200 leave Darwin council without an answer on RSL Esplanade club house proposal

PEOPLE booed Darwin council before leaving the city chambers disappointed and without an answer on whether elected members would provide support for the RSL’s bold Esplanade Club house proposal

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MORE than 200 people booed Darwin council before leaving the city chambers disappointed and without an answer on whether elected members would provide in principal support for the RSL’s bold Esplanade Club house proposal.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis delayed the decision, despite hundreds of members of the public attending an emotionally charged council meeting last night.

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The crowd, who crammed into the council chambers function room where the meeting was being televised, lined council hallways and queued out the front door of the building, booed as Mr Vatskalis laid the item on the table, saying he wanted council to seek more information on the Defence of Darwin House proposal.

“It’s an outrage, a bloody disgrace,” members of the public yelled through the council chamber doors.

The Darwin RSL's proposal was meant to go before council for the first time this evening with the crowd flowing outside. Picture: Che Chorley

“He hasn’t got the numbers,” one yelled as security guards, hired in anticipation of an emotional crowd, retained control of the tense group.

Darwin Film Society chairman Jeff Coulter said it was disappointing for everyone who had taken time to attend the meeting and wanted to see an outcome.

“There’s at least 200 people here now, it’s very disappointing for everybody,” he said.

“At least an outcome would have given us some direction.”

Crowds flowed from the chambers, down the stairs and outside. Picture: Che Chorley

Mr Coulter said he hoped it was an indication the Lord Mayor was changing his tune, after saying those who opposed development on the Esplanade were “dream destroyers” on ABC Radio yesterday morning.

“I don’t want to pre-empt anything, unfortunately the Lord Mayor doesn’t seem to be too objective with his comments on radio … he was almost working for the pro-RSL camp rather than objecting,” he said.

“He should be waiting for the decision of the umpire, the aldermen, rather than coming in from above them.

Mr Vatskalis said new information, which he could not reveal, came to light after 5pm yesterday afternoon and there was not enough time to convey it to the elected members.

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“I thought it was prudent that if we are going to make such a significant decision new have got all the information together before we make it.”

Mr Vatskalis said he was unable to reveal where the new information came from but said the plans would return to council as soon as possible.

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