Save Magnetic Island Camp! LNP pays lip service to disaster management!

 It has become painfully obvious that the Newman government is paying lip service only to having the Magnetic Island Recreation Centre continue in it's current roles. That is firstly as an Active recreation Centre for kids & other groups, and secondly as Magnetic Island's only designated Disaster Relief & Recovery Centre and the major facility of 6 designated evacuation centres. 

There are NO designated Public Cyclone Shelters and NO Places of Refuge on the island

The Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing's Expressions Of Interest document, page 2, makes this very clear. ~ see extract below post.

Mr Dickson we are aware that your government via the Department of Communities is currently reviewing the Magnetic Island Active Recreation Centre's designated role as our only relief and recovery centre. We understand that the review will be finalised on the 30 November 2012.

We also understand that this review was initiated to remove any blockage to the government's plan to divest itself of the camp. We remind you that the Department of Communities may only do this after consultation with the *LDMG in accord with the current Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups. Sections 1.3; 2.1; 10.2; 10.7.

To remove the Magnetic Island Centre from the current list of designated Recovery Centres available at the beginning of a cyclone season can only be seen as the Newman governments dereliction of their duty of care showing an outrageously blatant disregard for the island community's welfare.

~ The EOI process Page 2 extract

"The department is decommissioning three Active Recreation Centres as part of the Queensland Government’s current cost savings initiatives. These centres are located at Leslie Dam (via Warwick), Magnetic Island (near Townsville) and Yeppoon (near Rockhampton).
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The Queensland Government wants the centres to be managed by suitable organisations where there is a demonstrated community benefit. This could involve continuing the existing sport and recreation activities currently conducted on the sites and/or undertaking similar or other activities which have a demonstrated community benefit.
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The department is conducting an Expressions of Interest process to identify organisations interested in the future management of these sites, where the use provides a demonstrated community benefit.
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Proposals to operate the sites should be developed on an “as is where is” basis with the successful organisations assuming full responsibility for the sites. This would include responsibility for the costs of operating and maintaining the sites.
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The department’s intention is for the sites to be leased to new operators with the type of lease (eg. trustee, freehold or leasehold) and term of lease (eg. 5, 10 or 30 years) to be considered further once the Expressions of Interests are received. Further information on the proposed lease arrangements for the sites will be made available in the second stage of the Expressions of Interest process."

 *(local Disaster Management Group)