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 given to letters of 100 words or less.
- Read the story: Council lifts rates and confronts ‘beyond its means’ spending
Simon Lattimer: If rates are going to increase I would like to see more done for my area. I have four 30-foot trees on council land bordering my land. The trees need to be taken down or trimmed. One of the trees has already caused damage to the neighbour’s property. I maintain council land in front of my property. Council has decided to limit my pensioner payment assistance for a reason I still don’t understand. With the Olympics coming to the state in 2032, it’s only going to get more expensive. How about working within a strict budget? Not happy Jan.
John Glazebrook: I have been paying rates on old growth forest for 35 years. The council does not charge the federal and state governments rates on old growth forest. This appears to be a double standard in public administration.
D Jacks, Forest Glen: In the last few days I have read and heard Rosanna Natoli making excuses for the increase in our rates. It seemed it was inevitable. Everything else has skyrocketed in price, and thanks to the shambolic previous council which spent up big on ridiculous projects – develop at all cost – we find ourselves in this current position. I would like to know where she gets her information about the last increase in land valuations, which she claims the average increase was 24 per cent. Ours increased by 61 per cent! Care to explain that? What exceptional improvement can I expect to see in local services for the additional money I’ll be paying with my rates? And dog registration has more than doubled. I find that a bit rich since there are less and less public places anyone can now take their dog! What a shambles!
- Read the story: E-bike crackdown: police to gain new powers
Laurel Hadley, Port Macquarie, NSW: It’s great Queensland is leading the way to enforcing necessary laws for these potentially dangerous vehicles. I have often thought they need to have rules and abide by them. We saw a man who ran off the road and damaged his car to prevent hitting some boy skylarking while riding their e-bikes. They showed no concern with the man running off the road, they just kept riding. I have almost been hit by a e-bike riding past me. You can’t hear them coming. Let’s hope the rest of the nation follows suit and well done to Queensland for taking the initiative.
Maria Simmonds, Pelican Waters: Regarding the new laws around e-bikes and scooters, I suggest all such vehicles should be fitted with side mirrors and bells.
Secondly, all users should have to pass a test on road rules and perceptual skills. Give way rules; riding on the correct side of the road; safe following, and stopping distances; safe passing of other vehicles etc. Keeping to the left and using a bell before passing on walkways. Giving way to pedestrians on walkways and footpaths should be mandatory and ban their use on footpaths narrower than two metres.
Schools could play a greater role in developing safety awareness and correct use of e- bikes and scooters. But overall, responsibility, lies with parents.
Finally, I would question the risks of having under 16s using e-scooters and bikes on roads. They can cause as much damage as cars when used incorrectly.
Graham Lockey, Coolum Beach: Thank goodness the law is finally going to catch up with the e-bike. What’s missing is the requirement to display a mobility scooter-style registration plate. If such a plate is needed for a mobility scooter, then it should also apply to all motorised transport whether combustion or electrically powered. This must happen to permit unambiguous identification of the vehicles’ operators who ignore the road rules, including allowing speed and red light cameras to be effective. Please Queensland Government fix this problem.
- Read the stories: Contracts awarded for first stage of The Wave and New visuals revealed for train line and stations
Bob Carroll, Maroochydore: If the government and council work at the same pace they are on the Mooloolaba foreshore upgrade then The Wave and Rail Line projects will never be built. Plus, by their own admissions …”it’s not yet clear how Stage 2 (rail line between Caloundra and Birtinya) and Stage 3 (metro vehicle between Birtinya to Sunshine Coast Airport, and the MRIU) will be paid for, but the total cost is expected to be in the billions” …. they don’t have, and never will have the money to build it.
Andrew Moran, Battery Hill: The Wave is one of the largest transport investments in Sunshine Coast history and its success or failure will shape congestion, liveability and climate outcomes for decades. The announcement that contracts have been awarded for the first stage is welcome and it’s important that the project continues with clear timelines and transparent public information.
At the same time, residents need more than contract announcements. Major projects across Australia have shown that early communication often highlights benefits while leaving out key details on cost, risks, alternatives and long‑term performance. Independent reviews of megaprojects repeatedly identify the same early warning signs: thin detail on scope, limited modelling, no risk disclosure and unclear governance or KPIs.
Given the scale of The Wave and the community’s long‑term investment in it, it’s reasonable to ask for clearer information on costs, risks, alternatives, and oversight. Transparency helps ensure the project delivers the outcomes the Sunshine Coast is expecting and paying for.
Alan Ward, Buderim: The announcement of contracts to build The Wave to Caloundra is good news, as is a promise to extend the bus link to the Maroochydore town centre and eventually to Sunshine Coast Airport. However, it will be a shortsighted ambition if there is no consideration to then extend rail to Noosa and Pomona, otherwise tourists coming here from the south will have to travel back to Beerwah before they can then
head north to see the rest of Queensland.
