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- Read the story: Changes to council awards draw ire of MP
I find it disgraceful and anti-Australian for Sunshine Coast Council to re-badge and postpone the Australia Day Awards.
It is a day to celebrate our nation and specifically our community.
I call upon Cr Suarez and Mayor Mark Jamieson and all councillors to reverse this decision immediately and re-instate the awards.
It seems like another ‘closed doors’ decision to me.
Ken O’Flaherty, Buderim
How shameful, woke and not Australian.
Australia Day Awards should not be replaced.
Steve Collins, Cronulla, NSW
I totally agree with Andrew Wallace regarding the ridiculous decision to change the name of the Australia Day Awards.
They are the exact words I have been using for some time now of the tail wagging the dog with it seems bureaucrats running council. Let’s get rid of the silly woke madness, elect a new mayor and new councillors who will get back to core business of service delivery and stop meddling in what are essential state and federal responsibilities.
Trevor Thompson (ex-deputy mayor Maroochy Shire), Yandina
It’s a question of priorities.
With an election coming Andrew ‘Airbus’ Wallace is out beating the anti ‘woke’ drum. With the accompanying ‘left ideology’ explanation. The left ideology that has delivered better child, health and aged care. All matters he considered too trivial and voted against.
But with Taylor Swift touring in 2024 he’ll doubtless be lobbying heavily (again) for the Sunshine Coast to be included. Obviously a far more important issue. An Andrew says Yes issue.
Andrew Moran, Battery Hill
Changing the awards to promote both the Sunshine Coast Biosphere and the Coast’s unsung heroes is a great idea.
Councillor Suarez’s comments in the article make sense and will certainly give credit to those community champions that are so often ignored.
However, Andrew Wallace’s comments say more about his narrow, out of touch community views than they do about the awards. His insulting description of the announcement as being ‘woke’ really does fit with the accepted Oxford dictionary definition of the term (aware of social and political issues, especially racism), and its synonyms (aware of what is going on/well informed) truly do pinpoint him as ‘anti-woke’, but not in the way he would like. What sort of nation does he yearn for? It would seem to be a subservient, callow country that does not adapt and grow. It is time he read the writing on wall – we really do care and are aware.
Maybe he should invest in a dictionary and stop singing to the tiny choir that inhabits his extremist world view.
His attempt to conflate the rebranding and timing of these awards with lack of pride in Australia is truly confounding.
It really is time he was put out to pasture with his fellow travellers Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson. His views do not represent the modern, multicultural and compassionate community that he pretends to serve. It would appear that his ideal is the imaginary nation of a British colony – unchanging and unchangeable.
Surely the good people of Fisher can do better at the next federal election.
Tony Millroy, Mapleton
- Read the story: Overnight campers on notice at foreshore car parks
The reasons in the notice relate to being part of a response to parking demands but from the article it appears it is completely in regard to overnight camping.
A ban on parking between 10pm and 4am does absolutely nothing to address any issues that relate to shortage of parking during daylight hours in this area.
I submitted an email 08/12 to the email address on the notice which was placed at the Point Cartwright on 07/12 and I have had no response from the council in regards to my submission.
The council took no time at all to put up the notice and then the signage the following day, but do not seem to be able to respond to a ratepayer in a timely manner.
To put a blanket ban on parking between 10pm and 4am is certainly not warranted as it appears it should have only been ‘No Camping’ signs put in place. There was a ‘No Camping’ sign in this car park until about three months ago and it was never replaced by council and the sign was on the roof of the toilet block for some time. It should be noted that on the vast majority of nights there is nobody camping in the Point Cartwright car park and we have not had the need to complain about campers causing problems.
As an owner and resident on Pacific Boulevard we find it offensive that we, or our guests, can no longer park legally outside our residence at night as other ratepayers in the shire can. There was no consultation with the 16 ratepayers who live at this address to see if we had any issues in regards to campers and taking away our right to safely park outside our building at night time.
This not only affects us, who have been able to use the car park for more than 40 years, but many others who use the car park during the now-restricted hours. There are fishermen, pre-dawn surfers, photographers, amateur astronomers, shift workers who walk at night, tourists enjoying the night vista that the darkness of this area provides, plus many others that will be affected by this.
We would like to see council change the restriction back to ‘No Overnight Camping’ rather than the blanket ‘No Parking’ that they have forced upon ratepayers and visitors alike.
With all the carparks in Point Cartwright/La Balsa area now affected by this blanket ban I will be interested to see if council officials will be out on New Year’s Eve booking all of the illegally-parked vehicles that will be in the area to see the midnight fireworks.
I have been speaking with our Division 4 council representative Joe Natoli and he has explained some of the reasons for the blanket restrictions placed across car parks on the Sunshine Coast.
While I still disagree with some of the reasons for the council’s decision for a blanket ban, Joe has listened to my reasoning as to why we feel we have been disadvantaged and is continuing to follow up and resolve our issues. He has lodged a request for a council officer to contact me, but to date we have not received any response which leaves us in a difficult situation over the holiday period, when we face fines for simply parking outside our place of residence and also the many other users who are probably not aware of the changes and are still using the car park in the restricted hours.
