Australia: Locals Fight to Stop McDonald's in their Hills
Residents’ opposition to a new McDonald’s in the Melbourne hills suburb of Tecoma has linked direct action with online campaigning. In October 2012 an administrative tribunal overturned the local Council’s unanimous decision to reject a Maccas’s proposal for a new fast food outlet.
The Burgeroff website has three videos documenting their campaign so far. The first was posted at the time of the decision:
In addition to lobbying, rallies and marches, the activists have brought some fun to the protests by unleashing hundreds of gnomes on the steps of McDonald’s head office. We await “the reckoning of the gnomes”.
Gnomeageddon protest at McDonald’s headquarters in Melbourne
Courtesy: Burgeroff website
There is the inevitable Facebook page: NO McDonalds in The Dandenong Ranges with nearly 6000 Likes. @SAVE_TECOMA, the No McDonald's Tecoma twitter account, was used recently to ‘SWAMP THE MACCAS SWITCHBOARD!’
@SAVE_TECOMA: This is happening today folks. Can you please donate 5 minutes, your phone and your voice https://www.facebook.com/events/100475593476242/ …
An online petition has 9000 signatories.
#burgeroff has also been a popular hashtag for spreading the word. Freiheitdance (Kari) has even claimed a famous son for the area:
@freiheitdance: #JulianAssange used to live in Tecoma & Emerald. Revolutionary folk start out here. I'm off to order my “No Tecoma Burger” now. #burgeroff
John Weiss has been a supporter of the McDonald’s going ahead. He has challenged its opponents on the Burgeroff website and used his Facebook page for this observation on the involvement of children in the campaign:
Wow, a bunch of grown ups harassing children. What a wonderful statement for your cause. Nothing more than child abuse from a group of school yard bullies!
The latest video, March against Maccas, captured the rally on March 2, 2013:
A crowd of approximately 3000 vowed that the “community stood united once again to declare that they won't ever back down from this fight”.
They are definitely not ‘lovin’ it'!
267 comments
@ John Weiss. Please read carefully the response to your claim of condemnation of this type of campaign.
As for the Getup.org comments in the, Maroondah Weekly Tuesday December 18, 2012.
I contacted getup for further comment on this article and the way Rohan Wenn was misinterpreted.
Following is the reply I recieved from Getup.org
Dear Dan,
Kelsey from GetUp here. First of all, I’d just like to apologise for taking a month to get back to you. We work hard to respond to queries as quickly and efficiently as possible, but as a part-volunteer team in the silly season, it’s not always possible. Also, your concern is a serious one and one which I wanted to fully investigate this situation before getting back to you.
I raised this article with GetUp’s Communications Director Rohan Wenn late last year after receiving a complaint from another person who is part of the Tecoma campaign. Rohan has since been in contact from others from the Tecoma campaign to let them know that there was clearly some misunderstandings here. He – and GetUp at large – are really supportive of groups like yours organising around excellent local causes. We encourage you in your fight, and hope to see it met with much support from your community & local media.
Your cause is one that many in the GetUp team have known about and admired for a long time, given that a petition is hosted on our community campaigning page, CommunityRun. Hearing that there had been media coverage which suggested anything but admiration was confusing and surprising for us as well as you! It was never our intention to upset anyone from your campaign, nor for us to be anything but supportive to you & your cause.
I hope this goes some way towards explaining the background to this situation. Thanks again for getting in touch with us, and for your patience in the time it’s taken to get back to you. Please don’t hesitate to write if you have any further questions.
Best wishes,
Kelsey
for the GetUp! Team
E info@getup.org.au W getup.org.au
Wow, great mate. Is that just like a response by Australia Zoo posted by one of your supporters that “Australia Zoo supports us?”
And recall, his comment wasnt about your cause, he was critical of the drive through stunt, as we all have been. Your targeting of the children in this method is disgusting and the fact you condone it makes you a person to be held at arms length for placing children at risk of concerted and coordinated harassment.
