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- Read the story: Coast’s crime crisis: record number of offences
Shadow police minister and MP for Ninderry Dan Purdie said there was a “crime crisis” and he believed that weaker laws contributed to the increase in offences.
“I was on the front line as a detective in the Queensland Police when the government starting watering down the youth justice laws in 2015,” he said.
Well, naturally, as an Opposition candidate leading up to an election, he would say that, yet the graph below his words tells the story that crime has been going up and down this entire century. In 2001, 2018 and 2023 the crime figures were pretty much level.
My feeling is, making penalties harsher is going to have little to no effect. It will cost taxpayers billions for new (private) jails, to create angrier and angrier people.
It’s going to take decades, starting with narrowing the burgeoning gap of inequality; fixing poverty by ensuring everyone has opportunity to participate in society; funding decent education of all Australians equally, not just those who have money for private schools; and making higher education cheaper, not more expensive, if we want to substantially lower the youth crime rate.
J. Gregory, Mountain Creek
I agree with the assessment. We are not as safe now as in the past.
Twice in the past year, I have had my tires slashed in the driveway and a rock thrown through my front window. On both occasions, the police were less than stellar in their response.
On the second malicious damage call, the triple-0 operator answering diverted me to a website and the police did not turn up at all. On the first occasion, they were very slow to respond and simply drove up and down the street.
This lack of social policing and police presence has a trickle-down effect in a number of ways: people running red lights, modified cars and motorcycles, speeding or simply cutting in/not giving way. It is like: why should a bad/rude driver care when there is no consequence to their actions?
Another example is the speed zones for roadworks. In the last two years, I have hardly seen a police car in these areas, between the Coast and Brisbane, and the speed limit seems more like a guide than a requirement.
I personally have lived in many countries and for a number of years was a member of the Victoria Police force. Our force seemed to care and take pride in their community but now I simply see “take a number and we will get to you” attitudes now.
It is not the police person’s fault, they need help from the government and the community.
More visibility, more consequence and most of all a happier and more energised police force would be great to see.
Of course, the courts really do need to back up police actions as well, and the state really needs to get proactive social policing right through the communities, addressing deep-rooted trust issues.
Tim McLachlan, Buderim
- Read the story: Changing face of Caloundra Bar: water flows but not for long
I’ve lived all around Caloundra since 1988 and even went through high school in Caloundra.
I’m an avid fisherman and ex-surfer because now it’s too crowded (thanks Aura).
I can tell you now the problem is Pelican Waters. It used to be swampland back in the day. Now, it’s a huge canal system that fills up and then flows out with the low tide. You can see from the powerboat club the angle the water flows out on an outgoing tide. It equals megalitres of water flowing out – that’s what cut Bribie in half.
As a kid in the ’90s, it used to take ages to walk from the western side of the island to go past the lighthouse and get to the beach. What remains of the lighthouse structure is now in the ocean.
Anyone that looks at aerial views before and after the canals started and the water flowing out of them could see it’s eaten away at the island.
Michael Chandler, Little Mountain
If the so-called experts had looked at what has been done in other countries to counter the effects of storms on the coastline, the breakthrough need not have happened.
Leaving it up to nature to do what it will may in this case leave the top end of the passage a cesspool of stagnant water or at worse millions of dollars worth of property damage. It’s obviously not a blip on the government’s list of priorities.
Richard Courtenay, Witta
Re the proposed rail link from Beerwah to Maroochydore. To those involved in this project, I just wanted to say that I used the new arterial link from Bellvista Road to the M1 yesterday, only to find very minimal traffic.
Considering the huge amount of money spent on this road, one wonders would the money have been better spent on the new rail link? It’s something that would benefit locals here on the Sunshine Coast instead of creating another way to transit to Brisbane, which we already have.
Currently this link to the M1 seems such a waste of time and money. The railway is very much needed, also for our ageing population as well.
Jacqueline Mitchell, Moffat Beach
- Read the story: Major resort to appeal refused extension in court
This is a sad reflection of a Victorian motoring organisation getting poor advice as to their plans to further develop their resort. Noosa has a shortage of permanent rentals and the impact on koalas and Weyba Creek has local residents concerned. Now we have to defend in court and waste ratepayers’ money.
This proposal needs to be amended to reflect the needs of the town, not the shareholders of RACV.
Richard Locke, Eumundi
- Read the story: Mayor hopefuls weigh in on foreshore ahead of key meeting
I recently heard Mayor Mark Jamieson on the radio talking about removing the 160 carparking bays at Mooloolaba.
He was asked where people would park and his throwaway line was “in the multi-storey car park”. I gave this a lot of thought and talked to various locals who use Mooloolaba every day and they were all very angry about this decision and his comments.
They all said they aren’t going to use that car park and have to pay for it. One hour free isn’t long enough to have a coffee and do some shopping before you go home.
Most of them said “that makes a very expensive coffee”.
I wonder if any of the councillors who made this decision ever go down there in the morning and through the day to see how many locals use the restaurants and swim there every day.
This is not just a coffee in the morning, it is a mental health issue for most of these people, especially those who are getting on in age who also have health problems as well. It gets them out of bed and they love to meet with friends, have a coffee and a talk, and then go about their business for the day.
