Community
16 March, 2024
‘Take down flood signs’
MACHANS Beach residents are accusing Cairns Regional Council of being heavy-handed and restricting the freedom of speech after signs raising concerns about flooding were ordered to be taken down.
Resident and the beach’s community association vice-president Deryck Thompson said the signs were erected this week to raise concerns that many residents believed that increased development on the Barron River flood plain was a contributing factor to the flooding in December.
“Do we live in a democracy with freedom of speech?,” he asked. “Residents of Machans Beach have come together to create a corflute to remind all levels of government of their concerns and some of these corflutes were placed on front fences at Machans Beach.
“On Monday this week the council sent threatening emails to residents who had these signs on their front fences. These residents were affected by the flood event.
“Some residents have removed the signs from their fences as a result of these threats. Some have not.
“We are concerned that council officers have taken a lot of time and effort to send these emails which have created even further anxiety for these residents and for the rest of our community.
“About one third of housing at Machans was impacted by the flood event and residents have a right to express their concerns and their wish that any future flooding be reduced if possible.
“This action by council is an attempt to shut down legitimate freedom of speech.
“Ironically we are in the middle of an election for which freedom of speech is an underlying value.
“This deplorable state of affairs was discussed at a community meeting last Monday and residents were very unhappy and several have requested these corflutes for their front fences.
“These signs will not be taken down until the release of an independent and transparent report into factors that contributed to the flood event of December 17.”
According to the council email, Cairns Regional Council local laws No.4 (advertising devices) 2019 section 15 requirements for advertising devices without a permit is the law that is applied when council officers investigate and enforce fence signage. “These fence signs are not permitted and must be immediately removed from this location,” the email read.
A council spokesman said the council was acting on complaints. “With regard to the signs council has asked to be removed, we received a complaint from members of the public and are obligated to investigate the matter,” he said.
“The signs are not a type of sign able to be erected without approval under council’s local laws.”
