I was surprised by the "angle" of the story in the Journal (front page Aug 18): "We'll Walk". The report made it seem like council had made a bad decision in blocking a development application for a hotel with up to 60 poker machines, and the sale of alcohol, in a youth area! The way the story was packaged, made it sound like the council blew it: another lost business opportunity for Dandenong!
I would have liked to have seen the Journal actually praise the courage of the council on this one.
Think about it: Who really wants up to 60 more poker machines in Dandenong any way? And then, in an area that is specifically youth focused?
Sometimes council gets it wrong (the history of the Lyndhurst tip would be a classic example). But not this decision about the hotel in a youth precinct.
And congratulations to the council for not being "bought" with a promise of $50,000 a year for "youth training". That is like a junk food company throwing its loose change at heart research and pretending it is doing something good for the community.
This time, council got it right.
Jim Reiher
Springvale
Greens Candidate for the City of Greater Dandenong Council elections in November: Red Gum Ward
