Palm Beach residents told to cool it and ‘stop personal insults’ on eve of Town Hall meeting

Residents are being urged to resist a ‘failed’ approach of protesting and personal attacks at a meeting tonight to discuss City Plan changes.

Members of the Palm Beach community at a meeting regarding future development and changes to the Town Plan in October. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

RESIDENTS are being urged to resist protesting and launching personal attacks at a southern Gold Coast meeting tonight to discuss the City Plan changes.

In a tense lead-up, planning committee chairman Cameron Caldwell has accused a community group of spreading “fake news” with some Palm Beach residents suggesting he was too scared to attend and “debate with 50kg soccer mums”.

Councillor Daphne McDonald hands out information at a Town Hall meeting. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Division 13 candidate Katrina Beikoff, an author and award-winning journalist, sees the meeting as a great opportunity for residents to ask questions so their submissions can make effective changes to the Plan.

“I am asking that we use this opportunity to interrogate the issues so we can positively influence the Plan to deliver transparency and community benefit while accommodating renewal and change,” she said.

“Protests and personal attacks will not be helpful. They are part of the approach that has failed — the proof is in the number of new high-rises, the traffic jams, the debacle that is finding a car park and the threat to what we value about where we live.

Division 13 candidate Katrina Beikoff — the current approach against council has failed.

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“Our community has very real issues that we are dealing with. I am frustrated and against the change that has been imposed on Palm Beach, and disappointed at the lack of ability to control it.

“It is vital we act swiftly and maturely to turn it around and ensure what happens next reflects our community and the distinct, valuable character of our spectacular slice of the Gold Coast.”

Veteran Palm Beach councillor Daphne McDonald, who has clashed with Mayor Tom Tate due to her strong opposition to light rail and high rise development, faces fresh opposition at the poll with Ms Beikoff and ABC morning announcer Bern Young standing in her division.

Ms Beikoff said she would be asking questions of council officers about building heights and transparency.

“We demand greater transparency if our community is to have confidence in the plan and its regulations,” she said.

Cr Caldwell today said he was happy to attend because council should be accountable for its planning decisions.

Gold Coast City Council planning chair Cameron Caldwell — happy to attend meeting.

“I’m very keen to hear directly from the community what their feedback is, particularly around the positive changes we’ve made for Palm Beach and Currumbin in particular following community consultation,” he said.

“For the first time in more than 20 years we have had a serious review of the planning provisions in Palm Beach and made appropriate reductions in the Jefferson Lane precinct to ensure development is able to be serviced by the infrastructure and is in line with community expectations.”