On Thursday 8th September a protest occurred outside the information meeting organised by the Council of Yarra Ranges about the proposed McDonalds in Tecoma. McDonalds representatives attended the meeting as part of their sham consultation with the community as they continue to plan to ram through this development against the wishes of so many locals.
Local paper coverage: Macca's snubbed: Ranges Trader Mail -- Tecoma McDonald's get the cold shoulder: Yarra Ranges Weekly
Account of the meeting and demo by one anti-McDonalds campaigner.
It was a small protest gathering, perhaps 20 in total over the course of an hour or so. But all the local journos turned up and they got some good photos and seemed really keen to write a story. The meeting itself was a bit of a fizzer - heaps of council staff (apparently they were expecting 500 people!), only Samantha Dunn and Noel Cliff in terms of councillors, and then one McDonalds rep and the Ferntree Gully McDonalds franchisee. I enjoyed cornering the Maccas rep and giving him my point of view for a good 15 minutes or so. He was all spin of course and but we extracted a few interesting bits from him. For example when McDonalds have been talking about the benefits for the community that they would bring, including "using local suppliers wherever possible" - well we asked what was the definition of local was and after some umming and ahhing he admitted "local" simply means Australian. He also claimed there had already been significant community consultation, as they had been in contact with TVAG and the council, and that they'd compromised on the building design. He also claimed they employ staff to clean up rubbish from a kilometre radius of the store, this was later contradicted by the Ferntree Gully McDonalds franchisee, in front of the rep, who said they collected rubbish from a one block radius of the store. I greatly suspect from my conversation with him that McDonalds are also planning to announce at the last moment, perhaps once they are at VCAT, that they will compromise and only open until 11pm, instead of being 24hour. I think they've been planning this from the start but want it to look like they are making a huge compromise for the community.
Anyway I don't think more than 80 people actually turned up to the actual presentation, I think the decision to hold the meeting in Monbulk between 5-7PM, limited the amount of people that attended. t wasn't great that it was quite small, but given that TVAG didn't publicise the protest and the 5-7pm factor it was good to have a few of us. Made me feel good to share my feelings with the Maccas rep certainly.
More protests planned
No Maccas in the Hills plans to organise more protests against Macca’s in particular at the Council meeting that will be considering whether to approve the development. That meeting is possibly scheduled for September 27th, but may be later. Whenever it is, we need to make sure that the council chambers are full of passionate, loud anti-McDonalds residents on the night!
Also don’t forget to get those objections into Council – see the TVAG website for details on how to do this. Consider calling or emailing all nine councilors in the Yarra Ranges with your opinions as they will be voting on this issue.
Visit No Maccas in the Hills on Facebook.
Below is the text from the leaflet we handed out on the day:
Twenty years ago the Hills community defeated McDonalds attempt to open up in
Belgrave. Now they are back to take on the community again - lets make them regret it!
MCDONALDS AN ATTACK ON OUR COMMUNITY
Most people live in the Hills because it’s DIFFERENT to the burbs. McDonalds and the Golden Arches are the ultimate symbol of the crass consumer spaces that so many of us are trying to avoid! This is corporate globalization at its worst, whereby each community is slowly being absorbed into a monocultural sameness dominated by a handful of U.S. corporations.
McDonalds say they will contribute to our community – but we know all they have to offer are poor wages, unhealthy food and their ever present litter. Rather than
contribute they will just extract wealth from the local community at the expense of local businesses.
This is a power battle over who controls public space in the Hills. Is it profit driven multi-nationals or does the local community retain the right to say no to development they don’t want? Are we citizens or just passive consumers? The odds are stacked against us – we have to make up for all their money and lawyers with determination and community spirit.
GET PASSIONATE!!!!
Unfortunately, we live under a system where money talks. McDonalds can afford
lawyers to prepare their corporate spin to both Council and to the VCAT. In addition the community must limit its objections to the narrow allowed criteria. We encourage people to use the TVAG website and write their submissions accordingly
HOWEVER…..
if we are to win this campaign we also need people to get PASSIONATE. Write passionate letters to the local councilors, to the paper, organise your own demo. Turn up to both future council and VCAT meetings and make some noise!!! We can’t just rely on letters – we have to show Maccas, the council and VCAT that we aren’t just going to accept this blight on our community. Don’t forget, rebellion can be fun – so be imaginative and creative and take back control of your community.
Comments
Don't get sucked in by shit stirrers from outside
So you had 8 adults and their brain washed children at the protest it's the minority who make a lot of noise pushing their views on us again, looks like the rest of the community Like myself want a McDonands in Tecoma.Flowerpower what suburb in the Dandenongs do you live?or are you just a shit stirrer shipped in from outside?
The only thing I can see your objection is about is litter, obesity and a American Company.Well McDonalds have said they will clean up litter for a block to a kilometre which is more than any other shop in Tecoma does.Obesity this is a joke surly it is up to people to work out you can't stuff your face and not get fat, should we shut down the fish and chip,the Pizza shop or the bakery because if you eat that every day you would be fat as a fool but I think people in our community are smarter than that so don't patronise us with your rubbish.Now American companies I see a lot of people driving Holdens and Fords in the hills both American companies they also buy fuel from American companies so I think you are again speaking crap because most of the community see no problem with American companies what makes you look like a dill is you are probably using soft ware from America on your i-pad or Mac to bag American companies Right!
