Central Coast Council should hang its head in shame (Toukley loses ice creamery to Newcastle, CCN423).
A young person has the passion and skill to set up and run a successful small business from scratch.
Olivia Duff did everything that was asked of her.
Yet, Council decided to listen to one complaint, basically tore up their original approval, and told Olivia to shut her small business down immediately.
At a time when it is hard for young people to find employment on the Coast, Olivia’s small business flourished and, as a consequence, employed five “young staff”.
The closure of a thriving small business under the most suspect of decisions will not encourage others to choose the Coast as a place to set up business.
The lack of consultation and total disregard for any form of mediation combined with uncertainty surrounding approvals compounds the wariness.
Furthermore, the temerity of the Council to say Olivia “could sue them” displays the arrogance of an unelected Council and how free it is with ratepayers’ money.
One way to tackle inflation and thereby ease the cost of living is to increase Australian-made products, and exports.
The RBA can only play around with interest rates, but federal, state and local governments have the ability to lower inflation by increasing manufacturing.
Australia needs to stop being turned into a consumerist nation and, instead, become a nation of producers.
Manufacturing needs to be increased and small businesses are one way in which this can be achieved.
To shut down a thriving small business after one complaint shows wokeism is rife.
Minorities rule while the majority pays the price.
Wake up Central Coast Council.
Email, Jan 26
Rosalyn Childs, Gorokan