Byron Ballina Greens -> media -> duncanwoolies

Former Byron Councillor speaks about Woolworths approval in Mullumbimby

On Thursday two national TV news crews (channel nine and channel seven) descended on Mullumbimby to film a protest against the building of a large Woolworths supermarket in the town. BBG interviewed Duncan Dey a former Greens Byron shire councillor.

'One of the things I don't like about Woolies coming to town is the process by which they are coming to town. It is not what people want.  A piece of land which used to belong to the railway system  was put up for sale by the State Government wearing their business hat because they (of course) have to run at a profit (being a corporation).

So they put it up for sale to anybody who could go to council and get it re-zoned for some commercial purpose. Then, one of our local supermarkets said "we can do that".  "That piece of land seems to be entirely tailored to our needs. We can put in a tender."  Which they did. Then they went to the council for approval. Guess what! the council consulted the community and the community decided they didn't want a supermarket down there (Station St) in the middle of a residential area.

Not being happy with this decision, the potential purchaser went over the community's head straight to Frank Sartor the fantastic minister for planning in Sydney (who has probably never been to Mullumbimby). So since he sits in cabinet probably next to the minister for railways (which[State rail]  was going to make a motza from the sale), he approved the application.

So that became a supermarket in the middle of a residential area .The company which purchased that piece of land had become so exhausted by the process that they had to retire, so they put it up for sale, and guess who bought it? .....Woolworths!!!  The silliest thing is, that one of the main reasons put forward by the first company as an argument to approve their application for a supermarket  was, "if you don't approve us, Woolworths will get it!."

And guess what happened? . . . . . . . . Woolworths got it! and that is no laughing matter.'