SVPA and Combined Community Groups;
Attached, photograph of community meeting in the Caversham Hall 20th January 2009 on the proposal for an Bosnian Islamic Mosque
which is on the Cnr Small Brook Retreat and Benara Rd, Caversham - one of the entrance ways into the SwanValley via Caversham to the West.
Some 240 to 250 people filled the hall with many standing during the 2 ½ hour information meeting including those people who listened from outside
the Hall.
A petition with many signatures will be presented to council in February.
I have further attached the West Australian Newspaper article of21st January 2009
Submissions to the City of Swan lapse at Close of Business 2nd February 2009
Also with your submission please ensure the below are aware of your concerns with a cc to:
- To the Mayor; SwanValley - Gidgegannup Ward Councillors,all other councillors - each must be sent your submission
- The Swan Valley Planning Committee (all Committee Members)
- Members of Parliament (Upper and Lower Houses) - Mr Frank Alban; Ms Rita Saffioti, Hon Helen Morton;Mr Martin Whitely; Mrs Alyssa Hayden; Hon Donna Faragher
- Minister for Planning (Hon. John Day)
Note:
The Swan Valley Planning Committee Committee Membership and Addresses are attached to the link
The link has all the current and past committee members.
The current term of committee members expired on the 31st December 2008
The encumbees stay on the committee until the new committee for the current term areregistered so the SVPA Committee as at the 31/12/2008 are still the committee members.
Note:
Members of Parliament - ContactInformation
Send your comments and views to:
Minister for Planning
Hon John Day: email address
Participation Feedback From Community Meeting - 20th January 2009 (here are some of your comments )
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Well wasn’t that an interesting meeting!!!! Great turn out.
I was not impressed with the article in the West this morning 21st Jan 09-certainly didn’t give a balanced view.
The big worry is that if this goes ahead, along with the church on GNH and the temple on Campersic already approved, the COS is opening the floodgates for more of these types of projects in this area as it would seem that urban land is hard to come by and the Valley is a cheap alternative.
Well done for organizing the meeting.
The meeting went very well. We needed strong opposition from the floor and that was demonstrated.
A numberof important issues were raised that planners from the City of Swanwill need to consider when the make their report to council.
I don’t think the West story today was much good, they didn’t detail that there was such strong opposition to the development.
It seems that the proponentsdon't get it that it's Not Religion but the building that's the problem!We are committed to standing by our objection to the proposed mosque.
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The meeting was badly put together - not enough information available -
Where were theSwan Councillors. Are they going to completely ignore what the Swan Ratepayers want- are the Councillors going to change the rules by pushing a
mosque development request in the Valley when everyone does not want it there.
Council and Planning must uphold the Swan Valley Planning Act
The issue is a planning issue and how this proposal is not compliant with the Swan Valley Planning Act's intent or requirements.
It is quite clearly stated in the SwanValley planning Act that the land in question forms a part of an area that does not provide for such a large
development to take place.
That the main community that this proposed development for a place of worshipis to support; the people we were informed by the President of the Bosnian Society; do not live in the Valley or even the City of Swan. This is also an issue that I have.
Do not ever forget that the SwanValley is not only about business and tourism it is also about the people wholive within the Valley -
I think many Councillors and decision makers forget that fact - that people actuallylive in the Valley and these type of developments will and do impact upon them.
The Valley is a breathing entity of its own.
Today I was driving past the proposed site and recalled recently counting about 10 cows on the site. So it begs the question rural or urban.
Lastnight (20th Jan 09) the Bosnian community group claimed the land was urban. So how did they get the OK to put cows on the site?Surely you can't have cows on an urban block.
The land is definitely zoned Swan Valley Rural and that allows for certain uses under councils town planning scheme. In my view that does not include more churches or industry as mentioned during the meeting.
