13th July Edition 2023

Disaster of Proposed Council Building 

As many other like-minded concerned ratepayers, I wish to add my worries regarding the proposed "Taj Mahal" Council building around the already busy Main Street and Torquay Road intersection. 

There are a number of reasons why this development should seriously reconsidered: Site; Parking; Financial, Necessity. Size of building not suited to area. Area is already a congested traffic disaster. 

We are currently and will continue to pay increased rate charges. (10 million dollars from the Government is only a drop in the ocean of debt). Current council building is fine where it is - easily accessible and plenty of parking. Library does need to be rebuilt (not the bandaid solution currently in place!) Needs to be near the University. Talking to locals and reading letters to this paper confirms that my concerns are widespread. Please Councillors listen to the people. Why not put it to a vote? 

Patricia Pickering – Pialba 

Lauch of Hervey Bay/Maryborough for Yes Campaign  

The "Hervey Bay/Maryborough for Yes" campaign is pleased to announce the launch of its activities to support the Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on constitutional recognition for Australia's First Nations people. The aim of the group is to disseminate accurate information to enable informed voting in the referendum later this year.  

Members of the community living on Butchulla/Badtjala land in the Hervey Bay/Maryborough area are being asked to come together to support the Yes campaign. This grassroots group will work together with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the lead up to the referendum. The non­Indigenous Community are being asked to come together in response to the generosity of First Nations people to walk together and accept the Uluru Statement from the Heart.  

The local group is working with the national Yes23 campaign which offers a united movement to support an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.  

The local Yes23 group will be hosting activities and events in the community that will provide opportunities to discuss the issues regarding the Voice to Parliament.  

The group invites all people in the Hervey Bay/Maryborough area to get on board and help make this important change happen at the upcoming Referendum.  

Contact can be made by joining the group through:  

Website: www.action.yes23.com.au//hervey_bay_maryborough_for_yes  

Face book Page: Hervey Bay/Maryborough for Yes.  

Or  

Visit the www.Yes23.com.au for general information. 

Local Reader 

Concillors regaining their common sense 

You may call this a Backflip but I call it Common Sense returning to the Council. I can only hope that the rumour banging around town is true and the Council and Mayor are finally listening to the Residents for once.

When was the last time Hervey Bay had needed a Disaster Coordination Centre. Maryborough with their flooding problems needs one more then Hervey Bay. 

Expand the Council Administration Building in Tavistock Street where there is 5 acres and plenty of room to coordinate a disaster situation if necessary and plenty of parking in the surrounding Streets and on the 5 acres to accommodate the extra cars and emergency vehicles and equipment that Main Street just doesn't have.

There is no need for a new Library so it can stay where it is and expand there. There is land in front of the Library and behind it for the Library and the University to expand.

The Council and a Federal Government Grant is spending millions on repairing the roof of the Library, so that's one problem already fixed. As I have said before the 40 million dollars does not have to be spent on a new Council Office, the plan says that it is to be spent on revitalisations of the CBD.

Why not use it to build the Community use spaces. The good people of Maryborough are already upset about the amount of money the Council spends in Hervey Bay compared to Maryborough.

When the amalgamation happened Maryborough was debt free and could spend their money on what the rate payers of Maryborough needed. They could have applied for their own Federal Grants and Funding.

This is a Council Administration building we are talking about the concept design is out of place with the surrounding buildings, current Library, Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, University and open spaces which are all single storey except for the University which is two storeys.

There is to be Council Offices built in Maryborough and that cost must be taken into consideration also. Council must stop their excessive spending and start thinking more carefully on what and where to spend the rate payer's money that benefit all areas on the Fraser Coast.

The new Library and Council Administration Building does not do this as it will only benefit mostly Hervey Bay residents. What about the over 60 Towns and Localities that are included in the Fraser Coast Reginal Council areas that need funding for their needs. How will they benefit from over 100 million dollars of their rates being spent in Hervey Bay.

Even with the 40 million of Federal funding the final amount for the build will cost the Council 100 million dollars with increased costing.

If the Council has already spent money and it needs to be repaid, then that is better than 100 million dollars of rate payer's money being spent on a building for rate payer paid workers to go to work in and people to borrow books and use the internet. Sorry I just can't agree on this one with you.  

Delma Taylor – Hervey Bay 

Hervey Bay Regional Gallery 

With reference to L. Sternberg's letter concerning the rejection of the Hervey Bay Art Society by the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, I would like to support everything she has said, but would also like to add that it has not only been the Art Society which has been rejected, but, with very few exceptions, the entire local Art community, in order to turn a beautiful (and no doubt very expensive) Art exhibition space into a depressing political soapbox. 

It seems ridiculous to me that local artist, regardless of the high quality of their work, now have to take that work to a gallery in another town. 

The Fraser Coast Council needs to be held responsible for this happening. 

Shame on you. 

Sheena Walsh - Pt. Vernon

River Heads Road 

The council is very keen on wasting funds on a new digs I didn’t realise we were getting more councilors. River head road needs a major up grade. They have obviously approved the building of 20 to 300 new homes down near river heads. Where is the traffic going. Some days it remind me of Brisbane at some stages during the day you have to wait sometimes up to more than over 5 minutes.

Local Reader