And the feathers fly

By Melissa Meehan
OVER 50 residents turned out to a Catani meeting last week to voice their disgust at seven broiler sheds set for their “quiet, friendly” town.
Concerns of dust, poisoning nearby waterways and large trucks racing down narrow, unsafe dirt roads and the stench of chemicals swamping Catani were raised at the meeting, which became heated at times.
Councillors Stuart Halligan and George Blenkhorn attended the meeting, alongside Flinders MP Greg Hunt and Cardinia Ratepayers and Resident Association president Gloria O’Connor listening to the list of concerns and offering ways to fight the proposal along McCraws Road.
Resident Ron McCausland took centre stage and led the meeting offering others the opportunity to have their say in a public forum.
“Our main concern is that there is a proposal for seven sheds on McCraws Road, a very narrow, unmade, dangerous road,” Mr McCausland said.
“It’s a school bus route, there are many dangerous crossings and we’re all concerned for our way of life and how that will be affected.”
Things became heated when Cr Halligan said the council could only decide the fate of the application based on state and local laws and couldn’t dismiss the proposal without those against it bringing up viable points of opposition.
“You need to find holes in their submission and back that up and then bring those arguments to council,” he said.
“Why should we have to do your work?” one audience member yelled.
“Why do we have to find holes, we have our reasons, it’s about our way of life,” another said.
Flinders MP Greg Hunt calmed the crowd, highlighting important things residents against the farm needed to do.
“The council can’t act on this meeting, they are umpires,” Mr Hunt said.
“The way I see it is that you have four ways to defeat this- the proponent pulls it – which looks unlikely, through council, lose at council and take the matter to VCAT or the minister calls this in as a significant issue that affects the whole town.”
He also said submissions needed to include all of the issues with background and also reference the broiler code.
Residents walked away with a list of things they had to do and research – watch this space.