General News
13 March, 2026
TRC challenged over Malanda consultation
TABLELANDS Regional Council is being challenged over the way it has chosen to consult the Malanda community about its new multi-purpose facility.
The council is planning to build the new facility in the wake of the closure of the Patrick English Pavilion which it intends to demolish.
While there is no estimated year when the new facility will be constructed, the council is starting consultation with the Malanda community, but not everyone will get an equal say.
An email was sent out to specific community organisations last week inviting them to nominate a representative to be part of a working group, which was to have its first meeting on Monday, to “progress planning and initial design” for the multi-purpose facility.
“We have shortlisted a combination of groups around Malanda and current showground users that, through combined membership, represent the vast majority of residents in and around Malanda and those that will regularly use a future building that services not only current needs but those of a growing and changing township,” an officer wrote in the email.
The groups include local schools, the chamber of commerce, the show society and users of the showgrounds.
But local advocate Matt Lachlan has questioned the integrity of the process and disputes that the community will be fully represented by the chosen groups.
In a letter to the council’s community engagement advisor, Mr Lachlan described the assumption that the invited groups represented “the vast majority of residents in and around Malanda” was “manifestly incorrect, is offensive and, in my view, is a serious betrayal of the wider community of Malanda and surrounds”.
“I note that so-called ‘community engagement’ conducted by TRC has historically favoured special interest groups to the detriment of the wider community – specifically residents and ratepayers,” he wrote.
“Further, it is notable that I (through Save The Malanda Pavilion), was not afforded the same right to take part in this process.
“This is despite so-called groups that have absolutely no involvement with the Pavilion whatsoever, being invited to participate. I submit this exclusion was by design – not by accident.”
Mr Lachlan is demanding that the council organise an open meeting on the design of the multi-purpose facility, inviting all local community members to attend.
But a TRC spokesperson said the community had been consulted in a region-wide survey late last year which attracted 350 responses.
“Responses included preferred location for the facility and identified clear themes the community considers most important,” the spokesperson said.
“There will be a shortlist of concept designs presented for general community feedback later this year prior to finalisation.”
