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.
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Read the article: Rail duplication welcomed but more needs to be done
Rail system stuck in the past
My wife and I moved to the Sunshine Coast from the southside of Brisbane in 2001. Back then, employment opportunities were not prevalent here on the Coast and while my wife had come to the Coast with the promise of employment with our financial planner, I was still working in Brisbane and commuting daily. I started by catching a train from Nambour, then Landsborough and eventually I realised that I was best served by driving to Caboolture and catching the express train to Brisbane, which saved about half an hour each way.
The service from Caboolture to the Sunshine Coast was slow and subject to reliability issues. On one occasion, when I was still catching a train from Landsborough, a breakdown at Caboolture put us behind schedule to the point that we had to stop at one of the single line stations (possibly Elimbah from memory), backing up into the opposite side of the platform to allow the tilt train to go past. That night I arrived home close to 9pm having left Brisbane at 4pm.
I love travelling to Europe and catching their fast, efficient trains. I remember commenting to my wife that coming home (to the Sunshine Coast) is like going back in time. I also remember commenting that if we had an efficient, fast rail network more people could live remotely and still work in Brisbane, putting less pressure on inner-city accommodation and transport in Brisbane.
Anyway, here we are, 22 years later and government is still sitting on its hands wasting time and money on yet another feasibility study into the viability of rail duplication. The Coast is growing but the infrastructure remains the same as it was when the Coast was a sleepy little country town by the beach.
Greg Oostenbroek, Twin Waters
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Read the article: Clogged pipeline puts heat on Sunshine Coast Rail
High-speed rail needed
The Sunshine Coast is set to be a major hub. It’s already headed down that path but the infrastructure is severely lagging. If not properly put in place it could kill the whole thing for everyone due to the time it takes to implement this stuff. In this day and age, we should have a high-speed rail link to Brisbane to make commuting and tourism for day and weekend trips feasible rather than spending thre hours in traffic to travel 85km.
There needs to be a direct link to the Brisbane CBD and Brisbane Airport to Maroochydore if it’s to succeed at the new Sunshine Coast CBD.
Yes, developments need to be properly reviewed and assessed from a functionality and environmental point of view, but first the infrastructure needs to be put in place and a long-term plan, not just until the next election like it currently stands.
Ben Forrest, Bli Bli
‘Light buses’ a better option
Instead of spending that money on a train that not many are going to use, it’d be better to improve the bus service, with ‘light buses’ (like shuttles or mini buses) with 10-minute frequency. The trains would be like big buses but with two or three passengers inside.
Frank Calvo, Maroochydore
Light rail future
All major cities in the world have light rail trams and they work very well, so why not the Sunshine Coast? We do have more land than other countries and let’s look into the future without looking at the pennies.
Antonio Segreto, Pacific Paradise
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Read the article: Developer returns with new master plan for site
Opposed to development
I would like to state my oppposition to the new plan put forward by Stockland for the Twin Waters West parcel of land.
In spite of Stockland’s changes to their development plan, with larger blocks and placement of the lake etc, the area remains a floodplain which is best left undeveloped as a housing site.
Stockland is unwilling to adhere to the decision made by the Planning and Environmental Court and seems intent on developing an area that is not suitable.
Josephine Smith, Bli Bli
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Read the article: Funds offered for businesses to upgrade shopfronts
Welcome investment
Finally, a Sunshine Coast Council-funded project with potential to make a real and rapid difference to the aesthetic appeal of the Nambour CBD. I invested a considerable amount of my time over some years as part of the Nambour Chamber of Commerce. I eventually walked away frustrated and tired of the small-town politics and limited vision that undermines real progress. After investing many volunteer hours making a significant contribution to Reimagine Nambour and getting fed up with endless meetings, political announcements and staged photo opportunities, I was starting to think this type of practical investment in the town would never happen.
Hopefully, with this funding comes some guidance to property owners on where and how best to spend the money on their buildings so we get some consistency and quality street appeal. Please focus on getting rid of ugly aluminium windows and sliding doors. New glass, timber window framing and high-quality contemporary signage of a consistent size would do wonders. An incentive program to attract successful traders would be a great follow up.
I’m looking forward to seeing the positive change in this great town. Congratulations to Cr David Law and all involved in making this opportunity available. Let’s hope it is taken up with enthusiasm by business and property owners.