Much like the “Australia Zoo” supports us lie hey Dan? And remember, the criticism was aimed at your drive through stunt, nothing else. Their criticism was high on that method and suggested more effective ways to carry out the message delivery. Thanks for the opportunity to rewrite my reply by the way. Deleting your original comment is so classy! LOL
Leave a message…
I was one of the volunteers that conducted the survey of Tecoma late last year asking
whether the residents were ‘for’ or ‘against’ the development. It became
clear to me immediately that the McDonalds Corporation has been lying to all of
us when they suggested that they have strong support in our town. During
the six hours that I was walking house to house I only had two individuals
inform me that they were ‘FOR’ the development… the rest of the residents
were eager to put their ‘NO to McDonalds’ on the record and sign a petition
against further development of this type in the hills.
See: http://www.maroondahweekly.com…
These figures are part of history; they will never change or disappear. They
will always stand as evidence to show how the democratic rights of a community
were not upheld.
And when they replied they were For McDonalds, they were questioned over and over why they wanted it until they changed their vote/opinion. That sounds like a legit way to run a survey.
YOU don’t even live in Tecoma. You live closer to the anonymous poster ‘Carter’ than Tecoma.
Get your facts straight before posting lies.
Whilst there are other large corporations present in the Dandenongs, I have opposed this development as it will dominate the township of Tecoma. It is a large drive through store that will operate 24 hours a day with a very intrusive visual presence. It will block the views of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges National Park. Other similar developments if they proceed would similarly dominate other small townships in the area. It is about fighting the suburbanization of a special area. Whilst Macca’s may not have broken any laws, as some people critical of the protest have pointed out, we are dealing with a planning scheme offers no protection against such developments. Our planning laws blatantly dismissed community concerns. In short a planning scheme that has been deliberately subjugated to the profit motives of developers and business. It is wrong of McDonalds to over ride such overwhelming community opposition and they stand condemned for their corporate bullying.
Davey, whats the difference between the buildings that are there currently and McDonalds. Both technically block the views you speak of. The only difference is you like to find a reason to threaten to punch people in the street when they remove the ribbons from the fence which you have no right to put on there to begin with.
Coming from a known supporter of Occupy Melbourne Davey, I really question your motivation. Many people have questioned your motives in this and consensus is that you are attempting to boost your activist profile and that once it’s done, you will move on to your next rent a cause.
Obviously it’s not as wrong as you breaking laws and threatening to punch people. Where in any rule or law does it give YOU the right to threaten and break the law whenever you wish?
Don’t like being outed and an activist of Occupy Melbourne along with Jeff Pryotek Mr Heller?? Deleted your last comment and the replies because it has the potential to damage your credibility Mr Heller? This whole charade is simply to boost your personal activist profile as an anti globalisation campaigner and nothing to do with the so called community you agitate!
Thank you for covering our story Kevin. We are a strong community united on this cause. We will continue to fight this inappropriate development and break down in the democratic process.
Thank you also for giving John Weiss the opportunity to have his voice heard and for giving him a platform to tell us all about the fact that his wife works for McDonald’s and that it has no connection to the fact he is obsessed with the activities of a community which he lives over an hour away from. I’d hate to think that anyone wrongly believed that John’s incessant and strange obsession with this cause, and his need to comment on every post he sees regarding this story with defamatory nonsense, had anything to do with the fact that his wife works for McDonald’s. That would be a very long bow to draw wouldn’t it, a grand conspiracy theory at best. No, it’s quite normal for a man of his age to hang out online all day every day defending a multi billion dollar, multi national fast food corporation. It’s completely kosher for a man in his 40’s desperately spending his days searching for comments and articles regarding a development on the other side of town that has zero affect on him and jump at any chance he is given to slander and defame anyone who opposes it. I’ll repeat again, John’s disturbing obsession with the ‘No Maccas in the Hills’ campaign, incessant posts about a group of people he has never interacted with, and repeated commenst on this post have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the fact his wife works for McDonald’s. Nothing to see here folks.
