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 for accountability, credibility and transparency.
- Read the story: Councillors reveal intentions ahead of local elections
I note the comments from the Mayor and Councillor Ted Hungerford that they want an experienced councillor or business person to be the next mayor.
Really? Are they implying only people with certain “qualifications” need apply for the position? Are they so far removed from the mums, dads, younger and older people who are struggling with the current cost-of-living pressures, that they have forgotten that running for a divisional councillor position or for the mayoralty means representing the people, and is the right of every citizen? Perhaps they should get a dose of reality.
I have always believed that the Sunshine Coast must continue to grow economically under a strong plan that takes the community with it. The current big spending in the CBD and another $160m contractually committed to a car park there is an example of not being transparent. And what about the rest of the Sunshine Coast?
The new mayor needs strong leadership skills to ensure executive governance is effective and responsible, while remembering and serving all the groups that make up the Sunshine Coast.
Rosanna Natoli, Sunshine Coast Council mayoral candidate
- Read the story: Media personality announces run for mayor
Using a position within the media for free brand identification and building must be the most undemocratic misuse of media. Effectively it means media corporations would be paying candidates to produce content and advertising for the candidates’ campaign.
Is this ethical or a level playing field for all the other candidates?
No, it is totally unacceptable and all those who believe in democracy should condemn it as gross overreach by any corporation.
It is horrifying that any television or, in fact, any media thinks it okay to let a political candidate have hours and hours of free time on the screen or any other published interface with its audience. The simple act of allowing an employee who has built goodwill with a media audience as a journalist to then transfer that popularity to themselves as a political candidate gives that candidate hundreds of thousands of dollars of free publicity.
It is abhorrent in a person who teaches young students journalism, which hopefully includes the ethics they are supposed to work by, to engage in such cynical manipulation.
I will lodge complaints with the appropriate media councils, the university and the electoral commission.
Rosanna Natoli should step down from being a candidate for displaying such a disregard for voters and her students by attempting to manipulate this unfair advantage.
It should disturb everybody in a democracy that any media outlet would allow a declared candidate to continue to be part of its team, especially as an on-screen personality or where their name is published or broadcast.
To allow this is to virtually give carte blanche to media or any other corporations to cultivate their employees’ popularity as media personalities for some years and then directly translate that to their political candidature and run them with exposure virtually until election day.
Michael Burgess, Sunshine Coast Council mayoral candidate
Good on you Rosanna, I know you would be doing your very best for our community that has been waiting for some time for a mayor that is for the locals (me for nearly 40 years) and not the profiters.
The only thing that concerns me is that some developers will see you as an easy target to get what they want. I do have faith in you as long as you feel you have the strength to go into battle, head to head with these developers and the like who are addicted to power.
Good luck to you and Joe. I know he will be beside you all the way.
S. Lott, Glasshouse
- Read the story: Water levels plummet as state body reveals plan
Considering that all humans and most mammals are something like 87 per cent water, it is clearly the most important substance in our requirements.
Parallel thinking! It’s time to direct 87 per cent of state income to the immediate upgrade of existing facilities if required and creation of new ones that avoid evaporation as much as possible – cave storage being the obvious one, successful in hundreds of years past.
It amazed me to see massive flows of water being allowed to run to waste from Barron Falls in the Cairns area. Connected to the South-East Queensland supply chain, the water supply is solved. In the too-hard basket? Give the problem to the younger gen of engineers and let them come up with perhaps an answer that looks beyond the ordinary.
Alister McFarlane, Burpengary
- Read the story: Development recommended for approval as vote looms
Developer Stockland’s proposal for Twin Waters West has been recommended by Sunshine Coast Council officers, subject to a condition that it must include “a flood evacuation centre to cater for a minimum of 140 people as a temporary shelter, or 583 people as an immediate shelter”. How will anyone who builds there get flood insurance? They may as well have specified a lifeboat tethered to each rooftop.
Peter Baulch, North Arm
- Read the story: Accommodation solutions sought for mega hydro project
I welcome the opportunity to rent out my downstairs area once renovation is completed to assist with housing the workers for the upcoming dam project. Perhaps temporary dwellings could also be organised.
Julie, Imbil
- Read the story: Debate intensifies over light rail
(Editor’s note: Bus rapid transit has been announced as the preferred transport option, ahead of light rail, for the Sunshine Coast Public Transport project, after the following letters were received).
