Constant studies
Read the article: Concerns over major rail project brushed off
“There’s been no delays (on the Sunshine Coast rail) whatsoever.”
I was first told of the railway to Maroochydore at the Kawana Chamber of Commerce meeting in the 1980s so how can the Transport Minister make such a statement? It is simply untrue.
The Beerwah to Maroochydore rail line must have had more “studies” undertaken by the state government than any other project and the total cost of these surveys would probably have paid for the rail line construction.
For years I have been stating that the state government is simply not competent in running the rail line to the North of Brisbane. By continually stalling the new line to Maroochydore it saves them the embarrassment of failure.
The rail timetable to Nambour is pathetic and that is why the public ignores the train and drives to Brisbane. Who is going to spend nearly two hours each way on a train to Brisbane and pay a high fare?
Let us invite Minister Bailey to take a train to Nambour and then get his opinion.
Ken Coulter, Ilkley (March 28)
Time to get on board
The Sunshine Coast community doesn’t care for political games, they just want their overdue Sunshine Coast rail built.
Twelve months ago, Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien and I stood near the site of the future Maroochydore railway station to announce the historic $1.6 billion federal funding for Sunshine Coast Rail.
It marked six years of Ted and I dragging ministers and prime ministers up to the Sunshine Coast to show them just how gridlocked the Sunshine Coast has become and how transformational this project will be.
Two decades after state Labor set aside the CAMCOS corridor and with overwhelming support from the Sunshine Coast community, we secured a $1.6 billion commitment from the then-Coalition Government.
Despite a change in government last year, federal Labor have retained the $1.6 billion commitment, albeit with $900 million cut from the first five years of the project (2024-25 to 2028-29) with funding back-ended and completion delayed.
And from state Labor? Crickets.
Since $1.6 billion was put on the table by the federal government, Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey has done nothing except politicise this generational project, the largest infrastructure project ever announced for the Sunshine Coast. Neither he nor the Premier have put one cent on the table. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.
Delivery of this project in time for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is now at risk under federal Labor’s budget cuts and state Labor’s inaction, as the current timelines are vulnerable to any further delays to delivery of this project.
Time is ticking on an estimated eight-year project with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games now just nine years away.
Regardless of the importance of getting this project done for Olympic and Paralympic Games events on the Coast, this crucial project was long overdue with our significant increase in population.
Andrew Wallace, Federal Member for Fisher (March 28)
Renters hard done by
Read the article: How a rental cap could impact the Sunshine Coast
Rentals must be capped if the current crisis in homelessness is to abate. Considering that almost one third of Australians rent their home and that the stability of the rental market is tied to annual wage growth, currently at 3.3 per cent, it is not surprising that so many people are facing homelessness with every rental increase, which far outstrips wage growth.
Reserve Bank data indicates wage increases have been less frequent since 2012 and coupled with low annual wage growth, the treadmill of rental increases, as opposed to income, just keeps getting harder for renters. ABS data indicates that in the December quarter of 2022, although the annual wage price index rose to its highest for the decade, at 3.3 per cent, it is not keeping up with the costs of inflation. Further to this, rental increases are driving inflation higher still. Homelessness has steadily increased, as a result.
The property industry states that a price freeze will impact on profit margins and drive investors away. Landlords complain that rent increases have not kept pace with inflation, citing a shortfall of 14.6 per cent. (ABS Consumer Price Index, June 2012-22, indicates rental increases of 11 per cent with inflation at 25.6 per cent.) Yet, consider how much greater tenants are impacted: low wage growth of 3.3 per cent brings an inflationary burden of 22.3 per cent shortfall. Therefore, property owners are almost twice as well off as tenants.
The government must take action to cap rental costs, regulate sub-standard housing and make renting much more accessible to ordinary Australians. An annual subsidy could also be paid to landlords if they allow pets. In the long run, this would save funding costs associated with homelessness, rehousing of animals and mental health issues, as well as saving a great deal of heartbreak.
Christine Bennett, Burnside (March 27)
Why can’t landlords help?
Governments need to build homes for people on low incomes, the unemployed and pensioners, on a mass scale and Australia wide.
Also, why can’t people who own their homes outright drop their rents dramatically? I’m sure they only need to cover their rates. People paying mortgages, I can understand them charging a higher rent rate, but owners surely can drop theirs. That would ease the burden for a lot of struggling families.
Darron Burrell (March 25)
Housing suggestion
What about an affordable rent-to-buy scheme for Sunshine Coast locals faced with homelessness?
Georgiena Burnham, no fixed address (March 26)
Wasting money
Read the article: State plans limit on rent increases in landlord ‘wake-up call’
Labor created this problem with increasing costs to the investor, the Treasurer is now trying to keep his head above water. Stop wasting money and put it into affordable housing and stop asking the private sector to cover your backside. Cameron Dick wouldn’t know his left foot from his right.
Geoff Batten, Currimundi (March 29)
Comments from the Sunshine Coast News Facebook page
‘Great potential’: box homes ready in times of crisis
Gail Podberscek: That’s brilliant!!!!! How easy it would be to add an extension to provide accommodation that’s not just temporary! Well done Sunshine Coast Rapid Response Housing!
Rail line closed after bridge strike
Jeffrey Addison: Extraordinary that this is not yet fixed. In January 2014 when the Price St Nambour bridge was struck, they repaired/replaced the damaged structure within 24 hours.
‘Spectacular vision’ for popular beachfront
Edwin Lomax: We need to see more of this kind of vision on the Coast. Good job Joe, can we see something like this for Kawana’s beachfront in the future?
Brad De La Motte: Fantastic for Tourism.
‘Extremely unsafe’: wreck closes part of beach
Ben Tierney: Just dig it up and remove it and get an artist to make a sculpture out of it or something to that affect its not that difficult surely?
Andrea Hellewell: Proud to have it.
Steve Anderson: Nanna state
Chris McDonnell: At least SCRC has stopped that BS about it being the only beach named after a wrecked ship.
How a nursing pilot program could change the sector
Beverley Barton: What a wonderful idea. As having been a specialist Gerontology nurse, I see wonderful benefits in this. Our elderly deserve this.
More suburbs added to car parking monitoring program
Sean Dwyer: ‘ParkSmart’ program… Parks Council vehicle in reverse angle on a one way road… Genius!
John Smith: This will boost the sale of magnetic number plates.
Roderick Buchbach: Used to whack the homeless who have nowhere to sleep but their car. Classy.
Ky Mc: Looks like a licence to print money.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via: news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