Carter, I am disappointed that you have chosen to turn this into a personal attack, especially from behind an anonymous profile. Once more I will clarify, my wife is employed by a private business and every payslip she receives is from that business. That business operates 4 stores and are their own entities trading as McDonalds Australia. SHE IS NOT PAID BY MCDONALDS. Is that clear enough? My understanding of the business is actually quite good, hence my ability to comment on matters with an informed opinion unlike the negativity we always hear that predominantly based on hearsay, rumour and knee jerk reactions. There is no conspiracy theory on my behalf, yet I seem to be regularly subjected to unwanted abuse, invasions of privacy, harassment of my family, threats of physical violence and more. All for simply offering my opinion on a matter which has often debunked the many myths the protest movement has chosen as their weapons. As for what you refer to as my obsession? I now live in Werribee, having moved here when I joined the Defence Forces. My family is settled here, but I still have my family home in Belgrave. This has been our family property since the early 50’s. I went to school locally. Kinder in Belgrave, Primary at Tecoma then on to Upwey High. I spent all my younger years and into my 20’s in the town and feel I am well positioned to make comment, especially when you have your own supporters who are spread far and wide. It seems that it is ok to live in Port Maquarie and speak against the development as one who has never resided in the area, yet someone who has ties and is there on at least a fortnightly basis is expected to remain mute? Rather hypocritical if I say so myself. As for interacting with the protest movement? My first instance of interaction was at the fence of ribbons at the site when I was confronted by a protestor who told me to “F**K OFF” and stuck his finger up at me. So if that is an interaction that leaves people with a feel good nature about your members, I’d much rather not interact with them because of the many examples of poor behaviour that has been reserved for me in the past. Anyhow, Im not here to make this a personal slanging match and pander to the paranoia of others. I have as much right to be involved in this debate as anyone. By the way, I never have nor never will work for maccas. I see both sides of this business. I just don’t see it as bad as the anti movement does. Had VCAT said no, I would not have batted an eyelid. Why? Because thats the umpires decision and we are supposed to accept that aren’t we?
What do you mean, ” That business operates 4 stores and are their own entities trading as McDonalds Australia. ” ?
A licensee is their own business. IE John W Pty Ltd, trading as McDonalds(Tecoma). They are not McDonalds corporation. McDonalds owns the land and the building. The licensee runs the operation and all the internal infrastructure. They take on a licence to operate the store. Each store is its own entity trading as McDonalds Australia (under licence). If they seel, they sell the business assets which do not linclude the building. The licensee is a tenant of McD Aust. If the store changes hands, the new owner is under no obligation to take on the staff as they are employees of the previous business entity. Does that make sense? Happy to explain more if needed.
…so your wife works for a franchisee? do they sell the same food? Use the same merchandise? same packaging?
The staff she provides administration for do, she personally doesnt. But hey, your creating the conspiracy theory here, I’ll let you do the talking based on how much you know about the guy she works for.
Your wife works for McDonald’s John, she had that very clearly stated on her very open and very public Facebook page. If you want to get into semantics and claim that she doesn’t work for McDonald’s she works in a McDonald’s store in a managerial position for a franchisee, then I guess no one actually works for McDonald’s do they, except those that work at Head Office? Your argument is nonsense at best.
As far as you claiming to be some sort of ‘victim’ here, again I call you out as being a complete and utter hypocrite and quite frankly delusional. No one has “harrassed” your family John, this new story of “harassment” came about when someone looked at your Facebook page, after you spent an entire day commenting on posts on McDonald’s Australia’s page attacking anyone who questioned the McDonald’s Tecoma development, and saw the link between yourself and your wife whose employer was listed as McDonald’s. This was pointed out to you at which point you launched into a crusade of attempting to take anyone down who mentioned this glaringly obvious and very public fact. You then believed that you had the right to threaten those that
mentioned your wife’s affiliation with McDonald’s. Your story continues to grow and grow exponentially, it then became a story of people “harrassing” you and perpetuating “violence against children”, your rants and claims of victimhood are totally and utterly delusional. You viciously attack complete strangers endlessly and then have the nerve to claim that it is you who is in fact a victim if anyone responds to you.
No worries David. Good luck.
Yawn…Are you STILL talking? Ok, I’ll respond…sentence by sentence:
“Hasn’t changed the fact everything I have said is factual” – That statement in itself is not factual John.
“as well as a sworn affidavit” – Really, so you signed a legal document under oath stating your consistent lies to be true, that’s a jailable offence John.
“but we can all see here…” – Who exactly is this “we” you speak of? Are you referring to you and Tat who held a one man protest in front of 3000 people wearing a bear suit with a sign that said “Maccas is coming, so go suck a fat one”. What wonderful company you keep.
“what I have presented to be fact” Boy oh boy John, you do seem to have quite a jaded understanding of the word “fact”, but I think I covered that already.
“Screen captures, phone records, voice recordings etc” So you recorded someone’s voice in a phonecall you made in order to threaten a member of our group after searching for their personal details online. You know that you need permission to record someone’s voice in a phonecall don’t you John? I’m not sure recording a phonecall of someone telling you to stop contacting them is really the type of evidence you want to use to back up your case in Court John.
