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: ‘Woke nonsense’: changes to council awards draw ire of MP
So, Fisher MP Andrew Wallace has come out banging the anti-woke drum and bagging the Sunshine Coast Council for dropping its Australia Day awards for community champions.
Being woke is not something to denigrate. As Tony Millroy pointed out, the dictionary meaning of ‘woke’ should be something we wish for in our political representatives; that is, aware of social and political issues, especially racism, and hopefully a well-educated and wise, caring person who seeks justice for all.
The Sunshine Coast Council is not calling for anything radical like the scrapping of Australia Day, just celebrating the wonderful achievements of some of our community champions in a different manner. Nothing wrong with that.
Those who still wish to observe Australia Day may do so. For many it is just another public holiday, a day for barbecues with family and friends by the beach in true Aussie style.
Robyn Deane, Bli Bli
- Read the story: Jane Stephens: considering the evolution of language
The article about the evolution of language includes a ridiculous statement from the writer: “Nothing in culture was ever advanced by looking backwards, after all.”
Of course we must learn from the past, especially as language and culture are so powerfully connected.
If we can’t learn from the way art movements appropriated language, the etymology of our current Australian words and phrases, let alone the way political movements appropriate and misappropriate terms and phrases, we will never learn to communicate more clearly.
Perhaps we have been numbed to this, and so we stutter in weasel words and jargon.
Phil Smith, Caloundra
- Read the story: New rules for dog owners at popular point
Carties Beach is the north-facing beach on the south side of the Mooloolah River where it enters the ocean. It has always been a popular beach for dog owners to walk their dogs off-leash between 4pm and 8am.
The Sunshine Coast Council in August passed a Point Cartwright management plan that banned dogs from this beach. Council asked for submissions regarding this decision and 73 per cent of respondents were against the dog restrictions.
The council recently implemented an amendment to “appease” this 73 per cent of respondents. It will be temporary until 2025 and it allows off-leash dogs between 4pm and 8am Monday to Friday but prohibits dogs on this beach on Saturday and Sunday.
What is their reasoning for this? I would appreciate a response from council regarding why this decision was made.
I have written to local councillor Joe Natoli seeking an explanation but have yet to hear back from him. Carties Beach is not a tourist hotspot like Mooloolaba Beach and takes a long walk to access. The reasoning for a weekend ban from 4pm to 8am is difficult to comprehend.
As a responsible dog owner who has walked that area for 20 years it is so disappointing for the weekend ban. Off-leash access from 4pm to 8am on all days is the appropriate compromise.
Barrie Whelan, Buderim
I believe the council has made the right decision.
Paul Kearney, Maroochydore
- Read the story: Caravan parks craze: more tourists race for prime positions
Caravanners with a dog are treated like lepers, yet you can have a boat, kayaks and kids running everywhere, causing serious safety concerns and noise. This is the unfortunate norm we face every time.
A recent trip to Hervey Bay showed all beachfront campsites excluded dogs. Seems Sunshine Coast is the same.
As a very responsible dog owner of 35 years, I want it to be mandated that dogs are allowable by law. Australia is the most restrictive country in the world regarding dog access.
Geoff Edwards, Noosa Heads
- Read the story: Transport looms as key issue ahead of council elections
There are many reasons Sunshine Coast employers have difficulty in finding and retaining staff. While most council candidates will talk about transport after this report, the real elephant in the room, the question ‘what are we going to do to create and support better jobs?’, is ignored.
Each year, the UniSC graduates assess their uni experience here. Their only criticism is that there are no jobs for them here. School leavers move away. So are we going to create and support better jobs?
There are no easy answers. A start would be to decide we need to.
Andrew Moran, Battery Hill
- Lack of change for businesses
Being a retailer in the busy Sunshine Plaza, I found it absolutely frustrating that we couldn’t get any change from our bank for a week.
At Christmas many people use cash for purchases and we can get no change from our bank. Totally unacceptable.
The last day for change pick-up was Friday, December 22. We could not get any change until Friday, December 29, due to Armaguard not delivering until then.
This is disgusting in this day and age. The busiest days of the year, Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, and people have cash, not card. It was embarrassing.
Karen King, Alexandra Headland
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.
