There has been overwhelming support for this proposal from members of the Banksia Tigers Football Club community and it’s local residents who enjoy Gardiner Park and it’s facilities.

This development is not only vital for the development of the youth (players) at the club but also the extended community for generations to come. As members of the Banksia Tigers Football Club executive team we have seen first hand the issues the current football pitch presents from the daily usage by it’s members and other football clubs throughout the year. The maintenance, repair and replacement of the pitch costs Bayside Council approximately $200,000 annually, all for it to be destroyed within 4 weeks of any football season.

Banksia Tigers Football Club currently have 630 registered players. This registration base is growing exponentially every year at a rate of 10%. This significant number does not include our devoted volunteers, coaches, parents and many spectators who are also part of this community.
Members of this club and the extended community have expressed their support by means of emails to Bayside Council highlighting the need for this project and the like. 

It has come to our attention that there is a minority group of people led by a local resident of this neighbourhood opposing this project under the pretext that the project will impact on the local environment and members of the community were not informed of the project by Bayside Council. This campaign is responsible for questionable petitions that have been created opposing this project that have been signed by fake identities to bolster numbers. Social media platforms have been used to “rally” support, whilst spreading misinformation about the proposal and the Banksia Tigers Community.

Regrettably, this misinformation has resulted in a delay for the project commencement date in the interim. This has come at the expense of the majority who have welcomed this proposal. Although the Banksia Tigers community support due process and community engagement, unfortunately this process has been hijacked by a small group who are opposing the project just for the sake of opposition. This “campaign” raises important questions in this process. Are the voices of the majority not sufficient? How is it that a small group of people, some who are not residents of this community being spearheaded by one person in particular who is fixated and hell bent on seeing this project nose-dive.

The Banksia Tigers Community also have a voice in this process and unlike the very few who are relentlessly lobbying to strong arm council members we the proud members of this community will use the voice of reason to ensure that the local government members know that we are aware of what is happening and will hold to account those who think that the majority voice is not sufficient.

It is incumbent on the Banksia Tigers Community to unite together in common purpose to ensure local governments know that their constituencies are not pleased with this fiasco and that we sense our voices have not been taken into account and that the voices of a few using bullying strategies have taken precedence over the majority.

We ask the Community to sign the petition to ensure we send a message that we will not be intimidated or silenced by those who have hijacked the progression of this project.