Happy new year everyone! Here's hoping.

People are asking if we'll win or is tourism development in Denmark Shire a done deal? Well, we have over a thousand signatures on this petition - thank you. More and more people are becoming aware of what's at stake. More and more are becoming involved and saying no chance do we support tourism development over the environment and the community. There's too little left to keep taking more.

We have a Council that says it's listening. I'm sure you'd encourage them in that. They have key strategic documents to guide them: Our Future 2033 Shire of Denmark Community Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Strategy 2021-2031 and the Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2021-2025 which are remarkably consistent in finding what this community wants. We want the environment protected and looked after. Likewise our community and our village. 

I'm struggling to see how anyone could get from those clear, overarching requirements, to a proposal to create nine large tourism precincts in Denmark Shire. As if out of thin air. Whatever, there's a way to go and much to be done.

Two practical things you can do to help. One - if  you haven't yet shared this petition with your contacts, please do so. Ask them to sign and share the petition with their contacts. 

 Two - put https://www.denmark.wa.gov.au/councillor-contact-details.aspx in your browser. Send a brief email to the Councillors, or call them. That's what they're there for - to listen and represent you. They're nice people. Tell them your views and priorities. Urge them to reject the Draft Local Planning Strategy with its nine tourism precincts and instead work with the community to implement a way forward for tourism that won't wreck world recognised biodiversity and ecosystems or threaten our community well being. Let's see how good they are at hearing.