Backlash: Protesters turned their backs on the Yarra Ranges councillors at last week's meeting. Picture: Patrick Hutchens
ANGRY protesters hijacked last Tuesday's Yarra Ranges Council meeting when an urgent motion to launch an appeal against the Tecoma McDonald's development failed to get support.
About 50 protesters took to their feet and began shouting at councillors for voting against pursuing a Supreme Court appeal, causing the meeting to be adjourned for 15 minutes.
Davey Heller, a leading supporter of the protests against the proposed McDonald's site in Burwood Highway, invited protesters to voice their opposition.
"If government isn't here to represent the people, what is it for?" he said.
Cr Samantha Dunn had moved an urgent motion calling on the council to fund a legal appeal to stop the controversial development. It was the second time she had tried to get such a motion through, the first being while the previous council was in caretaker mode.
Objectors were enraged when the motion failed, with only councillors Dunn and Noel Cliff voting in favour.
A war of words also broke out between protesters and another resident, Rueben Vogt, of Belgrave, who supported the council's decision not to launch an appeal. "I just want to voice that I'm against the McDonald's and protesters have fought the good fight, but I'm against the council spending money on an appeal," he said.
About 20 objectors later stood and turned their backs on the councillors.
The Tecoma development has become a contentious issue for the council. The shire rejected the original application for a McDonald's restaurant after the initial plans drew more than 1000 objections.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal approved the development on appeal in September.