If the Shoalhaven City Council is successful in purchasing this block it will then have to develop it into a formalised park or town square. 

Suggestions have been made to construct some commercial properties along the waterfront section so not to impede the iconic view. 

This development and whole of life asset management program will also attract a multi-million dollar cost and will be another never ending drain on the public purse.

Anyone can purchase something but whether or not one can afford it is another thing altogether. 

Purchasing this block will bring many challenges to council. 

It has been suggested council could sell some assets and take out a loan but then council has to service the loan which will impact for the next decade and longer.

Large sums of money are being spent in and around Huskisson even though people are losing their jobs and services are being cut. 

During this time of economic rationalism is this council prepared to spend millions of dollars in Ward 2 to provide pathways and a glorified park with a view? 

The view from 59 Owen Street, Huskisson is described as iconic, yet similar views can be obtained from any number of vantage points along the foreshore. 

Walking along the activated water front one block north of Owen Street through Voyager Park obtains the same view of Jervis Bay and provides a greater experience. 

People don’t come to Huskisson to drive down Owen Street to catch a fleeting glance of the view, and these same people will continue to come whether this view from Owen Street exists or not. 

People come to Huskisson for the experience, the activities, attractions and the services the precinct can provide. 

Tourists don’t go home after a holiday and say “I had a great time in Huskisson sitting in Owen Street car park looking at the view”.

To say the view from Owen Street is the Heart of Huskisson is misleading when the town and region has so much more to offer.

Fifty-five thousand ratepayers live in the Shoalhaven; 20 per cent of those ratepayers are pensioners, approximately 800 people live in Huskisson. 

It is fair to say the majority of Shoalhaven ratepayers are going to be shocked by the decision for the council to put in a tender to bring this block of land into public ownership. 

Does this council honestly believe that the person in the street would see this as an optimum use of their hard earned rate payer dollars? 

Most people living outside Huskisson would have to question this blatant disregard for equity and see it as an inappropriate use of public monies. 

To purchase this block of land, knowing full well previous councils have rejected it every time it has come up for sale, knowing the state and federal governments have declined to support the purchase, knowing the council is heading towards a multi-million dollar 10 year deficit, knowing the number of unfinished projects, failing infrastructure and increasing demands and expectations of the community is not good leadership. 

It is an irresponsible action that will challenge the resilience of the community that I am unable to support.

Cr M. Kitchener,

Ulladulla.