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: Popular RSL bar to close as ‘misunderstanding’ escalates
It’s a real shame to hear this is happening about the lease renewal. The RSL has been around for such a time, where it has been a comfort and safe haven for those who returned from the war.
If any RSL gets to this point financially then there needs to be some form of intervention. An emergency fund needs to be established where the RSL head branch and the local council can be made aware well before time, maybe with contributions by other members nation-wide. In numbers it wouldn’t take that long.
To continue, there could be a nominated gold coin deduction or donation on an annual basis.
There has to be a resolution. It’s for Australia. Our past, present and future.
Craig L. Moody, Mooloolaba
- Read the story: Iconic car park set to make way for parkland
I am writing to say what I think about the proposed closure of the beachfront drive at Mooloolaba.
I have felt, ever since I read about the proposal a few years ago, that it is a bad idea. We have lived here for 26 years and always have made use of it, first with kids and then on our own, and now I am in my 80s we still love to drive along there even if we don’t get a park. It is so nice and is a feature of Mooloolaba, which few other places would have.
Parking in Brisbane Street and walking through would be very difficult for many and impossible for some. The park that is there could be prettied up a bit, but please leave the pleasure of parking or driving along the beachfront as it is.
Mary Wicks, Maroochydore
- Read the story: Five projects considered for funding as part of ‘city deal’
It is great that the state has stepped in to support these lifestyle-enhancing projects along the Sunshine Coast coastal strip, but the Sunshine Coast is facing the risk of splitting into two regions: the string of townships along the northern railway line that, as centres of a huge agricultural industry, were once the powerhouses of the region’s economy; and the coastal strip which, when the hinterland was at its peak, was not much more than a string of caravan parks, holiday shacks and a few general stores with fairly primitive road access, but which is now the main driver of the economic growth of the region.
The agriculture industry of the hinterland is a shadow of its former self, but there is still a substantial and growing population in and around those historic hinterland towns. In successive South East Queensland Regional Plans the area of rural land rezoned for residential development and industrial estates has been increased, with a clear expectation of further increase in the next plan.
As long as the remaining environmental values are protected and enhanced it is hard to argue against the case for utilising the hinterland in that way, but there is a rapidly growing gap between the infrastructure of the hinterland and the coast that threatens to leave the townships in the hinterland towns as the “poor cousins” of the Sunshine Coast.
Yandina is a perfect example of this fate. In the 1850s it was the site of the first European settlement in what is now the Sunshine Coast, when it was one of the centres of the timber industry. When the town was formally laid out in 1870 there was little consideration to the issues that now have to be taken into account when establishing a new residential estate. Much of the town’s layout was in a swamp connected to the Maroochy River, an area that in recent time has been the focus of council-approved high-density residential infill. Recent rains have provided a warning of the consequences of allowing such developments without concomitant upgrading of the drainage system. Similarly, as the intensity of development in Yandina has increased there has been no parallel development of the active transport network that is now considered an essential part of urban design.
The dilemma highlighted by this situation is that while an infrastructure levy is collected on all developments in the Yandina area, the funds collected are not reserved for infrastructure in Yandina but go into a pool from which they are allocated on the basis of a priority rating in which, of course, coastal infrastructure always wins out.
If the Sunshine Coast is not to turn into two subregions, one richly endowed with the infrastructure of 21st Century Australia and another left to cope as best it can with the infrastructure inherited from the 19th Century, there is going to have to be a modification to the system of allocating infrastructure investment to ensure that those living and working in the hinterland are not condemned to systematic disadvantage.
Keith Sweatman, Yandina
- Read the story: Residents driven mad as ‘toys’ clog up suburban street
It seems to be a growing trend among owners of ‘recreational toys’ that can be towed by a vehicle to park them in residential streets for days, months and even years, depriving locals and beachgoers the opportunity to find a parking space.
If you can afford these luxuries, surely you can afford a space in one of the many facilities dotted around the Coast that provide secure storage.
Some of these trailers are absolute eyesores, brimming with rubbish destined for the dump, and others are parked near intersections, blocking views of oncoming traffic, an accident waiting to happen.
With local council elections coming up, I would love to see a candidate pledge to change the bylaws to limit parking in residential streets by these trailers, boats and so on to a period of say 24 hours.
Clive Bell, Kings Beach
- Read the story: First look at new sports and rec precinct
I am surprised that when the design was being researched there was no indication that the inclusion of pickleball courts might future-proof the site, given the sport’s rapid growth.
Marcus Twohig, Buderim
Multiple tennis and Hot Shots tennis courts for kids is all good but has there been any consideration for pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in Australia?
Jeff Tuttle, Caloundra
I’d like to share an idea that will make Nirimba, Baringa and surrounding areas happy. We should add some nicely designed basketball courts that could be sheltered so they’re accessible during a rainy day, to keep kids and adult amused.
I’m a basketball fan and don’t have out close enough to home for me to use.
Rylan, Nirimba
- Read the story: Appeal against $900m development dismissed
I hope the current mayor and councillors will reveal how much it cost all Sunshine Coast ratepayers to defend their decision on the Sekisui Yaroomba development in the courts.
They need to come clean and reveal how much their ill-fated decisions impacted our current rates notices.
With the global cost of living crisis, local government must not be contributing to the crisis because of poor judgement, ignoring constituent opinion and perceived conflicts of interest.
G.J. Cee, Mount Coolum
- Read the story: Hundreds sign petition protesting cafe’s closure
It seems a lot of the closure issues we see are all about rental prices for retail and the failure to come to an agreement.
My opinion is the real estate companies are encouraging owners to charge increased rates of rent to profit excessively.
In this world, the rich get richer at any expense.
Tim, Peregian Springs
- Read the story: ‘Wide spectrum’: opinions divided over Australia Day
On Australia Day I was sharing traditional lamb chops and pavlova with my neighbours thinking on the annual division about the day’s commemoration, when we are supposed to be emphasising that we are one, but we are many – unity in diversity.
Perhaps, I’m naïve offering this simple suggestion. We move the public holiday on New Year’s Day to the day before – New Year’s Eve – usually a more popular festive occasion. The public holiday on January 1 becomes Australia Day. After all that is the date in 1901 when we became one with Federation of the colonies to form a new nation called the Commonwealth of Australia. The term Commonwealth was chosen by our forebears from names including ‘Federated Australia’ which sounds like a union to me. Another was ‘The Australian Dominion’ which sounds like living in a medieval lord’s manor as we were still classed as British subjects on our passports. We were not uniting out of fear or after the bloodshed of winning our freedom in a revolutionary war against England but out of the desire for the common good – sharing the common wealth of Australia. That’s still us isn’t it with our constitutional monarchy?
Now, I wonder who I’ve unintentionally offended which seems to govern decision making these days.
Garry Reynolds, Peregian Springs
- Read the story: Your say: bad drivers, beach car park, elections and more
Our upcoming mayoral and council elections are an opportunity us to reclaim control and management of the Sunshine Coast.
We must be treated by the new council as citizens and not clients or customers. We employ the bureaucrats. In recent years, it appears that a culture of arrogance and entitlement has grown within some employees of council.
Let’s look forward to a changed attitude.
Valarie Ross, Buderim
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.
