Syd Walker, Candidate for Councillor in Division 8 of the Tablelands Regional Council, today released details about outgoing Mareeba Shire Council Mayor Borzi’s blocks of land in Kuranda.
Mr Walker explained “The Mayor now owns a dozen blocks, close to Kuranda. They are currently vacant and covered with remnant rainforest.
“I became aware of these blocks after carrying out title searches, following a review of Mareeba Shire Council’s Register of Interests in early February.
“The register stated that Mayor Borzi owned eight blocks in the Kuranda area at that time. One of them was inside the Myola Zone and has already been the subject of controversy over undeclared conflict of interest during the ‘Special’ Council meeting of January 29th.
“The other seven blocks are contiguous and separate the Kennedy Highway from Kuranda Village. I believe they are a crucial part of Kuranda’s ‘Village in the Rainforest’ identity, which has become fundamental to Kuranda’s identity as a major tourist destination.
“At a Council meeting on February 19th, WITHOUT ANY PRIOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION, four of these blocks owned by the Mayor were ‘reconfigured’ into eight blocks. In total, therefore, Mayor Borzi now has title to 12 Kuranda blocks under his own name; one is in Myola, the other eleven at the gateway to the village.
“I am disgusted by the complete absence of public consultation over this subdivision. I trust the era of this kind of decision-making will come to an abrupt end on the Tablelands, effective March 15th.
“Last month, I wrote on several occasions to Local Government Minister Warren Pitt, calling for urgent State Government intervention to stop an arrogant and unaccountable outgoing Council and to overturn its most obnoxious recent decisions.
“I believe should have intervened already. He has had sufficient basis to take firm – as opposed to tokenistic - action.
“The new post-amalgamation Council on the tablelands will be asked to wear the decisions of the Borzi Council, or else face compensation claims. That’s not fair on the new Tablelands Regional Council and it’s not fair on this community.
“Warren Pitt may well be hoping the Mayor Borzi problem goes away on in mid-March. Unfortunately, his legacy will not.
"Ministerial lethargy has contributed to the cost the tablelands community will be asked to bear, either monetarily or in terms of putting up with shoddy and rushed decisions” Mr Walker concluded.
More information, with illustrations on CairnsBlog and on Syd Walker's campaign blog