of the building.

The amount of rain water that has been allowed to fall on the unique Black Bean sprung dance floor in the last 48 hours, is absolutely frightening. This is the lie that the Labor Government and Cairns Ports would have you believe. They told us they would protect and preserve this building. It was on this condition that they handed to us on a plate: to move the building to JCU. To placate us all, and shut the protesters up. However, it didn't work.

I raised this with Mayor Val Schier today, in a five minute phoine call as I ducked out from the Cairns Courthouse, awaiting Bryan Law's hearing.

I told her photos from dances held at the of club house, were found in the rainwater today. I also explained to Val about the old signs that were uncovered over the last couple of days for the first time in probably 60 years, were temporally covered up by Cairns Ports as a act of embarrassment. "Wow, is that right," Val Schier said. "I'm very surprised, I didn't know."

"If that's what is going on down there [regarding demolishing] then I'm very surprised," Val Schier told me.

We also bought this to the attention of Desley Boyle this morning.

Isn't it bad enough enough that your Government refuses to listen to the people of Cairns, we wrote to Boyle. 'Do you also have to rub it in and insult us by showing us how little you care by exposing the interior?'

We call on Desley Boyle to immediately halt this wanton destruction, so that the historic aspects of the building can be saved, as was originally agreed. The cowboys carrying out this work obviously have no experience with historical buildings. Has any efforts been made to to properly search the building and site for objects of historic significance?

They way it is now, they may as well just blow the building up.

"I'll look into this straight away," Boyle wrote in a midday rushed email. "But my information is that the Cairns Yacht Club who "hired" the removalist, though I will see what control Cairns Port Authority may have," said the Member for Cairns Desley Boyle.

Clive Skarott of Cairns Ports said on the day of Wettenhall's announcement, it's a "win, win, win." Well, we now know that it's not. It's lose, lose, lose. And there's a lot of spin and lies wrapped up in this.

You be the judge on this tale. Love or loathe this old place, the community is not being respected.

What did you do today?

Cairns Councillor climbs Yacht Club building

Cairns Regional Councillor Dianne Forsyth, this morning climbed on the roof of the historic Cairns Yacht Club building, in an act of defiance, of the in defiance of State Government action.

Councillor Forsyth wanted to display her Council's anger at being ignored over the decision to retain the historic building on the Cairns Waterfront.

"I am prepared to be arrested and charged for my strong passionate commitment to retain this building here," Forsyth said.

It is believed that this is the first time in over 20 years, that a publicly-elected official has protested and been arrested for their beliefs. In 1986 then Cairns Mayor Keith Goodwin stood as an act of rebellion against a large scale Trinity development.

"My Council passed a motion to engage in discussions with the Port Authority to keep the building in situ. We subsequently passed another motion, following the will of the people, 11,000 of them in fact, to engage the Premier of Queensland," Councillor Forsyth said.

"Anna Bligh has refused to even accept this motion from our Council, and refuses to even debate this with our elected mayor," Dianne Forsyth said this morning.

"This is a totally unacceptable situation. This building and it's removal, is now symbolic of what we as a community want to keep for future generations," Councillor Forsyth said.

Three months ago Dianne Forsyth moved a motion that was passed by the Cairns Regional Council to request a formal meeting with the Premier. This meeting have never been honoured.
She famously said back then, that this wasn't over until the fat lady sings.

"The State Government need to hear loud and clear that 11,000 Cairns and Queensland residents signed a petition, and expect to at least be heard. It is an utmost insult to be ignored," Cr Forsyth said.

Dianne undertook several radio and television interview from the roof of the Yacht Club building, as a large group of supporters cheered her on. Around eight police were dispatched to the site.

Bryan Law and John Radden were bot arrested for trespass, as they were found inside the building during this morning's protest.

"Walking around inside the building, we saw this old building in ruin, they're not protecting it at all. The Cairns Ports and the State politicians are simply lying to the public about what is happening here," he said in a telephone call from the site.

Bryan found photos from dances that were held at the Clubhouse in the water and in the mud around the building.

"This is a disgrace, how dare they treat the community of Cairns with such arrogant contempt," he said.

Bryan Law also tore off the black plastic covering the two historic street from sign, adorning the old weatherboards, uncovered for the first time in probably 60 or 70 years. Cairns Ports ordered them be hidden away from public view.

As soon as Bryan Law entered the perimeter and alerted the two security officers, a 'strike force' assembled on the opposite side next to the Hilton Hotel at 7am this morning , with ladder and supplies in hand.

Councillor Diane Forsyth scaled the ladder and made herself at home, perched on the roof, which has now been stripped bare of it's corrugated iron. She held a sign for the waiting media, saying 'I'm representing 11,000 people'.

And indeed she was. What a brave Councillor to stand up and be counted. Forsyth has reminded us all to embrace the democracy that is available to us all.

Dianne acted on her convictions this morning. She still didn't sing.

What Cairns Ports don't want you to see

Last Thursday and Friday, Anton Demolitions, the firm contracted and under instruction from Cairns Ports to demolish the historic Cairns Yacht Club building, had yet another PR disaster to deal with.