I have been following this particularmosque story, a sticky situation, on one hand one does not want to seem racist or xenophobic, on the other ,
this proposed developmentistruly at the entrance to the SwanValleyis an intrusive, inappropriatefacility.Protect the SwanValley and I support that
for future generations.
Iam a resident of the SwanValley opposing the proposed Mosque - what elsecan we do about stopping it being built.
A very good attendance judging by the numbers.
Maybe one day local government will listen to the majority and remember what their purpose as Councillors is.
SVPA - Compliments: Well done on organising the public forum on the proposed Mosque this week.
I have not been to such a well attended public meeting ever and although it got a little out of control at times –
"not surprising considering the emotion of the topic "– it certainly gave everyone a chance to hear both sides.
Second group of Comments below - :
Reply to Stateline::
I thought the whole thing was one sided. It did not show where the proposed site would be and the objection's to it being built were not correctly addressed. Also there is a Mosque in Beechboro so if it is for the people of Beechboro and Lockridge as stated why don't they use that one??
Hi Sue,
I agree with all of the comments from people who watched Stateline. I could not believe how little time Rod Henderson got to put his point across.
There was no comment on the amount of traffic which would have to come in and out at several times per day and the enormity of the building was glossed over so that it did not look as big as it will be.
Did not show all the different functions which will be held there.
Also could not see the relevance to this man's family life except that it was carefully orchestrated to take the emphasis off the issues at hand. Also noted that people interviewed were academics from university.
There comments all appeared to be focused on religion, nothing to do with the issue of SwanValley planning.
Regards,
"First amount of commentsFollowing last night's TV coverage"
Didn't you just love thevisual ofday at the beach -was Channel 2 tryingto representassimilation into Australias' way of life?
I have no ideawhat that visual was supposed to do with a planning proposal in Caversham.
We have just watched "Stateline" and it's stillquite obvious that the Bosnian Islamic Society haven't gotit yet.... IT'S NOT ABOUT the RELIGION it's THE BUILDING that's not in keeping with The SwanValley.. and I think,
that no matter what, it will always be about religion as far as they are concerned.
We would even protest if Catholic or Anglican churches were proposed on that site.
We are not the enemy. WE LIVE HERE.!
"Reference to Channel 2's Stateline on 27 Feb regarding the proposed Islamic Mosque in Caversham. The time given to Rod Henderson from the Swan Valley Progress Association to explain the objection to a mosque (or any other grandiose plan from ANYONE else), was only given an insignificant coverage as opposed to that of the proponents for the mosque. So I ask the question, is that being fair and equal?
"I failed to hear a question being posed as to how many potential users of the mosque live in close proximity to Caversham as when this was raised at the open meeting held 20 January 09, it was stated that they would be travelling from as far as Ballajura. And the statement that a number of Moslems have lived in harmony in the SwanValley for years is preposterous! Where do they get their facts?
"An abstract from the City of Swan's weekly bulletin of 13 February, states the building of a mosque is "a very controversial application." Would the same be said should we put in a proposal for anything a quarter of the size or would it be dismissed without consideration?
"The residents (and no one as long as my husband, having spent 71 years at the same address) are clearly being discriminated against because our views are on a planning issue and something we all have to abide by so why should newcomers think they have rights that we don't?"
Just watched "Stateline" interview
Now that was a one-sided approach to a argument - wasn't planning issues enough for Stateline - so it seemed pretty emotional on the side of the proponents.
I also was at the community meeting as stated on Stateline ,I can tell you because not all the attendees were making comment - this does notmean approval or acceptance by the community.
Mr Smajic (Bosnian Islamic Society President) comments - he got it wrong.
Obviously Stateline did not think it was controversial enough if you just spoke about planning issues -as Mr Henderson I would assume
had most of his points edited out - sound was not that good on the interview - It is a planning issue and not a religious issue -. A few visuals of the round-about andBenara Rd which I did not think gotacross the issue very well. I and family would of objected even if a pub on this site with traffic issues
Stateline did not touch on the issue adequately.