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Park Inc
Progress
of License
Sit Rep 20 April 2006
Licence Rejected - Veterans United
On the night of the 19th April 2006 the Townsville Branch of the VVAA voted with overwhelming numbers not to take on the administration of Pandanus Park.
This meeting reinforced the stance that the project has always taken – Pandanus Park is for all vets, for all time, without adding to their stresses with needless red tape – a true memorial to the living: the Queensland State Government CAN make this happen and choose not to. The veteran community – voters all - do not accept this inaction.
At this meeting there were well over sixty members present - an unusually high roll up, again indicating the high support for Pandanus Park in the wider veteran community.
No one spoke out directly against Pandanus Park and in fact several people applauded the project in a general sense and acknowledged the potential benefits. Much of the anti approach stemmed from the proposed Licence Agreement, which has also been the subject of a great deal of criticism, mistrust and suspicion amongst veterans right across Australia.
In summary, the Townsville Branch of the VVAA don’t want to know this Licence or this agreement. Additionally we have widespread feedback from Pandanus Park people who reflect the same distrust of the proposed licencing agreement.
So two veteran groups don’t want to know this Licence Agreement:
(1) The
Pandanus Park veterans, and
(2) The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia (VVAA) Townsville Branch
The resentment that exists amongst the veteran community against this so called licence has now possibly reached a stage whereby the situation is irreparable, that any future modifications will simply be viewed by all veterans as window dressing and tinkering by the autocrats and politicians, to get the veterans to sign up and get out of their hair. Additionally this dilly dallying and fine tuning would take months and possibly years to gain progress and at the end of the day, Pandanus Park would still be labouring under a bureaucratic straight jacket.
Of course there have been to date no signatures to that licence and by taking the debate to the troops, the real feeling of the troops has now been solidly identified. The troops don’t want to know the licence agreement and that has been an ongoing message they have delivered for some weeks now. Whilst there continues to be no signing of the licence agreement several factors begin to come into play:
(1) The State Government edges closer and closer to the next State Election (must be held by May 2007).
(2) The stand off with the veterans creates an ongoing festering wound for the State Government approaching an election.
(3) The State Opposition’s support of Pandanus Park is on the record and they now get an opportunity to weave this situation into their policy.
(4) The veterans will continue with their Long Tan Day activities with renewed energy and vigour, attracting additional focus and attention to the failed bandaid solution applied by the State Government.
(5) It is extremely doubtful that the Cape York Land Council people or Michael Ross and his people would ever try and interfere with veterans going up to Pandanus Park. They have veterans too, have supported Pandanus Park all the way, and they are getting messed around by the State Government with this Licence, just as the veterans are.
The situation needs firm action for a rational resolution. (Did I hear someone say ...“bring it on and make my day?” .....surely not!...)
Therefore it is proposed that the following be adopted as the official approach to both the State Government and the State Opposition:
We the veterans want that land now surveyed as Pandanus Park, set aside as a reserve for veterans and their invited guests to use for recreational purposes in perpetuity.
That
means
-no need for incorporated bodies,
-no need for a Licence Agreement and
-no need for Land Use Agreements,
-no discrimination of veterans from this war and not that war,
-no six monthly checks up at Cooktown to see if we can carry on,
-no lease agreement running out in 15 years time, and
-no 5 plus 5 plus 5 Cap in Hand situations .
The State Government has the ability to do this and if they say they can’t resume this land for this purpose they should not be in government. If they wanted to put a school or hospital there, we all know they would soon find a way, and if that land belonged to you and I (and it does by the way) then they would find a way quick smart. The Valuer General would do an assessment of the value of the land, a cheque would be issued and we would simply be told to get off by a certain date. In fact that is the exact way the State Government took over that same patch of land under the Wayne Goss government. It was owned by a bloke called Roger James and that’s how they got rid of him. So they can do it if they want to.
In this instance, the patch of dirt has already been surveyed to take into account local Aboriginal requirements for our presence there, and the hard yards on the ground have now been dealt with. It is a very simple step forward from here.
See you all up there on Long Tan Day.
Ginger
Mick
Sit Rep 10 April 2006
Les has met today with the VVAA Townsville sub-branch Secretary
who advised that it has been put to the membership that the assn support
Pandanus by bringing it under the umbrella of their Incorporation. They
have also discussed setting up a sub-committee for the daily running of
Pandanus. Their Pandanus support and involvement will be put to the vote
at their meeting on 19 April.
It is important that Pandanus people support those who support Pandanus. Accordingly Les and Jim have already joined VVAA Townsville. Those of you who are in the region, please consider following their example and join up so that you can help Pandanus thrive. It is time for you all to wear the Pandanus Hat, just as the southerners did for Parliament, and those in the far north did for the Cairns and Cooktown negotiations. No proxy votes.
VVAA Townsville can be contacted at Zac's Place on 07 4723 0569 or at www.vvaatvl.org.au
Sit
Rep 3 April 2006
Delegates
from all parties are putting a lot of work into transforming a multi-purpose
document into a tailored license. The Pandanus delegates are three of
our 'Originals', vets who've been in it from the start: John "Dutchy"
Suiker, Jim Irvine and Noel Iszlaub.
Noel, representing our delegates, has posted a copy of the current draft on the Forum for us all to examine and he and Jim will clarify anything for us. Dutchy is a bit caught up with cyclone recovery.
Please study Noel's Forum postings starting 14 March 2006 and then reply with your questions.
Those of you who usually email or phone rather than posting on the Forum, please, this time use the Forum - it is the ideal place for us all to have open discussion at this important stage. This won't keep until we are all face to face - Pandanus needs us all now.
If you need a hand to join the forum, email Pop or Geoff
And remember, the only dumb question is the unasked one.
Sit
Rep 6 March 2006
We
are awaiting a revised draft from the CYLC solicitors which will include
everything agreed upon at Cooktown, eg all vets will have access, which
was the last point and one we were advised by our legal person to leave
alone till the end of negotiations.
The area we have been allotted is BIGGER than we have been using for five
years, is prime river frontage and according to the TO's, is the best
piece of real estate in the Cape York area. There will of course be access
available to other parts of the Kalpowar aggregation. Remember: on 15
Dec 2005 two new National Parks were also declared on the land. QPWS fees
and conditions apply to their camping areas. There is no fee to camp in
Pandanus Park.
There is, on the detailed map of the land allotted to Pandanus Park, a gap (near Camp Ballarat). This area has been reserved by one of the TO's to perhaps build a house upon some time in the future. We will continue to use the area until building commences, then we have to detour from the Base Camp, along the road that goes to Jacks Lakes, turn right at the first fenceline then left when you hit the track that runs to Camp Ballarat. This was a non-negotiable requirement when we went on the ground with the TO's.
As news comes to hand it will be advised, but for now we are waiting for the TO's to move.
In the meantime, work is progressing on the Incorporation necessary for the License. There may be an Assn patronage available, one which will bring Pandanus under the umbrella of that assn’s Incorporation, thus giving Pandanus legal protection without any committee or money issues. This is being investigated, to ensure that Pandanus Park’s best interests are looked after even when we are all dead and gone.