"Yamba no more needs a McDonald's then the average person needs a bullet through the head"

McDonald's versus Yamba heats up with 466 written submissions to Clarence Valley Council against McDonald's push to enter a small NSW North Coast town, one submission asserting neutrality and only 25 submissions in support.
As well as 3,974 signatures on petitions.

One of the very few 'for' submissions contained this strange paragraph which turns reality on its head:

What is not in question is the sincerity of the thousands of people objecting to the McDonald's proposal and the 17 deputations made yesterday. This sincerity had council's planning committee refer the DA straight to a full ordinary monthly meeting next week when seven councillors will decide Yamba's future.

While letters to the editor in The Daily Examiner continue on 10 May 2010:

Ulterior motives from letter writers
THOSE living elsewhere but writing to council approving of a Yamba McDonald's may have motives such as ensuring they will then not have to face a McDonald's building in their town.
Therefore only Yamba letters should be counted.
Let's note the following:
1. The economic downturn has hurt businesses and now a further threat of a multi-national company (who can afford to go for a few years without making a profit in a town while grabbing market share) faces these businesses.
2. Clarence Valley Council has a duty of care to protect local businesses and will be responsible for any loss to small business as a result of McDonald's taking business away.
Clarence Valley Council also has to ensure resident's have the widest possible choice of small businesses in the area and should small food businesses suffer with the introduction of Macca's this will not be achieved.
3. One food business for sale in Yamba has had an interested buyer informing them they will wait and see what happens with the McDonald's application first.
Should McDonald's go ahead in Yamba this food retailer will have to financially accept less for what is, at this pre-McDonald's stage, a very successful, popular and profitable business.
How many others will be facing the same fate?
No town can take several businesses closing due to lack of interest from prospective buyers as a result of McDonald's possibly moving in.
Even those just looking to buy food businesses in Yamba feel Macca's would cost them business.
4. If this is what is happening to businesses - what then of the values of homes along Treelands and adjoining roads?How many people will pay what as home is worth now when Macca's moves next door?
Will council listen to the majority of Yamba people who said 'no'? Will they act on moral issues and hear all the concerns and act accordingly?
McDonald's doesn't equate with progress.

Let's see if council respects the people of Yamba.

Those making decisions in council are not affected by their decisions, Yamba ratepayers and voters are.

The majority of people in Yamba voted 'no'.

If council votes 'yes' we can remind council how many voted 'no' in Yamba by voting 'no' to them come election time.

CELESTE WARREN, Yamba

Isn't it enough to say no to McDonald's?
I THINK Democracy is probably one of the best forms of Government we humans can come up with so far, Governments voted by the people for the people.But however is this really so?The majority of people who live at Yamba don't want a McDonald's at Yamba.That should be the end of the story, the people have decided.What is the point of having a council that disregards or rides rough shod over the wishes of the majority of the people?
Did the council just listen to the objections to placate people and make them feel good?

Since the council has said the objections raised were not legitimate what is a legitimate reason to stop such a development?

What about health reasons?

There is a growing incidence of obesity in our population including our children do not fast food out lets like McDonald's contribute to this incidence of obesity?

Yamba is a beautiful place, no doubt about it.

Yamba no more needs a McDonald's then the average person needs a bullet through the head.

The council should not be there just to rubber stamp the wishes of multi national corporations and big business but to respect the wishes of the majority.

If it can't do this, it ceases to be legitimate form of Government.

JOHN STELZER, South Grafton