How much does the Show holiday cost our region?

DON’T get me wrong, I can enjoy the benefits of a good dagwood dog as much as the next person, but I’m unsure that having a gazetted public holiday across the Fraser Coast is such a treat.

In 1875 the Maryborough, Wide Bay and Burnett Pastoral and Agricultural Society held their first annual show with displays of local crafts, produce and livestock, equestrian and woodchopping events, plus a Grand Parade.

Nearly 150 years later, the show continues to be a staple on the radar of many people, if not far less than it was in generations before.

The historic event must remain an integral event on our calendar, but do we really need another public holiday to help celebrate it?

A few weeks ago, I flew a text message around

Letterstotheeditor

Reply to Council says it’s the Cheapest Option

Reply 1: The 40 million dollars from the Australian Government for City Centre Activation has not increased over the years since first announced by Council.

The increase in cost of building material etc needed has and the two years build on the corner of Main Street and Torquay Road will have increased since first costing was done and will most likely be double by the time it is completed.

The statement in the response from Council stating it is only an ESTIMATE of 100 Million Dollars in the article in your recent paper dated 4 May 2023 on page 12 and 13.

But in all reality, the residents are looking at a much larger debt if this building goes ahead.

This will mean increased rates which a lot of residents are already struggling with, while much needed infrastructure and other needs of the residents fall by the wayside.

The Council is selling land and land with houses on them in large numbers because of unpaid rates. They raised 5 million dollars from sales last year from an auction of these properties and then proudly stated the money going towards the cost of the new Council Administration building and Library.

Reply 2: There is land behind the library and in front of the library for the library and university to expand.

Instead, the Council plans to build a Pump Park behind the library, which would be better suited along the Esplanade where the Water Park and all the other activities are situated to twenty of my closest friends, many of whom are in business.

I asked a simple question. ‘What are you doing on the show weekend?’

Not a single one said they were actually going to the show.

The most popular response was ‘When is that on?’, closely followed by ‘No, we are heading away for a long weekend’.

I believe it is an absurd proposition to say that the Fraser Coast Show holiday contributes to our local economic activity.

It’s a loss for us and a major win for other economies, as residents leave the region in droves for a long weekend.

Businesses have to endure eleven public and out in the open so people can see what behaviour is happening not hidden behind the library.

I use a wheelchair and walker, and I have not found any difficulties in accessing and using the library we have now, and it meets all my needs. I would like to know what areas do not cater for the disabled and the elderly.

Reply 3: The present Council administration buildings are more central for Disaster Resilience to be located as it is on five acres of land to build on than the small area of land proposed on holidays during the year; surely this is one we can easily do without.

For those businesses across the Fraser Coast that are opening on the Show Day Holiday, the labour cost goes through the roof.

I spent many years in a rural community when I was growing up, and I understand the history and romance of the local agricultural show.

But I think it’s time we got real with ourselves about how beneficial the Fraser Coast Show holiday is.

I would prosecute the case that it is very much the opposite.

Show is a yes. Holiday is a no.

Tell us what you think. Send us an email or message on Facebook.

Main Street, and there is not enough parking already in and around Main Street as the new Building has limited parking assigned to it.

Reply 4: The Council says the community needs this. Why not an entertainment centre there instead and it could also be used for Disaster Resilience when needed.

The 40 million dollars from the Government the article states it is to be used for City Centre Activation, it doesn’t say it has to be spent on a new administration and library.

Reply 5: Why are hundreds of millions of dollars of new development inquiries being held up over the new Council office and library not going ahead? What are these new developments waiting to go ahead?

The Fraser Coast Regional Council Joint Venture Report they did states: “The Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Conflict of Interest: Perceived conflict of interest by the local devolvement community if the Fraser Coast Regional Council undertakes a Commercial Joint Venture project of large scale that competes with the broader commercial market.”

From my understanding, that means that the development plans would be harmful to already established businesses on the Fraser Coast.

There is a lot more information in the report, which makes it an interesting read. It is your job to find a cheaper option instead of putting us into such a huge debt that the Council will not be able to find the funds for other projects and issues that affect the residents of the Fraser Coast that needs resolving.

