Community & Business
20 March, 2025
Protest rally on pavilion
A PROTEST about the way the Patrick English Pavilion at Malanda has been handled by Tablelands Regional Council will be held on Thursday.
Organiser Matt Lachlan has been a vocal critic of the way the council has managed the pavilion over the past few years and has accused the organisation of “serious wrongdoing” and misleading the community.
The igloo is scheduled for demolition by the council after it decided that repairing the ageing structure was not economically viable. The pavilion was suddenly closed to the public just before last year’s Malanda Show.
Mr Lachlan had also submitted a 77-page complaint to the Crime and Conduct Commission in relation to the handling of the issue (and claims against former CEO Gary Rinehart), with the CCC dismissing three of his claims and handing back two of the complaints to TRC for investigation.
In a letter from new chief executive officer Dr Nikola Stepanov to Mr Lachlan earlier this month, she advised that: “We have since been advised that the CCC is satisfied with the way TRC previously investigated the allegations….”
But Mr Lachlan is determined to bring the matter back into the public spotlight by holding the protest meeting this week.
“Many of us have had an absolute gutful of the way TRC has treated the community,” he said.
“The fact that council has repeatedly lied, misled the public, withheld an engineering report, and risked public safety is utterly reprehensible.
“It is abundantly clear that this council is doing all it can to avoid accountability. Formal complaints were filed with council last year over this matter and many of the most serious issues raised were simply ignored completely.
“There has been no accountability whatsoever. This is a chance for everyone who feels like ‘Enough is Enough’ to stand together and demand accountability - proper investigations and consequences for those responsible for misconduct.
“We are also calling on the state government to intervene and formally investigate council.”
In a statement, Dr Stepanov said any community member was welcome to raise concerns with council, but it had acted appropriately in how decisions were made regarding the pavilion.
“It is often difficult when community members are heavily invested in achieving an outcome that aligns with their views or wants, even when council has thoroughly considered all avenues and made a decision in the best overall interests of the community and ratepayers,” she said.
“The work of council is complex, and there is a need to strike a balance between what is affordable and achievable in a region like ours where there are competing demands and needs.
“This will invariably mean that individuals and groups will be disappointed when they do not get their desired outcome as has occurred in this instance.”
The protest will start at 9.30am on Thursday outside the council building in Mabel Street, Atherton.
For further information, email to save-the-malanda-igloo@hotmail.com
