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. Preference will be give to letters of 100 words or less.
- Read the story: Backstreets become defacto city centre car park
A much more dangerous result from this is that three of the connecting streets also allow double parking, leaving only one lane for vehicular traffic, which must be shared by pedestrians. There are no footpaths provided for pedestrians in these streets, only uneven grassed areas, which forces pedestrians to duel with vehicles for a secure pathway.
How long before a pedestrian is injured or killed? I have raised this matter with the local councillor several times over the last three years to no avail.
Brian Smith, Maroochydore
I hope this council has a better solution than previous councils to provide parking in Maroochydore.
Not only is this an issue around Dalby Street, it’s the whole coastal area. How about, from now on, the council insists that developers provide more than one car park per tenancy? Residential accommodation almost never has just one car per tenancy. Then add in adult children, boyfriends, girlfriends, carers and so on – it is absolutely ridiculous to allow any further development on the Coast until this is addressed.
We had to attend an appointment in George Street, Maroochydore, a couple of weeks ago and were forced to park almost 10 minutes’ walk away. For anybody, particularly if they have health or mobility issues, this is totally unsatisfactory.
Forget public transport too. We’ve had to allow up to four or five hours to get the bus times and routes lined up to get us to some places we need to go.
But apparently that’s progress.
D. Jacks, Forest Glen
Are these the same residents who are also protesting any future tram/train developments? Geez, who would want to be in council or politics? Can’t win if you plan public transport that would no doubt alleviate the growing CBD, can’t win if you don’t. People are going to whinge either way.
Grant T, Cannon Hill
- Read the story: Why council has sat on 100ha of land for a decade
Dear mayor Rosanna, we know you are aware of the dire need for social, affordable, public housing. So the 100 or so acres of land in the vicinity of Woombye, that has come to light that council owns, would be well used for that need. Even some for developers to build to rent instead of selling.
I know you have a social conscience so please Rosanna do the right thing.
S Faux, Beerwah
Now might be a good time for the council to develop that land for housing, as we have a shortage of reasonably priced land.
By way of example: some years ago the Townsville City Council developed some land that it held at Douglas. This was sold to individuals at cost by a ballot system that required the ballot winners to build a house for their own use within two years.
Maybe the Sunshine Coast Council could do something similar with the land off Diddillibah Road at Woombye, offering it to the public by a means-tested ballot, rather than reserving it for a sports ground. Sports grounds are important, but housing is more important these days.
Tom Swann, Currimundi
How ironic that Andrew Wallace says it’s too little too late about the rail line when his party had nine years to do something about it and never did. The LNP has no policies and just criticises.
Gary Eykhof, Mooloolaba
Planning to have the heavy rail line from Landsborough to Caloundra by the 2032 Olympic Games is fine but while we are waiting it is more critical to fund and commence widening all four bridges on Kawana Way from Brightwater to past the Sunshine Coast University Hospital first.
When the rail line is eventually extended to Maroochydore these bridges will need to be widened for the rail line.
Laurence Jones, Parrearra
- Read the story: Development approval cancelled after lengthy battle
It has been 10 years since disgraced ex-Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale lobbied Campbell Newman to get the Yaroomba Sekisui development approved.
Shortly after being lobbied, Mr Newman called the Sunshine Coast town plan “ridiculous”. Not long after that Mark Jamieson declared the view of local community groups to be “illegitimate”.
The die was cast.
The Yaroomba community alone spent over $600,000 fighting a proposal that should have been rejected outright on day one. Instead, the Sunshine Coast Council squandered millions of ratepayers’ hard-earned in-house and in the courts.
It is not enough for mayor Natoli to be “listening to and appreciating the ongoing community expectations around planning”. The corporate culture inside the council remains untouched and it will not change until our councillors fully understand the Sunshine Coast Council’s spending and decision-making processes, and the systematic silencing of community voices in relation to the Sekisui farrago.
Let’s hope that our new councillors are competent enough to understand that a fully funded, independent and transparent inquiry is needed to clear the decks.
Ken Fisher, Yaroomba
- Read the story: Rangers consider options after reported emu attack
One is a dangerous pest that should be relocated and the other is a friendly emu, living in its natural habitat.
What do you think happens when an animal is whipped? Of course Fluffy the emu is going to defend himself and retaliate.
This particular repeat complainant is the one bringing in an introduced species to an area that is native to the emu.
Sofia, Caloundra
I have been riding in Parklands for a number of years and I find it very strange that one person has submitted half of the complaints against Fluffy.
It is always a bonus to your ride when Fluffy pays a visit, jogs behind you when riding through the trails or just hangs with you in the car park before or after a ride. Seriously, if this one person has an issue and the majority do not, I think that speaks for itself. It’s nature and Fluffy is probably more deserving to be there than we do. Leave Fluffy alone.
Darren I, Caloundra
- Read the story: Council agrees to foot bill for mayor’s Paris accommodation
If you want to go to Paris for the Olympics, you pay for it yourself.
It is not for ratepayers to pay for.
S Faux, Beerwah
- Read the story: Coast to get its own police helicopter
With Queensland’s population growth, it is reassuring to know that police numbers have been boosted by the Miles Government’s successful recruitment campaign with the addition of 500 extra sworn officers and 400 unsworn officers.
New police commissioner Steve Gollschewski said: “Additional resources will assist us in our commitment in keeping the community safe and ensuring they feel safe.”
There is unfortunately a lot of misinformation and fearmongering about crime rates, which are in fact falling. Those sowing the seeds of fear and uncertainty about our security and well-being should be ashamed. As a senior person I feel very safe at home and moving about in our community.
With police numbers increasing and more providing more resources like the Polair helicopters, the Queensland Government is taking action to prevent and disrupt crime and it is working.
Robyn Deane, Bli Bli
- Read the story: Costs balloon for upgrade to main rail line
Oh my God, stop this now. I have lost count of how many studies have been done already for the Beerwah to Nambour rail link. And now another $6 million or so wasted again on a further study. Only a few months ago it was a plan for a $5 million study to be done. No wonder it has been put off for at least 35 years I have been living on the Coast, as there will be no money left for the actual building of the rail.
Stop these studies now. Within the corridor, nothing has really changed in the time I have been here. Who is really to gain financially here?
Sue Lott, Landsborough
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. Preference will be give to letters of 100 words or less.
