Planning councillor in the dark over Sekisui ‘refusal’

Christian Dickson says he was unaware of a pending refusal for Sekisui House’s Yaroomba Beach project, as a fellow councillor calls for a CCC probe.

Former planning portfolio councillor Christian Dickson, bottom right, says he was unaware of a mooted refusal of Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal, while Division 4 councillor Joe Natoli has called for a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.

EXCLUSIVE:

Former planning portfolio councillor Christian Dickson says he was not aware at any stage that planners were preparing to refuse the controversial Sekisui House Yaroomba Beach proposal.

Cr Dickson, who was planning portfolio holder in the previous council, said at no stage was he aware a refusal had been "proposed and reviewed by senior staff including those from Strategic Planning and Economic Development", prior to the presentation of the council officer's report which recommended approval in June, 2018.

The revelations came as fellow councillor Joe Natoli, who won the seat of Division 4 in March last year called for a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation into the development application and "any other controversial development applications which were recommended for approval and supported by council".

• O'Pray backs staff integrity
• Natoli calls for CCC investigation
• Mayor: My vote was based on report
• The questions we posed to your councillors

Councillors voted 6-5 at a special meeting on June 21, 2018, to approve the billion-dollar, five-star hotel and housing proposal.

Recently released Right to Information documents revealed planners had been prepared to recommend a refusal based on several planning grounds just weeks before an officer's report which recommended approval was made public.

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Councillors Greg Rogerson, Jason O'Pray, Jenny McKay, Ted Hungerford and Rick Baberowski voted against the development on June 21, 2018.

Councillors John Connolly, Christian Dickson, Steve Robinson, Tim Dwyer, Peter Cox and Mayor Mark Jamieson voted in favour.

Dickson had no knowledge of mooted refusal:

Cr Dickson said his "only insight into the assessment" was that council planners had been concerned about a "number of matters ranging from height, density, traffic, environment and resident objections".

"At no stage was I aware that a refusal had been proposed and reviewed by senior staff including those from Strategic Planning and Economic Development," he said.

He said it was "difficult to assume how I would vote without reading the full report or understanding the concerns raised by staff" when asked whether that knowledge would've changed his vote.

"As always I would have approached the item with an open mind, just as I do on all council items," Cr Dickson said.

Division 6 councillor Christian Dickson.

He said council assessment processes were "clearly separated" from the political arm and "truly independent in their own right".

He said the integrity of staff and confidence in their ability was something "I have rarely needed to question".

"Marc Cornell carried out his assessment with a high level of integrity, a sound example of how all employees should respond to their duties in council," Cr Dickson said.

"The Planning Assessment team and its leadership had the legitimate ability to change direction and author differing reports in the reporting process.

"Ultimately, it's the councillors' decision once a recommendation comes to the floor of council to vote upon."

O'Pray '100 per cent' confident in staff integrity:

Cr Jason O'Pray echoed some of Cr Dickson's sentiments.

He told the Daily he was not aware officers had been preparing to recommend a refusal.

He said he didn't think any councillor would've known that and he stayed well out of the officer's assessment processes.

"My confidence in planners and planning department report writers … is exemplary," Cr O'Pray said.

He said he had confidence in the current assessment and decision making process and "100 per cent" confidence in the integrity of council staff.

Cr O'Pray said he had more confidence now than he had in the previous term, as the longer he spent in council the more confidence he developed in the integrity of the executive and he had confidence in the integrity of senior management.

"If they (planners) were all on the same page all of the time I think that's a problem," he said.

"The reports that come through to council are thorough."

Cr Jason O'Pray.

 

Cr O'Pray said his thought pattern had never changed with the Sekisui House proposal and he'd always sided with the community.

"I am confident in the process (assessment and decision making for Yaroomba Beach proposal)," he said.

He said it was important to note reports to councillors weren't finite, "it's a recommendation".

"I for one have voted against officer's recommendations on many occasions," Cr O'Pray said.