I heard Rosanna Natoli and Ashley Robinson say that this all needs to be put on hold until after the council election as whoever gets the mayor’s job will have to deal with it.
I’m also concerned for the businesses in Mooloolaba, which will surely lose business if this change happens. They suffer already from slow times on the Coast.
I’ve lived on the Coast since 1980 and this is the worst idea that has ever been dreamed up by whoever came to this decision.
Joy Prowd, Alexandra Headland
- Read the story: Iconic car park set to make way for parkland
The closure of the free foreshores road and carpark smacks of a plot by the council to create a monopoly on parking spaces by forcing visitors to use their paid multi-story carpark on Brisbane Road.
The closure of Beach Terrace will discourage several categories of user.
The infirm and elderly will have to crawl, walk or go-cart 200m up the hill to the beach, where at present it is a mere 5m walk.
People of any age seeking a quick swim will be forced to similarly walk from over a block away. On a hot day that takes any pleasure out of the swim.
Day visitors wishing for an urgent stop at the Loo With A View may have an embarrassing accident on the long-forced march from the high-rise carpark.
Last of all: what used to be free and convenient will then be costly and strenuous.
Alan Ward, Buderim
- Read the story: On the rise: tower planned for Maroochydore skyline
This development must not be allowed to start at all. Once the council lets one developer to build one they will be popping up like mushrooms all over the Coast. Let them build three or four levels only.
Do you really want to destroy the skyline on the Coast and the privacy of the people who have to live next door to these hideous buildings? This was one of the main reasons why I left Melbourne. Just keep it to three or four levels please.
Russell Harris, Coolum Beach
- Read the story: Starring role: dark sky reserve proposed for region
Great idea. I support it, but what will it do for all the people who love their fairy lights and Christmas lights? And is it enforceable?
Francoise Smith, Conondale
- Read the story: Media personality announces run for mayor
I wholeheartedly concur with the opinion of Bob Clements of Buddina regarding the current Division 8 councillor.
As for the opinion of Rosanna Natoli regarding Sunshine Coast infrastructure, if the current mayor and councillors can’t get both the state and federal governments to 100 per cent commit, in other words put their money where their mouth is, towards finalising the Sunshine Coast infrastructure in this decade, then what sway, if any, does Ms Natoli believe that she would have to do better if elected mayor?
Sadly, this impasse has already eluded our current mayor and councillors to date, highlighting how sidelined the Sunshine Coast has been by state and federal politicians for years.
In the lead-up to the next council elections might I suggest that Sunshine Coast News seriously consider running ‘question and answer’ articles addressed to all candidates running for the position of the Sunshine Coast mayor so that readers can better judge for themselves the ability and commitment of each mayoral candidate seeking this office.
Phillip Adamson, Maroochydore
Ed’s note: Watch this space.
- Read the story: More details on venture at former NightQuarter revealed
Re the re-opening of NightQuarter at Birtinya on March 1, six nights a week. Hopefully they are taking into account the noise pollution factor. Remember there are a lot of people living in the immediate area: a lot of them are senior residents who need to have rest and sleep, not music blaring to all hours of the night. We also have rights. Six nights a week?
Kenneth Payton, Birtinya
- Read the story: Mounting school costs have ‘major impact’ on Coast families
I have no children or grandchildren yet I feel the responsibility for our future is anchored in education for our children.
When I went to school there were costs for my parents but they paled in comparison. It feels, to me, like my generation has pushed back against tax increases so long and so effectively that we have put too much of the burden upon parents while ensuring our super and home values and travel dreams.
I read recently that ‘Twiggy’ and Gina (for example) could spend $1.7 million a week for 400 years and still have cash for coffee. We need to re-evaluate our priorities.
Jeff Tuttle, Caloundra
- Read the story: Contractor selected for urgent works to protect spit
Many years ago I attempted to show the council how to fix the recurring natural changes to the tidal stream at the Noosa River mouth.
I enlisted the support of over 2000 signatories in a petition to restore the dog beach. I outlined how to do it using submerged concrete modules to direct the tidal stream, ensuring it would not further erode the dog beach.
I estimated that it could have been achieved with an expenditure of less than $500,000. The concrete modules, being mainly submerged, would only have been visible near the existing shoreline or riverbank.
The subsequent council solution consisted of a short embankment of sand bags plus a pumped sand groyne.
The pumped sand groyne was eroded within 12 months, and the sand bags were ineffective in directing the tidal stream away from the dog beach and are gradually being lost.
It would appear that no one on the Noosa Council or its engineering department has learnt anything from this previous fiasco, as by the report I have just read, they are about to repeat history.
Write it up on the wall. Pumped sand groynes, no matter how big, will be eroded by a tidal stream.
More than happy to offer advice in person to explain the principles.
David Heckendorf, Thirroul, NSW
- Read the article: Design revealed for revamped intersection on busy road
Yet another Band-Aid approach. The solution is to relocate the primary school to the high school. Plenty of land there and traffic control would be much easier.
The current primary school site was perfect in the 20th century but it is well past its use-by-date.
Greg Cee, Mount Coolum
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.