“The licensee also has other business (non McDonalds interests) that she deals with, so what does that mean?” – That means your wife works for McDonald’s John and the franchisee also runs other businesses. You should know that yourself, you’re her husband. Sheesh if you paid more attention to her rather than spending all your time attacking random strangers online I wouldn’t have to answer that question for you.
Paranoia [ˌpærəˈnɔɪ.ə] (adjective: paranoid [ˈpærə.nɔɪd]) is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. (e.g. “Everyone is out to get me.”) Making false accusations and the general distrust of others also frequently accompany paranoia. For example, an incident most people would view as an accident or coincidence, a paranoid person might believe was intentional.
I’ve seen the screenshot that was taken of your wife’s page, which was NOT posted publicly by David at all, and that you only found by searching desperately through members lists on group pages trying, unsuccessfully, to dig up dirt. The screenshot had ALL of your wife’s details REMOVED from it, all of them John. Her name had been photoshopped out of it as had the details of the store she worked at. So your newest fantastical tale of harrassment and affidavits yet again does not add up, the store she worked at wasn’t even viewable in the screenshot. This is what I mean by your story growing and growing, you just seem to come up with new and improved nonsense and lies on a daily basis in order to somehow paint yourself as a victim. I was only able to view the screenshot because YOU posted it on a PUBLIC page.
And no John, I’m not sure how many times you can be told that it’s not David Carr you’re speaking to. You’re obsession, ongoing threats, harassment and slander towards David, who has not interacted with you at all in quite some time, is quite frankly disturbing. *Please refer to previous “paranoia” comment.
Seek help.
Deleting and reposting comments just so you can hide the replies? Well done! That’s a new level of censorship and hypocrisy if ever I’ve seen it! Keep up the great smear campaign. Just shows we got you rattled that you need to conduct this petty behaviour. I guess it’s frustrating knowing that the only way to control how you are perceived is to play silly games. As I said before, thank goodness for screen captures!
Oh dear now your just getting paranoid John. No comments have disappeared and been re-posted, all the comments are still here for all the world to see. Perhaps try re-loading your page if you haven’t done so already in the six hours straight that you’ve obsessively been commenting on this thread. Get some sleep John, you can always return to your relentless, holier than thou, deluded, irrational brow beating tomorrow ;)
I’m actually on night shift. I have little else to do between tasks. Helps keep me awake!
I am proud to be part of a community
that has banded together to get their voices heard in a clever, organized and
witty way. Despite some of the negative comments from the “Pros” it
is confirmed that majority of the community do not want this to go ahead, with
the “NO” campaign producing solid data on the fact. It saddens me
that the same individuals keep popping up to personally attack, belittle and
bully persons who have lead this very successful campaign. This campaign, the
actions it has generated and the over all message it has been communicating has
been nothing but smart, organized and LEGAL. If the “pro” group we’re
organized or intelligent enough to organize a similar campaign that debates
their point of view articulately without using derogative language such as
“ferals, loonies, greenies” etc, perhaps the wider community of
Tecoma would be willing to take them seriously….Well done NO Maccas group, as
a long time resident you continue to make me proud and willing to work right
along side with you to keep Tecoma Maccas free.
It’s also confirmed building starts in May. You lost. Move on.
I challenge that taking posession of property and modifying it without the consent of the owner is legal. I challenge the sit in of the block as being legal. I challenge the posting of propoganda over the old dairy building (criminal damage/graffiti) is legal. I challenge a protest march walking on a main highway without consent or agreement as being legal. I challenge that known members of the protest movement who have engaged in direct harassment and stalking as being legal. Nothing smart about that.
Can we put a new record on?
We tried, but people complained that the No Maccas CD was incoherent and lacking in mainstream interest. Consigned to the shredder.
Funny! That’s what people say about you! Incoherent and lacking in anything of interest to say.
Yet you keep rising to the bait? LOL more fool you Michael.
Consider it point proven then.
Huh?!You keep proving my point! Well done. You are becoming Increasingly incoherent.
And your last constructive comment was….? New record please. This ones well broken.
