LEGALITY FLYING IN THE FACE OF MORALITY

Mission Helicopters director Ray Cronin  was a guest speaker at the Mission Beach Community Association (MBCA) meeting on Monday 15th August. 
 
In opening the meeting, MBCA president  Patrick Bluett  asked that decorum be observed and there be no heckling during the meeting.   There were several other speakers during the meeting  with questions invited from the floor but in strict adherence to his  request questions were denied following  Mr Cronin's presentation. 

​Why not allow questions?  What is Mr Cronin afraid of?
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An    Open Letter   addressed    to Mr Cronin outlined public concerns about his proposed helicopter aerodrome with a request  to locate the business to a place away from  residential  and sensitive important  environmental areas. The letter   was sent to MBCA  for delivery to Mr Cronin ahead of the meeting.​ 

Mission Helicopters director Ray Cronin

MBCA letter to CCRC Jan 2021

  In the   presentation, Mr Cronin outlined his business intentions. Two of the reasons he gave   for locating  his proposed  helicopter   aerodrome  at Mission Beach were "recognising a gap in the market"  and that it was simply "in our DNA".
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​A large part of Mr Cronin’s presentation was  focused on his part in the rescue of the sole survivor of a recent tragic sea accident. 
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Mr Cronin concluded his address without  reference to the open letter or community concerns. The concerns are consistent with  MBCA's letter to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council in January 2021 representing their members.  (left).  In the minutes of the meeting  MBCA's active support of the proposed aerodrome was clarified in the statement  from the  Chair ;  "this is not a case of changing position or a need to canvas community as the application was approved by council and upheld in a court of law following due process". 

​ While one question was allowed by a MBCA committee member another attempt to  ask a question of Mr Cronin  was denied.

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Reliant on legal structures to ignore legitimate needs of the local community

During  his   presentation,    Mr Cronin claimed his business will help the community but his actions show  his  interests lie  in what is allowed by law, not the legitimate needs of the local community. 

Mr Cronin made it  clear  the court had approved  his development adding there was now no further legal avenue of appeal  .

"It might be legal but that doesn't mean it is moral, ethical or acceptable to the residents of Mission Beach who have an expectation they can live in peace and quiet and not be disturbed by noisy intrusive helicopter activity". said Ms Gallie.  "Legal processes are easily available to a wealthy developer to intimidate the local community into putting up with the unacceptable"

"Wooing the public with  a promise of  local benefits  through tourism transfers  from Cairns and Townsville to Dunk Island and Bedarra and a feel good focus on emergency services  belies the true impact Mission Helicopters aerodrome will have on our small community". 

​Mission  Helicopers is not a boutique business servicing our nature sensitive  tourist  town. said Ms Gallie. "  In Mr Cronins 'DNA' as he puts it, is  the ability to   establish    Kestrel  Aviation, one of Australia's largest fleets of specialist multi-role helicopters in Australia. 

This trojan horse will be bringing  all the  helicopter  activities in  the following list, with work for;

• Utilities
• Power
• Water catchment
• Land management
• Construction
• Survey and
• other helicopter related activities
• AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority) 

• JRCC  (Joint Rescue Coordination Centre) as well as  
• Disaster response.

Given this extensive list of  helicopter activites   made legal  through the court order, it is difficult  to understand what was meant in   C4's media release following their withdrawal   from the appeal when President Peter Rowles  said: “We were not able to stop the helicopter base altogether but we were able to secure some more favourable conditions governing its operation". ​

Mission Helicopters presentation

​No law or regulation exists to limit aviation activity

The Air Services Noise and complaints information service     know how disturbing helicopter activity is  but  concede that no law or regulations exists to limit any type of aviation activity.   This fact was established during the appeal negotiations between C4 and Mission Helicopters and highlighted in Mr Cronins presentation.
 
The negotiations relied on the willingness of each party to reach an agreement. The community expectation was any agreement would only be acceptable if it addressed their well voiced concerns. Failing a suitable mediation outcome, it was believed the appeal would continue to a court hearing.
 
The outcome was not what the community was looking for. The appeal against the Council’s approval was withdrawn in favour of a negotiated agreement.  The approval and conditions were based on an agreed  noise level and other compromises during the mediation.
 
How much noise do Robinson 444 and Bell Long Ranger helicopters make? "Most certainly Mr Cronin knows" said Ms Gallie. "Who was responsible for establishing the noise level the trials were assessed against"?   "Who decided the noise level generated from either of the two medium size helicopters used in the trials and now allowed to operate from 2224 Tully Mission Beach Road was acceptable"?   "Why was Mr Cronin allowed to pilot the helicopters during the trials"?

"Who was responsible for the decision that 120 helicopter take offs and landings anytime of any day in the heart of Mission Beach was acceptable"?
 
These questions  go unanswered as the community was not involved or consulted during the negotiations nor did the conditions agreed to and ordered by the court address the community concerns. The matter was not taken to court.  

One of the court ordered conditions is the flight path. Flight paths cannot be enforced as they are determined by the pilot and dependant on weather conditions at the time. Likewise, it is left to the heliport operator to consider any impacts on sensitive areas such as national park and residential areas.   Mr Cronin has not acknowledged or made any attempt to address these community concerns. 

Local Council Assessment process  fails community

Aircraft noise and/or environment impacts are usually managed within the development application with impact statements.  The local council failed to consider the impacts of the development on the residents,  and important wildlife and environment at Mission Beach.
 
CASA encourages fly friendly agreements to be considered by council and with the helipad operator and local residents during the assessment process.   There has been no mention of a fly friendly agreement either during the initial development approval or during the appeal. 
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An    industrial business with  Mission Helicopters legal capability located in the heart of Mission Beach villages at 2224 Tully Mission Beach Road will undermine community sense of place and the foundations of a tourism economy built on the points of difference at Mission Beach.
 
The local planning scheme, the development assessment process, and any moral obligation Mr Cronin may have, has completely failed the  Mission Beach community and the expectation   their peaceful lifestyle, environment and important wildlife is protected.

Buy Back for 2224 Tully Mission Beach Road

Mr Cronin is aware of the social division and ongoing anxiety and stress his proposal has caused to members of the community.
 
The   petition    asking Mr Cronin to please fly elsewhere now has 314 signatures. The petition  comments explain  the community concerns.
 
If Mr Cronin has a commitment to the community as he claims, why did he avoid questions at the MBCA meeting and why has he not responded to our  open letter?

2224 Tully Mission Beach Rd  is  a strategic rehabilitation area most suited to  a property buy back to establish a robust cassowary corridor  and allowing opportunity for the  rural land to be developed  appropriately, for example, a  high value niche cropping/ farm tourism venture. 
 

LG
​Mission Beach Cassowaries
No Helicopters Here campaign
[email protected]