Premier Swamped

Could our dear Premier be just a tad paranoid? Beleagured? Feeling like no one loves or appreciates him?

PREMIER Peter Beattie has told opponents of the proposed superyacht marina at The Spit on the Gold Coast that the project will go ahead.

``Thinking people will support this ... it's a done deal,'' he said.

``I don't expect them (opponents) to love it but we said prior to the election that we're going ahead with superyachts and I believe we have a mandate to do so...

..."I don't want people to get caught up in propaganda.

"We want The Spit to be world class and it will be. This will be a successful, balanced development and we'll get a lot of (private) interest.

"We set the rules and the rules are the ones I have spelled out."

But let's see what the 'opponents' actually have to say about the new project:

THE State Government's revised blueprint for The Spit has been backed by the spectrum of Gold Coast groups in a rare display of consensus.

The city's lucrative marine industry believes the proposed superyacht berths will bring 'the richest people in the world' to the Coast, signalling a new era in commercial and property investment.

The Save Our Spit Alliance, which whipped up a grassroots campaign that sank plans for a cruise ship terminal, lauded the latest vision, which will ban development north of Sea World.

And environmental group GECKO was thankful private developers -- who will tender for parcels of Crown land -- would contribute to the maintenance and improvements of Doug Jennings Park and Federation Walk.

Charles Dickson, president of the Gold Coast Marine Industry Association, congratulated the State Government for promising to develop a dredging strategy.

See, was that so hard Pete?

The above exchange is clearly demonstrative of a man who is out of touch with the community. First Beattie tries to force a cruise ship terminal on the Gold Coast (despite having spend multi millions on building one 40 minutes up the road in Brisbane) and can't understand why people aren't swooning at his feet.

Now the Premier announces new plans for the land and belittles the people who hated the first plan.

Gee, thanks.

Whatever happened to 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people'?

Beattie has forgotten who is supposed to serve.

-- Nora