DEAR News Of The Area,

TODAY I was on a stall at the Sunday Harbourside Markets as a member of the community group, Foreshore For All, spreading the message that the Jetty Foreshore land is destined for rezoning.

I am concerned how many people I spoke to today thought that the planned State Government development had been quashed due to the overwhelming ‘no’ vote at the poll.

Many thought that as they had voted ‘no’, along with the majority (68.8 percent in fact), that the ‘no’ vote had won and the development would not be going ahead.

Yes, in a perfect world this would be the case.

It would be fair and democratic to expect that when 33,161 members of a community vote ‘no’, that the Government representatives involved at all levels would take this directive on board and go back to the table to reconsider.

However, we do not live in a perfect world nor does it appear that we even live in a true fair and democratic country.

The community needs to know that the fight continues and the next step is to stop the rezoning and to keep this land in public hands for our recreational use in the future so we all can use and enjoy it, particularly our children coming behind us and their children behind them.

Regards,
Fran STEPHENSON,
Coffs Harbour.