Thursday saw Tweed Shire Council hold an extraordinary council meeting to discuss a rescission motion to rescind the motion on return of the Kingscliff pod site at 99 Elrond Drive, Kingscliff, back to ‘parkland for community recreation and environmental benefits’.
The rescission motion was brought by Mayor Chris Cherry, and Crs Dr Nola Firth and Reece Byrnes.
At the beginning of the meeting Cr Cheery again emphasised the value of the $18 million of infrastructure that had been put in place at the site and the ongoing need for housing in Tweed Shire. Cr Cherry also emphasised that while the installation of the original pods had not been done with community consultation the community had provided feedback on the current situation and on first preferences the majority had supported some form of housing at the site.
‘It’s been a very difficult time,’ she said.
‘[There have been] a lot of accusations leveled at me about this rescission being a dummy spit, this rescission being an abuse of power. This rescission being a use of privilege. I’d like to make sure people understand that this rescission is none of those things. This rescission is a democratic process that is allowed under the under the code of meeting, practice that allows councillors to bring forward a decision that council has been made and to try to get a better outcome’
The meeting quickly devolved into dog’s breakfast as councillors Kimberly Hone, Rhiannon Brinmead, and James Owen tripped over one another to bring points of order against speakers and then go down the rabbit hole of what is ‘in the spirit’ of the meeting code might mean.
Mayor Chris Cherry finally brought the meeting back to order after telling Cr Brinsmead that she would ‘terminate your audio visual link, if you continue to disrupt the meeting with your points of order’.
Rushed decision
Finally back on track Deputy Mayor Meredith Dennis clarified that the rescission motion had been brought at her request; she had previously voted against turning the Kingscliff pod site into temporary or permanent housing and to return it to parkland.
‘I found this whole, whole situation incredibly difficult. I’ve lived in this community for many years, and have prided myself in championing people who are either underprivileged or palsy patients, people who are dying,’ Cr Dennis told the meeting.
‘I felt the decision was being rushed, and I wanted to make sure that I was making the right decision.
‘The houses were put there as temporary housing. I’ve had quite a bit to do with the pods because I have an acquaintance there. When things are good during the day, they’re great, but when they go pear shaped, usually at night, it’s a disaster. And it’s been a disaster for the community.’
Cr Dennis highlighted that the majority support for housing at the site came from the barcode community not from the local residents directly impacted by the housing itself.
‘I live out near Chillingham and if we had a decision about Chillingham and somebody from Tweed was telling me what I should be doing in Chillingham, I wouldn’t be very happy with that.’
Cr Dennis also highlighted the unknown ongoing expenses to council from replacing infrastructure from airconditioners and road repairs to the cost of wrapping up the site when the pods were decommissioned in seven years.
‘I’m responsible for the rescission motion, but I will certainly not be supporting that. And I just do hope the pods go and we can all work together and find some way of supporting the people in the community and possibly finding some sort of housing in the future. But once again, it’s a state government issue. It’s actually not Council’s issue,[council’s] remit is roads rights and rubbish.’
The motion was lost and the Kingscliff pod site will be returned to parkland at the end of the lease by NSW Reconstruction Authority. Councillors Cherry, Byrnes, and Firth voted in favour of the motion and Crs Dennis, Brinsmead, Hone, and Owen against.
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