NIMBY's are driving me mad.

[Cruzi]

We are getting a round of the WRC (World Rally Championship) here early next month, 300 million people in 85 countries get a postcard veiw of our slice of heaven over 3 days, whilst injecting more than $20 million into the local economy.

The WRC has 4 Special stages around the area on existing roads and park firme is on football grounds in Kingscliffe, one of the special stages will be on the Speed on Tweed track in the centre of Murwullumbah, an event that is being held in conjunction with the WRC where historical cars do hot laps and you can look in and around the cars, talk to the owners and there are very often some big racing names there.
The Speed on Tweed used to be an annual event but now these events will be held every 2 years.

The NIMBY's (not in my back yarders) are threatening to block roads, set fires and generally disrupt the whole event since their court case got thrown out.
This a case of cutting of their noses to spite their face.
As Tourist draw cards go, the whole event is relatively low impact on the area in terms of infastructure and evironmental impact, its not like a ruddy great theme park for example.
As a showcase for the natural beauty of the area and covering large amounts of the area, with at least 5 town/villages in the area to get direct financial and international exposure, it will be a great boon for shire.

If the NIMBY's wish to continue to fight against these events, by all means go ahead, they have 2 years until the next one, but why do they feel the need to put a very ugly face of our area out to the international community?????????

[artme]

Well spoken!!!

I agree with the right to protest. But let's be civilized about it. Use the proper channels and accept the umpires decision.

[.RC.]

years ago we has an Endeavour Rally go through our area...We had no warning it was happening, two competing cars were rolled on corners, the dirt road was destroyed from excessive speed and the number of vehicles, we were passed on the wrong side by a competitor, another neighbour had a rock thrown through their radiator by a competing car....Many people in the area were totally off by the reckless driving on roads not suitable for such an event...

I think I may be in the side of the NIMBY's..

[Cruzi]

I think you have mistaken what a competative Rally special stage is for a Charity Road Run.
Of course they will be going fast, thats what WRC is all about, have you seen the best drivers in the world on any and every surface compete at all?

The roads are closed, you cannot drive on the same road when they are racing the special stages, they have been told for well over 12 months which roads are closing and when.

The government has allocated funds for any road repairs that may be required, but NIMBY's and such will blame any and all damage on the WRC, even though the potholes and corrugations have been appearing for years without the WRC's help.

[Sebastiaan56]

Glad its in Murwullumbah and not my back yard....

[kiwigeo]

Why bother going to a WRC rally to watch people driving WRX's at high speed........I can watch numbskull would be rallyers on P plates doing it on my street in Adelaide.

[RETIRED]

Why bother going to a WRC rally to watch people driving WRX's at high speed .......I can watch numbskull would be rallyers on P plates doing it on my street in Adelaide.

The former can drive and the latter generally can't.

[kiwigeo]

More fun watching a person who thinks they can drive but cant IMHO.

[corbs]

You can send it to my backyard if you want... small minded people drive me insane.

[Cruzi]

Protesters have been charged with malicious damage, escorted out of rally "meet and greets" for spitting and swearing but worst of all, they forced the abandoment of a stage by throwing rocks at cars and onto the road.
The crowds are many, many times larger than the small group of agitators against the rally, again, they have the right to protest but they do not have the right to disrupt the event.

These people are representing Australia, this is the image they are putting out into the world

[kiwigeo]

I disagree with the protestors actions....there's peaceful protest and then there's willful vandalism. That said, if the world judges Australia by the actions of a radical minority at an event attended by a very small percentage of Australias total population then it suggests that the media covering the event are doing a very poor job and/or the people watching media coverage of the event need to get out a bit more. Its a bit like seeing a Ku Klux Klan rally on TV and assuming that all Americans waltz around in bed sheets and pointy hats.

[AlexS]

I....Its a bit like seeing a Ku Klux Klan rally on TV and assuming that all Americans waltz around in bed sheets and pointy hats.

They don't?

[Woodwould]

You can send it to my backyard if you want... small minded people drive me insane.

Hear hear! It's the poorly (barely?) controlled and non-sanctioned events that cause havoc and sully the good name of professional, organised motorsport competition. I've been involved in mortorsport of one form or another since I was 16 (I only stopped competing about eight or nine years ago) and it's always the unregulated hoons that give the rest of us a bad image.

[Woodwould]

... Its a bit like seeing a Ku Klux Klan rally on TV and assuming that all Americans waltz around in bed sheets and pointy hats.

I don't care what style of helmets they wear, as long as they're well organised and they repair any roads and infrastructure after their rallies.