27th July Edition 2023

Taj Mahal

Dear Sir, So you are in fully support of a new council office/ Taj Mahal.
We already have very high rates and to spend on this is just plain crazy. So council spend 100 m to get 40 m from government. So let’s forget about the 40 million and spend 60 million of our own on reducing rates etc or spending 10 million or whatever on renovating existing offices etc. I am sure there is plenty of land to build new offices etc near current offices. As for disaster centre what about old library if a new one is built. With regard to council changing tune I can assure them if this goes ahead they will not be there next election. With regard to funding already spent I am sure it is not that much. So Sir you being a stanch advocate for progect let’s have a vote for and against and see results. My guess a no will prevail on a stupid and costly waste of our money. Thanks

Darryl Edwards

Sort The Voice

Why doesn’t some articulate person (or committee) on the “Yes” side simply produce a credible, detailed, unarguable list of issues the voice will influence & those it won’t change. A list also, would be useful, of things which may be effected, depending on the view of the high court Jude’s adjudicating at the time. We just want to know what will be, or could possibly be changed or effected…. But everyone seems too slippery by far, on this. EITHER they haven’t decided yet…. In which case no-one should vote until details are made clear & finalised.

OR…

They have decided, but know that sensible people won’t wear it, so they hedge around & look shifty! In this case they would save a lot of face & anguish if they just settled for an acknowledgement in the preamble of the Constitution, that Aboriginal people were here first…. And leave the Constitution well alone. It can’t be that hard if they really want this issue resolved without dividing the country any further.

Val Spencer - Eli Waters

Disgusting Waste

I agree with Patricia Pickering regarding the building of Library and Council chambers.  There is no reason to carry out this work.  The library is in the best position it could be and as for the council offices this is in a great position for parking etc. no need to change. $27 plus million to be used for this is sickening, when there are residents living on the streets and not enough temporary housing in the area.  This is where the millions should go, not on non urgent infrastructure.  Why was there not a vote by the electorate on this amount of spending for the proposal?  Millions being spent as the sitting mayor prepares to leave. Like Ms Pickering said, everyone I talk to feels the same way.  About time the Council really listens instead of totally disregarding the people who pay rates and ultimately their salaries!

Syl Mod - Eli Waters

Hoons

Almost every evening at Point Vernon we can hear the sound on cars doing burnouts, probably at the new building sites. This has been happening for weeks now, and it seems that nothing has been done about it. Perhaps something will be done after there is an accident and it causes damage to a property or a person.
Keith Elliott

Cyclists

It seems they ignore the road rules everywhere. Where I live, we often see on a Sunday the cycle clubs going past and they ride two and three abreast on a 100kph road. If you say anything, you usually get abused. Last Saturday (15th) while staying at Torquay, I drove from there to the Golf Club at 6:15am and had to pass about 6-7 cyclists going along the Esplanade. And there they were two and three abreast and not giving a tinker's toss about breaking the law; and worse, making no effort to single up when cars needed to pass. Well done....not! Emblazoned on their backs was "FCCC" which I assume is the Fraser Coast Cycling Club; what a great advertisement they make for the Club. And these types would be the first to complain about the motorist if there was an accident or incident.

Trevor Owens

Another dingo attack

Another dingo attack has occurred on K'Gari [Fraser Island}, and again the dingo is to blame so it seems. When are people going to learn they are on an Island where wild animals are roaming and if people are stupid enough or better still ignorant enough not to listen to all advise that has been given, handed out or read the notices that have been put in place, they should be the ones who are banned from the Island and fined heavily. Of course with the latest, the person was running, that to me is the worst thing anyone can do, of course the dingoes see something moving and think it is prey and of course they will go after it. It is instinct for them. I am hoping that the Rangers do not take people's stupidity above the dingoes. If these people were in a National Park in say Africa, and entered one of the Wildlife Parks, they certainly would not be doing stupid things by running or allowing children to play unsupervised. Each time I hear of an attack on the Island, I feel for the dingo not the people who have been stupid enough not to do the right thing.

Beverley Price - Kawungan

Poor Blessing of the Fleet

Well what can I say… The Blessing of the Fleet was a very disappointing event yet again. No fireworks, one food truck and the jetpack guy - he was pretty cool. The restaurants along the marina obviously did very well which is great but what about those that couldn’t get a table or cannot afford a restaurant meal. A great event for the vessels and whale tours to sell their business too. But what about entertainment for the kids and why no fireworks, what happened to all the pretty lights? The event was pretty boring and definitely didn’t live up to previous years.

The Whale Festival is a massive drawcard for Hervey Bay why are we not providing the effort and event it deserves. Let’s hope the Whale Parade lives up to its pre 2022 event.

Reader – Hervey Bay