25-year fight with Gympie council boils over at town hall

Frustrated with council’s constant delays, a man has risked arrest to make his point in Gympie’s CBD.

A HERVEY Bay man's fight to commemorate his parents at Tin Can Bay boiled over to a one man protest against Gympie Regional Council today.

Steve Jensen said his family has been fighting for 25 years to have a plaque installed commemorating his parent's honour on a park bench at Tin Can Bay.

But continued council stonewalling and delays forced him to send the message loud and clear outside town hall - even if it risked arrest.

Steve Jensen is protesting Gympie council’s delays in making a decision on his a request for a plaque commeorating his parents.

"I just want some sort of action taken," Mr Jensen said.

He said his father was the charter president of the Tin Can Bay Lions Club, and his mother was the charter president of the Lioness Club of Tin Can Bay - and these were but a part of their contributions to the community.

But his proposal's was continually delayed and left off council meeting agenda.

"Every time … something more urgent has come up," he said, with the latest response being the council does not have any policies and guidelines in place for this yet.

Mr Jensen said it would cost the council nothing; his family would pay for it and the Tin Can Bay Lions Club has unaimosuly supported the upkeep.

Steve Jensen mid-protest.

Their latest response was the "straw that broke the camel's back".

"All I want is for them to give us a small place … to put (the plaque) on," he said.

A council spokeswoman said commemorative plaques were a "sensitive matter … especially for those who have lost a loved one"

"However, it is vital for council to be respectful and to ensure this policy is fair and equitable to all members of our community," she said.

"Should the policy not be correct for the broader community, this may cause further angst, which council does not wish to cause."

A Memorials and Monuments Policy is expected to be brought to council at its 11 December meeting.

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