The Minister spells out exactly the statutory purpose of the Strategy–something Council has been incredibly vague about in recent months.

I thank the Minister for her detailed and timely response to both sets of questions asked by Paul Llewellyn MLC.

It must be noted that James Trail disputed (30 April, 2008) the Minister’s answers on the District Planning Scheme delivered to Parliament on 8 April 2008.

But Mr Trail and Cr Harrison do not seem to have a grasp on the concept of timely, relevant and detailed answers to legitimate questions.

I also wish to thank Councillor Mike Smart for his honesty and perception at meetings on the Margaret River Townsite Strategy.

At last week’s public meeting, he explained that Councillors only had two days to read and understand the draft Margaret River Townsite Strategy (and Augusta Townsite Strategy) before a meeting to adopt it.

Although the consultants sent through the report three months before the Special Meeting, the CEO and shire president set up that urgent meeting to lead Council to burden the community with having to read and comment on such “rubbish”.

Although it is quite reasonable to “adopt for advertising purposes”, the actual effect of “adoption” gives the document the status of being “seriously entertained” with consequent statutory application before any final adoption.

It is quite common for new players on Council to fall for the “advertising purposes only” part and miss the real significance of the “adoption”.

Although Council has seriously entertained the rubbish, it is very comforting to know that the WAPC is the judge in the matter and is likely to reject it for similar reasons they refused to endorse the 2000 Townsite Strategy.

Most telling is Cr Smart’s comment to the shire president at the Margaret River Townsite Strategy Reference Group meeting (15 April, 2008), “Do we have a plan B for the perimeter road?”

Why is a proper Townsite Strategy that addresses traffic, parking, infrastructure and amenity in the town centre being denied us?

We have been without such a plan since 1997 and the CEO and shire president must take the blame and shame for wasting our time and money for the last three years pursuing their obsessions rather than delivering good government.

James Trail needs to be awarded the same treatment as he gave Matt Riordan and marched out the door immediately.

And all I have to say to the shire president is “Go Harrison Go”.