As far as light rail along Alexandra Parade is concerned, ‘consultation’ has been going on for years. It is neither needed nor wanted. Alex is right on the beachfront. Light rail would be a disaster.
Heavy rail to link Maroochydore to Brisbane should have been done years ago.
Muriel Collings, Alexandra Headland
I see that there is reported pressure from state quarters plus a few others to pursue light rail on the Sunshine Coast yet again. Why? What possible justification can there be for promoting a fixed rail, limited-range transport option that the vast majority of Sunshine Coast residents have voted down?
In fairness, perhaps the currently reported push is from state personnel who are neither local residents nor aware of the recent Sunshine Council survey as well as the outcome thereof, which was against light rail.
I recommend they ascertain the facts before wasting everyone’s time pursuing something the local taxpayers do not want.
I commend examining this survey’s results to them before progressing unjustifiably on support for light trail. It is important to know in advance that the survey results took many months to see the light of day and were, even after that time, very difficult to follow.
I also commend them to the video of a light rail trip (from the Gold Coast) by a senior Sunshine Coast councillor, which is self-explanatory and negative for light rail.
In the event the current push is from staff who live in the Sunshine Council area and who do not accept the majority vote, one has to ask what vested interests are involved in the latest push? Clearly, a lot of noses, if nothing else, were bent when the recent transport survey verdict came in, despite the various efforts to reconfigure the factual meaning of the voting (my opinion).
Refusal to accept the vote of the majority is not acceptable, especially by those whose transport credentials are subject to serious questioning, and especially by those who don’t live here.
There are many better ways.
Brian Bolton, Twin Waters
Both rail options for the Sunshine Coast should be implemented.
Light rail is needed locally to move residents and visitors efficiently, and it must be extended to the airport too. Light rail is effective in smaller regions worldwide, and in Australia at the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Canberra. Melbourne has one of the most efficient light rail systems in the world and Sydney light rail is operating at near peak capacity.
Forget the various forms of bus, a bus is just a bus.
The heavy rail debacle on the Sunshine Coast has been a serious problem for decades, yet neither party running the state government seems interested in fixing this antiquated, embarrassing problem – maybe they are avoiding a repeat of the Redcliffe rail disaster, which took 130 years to build and still finished short of the destination.
It takes me almost three and a half hours to travel 125km from my home to Brisbane using two buses and the train, yet a resident of Coolangatta can travel to Brisbane by bus and train in 2 hours 20 minutes. It’s 20km less than my run but still over an hour faster.
Duplication of the line from Beerburrum to Nambour is critical and should be a priority over the heavy rail extension into Maroochydore. The Sunshine Coast does not start and finish at Maroochydore, so forget the “reading the room” cliches, step outside and look at some facts.
Peter Finch, Noosa Heads
I don’t believe light rail is the answer to moving people around the Coast.
Green buses are the obvious choice as we already have the road system in place, even though it needs some urgent rethinking. Bus routes are able to be adjusted to suit the needs and timing of commuters. Hydrogen buses only emit water in their exhaust.
Barry Leddicoat
It’s about time users pay. For example, tolls on major roads works and new rail projects. People of regional Queensland are fed up with all money spent in the South-East when our needs go begging. Shame, shame on this government.
Warren Wylie, Bundaberg
- Read the story: Land formerly marked for wave pool bought by council
This is why Queensland is so good. I wish I could live in your state.
Rosemary Bishop, Dungog
- Read the story: Clive’s car museum consultation phase shifts into top gear
Who wants to look at old cars, unless you could drive them? The only reason you would go would be if it’s free. Not a good business plan.
He should spend his money on finishing the resort and this time employ a contractor to run the total job.
Mark Hatfull, Yaroomba
What is wrong with this fabulous proposal? An interesting car museum and tasteful building improvements are exactly what is needed to bolster tourism in Coolum.
You’ve got rid of the surf park and the five-star Westin hotel initiative. Just stop your whingeing and get on board. I, for one, can’t wait to explore such vehicles on display.
David Margolin, Mount Coolum
I think it’s a great idea. Go ahead Clive! And let’s get that golf course up and running again ASAP, too.
Marg Houk
I support this concept and hope it passes council approval.
Peta Passalaris
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 for accountability, credibility and transparency.
