Matthew Killoran and Brenton Waters co-authored an aticle in the Jimboomba Times Wednesday 18June 2008 page 3. Local residents are most perturbed to read that Phil Pidgeon is supporting the inclusion of this Enterprise Precinct after they 'won over' the former local government body - Beaudesert Shire Council - with the assistance of the local councillor for that area Division 4 - Cr Hajnal Ban.

 The text of the article reads

COUNCILLORS Hajnal Ban and Phil Pidgeon are headed for a clash over the North Maclean Enterprise Precinct as council (Logan City)works on its submission for the South East Queensland Regional Plan review. Industrial development plans for North Maclean drew widespread outrage when they were included in the State Government's initial South East Queensland Regional Plan.
At the time, the issue split the then Beaudesert Shire Council with Cr Ban arguing passionately against the proposal, despite several of her colleagues at first disapproving of her stance. Cr Ban, who sided with residents upset by the proposal. was e\ventually successful in winning oyer her colleagues who voted in favour of informing the State Government's now defunct Office of Urban Management (OCM) that the precinct was not needed.
The issue is set to reignite however after the enterprise precinct was included in the regional plan rev'iew, currently under way. Cr Ban said the "contentious" proposal should be removed permanently from the plan. "It's been a bone of contention for a number of years:' she said.
"Beaudesert Shire Council had a submission that the precinct be removed from the next review of the plan. ''I'm hopeful Logan City Council will adopt the position as well and support the removal of this precinct." However, Cr Ban may struggle to gain the support of all of her fellow colleagues with at least one speaking out against her position.
Cr Pidgeon has backed the precinct plans which he said could spark investment in North Maclean. "I think there has been significant ad hoc development in that area and my position is that it is a great idea to consolidate that," he said.
"It makes a lot of common sense to consolidate it and allow a bit more development on both sides of the highway to happen. I can't understand Cr Ban's position. Where would she suggest industry be located if not beside the highway? Does she want to put it in residential areas?"
Cr Pidgeon said the issue was yet to come to full council but when it did he expected a "very informed" debate to take place. Council is developing a submission on the South East Queensland Regional Plan as part of the State Government's review, but details will be kept confidential.

This statement of confidentiality does not foster confidence in openness and transparency in government. The stated intention of the SEQ Regional Plan is to contain urban sprawl. "Very informed" debate can only take place when data has been collected, read and digested by those debating the issues. This was one of the residents' initial concerns - availability of sufficienct ground truthed data.

 A copy of the former council's media release is available here and says in part

"It is Council's opinion that the North Maclean Investigation Area is not required for enterprise purposes for the foreseeable future." By removing the enterprise precinct designation, the land would revert to regional landscape and rural production. "We now know that there will be a good balance between jobs and the population growth in our new cities and are able to clarify our long-term intent for the development of this land at North Maclean," Cr Cockburn said.
He said the State Government had originally designated North Maclean as an investigation area for a possible enterprise precinct in its South East Queensland Regional Plan.
Cr Hajnal Ban said she was happy with the outcome, given the environmental constraints of the land and residents' feelings on the issue. "I am pleased that the outcome has finally been determined. It gives the local community certainty about the future of North Maclean. I would also like to acknowledge the hard
work and effort put in by the community who actively participated throughout this process and fought against the enterprise precinct."

The local community must be given the opportunity to be involved if Logan City Council want to overturn the community wishes which were supported by their previous local government.