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Letters to the editor: rail progress, airport scheme, dog fines and more

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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.

Rail to Caloundra instead of Birtinya and Maroochydore is a mistake and it needs to be changed.

What happened to the rail corridor that was protected via the east end of Corbould Park and in behind the hospital precinct and close to the Sunshine Coast Stadium precinct?

Bob Carroll

Termination of the rail line at Caloundra for the foreseeable future will bring little benefit to commuters living north of Mooloolaba, as it will be no closer than catching a train at Landsborough.

Alan Ward

Sunshine Coast Council should be applauded for initiating its Eumundi streetscape and being proactive in ensuring the supermarket proposal proceeds.

Similarly, businesses in town are upgrading and beautifying. On balance, however, these are negated by the ghastly presence of the Highway Motors building to the north of town. Why are there no plans for it to be demolished?

Harry Roberts, Eumundi

It all seems a bit sneaky. Councils have handed over their dog control powers to the state government and fines have become ludicrous, more than for speeding.

This from the state government: “These reminders are timely with the rolling out of tougher dog laws by the Queensland Government from July 31. Changes include increased penalties and even jail time possible for serious attacks. The Queensland Government has updated the penalty for not effectively controlling your dog in a public place. An on-the-spot fine will increase to $806. This includes having a dog off-leash in an on-leash area. Or, if the dog is in an off-leash area, the owner must be able to control the dog using voice command.”

What does the Opposition think of this blatant revenue-raising?

I have seen little publicity about this.

Will Sunshine Coast Council provide more off-leash area for dogs to play, for example at Cotton Tree?

Kerry White, Maroochydore

This will proceed regardless of community concerns, just as the new runway did.

This development is the pay day for the state government support of the flight path change. It is the very reason the old runway could not remain open. Nine months before the airport reopened they hastily announced the old runway must close as one type of aircraft could not be on the runway at the same time the other runway was being used. This scenario is common around the world and the reason for the numerous embargoes on different planes dependent on airport. To deliver the state government payoff of the priority development zone, they closed the runway permanently rather than use a simple embargo.

“Support the growth and expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport as a significant domestic and international gateway to the region” – is this really what the community is looking for? In a world of rapidly changing climate, disappearing species and shrinking habitat, do we really want a busy airport in the middle of where we live, when there is one an hour down the road?

Is there economic benefit there to anyone other than the private equity Palisade Investment that leases the airport at a bargain price? Has anyone looked at what the Bonza debacle cost the Coast? Is the whole idea of basing economic growth on an industry that is at odds with our children’s survival on this planet viable?

Are we really such a stupid flock of human sheep allowing ourselves to be slaughtered for the promise of riches.

Gerard Joyce, Verrierdale 

Has the designer considered the substantial heat radiation created by the massive amount of exposed concrete in the large step-down design of the proposed wall?

Seems to me people would like to sit or lie on the structure but through the hotter months it will be burning hot. Meanwhile, the present wall is looking solid.

Also, I thought the design would create a safety hazard with the likelihood of heavy falls occurring with children playing (and adults stepping down) along the concrete-edged layers.

It brings memories of the expensive playground near The Loo that quickly had to be revamped because of injuries to children.

Paul Barty, Mooloolaba

Construction sites are full of unskilled, unqualified workers as they work for half the money. Happening in all states, especially in NSW. The same is happening in hospitality.

A. McGregor

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.

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