Interesting JW, where you write
“I challenge that taking posession of property and modifying it without the consent of the owner is legal”
which seems to be the basis for the settler state now known as Australia (refer High Court 1993), however, the representative of the rightful sovereigns and traditional owners of these lands is not in favour of a maccas on the site. Given your schadenfraude as exhibited elsewhere on this thread, I doubt that you care about anything other than siding with the bullies and mocking their victims, but cherry picking. what’s legal or illegal is petty, given the circumstances.
The site in dispute that was illegally occupied in not owned by McDonalds, nor is it the site for the store. Another hollow argument it seems and once again, misdirected.
Couldnt agree more but dont worry the majority of those people that are nasty are not from our beautiful community so its all good :)
Our petition was taken to parliament, accepted as true and correct, 9 out of 10 resdents in Tecoma do not want a McDonalds built in their town. There is no need to cast aspersions as to the validity of the results, they’re tried and proven. I have been involved in this movement from early on. The way that this community has united should be embraced. I have only pity, for the vocal minority hiding behind the statement “right to choose” Go down the hill 10 minutes and choose! Our hill should have been protected from this developement. Yes McDonald’s have the legal right to build. Morally they do not. Nine out of ten residents say so!
Should have been, but it wasn’t. So McDonalds came to town lawfully. You should direct your attention to the council and planning minister to get things changed. Maybe if you do it fast enough you can prevent others from coming here. Tecoma will be built, it will stay and live on. It’s time for you to accept this and move on.
McDonalds come to town lawfully against the wishes of the community? Nobody is questioning their legal right to build, an entire community is questioning their moral right to build.
Question all you like Miranda. Reality is the opportunity to challenge this and launch a potentially ground breaking precedent in the Supreme Court was voted down and declined. Judgements of what is reasonable and fair are made by the Judiciary on behalf of the people not by a vigilante mob of miscreants and non conformists with personal agendas and grudges against commercialistion and globalisation.
Their ‘moral’ right to build? How is a business operating within the law, and subject to council’s own planning statutes immoral?
As I’ve mentioned before, there’s scant evidence that the wider community object to the development. The ‘survey’ lacks any credibility and McDonald’s have made the rational and considered decision to operate in that location based on local demographics and projected trade.
No sensible business would establish themselves where they’re not likely to draw local custom, so clearly there is demand for their product in the area. Any argument that McDonald’s doesn’t have the ‘moral’ right to operate based on the faulty assumption that the majority don’t want it is therefore, totally invalid.
Morally you dont agree, morally they do agree and have the legal right. Where is the time when people agree to disagree and simply move on? The only option left now is further criminal behaviour to hinder this development. Are people really going to go that far? Is a criminal record wirth it? What message does that send to kids? It’s ok to break any law because you don’t agree with it? That is where my moral compass disagrees with this protest and why I choose to be vocal (some say obsessed!)
So where was that ‘moral compass’ when you failed to declare your conflict of interest during the later months of last year Mr. Weiss; whilst you abused, harrassed, stalked and treatened our residents and campaigners via facebook just for sharing their opinions. All your arguments are tainted by your ‘failure to declare’ that your household income is supported by the prolification of the McDonalds brand. You only declared this after someone innocently browsed your profile to learn more about the man that was harrasing and abusing her. After months of electing not to interact with you I find out that you indeed have continuing to stalk my movements. I have chosen to block you on facebook for obvious reasons and now find that you are commenting about my posts that I’ve chosen not to share with you.
Esther, I’m not required to declare any conflict of interest. I receive no remuneration for this and this is not a for profit debate. I am not making decisions that have a pecuniary impact and this is my own personal opinion. There is no restriction on my comments in social media and McDonalds has no input because their stance is that employees of licensees are not to engage in social media with respect to the company. There are many many people within your movement who have failed to do the same and should be held accountable if that were the case. Like Carl McMahon who works for a business that has a contract with McDonalds. Does that mean he is in their pocket too? What about Davey Heller who is involved with Occupy Melbourne. What about Garry Muratore and Barbara Crisp who are heavily involved with the Labor Party in Victoria? Every person has a conflict of interest if you delve deeply enough but does it make their opinion any less valid? My opnion has always been based on the facts. FACT, McDonalds made a lawful application that was declined but at appeal, was approved because the law allowed them to. Does that fact suddenyl become invalid because I am married to someone who works for a business that operates a franchise? Really? As for stalking you? Don’t flatter yourself. You are the hypocrite who likes to publicly humiliate children and then posts the videos on YouTube. You are a despicable person if you consider this appropriate behaviour as an adult.
