A critical backlash for tourism takeover claim

Tourism debate checks in to Noosa in time for holidays

Noosa Main Beach is preparing for the holiday crowds. Picture: Alan Lander

A LOCAL internet claim

that two lobby groups are trying to hijack Noosa's sustainable tourism agenda has been given short shrift by a Cooroy community leader.

On an online Noosa community forum, Keith Jackson has attacked a joint Noosa Parks Association and Noosa Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association invite for Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa to be part of a draft Noosa community- tourism environment accord.

The joint statements by the parks association president Michael Gloster and the ratepayers association head Adrian Williams said unless council and Tourism Noosa "more actively manage Noosa's overcrowding and congestion”, Noosa's lifestyle and environment, and tourism experience would suffer.

"The coming Easter and school holidays will once again demonstrate just how serious Noosa's overcrowding and congestion is becoming.”

Mr Jackson, who is the husband of Councillor

Ingrid Jackson, accused

the two groups of trying

"to take over the responsibilities of a democratically elected Noosa Council” and "lock out other organisations”.

In a later post, Mr Jackson claims Mayor Tony Wellington and the council had rebuffed this approach in favour of consulting

with a community sustainable tourism reference group made

up of 15 organisations.

Cooroy Area Residents Association president Rod Ritchie, whose group is part of the consultation, responded online to Mr Jackson: "It's obvious your original headline about these groups giving riding instruction to council was a bit of a stretch.

"It's now clear that council was keen to involve 15 community groups in these discussions, and NPA and NSRRA were just two of these groups. So, far from a push back by the mayor, as you have just claimed, Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa had a plan to address community concerns.”