Help! No McDonalds in the Dandenong Ranges.

Timmay

Hello fellow Jammers,

I'd love if some of you could have a look at something that is really personal for me at the moment. We're fighting against McDonalds bullying their way into my home town.

I live in an Australian small town called Tecoma, a beautiful spot about an hour outside of Melbourne, just as you enter the Dandenong Ranges forrest. Last year, McDonalds put it in a bid to build a restaurant in the main street of Tecoma, it was rejected by the council and community, but McDonalds persisted and had the council's decision overturned at a state tribunal called VCAT. This terrible decision has left the community devastated and the council is unable to afford going to the Supreme court to appeal this decision for fear of cost... its very expensive fighting a huge corp like Maccas in the supreme court.

If you have a look at this facebook page you'll see the location is clearly inappropriate for a McDonalds.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/NO-McDon ... 9864641673

I've made a few videos in protest and we've had our cause picked up by many media outlets including CNN and even Morgan Sporlock from Super Size Me has retweeted our story.

This was the first video i made after the VCAT decision to allow McDonalds in... we turned up at their site and planted a massive 'community' garden in protest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1wDZZDboZM

And recently, over 3000 people 'Marched against Maccas'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7FYVxSXnCM

This whole ordeal has been so inspiring and brought the community closer. 9 out of 10 people who live in Tecoma said no to McDonalds in a door to door petition but still, McDonalds refuse to even meet with the community or council to discuss the issues.

Please have a look at the FB page and help spread the word. Despite them have the legals right to build we still believe with people power we can still shut them down and send them back down the hill.

You can also check out - visit www.burgeroff.org for some info.

Thanks for reading!

And can't wait for a PJ tour down here in OZ!

Cheers

Tim.

brianlux

Best wishes on your fight to keep McD's out, Tim. I rarely eat a fast food restaurants anyway but I've boycotted our local McDonald's all of the 16 years I've lived in my small town because the biggest oak tree in town was needlessly felled to build this eye-sore restaurant with this plastic play land and toxic "food".

Good luck!

Loulou

Wow that sucks!!! I used to live in Monbulk which I'm sure you know. I also used to live in Upper Ferntree Gully which is even closer and it would be terrible to see McDonalds there in Tecoma. It's such a lovely, green little town and it should never be taken over by big takeaway joints. :nono: best of luck in your fight.

pjfan31

Good luck...

Great song that and a great video...