Then you go on to say. " McDonalds say they will contribute to our community – but we know all they have to offer are poor wages, unhealthy food and their ever present litter"Tell us what you know about Ronald McDonald House charities?tell the whole story you must think we are all stupid McDonalds help people, and I know it is all part of marketing and a tax deduction but Ronald McDonald House Charities do a lot of good for children and this can not be over looked.
You also say "Most people live in the Hills because it’s DIFFERENT to the burbs."Most people I know bought houses in Tecoma,Upwey and Belgrave because they were cheaper and they grew up in the area I know my friends and I did, Flowerpower you have no idea about the area you must be a ring in shit stirrer from outside.
Flowerpower you say "I enjoyed cornering the Maccas rep and giving him my point of view for a good 15 minutes or so"(get a life) and "Don’t forget, rebellion can be fun" this is what it is all about shit stirring, I will go out on a limb and say you are a dole bludger and have nothing better to do with your life and live nowhere near Tecoma.So to the people of Tecoma I say you are smarter than to follow a dole bludging shit stirrer from outside our community like flowerpower Let McDonalds open at best we get a toilet in Tecoma at worse no one goes there and they shut down but we know that won't happen because we all love Maccas
Characterless crappy monuments to the dollar
I bought my house in Belgrave because it was affordable AND it is in a beautiful part of the world that hasn't been taken over by multinationals. If all I was after was a cheap home then I could have moved to any number of outer suburbs, but I wanted to be surrounded by National Park. I don't want the Dandenongs to look like large sections of the suburbs, ugly strips like Burwood Highway as it goes through Ferntree Gully, with it's Maccas, Officeworks,etc. Characterless crappy monuments to the dollar. Living off McNicol Road (it's my account of the meeting quoted in the article) I find it difficult enough doing a right hand turn out of McNicol Road into Burwood Highway during peak hour and school pick up time, if Maccas open a drive through on this section of Burwood Highway the traffic will be chaos. So yes - I am a local and many, many locals object to McDonalds going ahead. Using the argument that we're outside ring-ins is pretty pathetic as is the old "dole bludgers" trick. It demonstrates that you don't have much of an argument. And even if I was on the dole does that mean I'm not entitled to an opinion? It's ironic that you claim those that protest included "brain washed kids" whilst arguing in favour of McDonalds! LOL. McDonalds are the world's leading experts on brainwashing.
Their litter campaign? Can't be working too well when I see McDonalds rubbish throughout our beautiful hills and the nearest outlet is down in Ferntree Gully. But that's what happens when you have a drive through food business, people order their food from their cars, they eat it in their cars and they dispose of it from their cars, straight out the window. It speaks volumes about the sort of customers a McDonalds attracts frankly.
Yes, we need public toilets in Tecoma, but we don't need a McDonalds. We do have enough takeaway outlets. Tracy - sad that you would need a McDonalds to be able to catch up with your friends for a coffee given we already have more than enough cafes in the Hills - obviously you would rather than support a multinational than support existing local businesses owned and operated by local people.
If you are a dole bludger you have no say
Malvina you got to be joking Burwood hwy F.T.G looks better than the run down shit hole Tecoma has become.If you are a dole bludger you have no say you contribute nothing to the community.The rubbish out the window that speaks volumes what the locals think of the beautiful National parks.And no one said we need a McDonalds Just, we would like one!Malvina I could just see you chomping into a Big Mac and loving it and sucking on one of those chocolate thick shakes, be a devil forget about been a pail face vegetarian thats the real issue here right? and get a Burger into Ya.
P.S which one are you in the photos or the protest was not a priority for you and so many others to show up.I tell you what, if McDonalds opens in Tecoma I will shout you a Big Mac if it doesn't you shout me a lentil soup LOL
Swings for the kids, loos to use and affordable coffee
Malvina hang on a minute if no one wants a McDonalds the traffic won't increase will it? or do you know every one in the hills will be lovin it and pack the place out,Which one is it?
Have you tasted the coffee in those cafes and seen what they charge$$$$$$ at least the kids can play on the swings while us mums have a chat at McDonalds and we can use their Loo Too
Malvina did you know they sell apples and orange juice at McDonalds you should come and join us we will have a good time don't be shy Malvina we would love to see you there
Leave our village the way we like it - small, local, loving
As a hills local, I believe most of us are objecting not just to Maccas, but to the intrusion of such large corporations. The profusion of Spotlight stores has lead to the near extinction of haberdashery shops, small fabric shops and wool shops. Bunnings had caused the near extinction of local hardware shops. ..... and we all know the American Walmart story. Live in a city if you want to. Enjoy all its perks. But leave our community, our village the way we like it. Small, local, loving.
Sad day for the already DEAD tecoma!!