A private, commercial dispute over a walkway between the Fortitude Valley Train Station and McWhirter's has the potential to impact about 30 businesses, 50 jobs and a fair few lot owners at the McWhirter's complex.

Four buildings use the walkway: Valley Metro, Mount Cathay, Happy Valley and McWhirter's.  The Easement agreements can involve multiple parties, varied responsibillities for maintenance and public liability insurance issues.

One of the rightful functions of government is to keep law and order, and stop people from harming each other.  In this case, it is my view that the Government should step in, and ensure that the public can have unencumbered access to the walkway.

One worried trader rang the Premier's office, only to have the phone put down in his ear.  Other traders have simply closed shutters.

I call on the Parties involved to seek arrangements which are common sense, commercial and reliable for the long term.  If the Government needs to step in, to either lease or purchase the walkway and negotiate multiple lease payments to each owner, so be it.

This video shows how the foot traffic in McWhirter's has been cut by about 2/3 due to the closure of the walkway by one private owner.

Once the owners at McWhirter's realise that they may lose their traders, and the income, they may then decide to work with the Body Corporate to get a sensible outcome.

Right now, it looks like the traders are going to have a quiet Christmas trading period.  It would be a shame to lose any one of the businesses there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr8UvSkm2SA