Hervey Bay Gossip

Jim Mackellar seems to think so and points to the Hervey Bay airport as a prime example.

Supporting the Economic Development Strategy?

From the Fraser Coast Economic Development Strategy Objective 3.2 –

2. Foster a business supportive environment that encourages the retention and development of existing business;     and

5. Promote aviation and the region’s capacity to attract and establish new aviation related business.

Would someone please be able to explain to me how the above two objectives are advanced by forcing established businesses out of their hangers at Hervey Bay airport?

Given that it would appear that the three major facts of the case are –

1. The airport does not presently make a profit;
2. There is ample land available to expand the hanger space;  and
3. There are more prospective tenants available then there is available hanger space.

It would seem that the obvious business decision was to provide more hanger space to provide for all the potential clients rather than evict the present businesses in favour of new clients who may be prepared to pay slightly more.

Alternatively, it may be more feasible to provide new applicants with a long term lease on a suitably sized parcel of land and allow them to build their own hangers. Either way is better than forcing the closure of established local operators.

It would appear that having approved the Economic Development Strategy the Councillors have filed it away and forgotten its high sounding objectives. Maybe they should have actually read it first.

Jim MacKellar

This entry was posted on Friday, July 16th, 2010 at 7:29 am and is filed under Fraser Coast Regional Council. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.