Good night Mr. Weiss. Your ‘spin’ is most transparent… your prolific posting against a community that are purely driven by the love of their town and your attempts to break us down show you for the man you are. If you really were ‘pro choice’ you would let this community have their say and be satisfied with the outcome whatever it may be. As for posting my videos on youtube… get your facts right… they have only ever been posted via my personal facebook profile which you are blocked from… you are a lying stalker JW and I blocked you when you threatened me.
‘Psychological abuse’? Really? Now that is being a tad melodramatic. I would think that the actual verbal abuse and the documented violence towards these young one’s who are left without security at night, would be far more intimidating and harmful than any of us POLITELY asking for a ‘No McDonalds in Tecoma, please’.
People like Kit (who interestingly worked for Maccas) try and downplay the numbers that are against this development. 1100 objections to council is the most received in relation to an issue ever. That this many people wrote a letter is not insignificant. Only one person has to object to a VCAT decision for the matter to be heard, weight of numbers is not important. The fact 300 people still objected is not insignificant. The numbers at the march is not insignificant. What I see is a community united by a common cause (to keep maccas out) and a handful of oddballs. Most have admitted to not supporting McDonalds but due to methods of protest that they perceive to be illegal/threatening/bullying (couldn’t be further from the truth) they must default to a position of supporting McDonalds as a result. The opposite of what many of them really believe. An anti anti McDonalds group. What has to occur for this to happen to a person?! Sometimes even the law is wrong and there is a reason that laws can be repealed or amended. We have a right to point this out to the people in power to make changes. Which is slowly happening, no thanks to our anti anti friends who, despite all their advice about who we should be writing letters to and lobbying still haven’t lifted a finger, despite being essentially on the same side after all!
Michael, You claim to have widespread support for your cause. I’ve provided irrefutable evidence that this is not the case and that at best, the vast majority of affected residents have little interest in the matter. I’ve never stated that I’m against McDonald’s operating in Tecoma, and in fact I actively support it for the many benefits it will provide.The fact that I once worked for the company over fifteen years ago has little bearing on the matter.
If you believe the laws regarding planning are outdated or unrepresentative, then I suggest you lobby your local council. In particular, Cr. Samantha Dunn, who during her first term has done nothing to address zoning issues in Lyster ward. It’s pointless to blame the horse for bolting when It’s clearly the stable hand who was asleep on the job.
Kit, your ‘irrefutable evidence’ is you getting a whole bunch of numbers off the Internet, removing another bunch of numbers, making assumptions, adding some big words and pontificating loudly. You are a smoke and mirrors act, a one trick pony. How many different ways can you say the same thing? You aren’t one of the people I’m referring to as essentially not wanting the maccas. You are a rare breed who actually believes building a McDonalds anywhere is considered progress. Of course that has nothing to do with your employment there. Nothing at all. A mere puppet.
Isn’t it interesting that the rest of Melbourne are saying the exact same things about the anti maccas movement who have failed to achieve their sole intent?
It could nearly be interesting if it was the truth. Unfortunately ‘the rest of Melbourne’ aren’t saying that. Just you and a handful of oddballs.
Well, the proof will be in the pudding once construction starts hey Michael. The majority have spoken.
Hahaha! Oops the old record is broken again. Why bother with that old incorrect chestnut?
Oh look, I can see Kit Molloy has joined us as well. I seem to remember you writing a very long diatribe on the McDonald’s Australia Facebook page some time ago Kit about the joys you had working for McDonald’s in the past. You were a McDonald’s Store Manager weren’t you (please correct me if I’m wrong, I was so caught up in the emotion of your post I may have forgotten the details)? Your walk down memory lane was touching, and so well written, your description of the amazing training and benefits you received from the McDonald’s Corporation were heart warming. Please tell us your story again Kit, you told it so well the first time, McDonald’s PR department would be proud.
Once more you make it personal. Rather disspointing that is all you choose to bring to this dicsussion.
Does your family have links to McDonalds franchisees?