- Read the story: Sami Muirhead: our sanctuary under threat
Margaret Mourik, Peregian Beach: I agree with Sami’s comment that words failed her after the youths responsible were caught by police – found guilty but no conviction recorded and given six months’ probation. I wonder if the next court hearing concerned the same youths but the crime was committed in the house of the magistrate responsible for the “no conviction recorded”. I imagine that magistrate would recognise the youths when they appear in court. Adult crime equals adult time and please record a conviction, otherwise the police will just stop trying to solve crimes. Kudos to the police for solving these ever-more frequent crimes. I’m shaking my head in disbelief that they are released to do it all again and yet again no conviction is recorded.
Eon Radley: Sami Muirhead’s article once again confirms how pathetic our magistrates are in applying laws designed to protect our communities. These guys armed themselves in case of confrontation, but still go straight back into the community. Bet they had a good chuckle after court.
Elizabeth Symonds: Sickening that these delinquent teenagers got the nerve to steal a car, arm themselves with a knife and invade a home. Even more, that after found guilty, no conviction or punishment was recorded and carried out? Why did the police waste their time looking for them and the court waste its time and everyone else’s with court proceedings when this is the result! These young thugs will only grow into hardened and more dangerous criminals as they got away with their crime! I thought the LNP premier, David Crisafulli, implemented a law “adult crime, adult time” that punished this kind of delinquent behaviour?
- Read the story: Not a social housing tower: developer explains project
Anke Schiemann: The planned building is significantly higher than surrounding buildings. It destroys the local character. We will not get tourists or fly-in-fly-out workers, as public transport to and from Nambour is poor. Locals are not in favour of this project.
Graham Lockey, Coolum Beach: Finally, a developer who recognises that not everyone wants, or can afford, a traditional house. As a young man I went to London for what’s now called a gap year and found the self-contained ‘bed sitter’ style of accommodation very good, affordable and available close to the centre of town. To the ‘ivory tower’ planners who don’t like this style of living I say, “wake up!” If one room living is so dreadful, how is it that thousands of people are happy to spend their money to holiday in exactly this type of room in hundreds of motels across the country every year?
The next logical step is to develop blocks like this as strata title homes to allow people to own their own place. We have to realistically accept that the house on a 1000 square-metre block is now an unobtainable dream for most people. Let’s get housing under control and stop the ‘McMansion’ mindset.
- Read the story: Major redesign proposed for holiday park
Andy Warwick, Pelican Waters: I just wanted to express my concerns about this proposal. Where is the allocation for parking (noting some units are permanent, others not)? Can’t see on plan. What is the affect on surrounding homes? Proposal includes ground floor retail. What affect on nearby golden beach shopping? We’ve stayed here numerous times on holiday, late 80s when it was Danmira. Good stuff, hate to see it go!
- Read the story: Residents meet officials over large-scale transport projects
Gillian Ludden, Parrearra: I was at that meeting, and firstly Kawana Island is not an estate. It’s an island with roughly 6000 residents. A mixture of private houses and apartments.
After Jarrod and co had brought us up to date on the heavy rail and The Wave it was put out for Q&A. I asked how people on the island who don’t have a car would actually get to Birtinya to catch the train or The Wave, as there is only one bus an hour and it goes in the opposite direction. They were unable to answer and said another bus had been trialled and it wasn’t used. I’ve spoken to lots of long term residents and no-one can remember it. I have started a petition to get the 607 diverted. A two-minute diversion and it can be signed at either of the two restaurants or at change.org. We need the bus. Three hospitals, several medical suites and a shopping centre are only available with a $26 taxi fare or a four-kilometre walk. A bit of help from the media would also help.
- Read the story: Ashley Robinson: age has a degree of difficulty
Eon Radley: Ashley. You might struggle in politics. You come across as an honest person, could be a compatibility issue.
- Protect the kolas
Ian White, Highgate Hill, Brisbane: More than 55 per cent of voters in the Kawana electorate (Caloundra West in the south to Minyama in the north) gave Jarrod Bleijie their primary vote.
No doubt you’ve seen the news stories? Mr Bleije used his ministerial powers to personally approve the destruction of a koala habitat by Ormiston College, a privileged private religious school set on 67 acres in Brisbane. This is not a ‘necessary sacrifice’ for a piece of vital infrastructure for Queensland.
The Ormiston College project requires the removal of more than 650 mature koala habitat trees used by the endangered koala population for food and shelter. The area being destroyed is supposed to be protected under Queensland’s Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2017 and the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy 2020-2025.
When the local council rejected Ormiston’s development on those grounds, Mr Bleije used his ministerial powers to override the council decision. My questions to voters: 1 – do you approve of this destruction of koala habitat; 2 – will it change your vote?
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 given to letters of 100 words or less.
