Mayor answers his critics over lake lighting revelations

Not just an attack on democracy to disagree, but a dummy-spit, petulant and a David and Goliath battle wrote one. Seriously?

Is it that much of a sin to disagree with those who are so determined they're 'right' that they've added that to their group's name?

I debated long and hard before penning the opinion piece, knowing full well the reaction from some that would follow, but let's not forget that it followed four unanswered opinion pieces by members and supporters of this group.

It followed political media releases and hundreds of social media posts from the same people.

If anything, it's been interesting to see the strong volume of direct feedback I've received from many who were happy to finally see additional information presented after several months of free kicks to opponents.

Those who wanted to provide positive feedback also expressed a concern that they'd be shouted down by opponents who were desperate to give the impression they represented the only view.

We all don't have to agree in a democracy, but a healthy society at least provides the ability to express a range of views.

Councillor Daniel Moloney, Ballarat

As dummy spits go, this one will be hard to beat. It is impossible to think of a more petulant, inaccurate tantrum than the one written in Saturday's Courier by Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney.

It was the finger point for all seasons - for everyone else is to blame for the enduring mess and price-hikes of the 225 big lights planned for Lake Wendouree. This is a David and Goliath story.

That the mayor found it vital to ooze contempt for locals who care deeply about maintaining the beauty of the lake aesthetic was bizarre and unbecoming. How dare locals disagree with the plan? How dare the community care for a better outcome? How dare they question the great and powerful council?

Indeed, it was almost like the Wizard of Oz megaphoning his ferocity and supremacy from behind billowing curtains. He was, in the end, not the Great And Powerful Oz, but just another man.

Cr Moloney scorned the lighting opponents as if they were spoilt brats, because they "didn't like the outcome of a few years of consultation". The 'outcome' that Cr Moloney refers to is 'community consultation' done in 2015 in preparation for the 2017 Lake Wendouree Masterplan. During that consultation, 81 per cent of 1800 people who bothered to take part plonked sticky notes on a bit of paper indicating that lights around the lake might be worth considering.

At no stage were they told what those lights would be. They certainly weren't given the current design.

Yet, a petition tabled in the Victorian Parliament in March attracted more signatures opposing the current plan than the sticky-note consultation. The petition highlighted a preference for more subtle in-ground, cross-path illumination.

As he has done many times before, the mayor tried to make Lake Wendouree sound like 'hundreds' of other gardens, parks and precincts in Australia. As such, Cr Moloney clearly thinks there is nothing special about our local lake, that it is a "remarkably common project", and therefore, any old light should be fine and why don't we all just pipe down. It is a shame the mayor does not understand the Geelong Waterfront, the Bendigo Gardens, Lake Burley Griffin, Shepparton or the Melbourne Botanical Gardens are rather different from Ballarat's green icon.

Firstly, the ugly lights planned for Lake Wendouree are 5.5 metres tall and will be placed, in theory, every 25 metres. Contrary to the council's opinion, the trial lights clearly display enormous light spill. Most of them will be placed just metres from the water's edge where the light reflection off the water will amplify the light impact, unlike other locations the mayor describes.

The council did not even do a study into how these huge lights will impact the entomological balance of the lake. The mayor knew nothing about the bug species at the lake when asked by a local fly fishermen.

At no stage has Get The Lake Lights Right ever said 'no' to putting lights around the lake. It simply wants, as its name suggest, to get the lighting right.

Its serious questioning of many aspects of this project is not reckless, thoughtless, or frivolous. As someone who lives near the lake, I'm grateful for their effort on our behalf.

It is very important to remember the state government removed any right for the community to object to this project. A ministerial swoosh of the pen stopped any action in VCAT.

The council also failed to give Heritage Victoria critical information before it approved the two lighting permits that make up this proposal: the geotechnical report and the final location of the poles and their position within Tree Protection Zones. The lighting group's assessment of the current pole locations show they could kill hundreds of trees.

The concern is real given the council's recent tree massacre in Steinfeld Street.

The mayor also made a bizarre statement about the group's intent to financially "sabotage" the project. He blamed it for a delay in the contract signing which resulted in costs going up.

However, the contract was announced and approved in February, several weeks before an application was lodged with the Heritage Council to have the lake and foreshore listed on the State Heritage Register. The contract could have been signed the moment councillors voted on it. But pen was never put to paper. Again, Cr Moloney blames the group.

He has since revealed the contract was only signed last month. The community should now expect expensive contract variations.

Cr Moloney has blamed the community group for everything: the delays, the contract signing, the increased costs, for `sabotage'.

He may want everyone to agree with everything he says, but they don't, and won't. This tetchy Goliath should get used to democracy and its resident Davids.

Leonie Smith, Lake Wendouree

The Ballarat council wants nothing more than to destroy Ballarat and its serenity. They are happy to destroy nature, the peacefulness and heritage of the lake by placing lights. But not only lights, five-metre eyesores. They should be ashamed and should listen to people power.

Kellie Branson, Golden Point.

I read the mayor's letter and found it well composed and reasonable and containing a lot of relevant information.

It mentions a Facebook group "Get our Lake Wendouree Lighting Right" as ... "asserting it is 'right' and all other views ... 'wrong'".

I thought I may as well check it out. The mayor is absolutely correct.

I joined the group, read some responses about the mayor's article and yes, he was "wrong" according to all, and bullying them, and denying their democratic rights, etc. Not to mention some advocating protests at Town hall.

I used my "Democratic" right to comment and respond in support of the mayor and also offer my own thoughts on the subject.

Five minutes later, the group vanished from my FB feed. Banned. Say no more.

Ian Caldwell, Delacombe.

I am supporting the Get our Lake Wendouree Lighting Right group.

With our mayor now saying he doesn't care about the look of the lighting - he just wants it done - let's give the costing us money people argument.

That will work. Tick and flick, we'll just get the project done, wrong and ugly and worry about it when I'm not major anymore and it will cost us even more money to rectify in the future.

Please tell me how any building firm can possibly install 225 x 2.5 m ugly grey steel light poles 25 metres apart around a narrow lake foreshore without major earthworks and not cause environmental damage to the environment?

To Cr Daniel Moloney with respect: you may not care about the City of Ballarat, but we the people do.

Nick Martinich, Ballarat.