From homelessness to diesel fuel and the new City Hall, there are plenty of topics that have people talking.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor with your name and suburb at Sunshine Coast News via: news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au
Here are some thoughts from the past couple of weeks.
Homeless need more help
I am appalled at the lack of support for our homeless community. The issue of homelessness is the most important issue in Australia today. Governments/Councils are sitting on their privileged hands and doing nothing to provide emergency housing for our community. I am sure there are established homes/buildings throughout this state that are vacant and which could be refurbished for short to long term leases to accommodate the homeless.
The report of the young homeless man living out of his car in a Sunshine Coast National Park who was told to clear out was upsetting and unfair and he should have been allowed to stay, or at least be given adequate time to organise himself to move on.
The missing part of this story has not been reported – where is he now, like all the others who are told to move out and on?
The recent Queensland Housing Summit was supposed to have provided solutions, however, I have not heard any media reports of homeless people transitioning into housing now. This would be, at the very least, confirmation that something is happening. Perhaps the recent Mental Health Week could have been specifically focused upon and included the homeless in their agenda of supporting mental health.
Robyn Wilson, Palmwoods
Illegal camp hazards
Good of you to allocate space for the opinion of Stuart of Bendigo, Victoria, “the place to be”, on the issue of illegal camping. Stuart could have told us how ‘illegal’ camping is dealt with in Bendigo. Is the policy there to look the other way?
Coolum has missed a potentially massive fire which started on a campsite on the dunes south of Stumer Creek earlier this week. The recent wet weather may have helped contain the spread of the fire which otherwise could have replicated the fire which destroyed much of the dunal vegetation in that area in the early 90s.
Peter Brown, Coolum Beach
Explore more options to address homelessness
The cost of living crisis will really rear its head in 2023. Should councils and governments be planning now to help those in need? How many empty mining camps could be moved or utilised to house the needy? What about allocating land and building temporary accomodation for those who will be down on their knees and requiring a roof over their heads? As jets land into the Sunshine Coast and visitors strut their stuff in the boutiques, cafes and restaurants in Noosa, people will be desperate. This is a national issue. Which states and territories will tap into their radical, empathetic leadership to help their fellow Australians the most?
Doug, Sydney (regular visitor to the Sunshine Coast)
Fuel absurdity
I have always been of the understanding that it costs less to refine diesel fuel, rather than unleaded petrol, from crude oil. If this is in fact the case, then why are we paying more for diesel? Somewhere a ‘middle man’ is making quite a profit.
Jan Olde, Maleny
Hinterland Council support
I strongly support the creation of a new Hinterland Council based west of the highway. We have completely different dynamics and requirements from the Sunshine Coast Council area.
Denis Costello, Witta
Turning metro
I’m a Labor voter. Don’t want the Sunshine Coast to turn into another Gold Coast. Been here over 20 years and it’s beginning to look like Brisbane. HORRIBLE
David Callaghan, Nambour
City Hall horror
I cannot believe this building was approved by council. It is absolutely awful. It reminds me of a pile of stacked sardine tins.
The architects (if one can call them that) have done a diabolical job of representing our beautiful Sunshine Coast. It is a travesty and certainly not a feature to write home about. Perhaps they could have put it to a public vote? Pity they did not build the artist’s impression! Such a shame.
Heather Knight, Woombye
Hall a waste of money
This building is an eye sore … nothing going for it whatsoever … just a waste of ratepayers money … and is going to cost a fortune in upkeep.
The public cant use 95% of the building and by the time other high rises are built around it no one will be able to see it.
Kerry Clayton, Maroochydore
Lack of communication
As a resident of Golden Beach, I don’t believe we were ever asked what we wanted for our new region.
We have a perfectly adequate Council building here in Caloundra and I suppose that Nambour does also. I see it as a grandiose extravagant overspend that this Mayor and his council have made for the betterment of Maroochydore. Don’t worry about the rate payers from the fringe areas of this Council area.
Now, if I need to go to the council office I will have to travel all the way to Maroochydore instead of the short trip to Caloundra Council office.
Judith Moss, Golden Beach
Hall’s an important addition
Maintenance nightmare
Thin vertical timber strips on all supporting pillars, curved and winding exposed tiled areas, recessed windows that are stuck behind vertical louvres and hundreds of metres of metal decorative panels are a maintenance nightmare, and will be a costly one on this odd looking new City Hall.
How will they ever clean the outside of the windows and glass areas which at that location will attract daily doses of grime from traffic and salty grime from the ocean breezes? The metal screens are simply not practical and hard to clean as are the hundreds of vertical louvres. If the metal screens are in fact metal they will eventually fade and rust.
You only have to look at the failure of elevated gardens on the building across the road to see that the gardens will need a lot of attention and the only way to service them is by internally accessing them on each floor. There is a real risk of water getting into the seals and into the walls and ceilings of this building. There are more gardens (by the metre) than there is at street level in the whole of the new Maroochydore CBD. That in itself is bizarre.
We have major challenges with traffic congestion, massive issues in the lack of public transport and a lack of public facilities and the best they can do is to blow $100m on a new building for their staff, a building that will cost tens of thousands of dollars to maintain and not forgetting that the building does not have enough car parks for all that will work there.
Bob Carroll, Maroochydore
Diversity is key
I have lived on the Sunshine Coast since 1989 & the golf course is yet another struggling business due to the restrictions of the biosphere, people cannot afford to live in Noosa or the Springs. So many businesses struggling for staff in the area that would normally go to the younger generations, backpackers and travellers and why would they travel 45mins say from Maroochydore to work hospitality in this region. With rentals and living costs at an all time high playing a round of golf on a regular basis is again for the rich & famous. Diversity is the key.Yvonne, Peregian Springs
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