As you can see in the photograph, the corrugated iron was removed from the sides of the building and also the Wharf Street frontage. They never knew want the would uncover. Neither did local historians, or local researchers.

If you look closely at the photo above, there's two large black plastic tarps nailed to the front of the old weatherboards exterior. As I will reveal, this was a deliberate act by Cairns Ports to minimise more embarrassment.

When the corrugated iron was peeled away, probably for the first time in 60 years, two stunning historic hand-painted signs were exposed.

The first one reads: "CAIRNS SAILING CLUB", and name the organisation had for some time, before changing to the Cairns Yacht Club in recent years.

Alongside this, another sign was discovered: "AQUATIC DANCE PALAIS"

Two large sheets of black plastic were quickly plastered across the signs, to avoid more attention on the building. It's believed that Cairns Ports boss Neil Quinn himself ordered the cover up, sometime on Thursday. They didn't want an obvious history lesson, glaring right out onto Wharf Street for the passing public and hotel guests of Sofitel and Hilton to see the very real evidence of historic vandalism occurring before their eyes.

Thanks to a breezy Sunday afternoon, I was able to catch these photos to show you what Cairns Ports won't. It's possible that they will destroy this wall completely over the next 48 hours.

The old building was as famous for it's water-based activities as it was for it's regular dances, which were a focal activity of the Cairns social calender for most of the life of the building's existence. Through two world wars and hundreds of balls and weddings, and the evolution of many local bands, the 'Dance Palais' was the social centre of Far North Queensland.

Yet, now it's being paid lip service to, and no one, bar the team from Anton Demolitions are allowed near the building, that is probably harbouring hundreds of secrets behind it's walls and floorboards. Regardless of it's fate, these need to be recorded and catalogued for all time.

James Cook University Professor, Jane Wagner has said that an archaeological dig must occur on the site. "At the very minimum, this site is unique in Cairns and a period is required, if the building is removed," she told ABC's Pat Morrish two months ago.

Meanwhile, a guest staying at the neighbouring Cairns Hilton Hotel emailed me this photo this evening.

It clearly shows that the exposed roof, is now allowing water to pool and seep onto the original Black Bean sprung dance floor.

This is a clear breach of an agreement Barron River MP Steve Wettenhall made when he announcing the building would be moved to James Cook University. "The floor and structure will be preserved for the entire community," he said three weeks ago.

However, it's clear that Cairns Ports removed the roof with a sense of urgency late last week, without protecting or removing the special floor first.

"This is madness," says Bob Rendall, former Commodore of the club, and author of 'At the Aquatic'. "There is a total disregard for this delicate operation. Why are they pulling down this old fragile building in five minutes?" Rendall asks.

Why aren't local researchers and historians involved in this operation? Such disregard, Cairns Ports have got a demolition team to do this work. How mad are they.

This week will be a shameful one for the Government of Queensland. They will be held to account.

Sharon and Terry: Community heroes

This will be the week.

In the next few days, the Port Authority, with the complicit endorsement of the Queensland State Government, will break the most fundamental crime of democracy. They will remove demolish the remaining structure and remove the 100 year old building from where it's rested for over a century. They will have totally disregarded the public and the community of cairns for the sake of one more highrise.

The campaign has been long and arduous. There have been hundreds involved in various ways over the last 5 years. Many were members of the 110 year old Cairns Yacht Club. Some were Commodores. Some were not members, just concerned citizens, angry and ashamed that their Council and State Government would not stand up for them, and commit the ultimate act of betrayal.

Over the last few weeks, a series on citizens have engaged in acts of defiance to demonstrate their disgust at elected officials in allowing this heritage destruction to occur.

And it goes right to the top. Federal Environment and Heritage Minister Peter Garret also did nothing but comply with the Queensland Premier. What the Labor Party has become is something truly shocking. No one would have believed that they would disengage from the people like the way they have in destroying and removing the historic Cairns Yacht Club building from the Cairns waterfront.

However, they told the truth at least once. It was and is all about money. In a letter on Friday, State Minister Mickel, who is a director of the Cairns Port Authority, said they've lost around a $1M in rent fr4om that site, because the old club house was there.

So to 71-year-old Terry Spackman, who scaled the roof and keep the demolition team off the site for over 6 hours, we bow to you. You are what politicians should be doing. Standing up and putting your principals on the line. When was the last time you heard a politician do this?


Then there was Sharon Powell, of the "Anyone but Kevin Bryne for Mayor" T-shirt fame. Sharon also defied authorities and was arrested attempting to scale the boundary fence two weeks ago, while 35 police were guarding the property.

People who wear their convictions on their sleeve, deserve the admiration from us all, no matter where you stand on this issue. They are prepared to stand up, and be counted and tell their story.

Desley Boyle, the State Member for Cairns, will be hiding away in Brisbane this week. She should be ashamed to return to our city later in the week, after this building is removed.

Terry and Sharon, Cairns needs a lot more people like you folk to expose and hold public officials to account.