18th May 2023 Edition

Council says “this is the cheapest option”, but is it the best?

On reading the Advertiser (May 4 2023), I am bemused by both comments made by our council and letters supporting them! Does council’s “cheapest option” include all associated works and the proposed Maryborough admin building? Which raises the question, does our region need two new admin buildings?

The small public support for this $100,000,000 also is of concern. Some don’t seem to know who is going to pay!  We are, $40 million from taxes and $ 60 million from rates and charges. That is if the project stays on budget?

But the real issue, is, is the corner of Main Street and Torquay Rd. Is Pialba the best location for a Regional Council’s chambers? Which in fact is within a flood prone area?

What impact if any will it have on the rest of our region?  OH, that is right, they will be helping to pay for it.

John A Neve - Torquay

Myositis Awareness

May is Myositis Awareness month globally and this is the 20th anniversary dedicated to help raise awareness to the public, as not many people have heard of the problem.

The funding for research comes from bequests and public donations, but this is very limited, that is why the Hervey Bay Men’s Shed decided to come on board with a donation of $500.00 to help in some way.

The cheque for this amount will be handed over to Mr Robert Anderson, Regional Co-ordinator of the Bay Area Myositis Group, at a fundraising event to be held on Friday 26th May.

Thanks to the members of the Mens Shed for their generous donation, more donations are always welcome, if you would like to donate please visit www.myositis.org.au

Thanking You

Leon Baldwin - President Hervey Bay Men’s Shed

Publishers Point

I have been following your editorial for the last few weeks and have noted that there is a recurring theme of ‘dog bashing’ happening.

I have been a resident in Urangan for the last six years and have exercised my senior dog on the Margaret Street leash free beach every day for this time. Occasionally dogs will have a bit of a scuffle but nearly always, the owners will have the situation under control quickly.

10 months ago, I took on a Jack Russell puppy because his dying owner knew I would give him a good life. 

I have taken him to puppy preschool, passed with flying colours. Have enrolled him with Hervey Bay Dog Obedience, and he is now in Intermediate class and is doing well. He also had basic training with a local dog trainer.

However, sometimes he makes mistakes, and because he is a friendly well socialised pup he gets excited and jumps on people wanting a pat, I always correct this action by putting him on a lead until he settles down.

According to your opinion and lots of your contributors, he should be kept on lead at all times.

I guess we all make mistakes from time to time, same as dogs. Pity some of our mistakes couldn’t be leashed.

I have been to the Maryborough markets this morning and was disappointed to see a large No Dog sign in the park adjacent. I have always sat in the park with my dogs, listened to 
the entertainment, enjoyed a coffee and cake and have never seen any nuisance dog behaviour. Now I can’t do this because of this rule, and the stallholders miss out on my purchases. Can’t believe this bureaucratic nonsense.

Your comments “fuel the fire” of people who dislike dogs and the council has obviously had a “knee jerk reaction” to all the rhetoric.

Just to finalise my rant, I would suggest that people who don’t like dogs should not go to off leash beaches, there are plenty of others to enjoy.

Will be eagerly waiting to see if my comments are published.

Robyn Mitchell

The long term eyesore at the Hervey Bay Marina continues unresolved

Hervey Bay has long been a city of high unemployment and gross underemployment.

While health, education and tourism are our main drivers for employment, the blocked off, unstable and unsafe boardwalk at the Marina, which is a State Government responsibility, continues to hinder tourism best practices.

This issue has continued unresolved for (much) more than 10 years, reflecting our State Government’s lack of care for Hervey Bay’s amenities, safety and marina presentation.

While our State member of Hervey Bay remains silent on resolving the issue, I am perplexed by his apparent poor fit for this role.

He simply seems to struggle to connect with our community.

We should never accept living with this eyesore but rather seek a new, better suited State Member for Hervey Bay (at the State elections next year) that will tackle this long term issue and restore the presentation and functionality of our Marina to an acceptable level.

Shame on our Hervey Bay State Member forefathers for not resolving this issue over a very long time.

Phil Waser – Pialba

Vaping

Vaping is worse than cigarettes. You are inhaling many more doses of whatever soft metals are in the coil which burns the juice to make the vapour. Hospitals have documented cases of wet lung and cancer that is much faster than cancer onset from regular smoking. And it is an unregulated market.

Bring back normal prices on tobacco. This was ridiculous in the first place.

Reader – Hervey Bay

Leave Main St as is 

David Brandt and Delma Taylor’s letters says it all. Fraser Coast is one of the top lowest social economic areas. The percentage of the population on some form 
of government sustenance is just under 50% last I read. So this new high rise council chambers planned for Pialba is out of the question.  Sounding very like the water park story. MP Andrew McNamara received $5M grant for some project. Last time I enquired it had so far cost $16M and much has been spent since then so guessing this council buildings costs will perform similarly but on a grander scale. Why not build a new library on the land between the current building and PCYC or on the land in Charles St and cancel that 16 storey high rise? With so much done on computers these days surely demand for space at Tavistock Street must decrease. Reduce red tape and build on.  We will never have a CBD as planned towns had. Life has changed. Even Surfers Paradise doesn’t have one. Leave Main St as is. 

Jill French - Point Vernon