Like the winds of a category five cyclone, debate over the Port Douglas cyclone shelter continues to rage.
Minister for Government Services, Building Industry and Information and Communication Technology, Simon Finn, has hit back at the LNP's candidate for Cook, David Kempton, who said his party would undertake a review of the cyclone shelter should they take government.
"I find it extraordinary that a local candidate makes comment about an issue and starts by saying 'I don't know what the community opinion is'.
"The situation is this; the site that the State Government has chosen is the highest elevation site of the three sites that have been proposed (Port Douglas State School, Old Port Road, and Sheraton Mirage property).
"The site at the school meets the criteria that has been set in terms of storm and tide surge. The other two sites don't and there is no way the State Government is going to build a cyclone shelter where the storm surge will potentially inundate it."
When asked whether residents of the region should have the right to push for the biggest and best facility possible, Mr Finn was unequivocal.
"What they're getting is the biggest and best facility possible in the one that we are building.
"We used James Cook University cyclone testing unit to provide us with the advice. We have to take the advice of experts to tell us what the criteria should be for a cyclone shelter."
He said that while he had been approached by alternative design advocates, Russell Jean and Steve Hull, there was nothing presented to him which would warrant further investigation.
"Russell and Steve have met with me and they've never presented me with anything other than an opinion. They've told me they think it should go somewhere else but unfortunately governments can't act on hearsay or opinion.
"I appreciate their enthusiasm for their community, I appreciate that everyone wants the biggest and the best. What the State Government must ensure we do is provide people with the best we can and the safest we can.
"The other two locations don't meet safety requirements, it's as simple as that."
Mr Finn said there was a "full round" of community consultations around the location of the cyclone shelter.
"The Cairns Regional Council submitted their proposals of where the cyclone shelter should be. The submission did not include either of these sites (Old Port Road or the Sheraton Mirage)."
Mr Finn said any move by the LNP to review the location and design would cause major disruptions to successful tenderer, Northbuild, and in turn would significantly increase the cost to the State.
At the time of reporting a poll asking readers their preferred location for the Port Douglas cyclone shelter showed opinion divided with 45% of people in favour of the school site and 50% in favour of Old Port Road, while 5% of people didn't seem to care.
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This is what we told Mr Finn when we had our meeting with him. We then proceeded to present to him an alternative to the proposed centre he was advocating on behalf of the Govt. We showed him the Cooktown model and whilst looking at this asked us the question - "Will this centre fit on the school land?" We answered him by saying yes.
We then presented the facts about the alternative site also along with the facts about the alternative centre. We did this in line with the reasons that have been stated in other stories - we want the best for the region as we dont have the infrastructure that other centres have who will accept this proposed centre as just an additional centre for use and for use during cyclones. We feel we cant accept the proposed centre in its current form as it simply wont do all that the Govt says it will and what they say it is going to be.
We were asked by Mr Finn to present him with a business plan with our option and were told we would have to have that to him within a couple of days as he was going to put out tenders and he wasnt waiting for anyone. We asked him for a figure so we could put something together. He stated he couldnt give us a figure?? We continued to press him on the issue but he continued to say he couldnt give a figure, although he could give us a figure on Weipa??
We presented Mr Finn with a copy of a memo prepared by Gary Hunt(local architect and a building contractor sought out by Gary for advice). In this memo Gary said he felt the proposed centre would cost btw $3 - 3.5m. We further stated to Mr Finn that based on these figures we should be able to get a centre similar to the Cooktown model if the Port Douglas proposal was to get $6m in funding.
So when Mr Finn says we are getting the biggest and best centre possible I would simply say "WHAT"????
In relation to "Community Consultation" When, Where, Who With???? There was a meeting held at the school with invited guests!! No further consultation, even though I remember a line in an article I believe in the Gazette where the Govt stated they were going to hold a meeting where the community would be advised about the centre proposal - to date NO MEETING.
Mr Finn is totally incorrect saying we said to him the centre should go somewhere else!! As I stated earlier we gave him an alternative centre not an alternative site - first up?? And he couldnt act on hearsay or opinion. So first of all the commun ity where the Govt is planning on building a cyclone shelter shouldnt have an opinion?? The school and those that attend there, the students, teachers and parents shouldnt have an opinion?? No Mr Finn says you are getting what we say where we say, Like it or Lump it!! Hearsay - Mr Finn wasnt even prepared to go and have a look at the alternative site but did say he knew about the alternative proposal centre(Cooktown)??
The other two sites dont meet the safety requirements - Mr Finn have a look at the criteria on your Departments Govt website re the criteria, then have a look at your proposed school site and see if it fits the criteria??
School site is the highest elevation of all three sites - Do we have to get down to metres above sea level etc. I had a quick look online and it appeared to me the school was around 6m above sea level and the Craiglie site was about 9m above sea level?? Mind you I dont know much about these things and if experts can get the figures that would be fine. I will simply say that Mr OBrfien seems to be working with the colour coded maps on the CRC website as we have and both sites are in the white zone??
In relation to the LNP reviewing the decision causing major disruptions and significant costs - Why couldnt this have been done by the current govt when it was brought to their attention prior to any tenders etc?? Now that there is a possiblity there may be a change of Govt and they then wanting to review the decision says to me - Thank God someone will listen to the community, what opinions they have, what alternatives there may be. What may be best for this region not just be treated like all the other areas that have already got infrastructure, facilities etc - So YES we want the biggest and the best we can get - we dont have anything like what the centre could be!!
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