Friday, 16 September, 2022
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Shooting The Firm
Ern cruises to 100
Survivor heads Relay
40-page lift out Property Guide
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Monique is top Aussie By Abbey Cannan Noosa’s own Monique Riley Schroeder has been crowned as Miss Universe Australia 2022. The 27-year-old actress, model and executive assistant competed for the national title with 28 beauties from across the country, and will now prepare to represent Australia at the 71st Miss Universe pageant. This year’s event, held on Friday 9 September at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast was the first live national final for Miss Universe Australia since 2019. Monique, who has a degree in creative industries from the Queensland University of Technology, said taking out the crown was a surreal moment. “It hasn’t really hit me yet and I feel like the same person obviously, but the opportunities that have already started presenting themselves are insane,“ she said. “It’s a crazy feeling and it’s not something I expected, but you just have to take everything as it comes. This week I’ll be on the Today Show. “As the winner of Miss Universe Australia you get given an apartment in Melbourne for the year to live in, so I’ll be moving half my stuff there because a lot of our meetings and fittings happen there. Continued page 3
Noosa’s own Monique Riley Schroeder has been crowned as Miss Universe Australia 2022.
Creek of concern By Margie Maccoll
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“A bit disappointed,“ was how Cr Amelia Lorentson greeted a council staff report she said failed to answer questions on Burgess Creek she asked of staff three months earlier, sparking a robust debate at Monday’s general committee meeting and concluding with her apology. On 16 June Cr Lorentson asked staff to report back on a range of issues stemming from residents’ concerns about wastewater and stormwater flows into Burgess Creek, its impact on the environment and public health risk. Questions focused on erosion at the creek mouth, outflows and water quality from the Wastewater Treatment Plant and stormwater discharging into Burgess Creek, and stormwater management and infrastructure for the Burgess Creek Sub-catchment. Also requested was information on downstream erosion of
dunes and beaches resulting from stormwater and wastewater flows as well as funding options and solutions. Staff said they had been undertaking a significant body of work, engaging Unitywater, visiting its monitoring sites and undertaking an overall investigation of the shire catchment in collaboration with Healthy Land and Water with interest from the bush care program. Council heard staff proposed the infrastructure team look at erosion issues from all creeks throughout the shire costed as a $200,000 piece of work that hadn’t yet been budgeted for. Officers said the issues at Burgess Creek were complicated by a lack of formal pedestrian access with informal access via trails adding to the erosion problem, which would be investigated to determine “natural solutions“ to reduce the impact to dunes. They agreed with Cr Joe Jurisevic when he
suggested work on beach access points was already covered under the foreshore management plan, but said Burgess Creek required more work because of the way it meandered north and south depending on storm activity and stormwater runoff. One officer said universities were involved in monitoring the creek’s behaviour in response to wave action and storm events and their findings would inform management actions. However, Cr Lorentson said her questions were confined to Burgess Creek, not the entire catchment, and she had expected the matter “be treated with urgency and real conviction“ which she identified to be lacking in the report. “My motion raised residents’ concerns about damage happening at the foreshore at Burgess Creek and concerns regarding discolouration of water flow and the impacts on coastal ecosystems,“ she said.
“Residents believe that treated wastewater and stormwater flowing in the creek is a health risk.“ Cr Lorentson said council’s own website and health warning signs at the beach supported their concerns there was a risk. This report understates the link between stormwater and effluent discharge into Burgess Creek as a major cause of erosion happening at Burgess Creek, she said. It overstates foot traffic as the primary cause of erosion. “The report fails to provide what I requested - data and information - Unitywater figures on the amount of wastewater discharged, the amount of stormwater being discharged, how much effluent, what are acceptable levels,“ she said. “Where is this information? Why is it not provided? We can’t fix a problem unless we understand or investigate the cause.“ Continued page 3