The Council does not seem to be upfront in their dealing with the community. For example: All advertising for the proposal Survey for Commercial and Community use of Pier and Jetties has on it only Commercial and Community use, which wouldn’t worry the larger population, so they don’t bother to do the survey. No mention is made of Private Use of the Pier and Jetties, and Partial or Full Hire of the Pier and Jetties are mentioned until you do the survey. I feel this is dishonest behaviour by our elected Mayor and Councillors to get something through the Council below the radar of residents. Time for a change and having a more upfront and honest Mayor and Councillor acting on our behalf.

Delma Taylor

Fraser Coast Council 23 million dollar debt

Dear Editor

This is to bring yourself and every other ratepayer of the Fraser Coast the abysmal lack of financial management by our Council.

Due to their financial mismanagement, we are $23 million dollars in debt!

At a time when the council are raking in an enormous amount of extra revenue due to the increase in new housing in and around Hervey Bay.

And now, our Mayor George Seymour, has informed us that he will not be sitting again as Mayor at the next elections, and yet he wants to foist upon us a further $100 million dollars of debt to pay for The Edifice on Main Street as his leaving legacy!

Shame on you George.

Alan Moule - Eli Waters

Round and Round We Go

I read today (20 April 2023) comments in the Advertiser attributed to Cr David Lee and Glen Winney regarding our airports and immediately thought here we go again!

We went through all of this in 2004, did our region need two airports 30 minutes apart?

Wouldn’t a new regional airport, away from built up areas serve the regions needs better?

Wouldn’t the selling off of both Hervey Bay and Maryborough’s airports for subdivision not go a long way to covering the cost?

Glen suggests privatisation of our airport is the way to go! Tell me just one public utility that, on being privatised, reduced costs and improved services.

On 9 June 2004, the council of the day voted unanimously to upgrade the airport. Sadly, $11 million failed to correct the “dip/hump” in the runway necessitating the need for an “exemption” to allow jets to land and take-off.

So the question remains, does our region need two airports, and are they in the best location?

We got it wrong last time; let’s not make the same mistake again.

John A Neve Torquay.

means that the development plans would be harmful to already established businesses on the Fraser Coast.

There is a lot more information in the report, which makes it an interesting read. It is your job to find a cheaper option instead of putting us into such a huge debt that the Council will not be able to find the funds for other projects and issues that affect the residents of the Fraser Coast that needs resolving.

The Council does not seem to be upfront in their dealing with the community. For example: All advertising for the proposal Survey for Commercial and Community use of Pier and Jetties has on it only Commercial and Community use, which wouldn’t worry the larger population, so they don’t bother to do the survey. No mention is made of Private Use of the Pier and Jetties, and Partial or Full Hire of the Pier and Jetties are mentioned until you do the survey. I feel this is dishonest behaviour by our elected Mayor and Councillors to get something through the Council below the radar of residents. Time for a change and having a more upfront and honest Mayor and Councillor acting on our behalf.

Delma Taylor

Fraser Coast Council 23 million dollar debt

Dear Editor

This is to bring yourself and every other ratepayer of the Fraser Coast the abysmal lack of financial management by our Council.

Due to their financial mismanagement, we are $23 million dollars in debt!

At a time when the council are raking in an enormous amount of extra revenue due to the increase in new housing in and around Hervey Bay.

And now, our Mayor George Seymour, has informed us that he will not be sitting again as Mayor at the next elections, and yet he wants to foist upon us a further $100 million dollars of debt to pay for The Edifice on Main Street as his leaving legacy!

Shame on you George.

Alan Moule - Eli Waters

Round and Round We Go

I read today (20 April 2023) comments in the Advertiser attributed to Cr David Lee and Glen Winney regarding our airports and immediately thought here we go again!

We went through all of this in 2004, did our region need two airports 30 minutes apart?

Wouldn’t a new regional airport, away from built up areas serve the regions needs better?

Wouldn’t the selling off of both Hervey Bay and Maryborough’s airports for subdivision not go a long way to covering the cost?

Glen suggests privatisation of our airport is the way to go! Tell me just one public utility that, on being privatised, reduced costs and improved services.

