Hi Petitioners 

I'm happy to tell you that if our petition had been standing for Council in the October election it would have gained its seat ahead of any of the other candidates! Thank you for your support, for your comments - check them out, it's good to see what others are saying. Thanks also to those who've donated to change.org to promote the petition more widely.

Please keep sharing the petition link - https://chng.it/FV9dJZRYj5 - with all your contacts. It would be great to have more signatures than the entire Council had votes. That's a strong message!!

The recommendation from Council to rezone Lot 3 South Coast Highway from 'Rural' to 'Tourist' now goes to the WA Planning Commission for their final decision. We are seeking approval for a deputation or submission to WAPC ahead of their decision-making meeting. You're welcome to do that too - try this link https://form.jotform.co/212098570483864 or go to the Dept of Planning, Lands and Heritage website and look for Request for deputation/submission form. We don't have a date for that meeting yet.

What else can you do to help prevent the rezoning of our natural and rural environments for tourism development in Denmark Shire? 

• help Councilors join the dots - it's not only our beautiful and increasingly rare natural environment they're threatening. We share this planet. Council decisions have wider impact, like contributing to climate change thresholds that are rapidly being crossed. Note: Council has 'operating as environmental custodians for the future' as a key performance measure in the Community Strategic Plan and 'action on climate change' as a priority. Actions to match the words would be good. It's time critical.
• if you haven't already, it's worth checking out the guidance and direction some Councilors are ignoring in Council's Sustainable Tourism Strategy and the Community Strategic Plan
• keep your social media posts going - these messages and exchanges do get through, here and to the WA Planning Commission
• write to Denmark Bulletin Letters: info@denmarkbulletin.com with your views
• talk person to person, face to face and spread awareness of the jeopardy our finite natural resources are placed in through Council's recent decision to rezone Lot 3 South Coast Highway and its plans to create nine tourism precincts.

Last but important - the Council's Draft Local Planning Strategy is open until 22 Dec 2023 for public comment/feedback before final approval from Council. Go to: yourdenmark.wa.gov.au/denmark-in-your-hands and then click on Copy of the Draft Local Planning Strategy. It's a monster doc. Part 2 Background Information, Section 8 Tourism will take you to the nine (9) proposed new tourism precincts. Hard copy is available at the Shire Admin Building. Written feedback can be by email, on-line, post or delivered by hand. Have your say, please.

Let's keep fighting for this. It's worth it,

Helen