By KATH GANNAWAY
YARRA Ranges Council has deferred its decision on whether to allow Narconon drug rehabilitation centre to move to Warburton until March, 2014.
The application seeks to move Narconon from its remote East Warburton location to LaLa Avenue in Warburton.
The council meeting on 10 December descended into a heated and at times emotion-driven debate on the need for drug rehabilitation services.
A number of councillors labelled Warburton residents opposed to the move as bigoted, fearmongers with a ‘NIMBY’ (not in my back yard) mentality.
Council’s planning department had recommended refusal on grounds including community safety, a lack of net community benefit and detriment to amenity.
The critical factor in deferring the matter came down to Warburton Police Sergeant Tom Wilkinson’s submission which stated there was insufficient information provided to make a full assessment of the risks and risk management associated with the centre, which was therefore not supported by police.
Warburton resident Tom Fitzgerald spoke on behalf of objectors saying the community considered Green Gables to be an inappropriate location for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility – near a primary school and in a residential area close to the centre of town.
“Police have thoroughly assessed this proposal in two letters and have clearly stated they can’t guarantee the safety of Warburton residents,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
Dr Nerida James, a founder of Get Off Drugs Naturally and one of the directors of Narconon, said in response that they had listened to the community and had addressed issues such as traffic and safety.
“We have hired professional security who we are paying $4000 a week to be there in those after hours times (when police are not on duty) and who are trained to deal with people who might come around selling drugs, or anyone who becomes disruptive,” she said.
She said in more than 13 years they had only two incidents at the centre, and none outside the centre.
Cr Jim Child’s motion to refuse the application was lost in favour of a deferment motion by Cr Len Cox who said the report had too many ‘ifs and buts’.
In a statement issued by SayNoNarcononWarburton after the meeting, the group said they believed local police and the councillors agreed there was an unacceptable risk to the community.
They said the lengthy discussion on the need for drug and alcohol rehabilitation had taken the focus away from the real issue.
“This application is not about whether drug and alcohol rehabilitation in society is a good thing – it’s about Narconon (not accredited by any Australian health or education department) moving into Green Gables beside a school and amid a residential area.
“The report is clear, the location is ‘fatal’ to the application,” the statement said.
The statement said the town planners had made it clear the application would not protect the amenity of the area and was non-compliant with a number of clauses in the planning scheme which they said the planners had applied with “great diligence”.
“The planning scheme will still be the same in March 2014, as it is today.
“The permit decision asked for is not that councillors advise the community and apply their personal views about the need for drug and alcohol rehabilitation in the community in general.
“This decision is about the suitability of location and acceptable risk levels for the community of Narconon running a drug and alcohol rehab centre in a residential area.”
Their views were supported by Cr Child who told the meeting he didn’t believe the police view would change.
“There are incidents that have happened and if you want to bring those in here and air in the in a public gallery through this document (the report) I think that’s just unnecessary,” he said.
Dr James told the Mail after the meeting she was happy to have the opportunity to give further information and to talk with the local police about safety issues.
When asked about a further public meeting with the Warburton community she said she would need to meet first with police.
“Any community meeting would be up to the council,” she said.
