1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: A motion to stop the Lichfield Council from relocating its 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: library to cool A Linga Central was launched for the 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: monthly meeting agenda last night. It's an issue which we've 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: spoken about since the council passed this motion to relocate 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: the to mian Min Community Library to cool A Linga 6 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Central in what was described at the time as a 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: divisive four to three vote. Now joining me on the 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: show is the Litchfield Mayor, Doug Barden. 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: Hi, Doug, Good morning, Katie and listeners. 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: Now, what exactly happened last night? 11 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: Last night We Counselor Kevin Harlan put a notice of 12 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: motion up and to rescind the motion and to ask 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: for more consultation. We had about forty or more people, 14 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 2: probably fifty or sixty come to council old counselors. There 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: was Jerry Wood, Danny Skewes, Andrew McKay. I believe there 16 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: was two counselors watching on the on the TV. 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: So they all turned up to try and have their 18 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: voices heard. 19 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 2: Well, well, yes, yes, yes, yes, and no. They just 20 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 2: came to listen. They were very respectful. It was really, 21 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: it was really really it was good to see so 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 2: many old faces. I haven't seen a lot of these 23 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 2: people for a long time. 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: Because obviously it's an issue people feel passionately about. You know, 25 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 1: a lot of these people don't want that library to relocate. 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: What happened though? Were they allowed to stay in that 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: meeting or did they get kicked out? No? 28 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: At council we have a half an hour before the 29 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 2: meeting where people can come and talk to all the counselors. 30 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: I allowed them to come. It was very, very hot, 31 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 2: and so I allowed them to come into the room, 32 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: and then I opened the meeting. Well, it's called what's 33 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: the special word? There's a special word, all right, Yeah, 34 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 2: to speak to all counselors. Jerry spoke at first, and 35 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: he basically I read out what he'd read out on 36 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: your program two or three weeks ago. Then Sandra Parker, 37 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: let's Sandra Parker CEO spoke some for, some against, mostly against. 38 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: So Doug, what ended up happening? Is this move still 39 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: going to go ahead? Well? 40 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 2: I believe so, yes, yep. 41 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: So there was another vote. 42 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: There was another Yes. All counselors spoke respectfully, a bit 43 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 2: longer than they should have, but anyway, that's that's that's 44 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 2: that's the way it is. And they well they didn't 45 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 2: trust the Facebook posts. 46 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, but they also so the council also had people 47 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: out at the dump asking whether you know, whether people 48 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: wanted to wanted this relocation to happen or not. Now, 49 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: I'm really I do want to talk about the fact 50 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: that you joined me on the show a couple of 51 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: weeks ago. You're opposed to this move. 52 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 2: Oh that's great. 53 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: You had said that to me right from the get go. 54 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: You didn't think that it needed to happen, or that 55 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: there at least needed to be more consultation. Now, from 56 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: the consultation that has happened, the majority said they didn't 57 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: actually want the library to relocate. So who's supporting this relocation? 58 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 2: Who's pushing Well, there's seven counselors, Katie. The people that 59 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 2: before moving the library is Deputy Mayor Siety counselor right 60 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: Counselor Emma Sharp, and Counselor Matthew Solder. The people that 61 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: would prefer to not necessarily keeping it at to mindmen, 62 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: but to have better consultation was myself, Counselor Harlan who 63 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: put the motion up, and Counselor Counselor cemetary. Yes, so, Doug, 64 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 2: I'm gonna. 65 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: Be really bunt about it, and I can say it, 66 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: I suppose whereas you guys, you know, you're all being 67 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: quite respectful of each other. But in my opinion, if 68 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: you do a Facebook poll, if you do some consultation 69 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: out at the waste facility, and then you're asking people 70 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: and if the majority have said that they don't want 71 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: that relocation to happen or they don't know, that indicates 72 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: to me that the council has not actually done enough 73 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: consultation and that more needs to happen before they do 74 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: something that the community doesn't want. 75 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: Well, I have to let others judge make. 76 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 1: Well that's right. Yeah, But so Doug, can you put 77 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: your foot down as the mayor and go, no, this 78 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: isn't good enough. We actually we need more consultation. 79 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: It's a democracy, it's not a dictators unfortunately, surely you know. 80 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: Surely it's a situation where you go, okay, do we 81 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: need to consult here a little bit further? Is there 82 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: an option where, you know, if we're going to be 83 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: spending quite a bit of money to relocate, do we 84 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: look at having our eynes? 85 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 2: I sent Jerry's email to the Local Government Department for 86 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 2: advice on what Jerry was saying that it was against 87 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 2: the Local Government Act and the local and the Local 88 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: Government Department advised that, well, well. 89 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: I'm not it had done what they were supposed to do. 90 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Well, they didn't have the power to do anything. 91 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 1: Basically, So Doug, where to from here? From your perspective, 92 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: because I've got like, you know, like old Darwin or 93 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: old rural area, I think you'd say contacting me, going, Katie, 94 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: I cannot like, why is this going ahead? 95 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: I don't know what else we can do other than 96 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: Grin and Barrett. As an old friend of mine, Ken 97 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 2: Elliott would always say, when waters coming up to knee 98 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: deep in his house, all we can do is Grin 99 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: and Barrett, and he has built a new house since. 100 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: Mate, is it like? Is it a situation? Though? I mean, 101 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: are some of you being nimbi's about it? Are you going? 