What We Are Doing

The March

Many of you participated in the march from Southbank to Parliament House on Friday the 3rd of August. The march predated the formation of the Friends of Noosa but it provides a springboard for continued action by the Noosa Community – and other communities around Queensland. By any reckoning it was a roaring success. It demonstrated to Beattie and Fraser that the Noosa community was not going to lay down and meekly accept a forced amalgamation.

What We Have Worked On

• On 2 August, Peter Wade, Friends of Noosa, ran a two page ad in The Courier Mail against the forced amalgamation.


• On 9 August, Friends of Noosa applied to the Supreme Court of Queensland seeking injunction – see legal updates.


• On 10 August the Friends of Noosa organised a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile and the Federal member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss.


• On 16 August the Prime Minister announced Commonwealth legislation which will trump Beattie’s undemocratic law. The Australian Electoral Commission will conduct local referendums on behalf of councils and protect councillors against Beattie’s threat of fines or instant dismissal.


• Kevin Rudd announced his support for the PM’s legislation.


• Beattie huffed and puffed about High Court challenges.


• On 17 August the Friends of Noosa invited the PM to Noosa.


• On 17 August the Friends of Noosa and Noosa Council agreed on a united front to continue the fight against amalgamation.


• On 19 August, Beattie acquiesced that he would not sack or fine councillors who ran ballots and would not mount a High Court challenge to the Federal legislation.


• On 20 August the friendsofnoosa.org website was launched to provide up-to-date information to all concerned about what is happening.

What’s Next?

We are ...

• Continually updating this website to keep you informed and aiming to hold a public meeting soon in Noosa for the same reason.


• Actively working with other shires to see what will be the most effective actions. Possibilities include marches in individual shires and a mega march in Brisbane.


• Actively seeking that the Prime Minister, Mr. John Howard, and the Federal Minister for Wide Bay, Mr. Warren Truss, visit Noosa as part of our campaign.


• Step up the political lobbying to the Federal Labor Party and Mr. Rudd demanding Mr. Rudd to act now. The precedent to act has been established so we ask Mr. Rudd to show leadership and exercise his authority by insisting Beattie follow ALP rules in accordance with the democratic principles set out in those rules. Thus allowing councils with a proven record of financial and environmental stability to decide their own future through the accepted medium of a democratic vote. We must all seek every means possible to get Mr. Rudd to act on this immediately!


• Stepping up the political lobbying campaign directly with the Queensland Government. Making sure that Mr. Beattie, Mr. Fraser and other members of the Beattie Cabinet know the fight will continue beyond the federal election into their respective elections unless they embrace democracy! There is no doubt that these forced amalgamations are never going to be implemented in seven months. Mr. Fraser speaks of a transition period and not implementation time. The implementation of forced amalgamations will be protracted, full of turf fights and likely culminating in significant disruption of services. This situation has been documented from experiences within Australian and around the world. We must convey to them that when this occurs it will play out in their next election.


• Pursuing the legal avenues described in Legal Updates – but not spending lots of money on lost causes which just line lawyers’ pockets.


• Looking at various types of publicity to see which will be most cost-effective.


• Continuing to work closely with Noosa Council to ensure that everyone remains on the same mission.

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