There are some interesting facts that have come to light and should be told. We as a community have been "set up". Documentation clearly shows a detailed time frame of events that makes us "little fish" in the "big league".
The Charcoal Factory tune is being played out by both the Government and the Company and is being conducted by hired strategy experts and public relations firms, all cleverly orchestrated and tightly controlled
The game is to get past us the community to reach their goal and we'll give you a rundown of how it unfolded over the coming editions.
One can only conclude that it all began with our Premiers Department so eager to get jobs for Lithgow to secure a marginal seat. The setup with Eurobodalla was when the wheels started to fall off the Gunnedah Charcoal Plant site. It was sudden and without real explanation, but in hindsight we can imagine what happened. They had no guaranteed timber supply but a perfect site.. Too much public opinion in those forests seems to have forced State Forest (SF) to come up with a wood supply agreement elsewhere - and THEN force the site on the locals.
This is where the south coast became the Governments target and where the main game is being played. And what better way than to recruit players from the Council that had constantly asked for a value added timber industry and have been given grants to help foster the industry. The only problem is that a Charcoal plant game is not a Timber Added Value Industry. It's a heavy industry known to pollute and create noise and smells.
Other players recruited were consultants Dianna Gibbs & Co.. In her report on an "Employment Strategy for Eurobodalla" which was commissioned by the "coach" the Premiers Department in November 2000, she said a Charcoal Plant for Batemans Bay and a Wood fired Power Plant for Moruya was going there ! No argument ! simply a conclusive statement. Game over wouldn't you say!
Strange no body in our council seems to have read those comments in the draft report dated 21.2.01, even though many were excited with her game plan and by all accounts took it as being the saving grace for our employment woes. From there the strategy unfolds. This is how professional and novice players were recruited, into the game and how the opposing side should have been created and why the game was expected to be a non-event. The coaches dilemma is that the game has ended up being a much tougher challenge for the professional team !.....
THE GAME PLAN.
First, get Forestry to arrange a meeting with Council about a "value added timber" industry looking for a playing field. Then get Council to agree that all details be kept confidential due to the possibility of the game taking off in Orbost , Vic.
Next ask Council to supply "their preferred site" for the industry to set up. Follow through by ensuring that Council agrees that the proposal still remain a secret.
Time now for the Government to be drawn into action. Tells the Government everything may move to Orbost, Victoria. Quick on the rebound the Government grabs the ball and comes back strong, with offers too good to be true." The NSW Government gives assures it will do everything in its power to keep the project in NSW" everyone calls for time out.
Negotiations for the ball game commence. The offer. "20 years supply of timber at $7.50 ton. guaranteed.? Yep ! $7.50 ton (how much do you pay for fire wood?) . ELECTRICITY ? half price.? still too high ? No worry ! How about 2 cents kilowatt hr? Yep! 2 cents per hr. OK! Looking better thats only about an $8.7 MILLION DOLLAR SUBSIDY! still not enough ? lets bounce that ball and see how high it goes.
Watch the ball folks, here we go, How about a $3 MILLION DOLLAR BONUS ? Agreed ? Yep! No worries!
The game ball now secured, the action with the opposing side can get underway.
To Be Continued:- The Main game proceeds.
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