To hear that Armidale had the worst results in NSW for growth and development, with the release of the latest census statistics is extremely concerning.
To hear Margaret O’Connor’s reply to the local morning news is also concerning to me.
Ms O’Connor will be in contention for our September Council elections and, after hearing her say Armidale needs to attract more small and medium industry to help our economy and growth, sounds extremely hypocritical to me, as it was Ms O’Connor who jumped up and down and stated in big bold letters on the front of a local paper saying ‘NOT IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD’ when Wickham Freight Lines lodged an application to the ADC to utilise their land on the corner of Link Road and the New England Highway to house their fleet of Armidale trucks.
If it wasn’t for the likes of Ms O’Connor and the majority of the stagnating councillors (you know who you are) who didn’t want to see Armidale progress in this direction, Wickham Freight Lines would now have their yard up and running and would no doubt be contributing to more growth in Armidale, as they already inject a huge amount of money into our local economy from the jobs they have created here over past years.
Armidale is crying out for industry and a new direction for jobs growth. It would only take one well known, highly respected and extremely successful company such as Wickham Freight Lines to get the green light from council and many other industries would follow.
For years and years council have turned away enthusiastic, feasible com-panies wanting to set up businesses in Armidale and look at where that has gotten us — on the bottom of the census list — not something to be proud of, that’s for sure!
After knowing the lengths that Ms O’Connor went to, to prevent Wickham Freight Lines from getting council approval to build their yard here, and her reaction to this type of industry wanting to come to Armidale, she can be assured of one thing at the upcoming council elections; she will definitely not be getting my vote!
Jo Ahern,
Armidale
