If interest in a project is any gauge as to whether it has captured the community’s imagination and attention - then the turnout to the proposed Goulburn to Crookwell Rail Trail Forum on Monday night spoke volumes.
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Almost 200 people turned up on a Monday afternoon to listen and have their say about the proposal!
It is a long time since this newspaper has seen such interest in a project. Maybe because there is a realization that this Rail Trail could be a real game changer? Like they already have been in Regional Victoria and New Zealand.
Whatever your position on it – either madly supportive or decidedly against it – what was really interesting and innovative about this state government led forum, was that it was not allowed to descend into a shouting match between those for it and those against like – like the old days when wind farms were first proposed for the region (hang on – that is still going on...).
Sure, there was a lot of feeling on both sides of the room – but the process of the meeting and the very focused facilitator Sam Muller did not allow it to descend into a rabble – that it could have otherwise been – even when she threatened the crowd by singing ABBA’s Dancing Queen if they did not shut up.
At such meetings there will always be those who will express their opinions forcefully by talking.
Then there are other more introverted people who would never stand up and speak into a microphone.
For a society to move forward we need all types of thinkers.
The state government representatives were very mindful that they wanted to get the opinions of all of those in the room.
The process of getting people to write down their support, opposition or indifference to the project on Post It Notes and stick them to the wall was a simple stroke of genius that worked.
It meant all opinions in the room will now be taken into consideration – not just the opinions of those with the loudest voices.
The state government seems to have buckets of money on offer for such projects and its representative, Chris Hanger even referred to it as a “once in a generation opportunity” to develop Regional NSW.
This paper has been accused of “writing rubbish” about it by someone at the meeting - so over to you. Let the state government know your opinion on it.
