Tweed water fight gets nasty with AVOs taken out and claims of bullying as the water war rages on

THE man at the centre of Tweed’s water fight has taken out an AVO against a rival claiming it is part of an extended bullying campaign by green activists to run his family’s business into the ground.

THE man at the centre of Tweed’s water fight has taken out an AVO against a rival after an alleged incident as his helicopter came in to land.

Matthew Karlos said he had filed an apprehended violence order against the person after the incident as the helicopter was approaching his water extraction business in the Tweed hinterland.

Mr Karlos also claims it is part of an extended bullying campaign by green activists to run his family’s business into the ground.

He said the person was a “member” of Tweed Water Alliance.

KARLOS FAMILY AT THE CENTRE OF A FEUD OVER WATER MINING WANT HELIPAD

Matthew Karlos declared he is going to continue to fly from Tweed to Brisbane for work despite councillors refusing his helipad development application.

Alliance spokesman Jeremy Tager said they did not have members and refuted Mr Karlos’ claims.

The Karlos family and environmental groups have been at war for years as the alliance claims the business has been running illegally.

It alleges the business runs trucks laden with water to be bottled without the right permits and breaches its hours of operations.

Tweed Mayor Katie Milne outside the Karlos Property in March when the Land and Environment Court inspected the business. Tweed Daily News had the captino "Water extraction protesters attend the Land and Environment Court site inspection of the Karlos property on Urliup Rd."

And the greens, including Tweed Mayor Katie Milne, are philosophically against extracting water to be bottled.

The use of trucks from the Urliup property is being decided in the Land and Environment Court.

“My helicopter has had firearms trained on it on approach to the farm by persons ginned up by mayoral and activist rhetoric,” he said.

“I have taken out AVOs against them. They are members of the Tweed Water Alliance, closely affiliated to the Mayor.

The Karlos family have been ordered by Tweed Shire Council to stop pumping water from their three bores, (the blue dots).

NEVER MISS A MINUTE WITH THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN APP

“Surveillance cameras have been located in trees on public property adjacent to our farm, invading our family’s privacy and illegally capturing footage of truck carrier movements.

“Cars have deliberately swerved towards family members and visitors inspecting surveillance camera sites across the road.”

Mayor Milne said she hadn’t had any personal dealings with Mr Karlos and had no ill will towards him.

“That would be horrifying if someone shot at Mr Karlos’s helicopter,” she said.

“My only interest is to ensure compliance with planning laws, and ensure commercial water extraction does not deplete our local creeks or groundwater, or create a safety hazard or unfair maintenance burden for our ratepayers from large trucks on unsuitable rural roads.

“Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth. It has the lowest percentage of rainfall as run-off, the lowest amount of run-off, the least amount of water in rivers, the smallest area of permanent wetlands and the most variable rainfall and streamflow in the world.”

Alliance spokesman Mr Tager said he had heard about the allegations but those in the community laughed them off.

He said the Karlos family weren’t being bullied, they were being forced to operate legally by the council which now has a majority of green councillors.

“For 15 years it has been a neighbourhood traumatised,” he said.

Environmental activist of 25 years Jeremy Tager said he does not believe the accusations made by Matthew Karlos were true.

“They have the right to have a business in their neighbourhood to operate lawfully.

“They have right to use the roads and not be pushed off the roads by large trucks.”

Tweed Shire Council rejected Mr Karlos’ helipad application in July.

At the time Mr Karlos told the Bulletin he would continue to fly.

Councillors voted on September 20 to force the Karlos family to demolish their water extraction equipment however deferred the enforcement notice until the Land and Environment Court handed down its decision.

Cr Milne did not respond to the Bulletin’s questions.