Alison Atkinson, Nambour
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Road renaming
Why don’t we call Nambour Connection Road (which is a pretty boring name), Daniel Morcombe Way, in honour of Daniel? The precedent has been set with Steve Irwin Way. Noel Harris, Bli Bli
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Read the article: Your say: rail line, housing, desalination and more
Fast solution
In response to Simon Lattimer: Simon doesn’t seem to realise that in the next two years, close to 750,000 people will immigrate to Australia. At an average of three persons per home, that means we need 250,000 homes. State government made a big deal on Friday of building six new units. Six!
We need to fast-track land developments ASAP and the fastest way to build homes is to buy fold-out homes that cost $15,000 plus shipping and can be erected in a few hours, not months, by almost anyone.
Craig Mathews, Bald Knob
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Read the article: Federal budget beckons: cost of living a focus for major parties
Damage done
Oh please, Andrew Wallace, what did your government do in nine years? Reduced the pay of our lowest paid twice. Held down wages for all bar CEOs. Irretrievably damaged Medicare. Inflicted an illegal scam on our most vulnerable through Robodebt. Privatised everything so that everything costs more for less. And inflicted the abomination of the Indue Card on the vulnerable. The less the Liberals say about the difficulties of our most vulnerable, the better.
J. Gregory, Mountain Creek
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Read the article: Budget wrap: focus on cost of living and health
Budget reaction
In the first instance, we’d like to applaud the government for reporting a modest surplus and prioritising support for lower-income workers and welfare recipients in this budget. These increases are well overdue and it’s heartening to know that those Australians who need help most will finally be getting some additional support.
While improved access to more affordable medical care for all Australians is also welcomed, it’s fair to say that the budget was expected to deliver more to address the escalating cost of living for the average Australian family working hard to make ends meet — particularly on the back of 11 interest rises in the past 12 months.
The Sunshine Coast Business Council’s remit is around economic growth, investment, infrastructure and jobs and that is how we review the budget. We are concerned to see that around 140,000 more people are likely to experience unemployment next year and we were hoping to see more support for small business as well as mechanisms to help retain investment in Australia, grow the economy outside of net migration and resource prices, and to boost productivity, as these are all essential to stabilise our economy in the years ahead.
At this stage, it appears there was not much in this budget for regional areas and for the Sunshine Coast, in particular. There is no additional support for heavy rail or preparing major infrastructure for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond, which leaves the onus very much on state and local governments to do so, or we will really be left behind.
While the significant increases in net migration may serve to increase tax revenue in the long term, it will have to come back to local and state governments to deal with the flow-on effects of providing adequate housing, schools, hospitals and infrastructure to accommodate this population growth. The Sunshine Coast is already experiencing a housing crisis, both in regards to availability and affordability, and increased migration will add pressure on infrastructure unless addressed now — and there is not a lot of evidence that it is, or will be addressed anytime soon.
It doesn’t take an economist to see that a heavy spending budget — we are told $2 of spend for every $1 of revenue — can only deliver a surplus if the coffers are full, thanks to surging commodity prices and more Australians working more hours, paying more taxes and claiming less unemployment benefits. However, the long-term spending commitments made in this budget do leave us vulnerable in future years, should there be shifts in global demand for commodities and the economic slow-down that many predict eventuates.”
Sandy Zubrinich, Sunshine Coast Business Council chair
Spiralling costs
This budget is a tricky publicity stunt with no substance to ease the cost-of-living crisis felt by Australian families and businesses.
Under this Albanese Government, a typical Australian family with kids will be around $25,000 worse off under Labor.
I continue to hear heartbreaking stories across the electorate and across the country. From a husband and wife supporting their family of five by working five jobs between them, working seven days a week; to a family with no money in their account with barely enough food to fill school lunchboxes and not enough fuel to get to and from school and work.
Plenty of platitudes and little action from the government is not helping families pay their mortgages with interest rates skyrocketing; put food on their table with grocery prices on the rise; and pay their utility bills with broken promises. Australian’s electricity bills continue to rise.
Despite the Prime Minister promising Australians that he would reduce their power bill by $275, even after Labor’s energy relief plan, electricity bills will still go up by almost $500.
The best way to bring inflation down is not through higher taxes or government handouts but by reining in spending and embracing productivity reforms that improve Australians’ quality of life and grow the economy.
This budget does nothing to help you or your family get ahead. Australians deserve better.
Andrew Wallace, Federal Member for Fisher
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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.