To add insult to injury we received a parking infringement notice today (from a different Location) from an alleged offence on 19/12 but they still have not responded to my email on 08/12. Just goes to show this council is far more invested in creating revenue from traffic infringements than listening to and responding to ratepayer concerns.
Russell Smith, Buddina
I am not a resident of the Sunshine Coast but my view on this subject is irrespective of locality, shire or state.
Local, state and federal governments ere elected by the community at large, not just by landholders, ratepayers and capitalists. They are elected to represent the community at large, not just the fortunate ones. It is the indecisions and poor decisions made by past and present governing bodies that has led to this appalling situation of homelessness in the so-called lucky country.
I don’t know the stature of those that have complained to Sunshine Coast Council, if in fact there has been, but I can just imagine the complainant arriving at the foreshore in their six-wheel drive Ram ute that they have driven 500m from their luxurious multi-million dollar abode, after visiting the real estate to jack up the rent on their portfolio of investment properties.
I say good on them, get out there in full view of all locals and tourists alike until the state government and local council are humiliated sufficiently to make real and appropriate remedial decisions. In fact, I think that a class action case should be launched against the state for negligence in encouraging immigration without infrastructure and housing to support it.
The truth is many of those campers are working community members, with families, and would much rather be paying rent or rates and be contributing to society, than being at the beach. Push them out of sight, like second-class citizens, and they will become costly and unwilling members of your community.
Ian Langens, Maryborough
As a resident of the Coast for 57 years, and seeing the homeless situation, as I have been one of them, it is a very sad situation for us all.
As other comments were made, we have certainly had our influx of southerners come up with their millions of dollars to snatch up a piece of property, pushing our house prices and rents through the roof.
Locals of the Coast have always been able to rent off another local who owned the property but homes are now being knocked down (for rebuilds) and we have been pushed out of our homes.
Smith Street in Mooloolaba was left with one house as it was all brought by greedy southerners escaping Covid. Two properties sold together for $4.5m ,with one house being built there – absurd.
The state government, namely Anastacia, allowed this to happen, and then she leaves us in a big mess that will never go back to the way it was.
So to all the do-gooders, who probably aren’t even proper locals, who can’t stand seeing people living in their cars, God forbid across from their opulent homes, have some consideration for these people.
I was a nurse living in my car, not a druggo bum. I was trying finding a rental as a single mother and the Coast is my birth home.
The government should stop the increases and never allow this to happen again.
Some people spend 75 per cent and more just on rent: absurd paying off your landlord’s homes. And real estates should be looked into as well, as they are also sucking the life out of the rental market, telling owners what they can get, so they get a massive commission for this.
As of next year, I’ll be homeless again and probably will have to leave my birth town and where I grew up and where my family is buried, because of our housing and prices
A lot of locals had to move because our home is now ruined.
Michelle Grayson, Deception Bay, formerly Sunshine Coast
- Read the story: Candidates identify development approvals as key issues
I am perplexed by the way that council candidates nominate as ‘independent’.
All three candidates (including current incumbent) for Division 5 appear to have strong political ties and it follows that no matter how impartial they say they are, surely their ‘political values’ will influence the way they will represent the people and the decisions they make on council.
For example, on the Sunshine Coast Council register of interests for Winston Johnston, it is noted that he is a Member of the LNP Qld.
Media reports show Richard Bruinsma worked as media advisor to Senator Pauline Hanson’s office in recent years.
I would like to see candidates being transparent about political affiliations like Tracy Burton does about her affiliation with and support from the Greens. As a voter, I would want to know the political leanings of candidates and don’t understand why it isn’t standard practice up front.
Robyn Harper, Beerwah
- Read the story: Huge highway upgrade on road to completion
While it’s fantastic this is nearing completion I don’t understand why there has been nothing done about the speed camera on the northbound side of the highway just before the Caloundra overpass.
It is very well known that the camera is not there and when it was it never worked. If anyone drives this section of road frequently, as I do, they will all know it is a massive congestion point especially on weekend and on school holidays. The signs saying a camera is there needs to be removed: this is a road safety issue and a congestion issue. The amount of cars that are traveling well under the speed limit and still break is astounding.
It’s dangerous and causes undue congestion to a section of the highway that should be free flowing. Just my 2 cents worth.
Brenden Wilson, Beerwah
- Read the story: Network lockout sparks cashless backlash
Old people like myself remember the first and second World Wars, where our bravest fought for the freedom of democracy.
About 130,000 diggers perished, not to mention the millions of lives broken forever by the tragedy of war.
Now we are talking about a cashless society and the Australian identity card.
The winning of freedom did not include the freedom of treason. Governments should be mindful of this.
Phillip Daniel, Maryborough
- Car parking restrictions
Many quite selfish people are complaining regarding holiday closures of public carparks in very congested areas of the Noosa Shire.
The reasoning is very obvious. Free efficient public transport is provided to reduce traffic congestion as much as possible.
But oh no, many insist on using their own cars, some say to transport surf boards, others to bring the disabled. If they worry about the later issue, they will note that disabled parks are still accessible and not closed.
The rationale is if you insist on contributing to the ongoing congestion by trying to drive a private car to these areas, you will have to put up with dramas when you do.
Michael Hancock, Noosa North Shore
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.
