COUNCIL has fired back at accusations by the Australian Defence Association that Toowoomba's "schizophrenic relationship" with Defence has jeopardised the future of the Oakey Army Aviation Training Centre.
Cr Bill Cahill made a call for common sense, stemming from council's approval for the construction of Wellcamp Airport under restricted military airspace last week.
"Let's stick to the facts," he said.
"Council has approved the land use component of the airport application.
"It complied with the planning scheme guidelines under which it was assessed.
"It is now the job of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to decide if the operation of this airport will go ahead.
"Obviously, they will negotiate with the military about this.
"There are lots of other boxes to be ticked by the applicants yet."
ADA executive director Neil James had accused council of expecting Defence to contribute to the community while at the same time undermining its future.
Cr Cahill rebuked those claims.
"The military presence is an important part of our economic profile and surely, with modern technology, a solution can be worked," he said.
"As part of the process, council went above and beyond the requirements of a code-assessable application.
"Input was sought from the army as a referral agency and they raised a number of matters.
"These were operational matters of which council has no jurisdiction over, but council will certainly be handing these on the CASA."
An issue council has faced for years - the possibility of joint commercial-military use of army facilities at Oakey - also received mention.
"In an ideal world, it would have been nice to utilise taxpayers' money in a farm more efficient way," Cr Cahill said.
"The joint use of the Oakey aviation facility could have been used in such a way.
"In fact, the early days of the base saw it used in this way.
"There are plenty of examples in this country of shared facilities."
Cr Cahill ended his response with a strong message to the ADA over thinly-veiled threats of closing down Defence facilities in Oakey and Cabarlah.
"I don't think this is a case of 'Toowoomba having its cake and eating it too'," he said.
"I would see it as a sensible use of taxpayers' infrastructure... however, that was not to be and now we have to deal with progress.
"It puts one in mind of a child who does not want to share his sandpit, so he picks up his toys and goes.
"It is the 21st century and as far as I can see we all have to share in this day and age.
"It would seem to me as being... almost expected for these comments to be made at this time."
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