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: Overnight campers on notice at foreshore car parks
These people are not campers. They are our invisible homeless, many with jobs. As the rents here continue to rise they are unaffordable to thousands of local Sunshine Coasters, some of whom have lived here for 30-plus years. Covid shut southern states down and those who had a million dollars flooded the housing market, which pushed the prices up.
Locals mostly owned the homes that locals rented. They then bulldozed those iconic beach houses and are slowly changing the demographic of the Coast. Those stuck in the rent cycle mostly due to the nature of casual employment in the area didn’t qualify for housing loans, nor did single parents, which saw them paying off their landlords’ homes. If these locals are lucky enough to have a car they are living in them.
Noosa struggles to have staff to wait on the rich and soon we will have tent cities and homeless on our streets. Will they too be moved on? To where? America offers a homeless crisis model to avoid. We just need the will to change our council rules regarding tiny homes. These people are not drug addict bums who don’t want to work, they are mostly long-term locals who contribute to the economy within the area. Shame on the councils of the Sunshine Coast.
Mrs Dent (first name withheld), Coolum Beach
Fantastic to hear council is finally responding to this illegal activity.
Let’s hope they are consistent with their policing. They also need to go to areas like Picnic Point in Maroochydore and any surrounding areas, like suburban streets or small parking bays around the canals.
They also need to check on illegal boat, caravan or trailer parking, primarily by local residents. This needs action now as the tourists will only exacerbate this problem over the next couple of weeks.
Nev Nark, Maroochydore
- Read the stories: Councillors reveal intentions ahead of local elections and Media personality announces run for mayor
With both local and state government elections in 2024, we will see leadership changes happening at both levels of government.
This is major pivot point. A time to reflect on where we are as a state and a region, looking beyond the headline numbers to the qualities we require in our leaders and the style of leadership we need to provide the economic wealth and social cohesion we expect and will require to continue to be a successful region.
While the state election is in October 2024, the changing of the guard has already commenced with new Labor Premier Steven Miles taking over the reins from Annastacia Palaszczuk. We also know that both Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson and Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart will not be standing for local government election in 2024, so the Sunshine Coast region is poised for change.
Both local government areas have different growth and development aspirations and constraints, and both are determined to protect the natural environment and lifestyle whilst consolidating an innovative economic future and strong cohesive communities. The people of the Sunshine Coast are aware of the benefits of living in the region – lifestyle, community, weather, environment, beaches and hinterland, sports and outdoor activities. What we need, as one of the fastest-growing populations in Queensland and Australia, are leaders with vision, strategies and, most importantly, the ability to garner community support to implement those strategies.
High population growth has already placed great pressure on our economic and social infrastructure, and the lack of vision and funding by state and federal governments to deliver the infrastructure essential to support this population growth has been frequently played out in the media and advocated to all three tiers of government by industry groups such as the Sunshine Coast Business Council. The SCBC understands it is not easy and we are not suggesting it is. However, too much time as been lost by the three tiers of government not agreeing on regional infrastructure priorities and not committing to, or upholding, funding commitments to deliver priority infrastructure. The blame game needs to stop.
Aside from the investment in the Bruce Highway, this region has repeatedly experienced road and rail funding commitments being changed, deferred or cancelled. What hasn’t changed is the population growth projected for this region, and on that measure alone it demands immediate funding for those transport projects previously committed to – whichever tier or colour of government.
At a local level, we wish the outgoing mayors all the best for their next endeavours as we head to the polls in March 2024 to select two new mayors to take the region into the next period of growth. We need to take into account each mayoral candidate’s suitability for the role, including their ability to lead and listen; to communicate their vision, strategies, ideas and benefits; to bring communities together; to be strong advocates for the region with other levels of government and to work hand-in-hand with the business community to advocate for infrastructure and funding to support sustainable growth.
Most of all, our new mayors must be able and prepared to stand above the politics and ensure council staff deliver those community services that are the remit of councils, efficiently and effectively.
There are tough decisions to be made in the next election cycle at both state and local government levels to deal with the housing affordability and availability crisis; ensure water security in changing climate conditions; and to deliver much-needed investment to protect our region’s desirable quality of life.
The residents of the Sunshine Coast region have very important leadership choices to make over the next 12 months given that at the following election cycle we will be just four years from hosting an Olympic Games and we will already be accommodating more than 400,000 people in the region.