Does that make my opinion any less valid or ill informed? I would have thought a balanced debate is what people seek as opposed to one sided bias as is actively pracitsed on the Anti pages on FB. Not sure how many times I need to answer the question but even when I have, you choose to distort the truth. You will make what you will of any truth I offer and make it into a smear against me in an effort to discredit. Do what you will, those that matter know the truth when they see it. Sad you chose to attack rather than listen 6 months ago when I asked a very simple question.
I’m so pleased to have made such an impression on you ‘Carter’. Unfortunately I can’t return the compliment, and that not even your clumsy attempts at sarcasm ring any bells but hey, good for you for trying. Clearly my earlier post made a point that you’ve remembered, and that my friend has always been my objective.
I’ve seen that you’ve decided to attack the man (one of which you have no knowledge of), rather than address my arguments. Although this might suggest that you have no logical response to my posts, I do not wish to lower myself or engage in any infantile pissing contest with a man whose emotions override his intellect. I have no interest in making this personal. I have my opinions and you have every right to yours, If you’d like to engage with me on any of the points I’ve made then please feel free. Otherwise, I have no interest in tickling your troll belly.
All the best,
Mr. Kit Molloy. XOX
The Dandenong Ranges are one of the few areas which remain a huge draw card for tourism and part of this attraction are the quaint townships, local shops, side walk cafe’s, arts and crafts along with flora and fauna unique to this area. Tecoma is very much a part of this area.
My personal interests are to preserve this area for generations to come so they are also able to experience the same beauty that I did as a child, many years ago and still do to this day.
Having read the comments, I find it unfathomable that other’s who are ‘pro-maccas’ can ignore this very fact.
It’s not just about McDonalds, although they have bullied their way into this little township that’s dear to my heart. It is about inappropriate development for this area.
I, for one, do not want to travel through the Dandenong Ranges to be confronted by a string of fast food outlets of any type. The stench alone that these outlets create is foul eg/ driving past McDonalds today in Wantirna, I could smell them before I even saw them and the stench continued down the road for almost a kilometre, as did the litter.
Another point being that the proposed McDonalds site is across the road from Tecoma Primary School and Kindergarten. Really, that’s incredibly inappropriate in itself!
We won. McDonalds got all huffy like a spoiled brat and went tattle-tailing off to VCAT to get the voice of community overruled. Bully tactics? You figure it out.
When Subway was opened in Belgrave, your whole argument about fast food and inappropriate developments of this type was shown to be one of simple brand bias toward McDonalds. This is about anti globalisation and McDonalds is a prime target for the Occupy Melbourne movement that is connected to your prime activist Davey Heller and another contributor, Jeff Pyrotek. This is a charade for the Occupy front.
Occupy Melbourne? Mr. Weiss, I do think you’re rather paranoid, sir. Oh, and tell your thugs to leave my property alone. I really don’t appreciate them speeding down my road at over 50km/hr which is the designated speed limit, yelling out ‘Maaaacaaaaaas!’ and throwing their McDonalds litter onto my lawn. That sir, IS harassment and police have been notified and camera’s set up to catch their number plates.
Merryn, if what you suggest is true, then firstly, your labelling them “my” thugs is highly inaccurate, libellous and something I certainly do not condone. I have no control over those behaviours and would never support that against anyone. As for occupy Melbourne, shall we post the links and confirmation of the involvement of Messers Heller and Jeff Pyrotek? But once again, you compliment me with the apparent influence and esteem I must be held by maccas and the anti social elements of Victoria to control their decision making. Keep up the good work attacking me, that will get them to the negotiating table! Well done!
No attacks from me, Mr. Weiss and I’d prefer you used your manners and politely address me as Ms. Griffiths, as we have never met and I find your ‘familiarity’ unsettling. Thank you.
However, as I have said to Mr P. Hannan, I find no relevance between Tecoma’s plight and that of ‘Occupy’ anything.
I’ve stated my reason’s clearly enough and they are my opinions which in a democracy, matters, as do yours.
I am though, glad to hear that you do not condone, nor support this type of behaviour which has most definitely occurred, with a witness and photo to validate.
Merryn, I personally have no idea who you are, let alone where you live. If people are speeding down your street shouting. Get some photos and report them. But claiming they are Johns or anyone elses “thugs” is a bit much. But how can you tell a car is speeding? Do you own and operate a speed camera? Or are you simply assuming the car is speeding?
When a car ‘bottoms out’ where I am situated, I think I can be fairly safe in assuming whoever it was, was very much in excess of the 50km/hr speed limit.