"Ultimately the decision is left to the 11 (councillors)."

He said the decision to support the proposal was not what he wanted to see, but he still had to accept it.

He said the decision of councillors "has no bearing whatsoever on how the report is brought up to council".

"I'd hate to think the decision of council is muddying the waters of report writing to council," he said.

"The report writing in my opinion is brilliant."

Natoli calls for CCC investigation:

But new Division 4 councillor and former Maroochy Shire Mayor Joe Natoli said "serious questions" had to be asked about what went on.

"This outcome resulted in a decision which went against massive community opposition," Cr Natoli said.

Cr Natoli said the Crime and Corruption Commission should undertake a "comprehensive investigation" interviewing all assessment planning staff to find out whether or not their professional opinion had ever been compromised by directions given by senior executives and managers.

"We need this to ensure the public have total confidence in the integrity of the planning assessment of the Sunshine Coast Council," Cr Natoli said.

Court case keeps councillors tight-lipped:

Councillors David Law and Peter Cox declined to comment as the matter was still before the Court of Appeal, although Cr Cox noted his support of the council's response to the Daily's questions sent about the 3435-page Right to Information release.

Cr Ted Hungerford also said it was inappropriate to comment with the matter before the court and also said he needed to take into account the Councillors' Code of Conduct.

He added the issue did remind him of the Badderam proposal in Buderim, which he said from recollection had been recommended for refusal before it was called up to council by a councillor.

Cr Hungerford said officers had then recommended approval, which was later granted by councillors at an ordinary meeting with a series of conditions to deal with what he said were a substantial number of conflicts with the town plan.

Mayor: My vote based on report presented

Mayor Mark Jamieson said his vote on June 21, 2018, was "based on the advice received from council staff as represented in the report presented for the consideration of council".

"I have been provided with no reason that would warrant having an alternative view on how I voted on this development application," he said.

Mayor Mark Jamieson at the Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards 2021. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Cr Jamieson said the council's CEO had already outlined to the Daily the process involved with council reports, including the several drafts and approval layers associated.

"This has been the practice in the Sunshine Coast Council since 2008 and in its predecessor councils," he said.

"I have every confidence in council's assessment and associated review processes that are undertaken by staff in finalising recommendations for the consideration of council - and it is my understanding that those processes were followed in the context of the Yaroomba Beach Development Application."

Newcomer responds:

Cr Maria Suarez said in her experience so far "most times I have found a high degree of integrity in the decisions made by council staff".

"There have been situations where I have found staff are beholden to a policy, process or legislation that doesn't allow for the social context and while this is a frustration I haven't felt that these decisions were made under duress," she said.

She said she remembered her thoughts on the way the report read for the Yaroomba Beach application and decision prior to the election, however she would "like to re-read it again, with the additional knowledge I have gained before I make any personal comment on the process".

She said she would also seek extra advice on her ability to comment with the application still before the Court of Appeal.

Crs Terry Landsberg, Winston Johnston and Deputy Mayor Rick Baberowski did not respond.

Questions sent to councillors who had served in the previous term:

Q: Do you have confidence in the integrity of current assessment and decision-making processes of the council executive (officers, management, group executives, senior execs etc)?

Q: Did you have that confidence in the previous term as well?

Q: Do you believe the assessment and decision-making process was sound in the Yaroomba Beach application and eventual approval?

Q: Were you aware council planners had been prepared to recommend refusal of the Yaroomba Beach proposal on planning grounds, prior to the presentation of the officer's report which recommended approval?

Q: If not, would that knowledge that it was to be refused on planning grounds have changed your vote (for those that supported the proposal in the vote on June 21, 2018)?

Questions sent to new councillors elected in March, 2020:

Q: Do you have confidence in the integrity of current assessment and decision-making processes of the council executive (officers, management, group executives, senior execs etc)?

Q: Do you believe the assessment and decision-making process was sound in the Yaroomba Beach application and eventual approval?

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