On 9 June 2004, the council of the day voted unanimously to upgrade the airport. Sadly, $11 million failed to correct the “dip/hump” in the runway necessitating the need for an “exemption” to allow jets to land and take-off.

So the question remains, does our region need two airports, and are they in the best location?

We got it wrong last time; let’s not make the same mistake again.

John A Neve Torquay.

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Socialmediacomments

Is youth crime a problem that we can jail our way out of?

CHILDREN need to be taught self respect before they can deal with respect for others. Parenting now seems be “I’ll be your friend not your parent.” That is where the problems begin. HOW do you teach a young person that their family is ‘no good’? That their parents are ‘not good’? Cause often the ‘problem’ for want of a better word, is generational. Like a snowball growing larger and larger as it rolls down a hill. The first thing that should happen is a type of relocation. Taking an offender away from their family and/or peers, and housing them in a facility akin to a boarding school or actually place them in a functioning boarding school, can work. When you are surrounded by the people and peers that ‘enable’ your criminal behaviour a change in environment is going to help. But that new environment has to be resourced properly and the ‘offender’ must have access to prompt, timely and effective help.

WHEN incarceration means something and is a deterrent. Definitely will make a difference. Being responsible and accountable for your actions is a bloody good start

IF prison sentences were actually worthwhile, they’d be a deterrent

CHILDREN learn from their parents, and that’s a fact

IT’S not a one solution fix.

This is the result of multiple changes in family life. I grew up in a one income household where my mother dished out the discipline and capital punishment was a thing. You stuffed up, the punishment fit the severity of the stuff up. Boundaries were set and you knew if you stepped over them you got it. It taught respect. Then the government (Labor) led by Whitlam decided Australia should be on the world stage and that’s when we no longer could afford to be a one income middle Australia (the backbone of taxpayers) and women had to go to work to make ends meet. Children were put lower on the priority list as far as supervision and support because the bills had to be paid.

Then the big corporations wanted weekend trading so parents had to work on weekends to make ends meet and the children got less supervision and support.

See where I’m going with this??

In the end, the parents that are on the base wage gave up and the dole bludgers that never tried to get a job (but can afford drugs, cigarettes and anything that assures they won’t get a job) have been paid to breed (money supposedly to pay for their children) have spent the money on big screen TV’s, drugs and alcohol and the children who are mentally and physically handicapped (because of the drugs and alcohol abuse) get nothing and the tax payers have to support them financially.

Laws being softened by do gooders and therefore more money to set up support services (there will always be a need for them) over and above what should be needed and greedy politicians who are only worried about filling their own pockets has caused the descent into chaos and poverty.

The whole system needs a massive overhaul. STARTS way before punishment. The government has destroyed families with their stupid policies and making parents incarcerate their children in daycares all day every day from early age just so they can survive. So many angry people now including children. Children are being raised by strangers, their peers, tv and internet. What do they expect. Look at the good kids and see what is different in their lives? That’s where I would start.

PRESCRIPTION drugs for kids, daycare and the internet. Barely being able to survive on a modest single income. Teenage crime has always been around though.

Newsinbrief

Hervey Bay Garden Club

Hervey Bay Garden Club will be meeting on Thurs 8 June 2023 at the Community Centre in Charles St, Pialba.

9am for a 9.30am start -this month our guest speaker, Chris McGeorge will be covering all about roses.

We will also have our Bring and Buy table, Plant of the Month Competition (Bromeliads - Neos,Tillandsia etc in pots or small mountings) and raffle.

We are excited to be able to provide tea & coffee, however please bring your own cup and a plate to share.

Audition callout

Calling all theatre lovers!

Z-PAC Theatre is holding auditions for the upcoming production of The Lovely Bones.

Based on the novel by Alice Sebold, and adapted for the stage by Bryony Lavery, this is a gripping story about life after loss. As it deals with mature themes, we are mostly seeking an 18+ cast, however younger candidates may be considered.

We are seeking a diverse cast, so actors of all ethnicities and backgrounds are invited to apply.

Auditions are Saturday 17th June from 10am, at Z-PAC Theatre, 15 Zepher St, Scarness. Visit zpactheatre. com.au for more info.