As you have obviously not read my reply to Mr. Weiss, may I direct you to my above comment where I have stated that I am pleased to hear that Mr. Weiss neither condones or supports this type of action and it would appear that you do not either which gives me some relief.
Can I please ask that both Mr. Weiss and yourself, when addressing me, be formal as I am uncomfortable with your familiarity. Thank you.
Seems like nothing more than ‘harmless civil disobedience’ to me.
Mr. Kelly, there is NO comparison between ‘harmless civil disobedience’ and the actions that have been directed at me personally. These actions ARE harassment, intimidation tactics and bullying but I guess doing that to a WOMAN is ok in your books
What type of car? That sounds like Fat Tat the Rat or Ned Kelly! Others are having the same problem!
Brand bias nothing. Good grief, you law-abiding roll-overs and misplaced loyalties are in danger of inheriting a world none of us deserve. Of course people are getting up against globalisation. It is monstrous and undermines the very democratic processes you so champion, Messrs Weiss and Rattis. Are you so naive as to think that there is NO wrongdoing at council, VCAT and at Parliamentary level, when it comes to legislation. What made Ted Baillieu resign, I wonder?
If Davey Heller et al care about OUR democracy enough to lend support to the Occupy movement, then MORE power to them. This is a clear case of what OCCUPY is about. There are good people in the US Senate trying to bring Wall Street to account and questioning very strongly as to why the ‘official’ FBI investigations came to nothing. There is NO DOUBT that crimes motivated by greed, were committed by large money-houses. That there are no MAJOR bank CEO prosecutions does not mean that the actions which contributed to the GFC were committed lawfully. Wall Streets behaviour and apparent immunity from punishment, has been described as a “stain on the American Justice System”.
These money-houses and corporations have a power which far outweighs the power of the individual, the ‘democratic’ voter. This McDonalds development and others like it, the proliferation of sites owned by Gulf Coast-vandals, BP, are serious stains on the fabric of Australian Democracy. You Mr Weiss, must be blind or feel yourself and your progeny somehow immune to the social repercussions of rolling over and allowing further growth of these ‘brands’.
I don’t roll over at all Mr Anonymous. I just choose my fights wisely and know when it’s time to save my energy for the bigger battle and it isn’t McDonalds. My vision is 20/20, unlike those who seek to judge me solely on this one debate. Cest la vie I guess.
Brand bias nothing. Good grief, you law-abiding roll-overs and your misplaced loyalties are in danger of inheriting a world none of us deserve. Of course people are getting up against globalisation. It is monstrous and undermines the very democratic processes you so champion, Messrs Weiss and Rattis. Are you so naive as to think that there is NO wrongdoing at council, VCAT and at Parliamentary level, when it comes to legislation. What made Ted Baillieu resign so quickly, don’t you wonder? Noticed the current shenanigans in NSW featuring Ian MacDonald and Eddie Obeid?
If Davey Heller et al care about OUR democracy enough to lend support to the Occupy movement, then MORE power to them. This is a clear case of what OCCUPY is about. There are good people in the US Senate trying to bring Wall Street to account and questioning very strongly as to why the ‘official’ FBI investigations came to nothing. There is NO DOUBT that crimes motivated by greed, were committed by large money-houses. That there are no MAJOR bank CEO prosecutions does not mean that the actions which contributed to the GFC were committed lawfully. Wall Streets behaviour and apparent immunity from prosecution, has been described as a “stain on the American Justice System”.
These money-houses and large corporations have a power which far outweighs the power of the individual, i.e. us, Meesrs Weiss and Rattus, the ‘democratic’ voters. This McDonalds development and others like it, the proliferation of sites owned by Gulf Coast-vandals, BP, are serious stains on the fabric of global and Australian Democracy. You, Messrs Weiss and Rattus, must be blind or feel yourselves and your progeny somehow immune to the social repercussions of rolling over to allow further growth of these ‘brands’.
Alex, how are you on the internet at the moment? Mobile phone or from home. Last I checked if you are at home you are using power from a corporation. You are using internet from a business and or corporation. If you are posting from a phone, guess what. You brought a mobile phone which again is supporting overseas corporations not to mention the contact or prepaid you are on. Again another corporation. Maybe while you are waving your hands about, think about how many large businesses and corporations you use on a daily bases. You are supporting the growth of brands too.