Friday, 1 December, 2023
Selling more than the next 4 agencies combined $600M
AGENCY 2 & 3
$300M
AGENCY 4 & 5
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Christmas cheer in Cooroy
Your guide to gifts this festive season
Busy summer expected for lifesavers
28-page liftout Property Guide
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PR OP ER TY
Homegrown musical to hit the road By Abbey Cannan A homegrown Sunshine Coast musical has received a big funding boost from the Queensland Government after becoming the first ever regional production to win Best New Australian Work at the Matilda Awards. A Girl’s Guide to World War was written and composed by Sunshine Coast locals Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour, who live in Maleny. Katy Forde said the reaction to the show has been more than what they hoped for. “We honestly didn’t expect to win anything,“ she said. “We were just so happy that the Matilda Judges took the time to travel to Maleny to see A Girl’s Guide and to support a regional production. Continued page 4
Aleathea Monsour and Katy Forde.
Safe night push Noosa Council is spearheading an effort to establish a Safe Night Precinct in the Noosa Heads precinct. Council is working with State Government agencies to clarify the process and to identify what steps are required to introduce such an initiative. Mayor Clare Stewart said there was wider business and community interest. “We have had preliminary discussions with Hastings Street Association, other business leaders as well as senior police, who fully support progressing the idea,” she said. Cr Stewart has also written to the Police Minister Mark Ryan seeking his support to bolster police numbers during peak holiday periods.
Safe Night Precincts were created by the Queensland Government to reduce late night drug and alcohol-related violence in key entertainment areas. “Noosa remains a safe and family-friendly shire and we’re all keen to ensure that continues to be the case,” Cr Stewart said. “This type of precinct would assist our local police who already have a number of strategies in place to target anti-social behaviour.” Council officers are waiting on State Government advice to ascertain whether there is a process to apply for a Safe Night Precinct. “Ultimately it’s up to the Queensland Government to make the final call,” the Mayor said. “We have also kept Noosa MP Sandy Bolton
up to date with the council initiative.” Hastings Street Association President Emma Hull fully endorsed any measures to bolster safety. “Initiatives that can assist police in keeping Noosa safe are encouraged and our members fully support Council’s endeavours in establishing a Safe Night Precinct,” she said. Hastings Street project manager Alesha Gooderham said having a safe night precinct would give police and venues more control with ID scanners which aren’t currently in operation in Noosa flagging guests who had been banned for inappropriate behaviour from other venues. “It means you have to scan,“ she said. “What it means, if you have GBH (grievous
bodily harm) somewhere you can come into Noosa now knowing no one’s going to scan you. “We’re a haven for the wrong type of people. They can access all our late-night venues. “Having a safe night precinct means we align to a quality standard to best practice for late night venues. The goal is to keep a family friendly street.“ Head of local liquor accord Anton Mogg said at a meeting last week of licensed venue operators, all were in favour of having a safe night precinct. “It means people who are banned from other late night precincts they scan and a red flag comes up,“ he said. Continued page 4
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