Etheridge Shire Geo park

[pc bowe]

After attending the recent town hall meeting at Georgetown 16/06/17.
Frankly I  have never attended a more  definitive town meeting before.
The proposal for the establishment of a UNESCO backed Geo park was absolutely and utterly rejected by all rate payers and residences in attendance.

[Gemster]

Yes.

  Gemster....

[pc bowe]

Upon face value the establishment of a system of Geo parks extending along the Savanna Highway (Cairns to Broome)has merit.
And Etheridge shire meets every single criteria, bar one.COMMUNITY CONSULTATION.
The attending residence and rate payers, see the involvement of UNESCO,  as no more than a fourth tier of Governmental oversight  and overreach, the standing vote of the day was a 61 Nay and a 0 Yay (Yes 0) for and against.

[Gemster]

So in other words, It's Going Ahead after Consultation with the Public... Lol...

 Why would Locking up 'Cairns to Broome" have Merit ? . There are a lot of Fossicking areas between Cairns and Broome that would be in these Geo Parks.. Are they going to allow us to keep Fossicking? ...... Somehow I Don't think so....

 Anyhow, Aren't National Parks 'Geo Parks'?

  Gemster....
   

[pc bowe]

4 options Where initially proposed at the gathering.

• The mosaic  approach ie. Each land owner decide for themselves  whether to nominate their land for UNESCO listing.(12 carried votes)
• 40.000 sq klm the entire Etheridge Shire listed as a Geo park.(0 carried votes).
• The ESC review all current policy and allow public scrutinize of,  to date all budgeting and deliberation process to date.(6 carried votes) .
• The ESC cease a decease any and all consultation and deliberation of all and any current and future negotiations in relation to UNESCO Geo park listings.(61 carried votes).

The 4th option was so definitive that, Perhaps the gathering was not considered endemic of the greater populace. ( So a 5th option was proposed).
      5.The ESC take a referendum vote to the greater populace of the Shire (32 carried votes).

Note. The 32 carried votes for the 5th options should be considered secondary opus.

[pc bowe]

So it looks like the ESC, listened to outcome from this town meeting and are not going to pursue the Geo park idea.
Many of the locals bare no ill-will to any of the councilors or council representatives for investigating this proposal as, they see it as, their job to place all options on the table.
ESC is still looking for ways to enhance the shire and have other avenues to explore.

Personally I think the Isaak Shires, Clermont pack is one of the best initiatives I seen to date. 

[Gemster]

  People Power Wins Again... 

  Gemster....

[pc bowe]

While driving to Georgetown, the old man and I were betting on the turn out.
I went for 100 the old man 40.
Upon entering the hall there was 7 rows by 12 chairs layed out in the middle of the hall.Which we took to be the organizers attendance bet.
The numbers were about 130. Big, unexpected and prepared.
It was requested that the language and conduct be kept civil.
The key note speaker who, was to address the concerns and arguments for the Geo park (Via Skipe) went to great pains, to explain that he was not aware he would be required to address a gathering so he basically just parroted the very glossy pamphlet which UNESCO hand out.
This left the floor open to the locals.(Now bear in mind some of the rhetoric to date had been comments like).
 "Anyone who thinks an Etheridge Geo park is a bad idea is, either ill-informed or irrational".
Of the speakers who got up and spoke all, were well informed and rational.
These included the local diesel fitter/miner, who delivered what I would consider, one of the best public BITCH SLAPS ever witnessed.

   

[Gemster]

  NICE... I would have loved to be there to see that ...
 But you Did say that it was Requested that the Language and Conduct be kept civil...... That Ruled Me Out Straight away..
 Well done, a fine example of Public Opinion WINS....

 Gemster...