"Jimbo joins the
Circus"
Herewith a News Flash from residents concerned at the
proposed development of biotech laboratories in the residential
suburbs of Brisbane.
MEDIA RELEASE:
AND JUMPING
JACK MOORE DOES A BACK-FLIP TOO
The Lord Mayor's has done
a somersault with regard to the massive Biotech complex proposed
by the UQ/CSIRO at St Lucia. Only weeks ago he assured
residents affected by the laboratory development of his intention
to "strongly resist inappropriate development" outside
the intent of the City of Brisbane Draft Plan. Now he has
seemingly changed his tune, and recently told concerned residents
"If you want to stop this building you have no chance, I
will facilitate it; I will not deliberately destroy it".
(We have since learned that Lord Jim has introduced an
anonymous donor of $10 million to the project, no strings
attached, we are assured).
The "leafy
avenues" of suburban St Lucia seem set to be shaken with
rock blasting and to reverberate to the thunder of construction
traffic, as the University have vowed to commence demolition this
month, and proceed over the next two years in the building of the
gigantic $110 million complex. The "Rape of St Lucia"
is about to begin.
The residents
sought encouragement from our federal member for the area, the
Hon John Moore MP, who stunned us with his unequivocal backing of
the IMB project, (after all, he had raised half the money for
it). He was less certain of the appropriateness of siting the
ancillary Natural Sciences Precinct in his suburb of
Indooroopilly, and could see the electoral damage of the
virtually unanimous opposition by the local community. Later he
came out with a Press Release urging its relocation to a more
suitable site, where it can grow.
However, the
Lord Mayor has seemingly done a somersault and has now lent his
support to the
development of the IMB in residential Carmody Road, and appears
to be content with things the way they are, although miffed about
the height of the building, towering 8 stories above the
surrounding residential area. There is rumour that the Council
are to sneak it through during the Summer Recess, whilst the
public are preoccupied with Christmas festivities and in
heralding in the new Millennium.
We could be
forgiven for thinking that we are in a Three Ring Circus! But the
community have a watching brief on the foul deeds being
perpetrated, behind their backs!
On the face of
it, the Beattie Government's initiative for the establishment of
a Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology may have seemed a good
idea at the time, but the ramifications of plonking high-tech
research laboratories "slap bang" in the centre of
Brisbane's inner western suburbs has profound implications.
In the interest
of public safety, and a precautionary approach, the residents
urge a delay in approvals until such time as these matters can be
properly assessed and reviewed by appropriate, impartial and
independent experts. The electorate depends upon it!
Biohazard
Action Alliance,
http://www.rag.org.au/baa/default.htm
This page is maintained by
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