Sunshine Coast Regional Council can't challenge legal appeal by McDonald's Australia

March 9, 2009

Sunshine Coast Regional Council has received legal advice that it will not be able to challenge a McDonald's Australia appeals process. Council rejected development plans for a 24-hour store at Minyama in December, and the restaurant giant plans to appeal the decision.

"Council has received legal advice back that McDonald's will win because of planning laws allow[sic] code assessment - the ugly American McDonald will win and run roughshod over residents and Sunshine Coast Council," said protest group spokesperson John Meyer-Gleaves.

Meyer-Gleaves said the group, named Say No To McDonald's, has three priorities if it is forced to negotiate: the alley between the motel currently on the site and the shop next door is to be closed off, the McDonald's is to operate 24 hours per day on weekends only and a backfence or wall is to be built at a similar height to other premises fronting Nicklin Way. McDonald's has agreed to these terms, according to Meyer-Gleaves.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the only councillor who already has a 24-hour McDonald's in my division," says Councillor Chris Thompson, who represents division four in the Sunshine Coast Council. "We have enough issues with that one, and this is overkill."

The 24-hour McDonald's in Councillor Thompson's division, Mooloolaba, is part of a larger complex and does not back onto residential premises.

"It is important that any new development, including fast food outlets, give serious and honest consideration to the various potential impacts of the project on the community. This is important as society strives to balance the need for development with the need to support the lifestyle choices and wishes of residents," said Peter Slipper, a federal Member of Parliament in the area, in an e-mail to Wikinews.

"The situation highlights the need for leadership at a state level that is prepared with work with [sic] the Regional Councils to ensure laws and regulations are consistent within community standards. Labor and LNP have a long history of creating policy to please large business instead of looking at what best serves the community," said Brenton Clutterbuck, Greens Candidate for the electorate of Maroochydore for the Queensland state election.