Church gets heard at meeting

Senior pastor Jonathan Oastler speaks about his church’s conflict with Toowoomba Regional Council and McNab yesterday.

Nev Madsen

CITILIFE Church senior pastor Jonathon Oastler accused Toowoomba Regional Council and Toowoomba developer McNab of "tag teaming" against his church during a public meeting yesterday.

Senior pastor Oastler repeated his claims that the community church and its affiliated school, the Christian Outreach College, had its objections to the development of massive Masters hardware store ignored by Toowoomba Regional Council.

The meeting was held to rally support before the church's complaint against council is heard before the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on March 7 and 8.

About 200 people attended the session yesterday.

Citilife church member and former Christian Outreach College student Rachael Hardie said she attended because she wanted to hear the church's side of the argument.

"I feel it's important to hear what is going on," Miss Hardie said yesterday.

Senior pastor Oastler made it clear that he was presenting only the church's side of the argument and encouraged those in the room to contact council and McNab for their version of events.

Last week a council spokesman said council was trying to facilitate a discussion without-prejudice discussion between all parties in an attempt to reach a fair and reasonable outcome.

McNab also last week informed The Chronicle that it had "all the relevant development permits for a material change of use, operational works and building works to commence and complete the construction works on the Hume St site."

Follow this link:
Church gets heard at meeting