Minutes - Town Meeting #1

Town Meeting #1 - Say No! to McDonalds in Rye

23rd April 2009

Meeting opened 7.45pm

** Welcome **
Katrina’s speech (Campaign Organiser) - click here for full speech
Andrew’s speech (Rye Health Store) - click here for full speech
Pauline Powell’s speech - click here for full speech

Charles Davidson's speech: (Peninsula Hot Springs)

Charles pointed out he is already picking up rubbish along the road to Hot Springs, mainly cigarette boxes, McDonalds, KFC and Coca-Cola bottles - always big brand companies.
He spoke of a positive vision for Rye and the Peninsula, which the presence of big brand fast-food companies would negate, and the proposal to create a Wellness Peninsula. Whole Peninsula would be a ‘golden door’ including outdoor activities, walks etc. He is pushing Tourism Victoria on this already.

He outlined things that could be done:

1) create a night market on the foreshore;

2) outdoor shared pizza ovens also on the foreshore to encourage community and getting together;

3) a fresh produce market;

4) an international food court on the site earmarked for Hungry Jacks;

5) turn the old homes on the corner of Pt Nepean Rd and Dundas St into community-owned wellness houses – needs commitment to raise funds;

6) a self-sustaining green power bus network covering Red Hill to Point Nepean.

Katrina: So who are we fighting? Important to remember we are not fighting McDonalds per se, but the presence of any multinational fast-food chains in Rye.

Statement from Andrew Dixon (100 Waverley Rd Group) - click here for letter
Statement from Martin Dixon
Comments from Greg Hunt

Tim (from Picknics Cafe) – 100% of customers are fully against McDonalds in Rye. 50% of them think it’s hopeless. Tim came from Belgrave where a McDonalds was proposed but the community reacted so strongly they withdrew. It can be done.

Cr Bill Goodrem: This will be a battle, he can’t side one way or the other or is unable to vote on the issue, just observing at this stage. Residents of Torquay fought a major development and won. Other alternative is to buy the land and stop it that way. There is nothing at Council yet, no application at all. An application for Aldi has gone back to planning and Hungry Jacks have spoken to planners but have not submitted anything yet. Can’t confirm it is actually McDonalds looking at cnr Pt Nepean Rd and Dundas St but assume it is.

Katrina: Aldi is a separate battle if anyone wants to take that up, we are focusing on McDonalds and Hungry Jacks.

Comment from floor: "Today Tonight" showed the Manager of Hindley St, Adelaide McDonalds walked out due to massive rubbish problems inside the McDonalds.

Katrina: if they aren’t doing anything about the rubbish inside the store, imagine how little they will do about the rubbish outside.

Comment: Are there any statistics on how many letters are deemed effective?

Katrina: varies, town in Tasmania where every resident bar one wrote a letter, they won. In Malvern they wrote approx 700 letters. People should also write to The Leader and The Mail.

Comment: Have you thought about what happens if it goes through to VCAT? Speaker and Pauline Powell fought an ABC childcare centre in a nearby street and won, cost between $6000 and $10000. Very expensive and battle is likely to end up there.

Katrina: We're hoping to nip it in the bud before it reaches VCAT, has been done where McDonalds has decided it’s not worth it. However, we need to plan, need to fundraise, need to plan as if it will end up at VCAT.

Tim: Should be about awareness. No customers knew about it, need to tell as many people as possible.

Comment: Put pressure on Council - at the end of the day planners make the final decision.

Katrina: I believe it will be a taskforce rather than just planners as this affects more than one department. Keep track of letters, please send a copy to Katrina as well.

Comment: Will Bill Goodrem persuade councillors like he did on ABC childcare centre?

Comment: If Bill Goodrem declares support for fight he can’t vote.

Katrina: We need to focus on all fast food chains not being right for Rye, they are not why we moved here. Need to focus on all of Rye.

Comment: Is there anyone here from the papers?

Katrina: yes, there’s good support from papers, best way to get into papers is to write letters.

Comment: Not just McDonalds and Hungry Jacks but also KFC and all other fast food franchises will affect business.

Katrina: Yes, need to focus on all, we need to support our local traders.

Comment: in a recession at the moment, why lose 100 jobs to make 15.

Comment: We need traffic counts on the traffic at corner of Dundas St and Pt Nepean Rd in January, not June.

Comment: Will be a vigorous battle, need to have a positive image and a positive plan, need a positive attitude.

Katrina: This is not an anti-McDonalds fight, it’s for Rye. Looking at how Rye can develop in a really positive way, this will be hindered by McDonalds.

Comment: How much support is there for buying the site?

Katrina: This is certainly something to be looked at but not confirmed that is only site.

Comment: We need to inform holiday-house owners, those who’re not down here.

Comment: It's up to everyone to network and spread the word to part-timers.

Katrina: It's not just residents, out-of-towners don’t want to travel all the way from the city to find fast food outlet next door.

Comment: What happens now? Write letters, tell everyone. But is it okay to email or do they get deleted?

Comment: In speaker’s experience all letters and emails to council have to be answered.

Comment: What about door-knocking?

Katrina: Everything helps but letters are best as they have the most impact.

Comment: What about generic letters?

Katrina: Everything is of value but individual letter-writing is most effective.

Katrina:

1) Traders cannot directly complain about loss of business, urge everyone to write that they are concerned about local traders’ loss of business.

2) Need to be really careful of legal responsibility. Anecdotally McDonalds side-tracks the fight with legal details and slips something else in while everyone's attention is focused elsewhere.

3) Apathy is the biggest hurdle. Need:

• letters – can use templates
• volunteers – for letter box drops etc.
• a committee
• financial support

Thank you to all who attended, all who spoke, to everyone who emailed and to Michelle Muter in particular.

Meeting closed: 9.30pm