Boycott on park briefing
By SARAH ALLELY
THREE Shellharbour City councillors will boycott tonight's confidential council briefing on the Killalea State Park concept plan for fear of being gagged from criticising the proposed private tourism development.
The confidential presentation from the Killalea State Park Trust, Mariner Land Limited - which is part of Mariner Financial - the Department of Lands and Twyford Consulting follows a similar briefing for Kiama Municipal Council.
Councillor Charlie Mifsud said the briefing was too little too late, and had only come about because councillors demanded last month to be told what was planned after reading of the proposed development in the Mercury.
Lands Minister Tony Kelly last month signed an agreement to lease three parcels of Killalea land to developer Mariner Financial to build a tourism resort.
The park between Shellharbour and Kiama comprises 250ha of Crown land on 8km of coastline renowned for its surf beaches, The Farm and Mystics.
Councillor Don Briggs sought advice from Shellharbour City Council general manager Brian Weir yesterday to check if he risked being gagged on the matter if he attended the session.
Cr Briggs said he was told as it was a confidential briefing by the trust, anything disclosed could not be discussed outside, even if the information was received independently.
A council spokeswoman confirmed this was the advice.
Cr Briggs said since the councillors demanded the briefing in April, "everything had blown up", and it was a different situation.
"If we have this briefing we are bound not to discuss the development.
"If I'm told something in the confidential session it may be a way of not allowing me to express myself publicly," he said.
Councillor Geoff Rose said he would boycott the meeting for several reasons - to keep himself free to speak out, because he was opposed to the park being leased for development, but also because he was angry the council had been kept in the dark until after the state election.
"We should be keeping the little bit of green space in the area. There's plenty of other places to build hotels. Why don't they build just outside the gate?"
Cr Rose said the 52-year lease to Mariner, from which strata leases to individuals would be granted, amounted to selling the park.
"And once the developers get a foot in, they might start at so many cabins but then it will grow and grow," Cr Rose said.
Cr Mifsud said Shellharbour councillors had been overlooked in the four-year preparation for the development.
"I think this has been a sham, it's a done deal. I have never heard of or seen any paperwork on this proposal. Killalea ... is heaven," Cr Mifsud said.
THE PLAN FOR KILLALEA
The concept plan for Killalea State Park is believed to propose:
Three areas to be developed, all with cabins and resort facilities such as a swimming pool, tennis court, cafe-restaurant and a conference centre.
A total of 202 cabins.
The ridge south-east of where the kiosk and car park now stand, overlooking The Farm, would have 81 cabins of between two and five beds.
The area near the administration building would have 30 cabins, a mix of three-bed and family size.
The parcel of land in the western valley near the existing camping ground would have 91 cabins of either two or three beds.
Construction would take four years.
Total area of the three parcels of land to be leased is 17.6ha, about 7 per cent of the park.
The concept plan was developed by SJB Architects in 2004.
Illawarra Mercury - 31 May 2007 (Page 10)
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