We would like to encourage every eligible voter to do their research on the candidates to understand their policies and to have their say in these important elections for our region.
Sandy Zubrinich, Sunshine Coast Business Council chair
There is one thing, at present, which is bothering me in regard to the up-and-coming Sunshine Coast Council election.
My concern is that should Rosanna Natoli become the mayor and her partner Joe Natoli retain his council seat, is there not an opening for possible nepotism within the council chamber and beyond?
Phillip Adamson, Maroochydore
The campaign beauty contest of mayoral candidates has begun. We learn that the job needs experience, strong leadership skills are needed and that the media gives some campaigns advantage.
All of which may be true. Whatever that means.
Let’s hope the candidates will explain the real difference they’ll make in terms of what the job requires going forward, explaining how their skills and past experiences will enable them to be first among equals who will create the Coast’s future.
Andrew Moran, Battery Hill
Jason O’Pray for mayor has to be a joke right? He has done nothing for the residents of Pacific Paradise in the past 12-plus years.
Each local government election I am shocked that he is re-elected. The only time we hear from him is once every four years just before the election when he sends out a flyer with a list of tasks that have been undertaken in the division by council, which would have been undertaken regardless.
The only good that may come from this is that Division 8 will get a new councillor.
Daniel Jamieson, Pacific Paradise
- Read the story: Clive’s car museum consultation phase shifts into top gear
Just like Clive, this museum is way too big, but a museum for extinct business magnates would be a good idea.
Glynn Kelly, Maleny
I would like to add my approval of the Clive Palmer car museum project.
It will be a world-class facility and I bet families will visit as a part of their holiday on the Sunshine Coast. I’m sure it will bring millions into our economy.
It would seem that most of the objectors are local.
I can appreciate that but in 10 years most of those will have moved on, yet we will be left with a superb tourist attraction. Don’t let this opportunity pass.
Hugh Milne, Pacific Paradise
This is proposal 27 of a total of 138 proposals for what he is going to do at his resort.
There’s been enough hot air to fill the Hindenburg.
In a bygone era this would be classified as a waste of column inches.
Mark Norman, Buderim
- Read the story: Water levels plummet as state body reveals plans
We have been whistling past the graveyard for decades.
It’s past time to awaken. Water is essential for life, not just your two-acre lot with swimming pool. Denialism won’t get it done. We know what we need to do, reduce usage of fossil fuels and consumption of water for non-essentials.
Jeff Tuttle, Caloundra
- Read the story: Club in limbo: benefactor’s last-ditch bid to save venue fails
The reporting on the closure of the track has been extraordinarily biased. The club has been belligerent during discussions about noise mitigation. The noise is a major problem for residents as it carries for kilometres. The track was always intended as a temporary home.
A simple internet search would find articles from 2010 when the club was told it needed to find new premises. The same arguments were made and council let it slide. Now here we are again after another 13 years of ratepayer torture and the same moaning from the motocross enthusiasts.
If you choose a pastime that annoys other people, don’t be surprised if they want you gone.
Gerard Joyce
- Read the story: New rules for dog owners at popular point
“Community engagement took place between September 25 and October 30, 2023, and we received 1718 submissions.”
I see in your article (Cr) Joe (Natoli) failed to mention that 73 per cent of these submissions were against the proposed changes that will now be implemented. This, along with the apparent drive to change the laws at North Shore because of some migratory bird I have never even seen, does not bode well for pooches to set foot on any sand on the Coast.
Mick Skillen, Alexandra Headland
- Waterfront property owners
Friends of ours joined us for a cruise through the canals of Mooloolaba, which over the years we have enjoyed. After a while my mate noticed that there didn’t seem to be any people in the fabulous waterfront entertainment areas of the luxurious homes.
This attracted our attention so we decided to count how many of the houses had people outside enjoying the magic day that it was. Three was the total count.
We wondered where all of the occupants were on such a beautiful day. Go figure.
Paul Westbury, WurtullaÂ
- Holiday fuel prices
I have noticed in the days leading up to Christmas that the service stations that are closer to beach suburbs are considerably more expensive than the rest of South-East Queensland. Nambour and Gympie are around the low $1.70s and Tewantin is $1.98. Â
Paul Meredith, Golden Beach
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.