102 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: You know, we don't want this to move, We want 103 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: it to stay the way that it was. 104 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 2: Well, that's the argument some people are giving. Other arguments 105 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 2: is that Facebook can be manipulated. I certainly agree that 106 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: Facebook can be manipulated from what I've seen in I've 107 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: never been a Facebook person until the last month or 108 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 2: two since this decision, and just looking at Facebook, I 109 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 2: don't believe that Kevin Harlan has manipulated his post. I 110 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 2: think Kevin has done a great job well. 111 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: But also like the thing is, if people don't believe 112 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: that the poll from the Facebook post is accurate, if 113 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 1: people are concerned that you know that the asking of 114 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: people out at the way dump is not accurate and 115 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: that people don't know, well, that would say to me 116 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: that common sense is you need a bit more consultation. 117 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 2: Well, the race transfer station figures it should be on 118 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 2: our website. That was the advice that the local department 119 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 2: Gate said yesterday, is that these should be put on 120 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,559 Speaker 2: anything that was given to us, that the five minutes 121 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: before the meeting should be put on the website. And 122 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 2: it says one hundred and sixty six said yes yes 123 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: to moving the library, one hundred and ninety seven said no, 124 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: they wanted the library to stay, and one hundred and 125 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: nine don't care. I would have put myself ten years ago. 126 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: I would have put myself in the one hundred and 127 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 2: nine don't care. But if a follow up question had 128 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 2: been put up, is that this is going to cost 129 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: so and so. Well, then I probably would have moved 130 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: my vote from don't care to know. Yes, Well, the 131 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 2: majority of people we don't want it to move, according 132 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 2: to the survey done at the dump and well that's 133 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: that's in black and white. I can't do anything else. 134 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: But they're moving ahead with it regardless. Yes, well, Doug, 135 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: and it's you know it is going to still it's 136 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: going to cost money as well. You know we know 137 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: that it's going to cost money. 138 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 2: Well, yes, it's going to cost point nine to nine 139 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 2: million dollars yep, according to our municial Oh that's the 140 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 2: other thing, Katie, that we also had the municipal plan 141 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 2: come out last night. 142 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: Yep. 143 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 2: And in the municipal plan, on page seven of the 144 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 2: municipal plan is it's saying that the library's going to 145 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: cost us point nine to nine million dollars, which is. 146 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: That's just the relocation. 147 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 2: No, no, no, I think per year, per year. Yep. 148 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: The previous cost of the library was three hundred and 149 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: seventy thousand dollars five hundred and fifty two to the 150 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 2: and the and we were getting three hundred and eight 151 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 2: thousand dollars two hundred and thirty four dollars back from 152 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,599 Speaker 2: the NTG. So that was costing us in the vicinity 153 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: of sixty two thousand dollars so, and that can be 154 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: found on page eighteen and nineteen of the municipal plan. 155 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 1: So a rate's going to have to go up. 156 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: I don't think deal with this. 157 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: No, someone's just texted and said, Hi, Katie. It's been 158 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: consulted on since two thousand and seventeen. Council initially passed 159 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: a motion to move it back in twenty twenty two. 160 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 1: Is that right? 161 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 2: No, The motion in twenty twenty two was to to 162 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: consider moving to find a new place for to find 163 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: a new place for the library, being in being Caller 164 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: Linger or other place, other option and the other options. 165 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 2: Last night was a really good meeting. I mean, the 166 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 2: public were fantastic. They they were trying to help. Fiona 167 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: Scott put up. I hope, I hope they don't mind 168 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: me mentioning their names. Gave us some history on how 169 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: the Tim mid Mint Library wanted to have, actually gave 170 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 2: us the plans of what had been done ten or 171 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 2: twenty years ago, being a new library beside the Tim 172 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 2: Midman Library's. When I voted for that motion to relocate 173 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 2: the library to call A Linga or other place. Well, 174 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: the only reason why I voted for that was because 175 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: I considered the other place to be the best option, 176 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: and that option hasn't been given to us, and that 177 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 2: would have been three twenty hum highway humpty do village 178 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: Green or Fiona Scott's proposal, which most people it must 179 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 2: have been twenty years old. Yeah, the plans yet. 180 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: Well, Doug, look, it's I guess it's going to be 181 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: interesting to see the fallout from this. But by the 182 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: look of it, it does seem as though the library 183 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,839 Speaker 1: is going to move. When is that going to happen? 184 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: How quickly? 185 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 2: I don't know. I think it's going to happen very quickly, 186 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 2: to be quite honest. It's unfortunate because this is the 187 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 2: It's not the result that we were it's the consultation 188 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 2: that we were concerned about. The Other thing that came 189 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: out of last night is that there's the draft Council 190 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: by laws are going to be out for community consultation 191 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 2: on the twenty second of April to the fourteenth of May, 192 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 2: and the municipal plan is out for consultation for that 193 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 2: period or similar period. And the exciting thing is that 194 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 2: the Fred's past grant plans should be coming out of 195 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 2: confidential and going going into the public as of today. 196 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 2: But I'm sure that we're wait for our media, all 197 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: media releases. 198 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: We will keep an eye out for that. You and 199 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: I might have to catch up. 200 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 2: Again, and that's exciting news. 201 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: It is good. Yes, Unfortunately we are going to have 202 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: to wrap up. Mate. I really appreciate your time, really 203 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: appreciate you coming into the studio on having a chat 204 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: with me. We will talk again soon, particularly about Friend's past. 205 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 2: If the Labor Party or the CORP listening. We're still 206 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 2: wanting to move the library to three twenty Arnham Highway 207 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 2: or our highest priority is three twenty Arnham Highway, Litchfield Library, 208 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 2: Community and Business Hub. If they've got to spare five 209 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 2: or ten million dollars to this for this election, we'd 210 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 2: be very very pleased to to do some photo opportunities 211 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 2: with them and they'd be all the counselors. 212 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: Never miss an opportunity. Doug barn good on your mate. 213 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: Thank you. I really appreciate your time this morning.