David confronts a goliath in yellow overalls
The struggle by residents against the construction of a McDonald’s in the Dandenong Ranges township of Tecoma has entered a difficult new phase, with eight protesters now being sued by the company.
The campaign began in earnest in October 2012, when, after its plans to build a 24-hour outlet in Tecoma were knocked back by the local council, McDonald’s appealed directly to the Victorian planning tribunal. Ignoring more than 1,000 objections to the development, the tribunal overruled the council and gave McDonald’s the green light.
This kick started a determined campaign by local residents, as they asserted their right to have a say over what development was allowed in their township. The biggest boon for the campaign came in July, two days after demolition work began. The construction union, the CFMEU, advised members on the site that working in the midst of protests and disruptions put health and safety at risk, and shut down the site.
A CFMEU branch meeting then passed a motion “supporting the right of residents to protest the store” and recommending that McDonald’s “reconsider” its plans for the site. Residents have since also received backing from other unions, including the ASU and NUW.
Demolition at the site finally resumed with non-union labour in August, but only after dozens of police were mobilised to remove protesters.
McDonald’s has now hauled a number of protesters into the Victorian Supreme Court, attempting to sue for damages for the disruption that has been caused to date. Dubbed the “Tecoma Eight”, these campaigners have been served with injunctions, now extended to 20 September, banning them from trespassing on the site lest they face further legal ramifications.
Lawyers representing McDonald’s are yet to specify the amount they’ll be seeking in damages from the eight, but given that they’re claiming to have lost thousands of dollars a day due to the protests, it seems likely that they’ll be after a significant sum.
However, residents have shown no sign of wavering, and as support for the campaign continues to grow, so too does their confidence.
