Fraser Coast Free Clarion

Newspaper facts wrong on Motor Park

2008-04-26T14:50:00.002+10:00

One of the co-founders of the proposed Motor Park headlined in today's daily is hopping mad that the paper could get it so wrong.

He said the story had the potential to destroy what should be a viable community project with the capability of creating jobs, take illegal racing off the streets, give kids something to do and has the potential to be environmentally sound. Check out the other side of the story by clicking this link to Bring Back Strewth.

Bowser Blues - v - Motor Park

2008-04-26T10:55:00.005+10:00

Where are we going? With petrol at an all-time high and little chance of the price ever dropping in a significant way. There are some amongst us those who want to promote fuel usage!! They want to build a Motor Park!!!

We have people drawing our attention to societies ongoing waste of the world's resources and we have others trying the hasten the process.

Oil is a finite resource, it will never get cheaper. Availability will continue to decline and cost will continue to climb.

While a Motor Park may have had some reason for being 20 years ago, although the writing was on the wall even then, there is no rational or sustainable reason to build one today. Motor sport as we know it, is going the way of the Dodo. Until we find a cheap and viable alternative to oil/petrol, to promote motor sport borders on the criminal.

If private enterprise wishes to waste its money on such a project, so be it. But please don't waste public money on a dying industry.

John A Neve

One family, two cars: Ratepayers foot the bill

2008-04-24T11:08:00.006+10:00

Morale among some Fraser Coast Regional Council staff is understandably low at the moment but that doesn't apply to the Arthur household, where Cr Julie Arthur and her husband John enjoy the use of two council-owned vehicles.

The Free Clarion received a tip off from a reader, and a council spokesperson confirmed that Mr Arthur, the former Maryborough City Council Water Officer, is currently on two years leave, just under two years left to run, and that he had private use of his council vehicle. The spokesperson said it was probably part of his contract and confirmed that his vehicle was not at the Council's Maryborough office for use by staff.

The tip off said there was a shortage of council vehicles available for staff to use when they needed one to undertake council work. It was hardly fair that Mr Arthur was allowed to get away with taking one home for his personal use for such an extended period of time.

As part of the pay package for Councillors, Cr Arthur also has the use of a council vehicle. Why should ratepayers be paying for the supply of two vehicles to this couple? He is, after all, not using his ratepayer funded vehicle for council work and I am sure Cr Arthur would not mind giving him a lift in hers should he need one.

The Free Clarion earlier this month exposed Cr Arthur's possible conflict of interest in accepting the role of the council Chairperson of the Water & Sewerage Infrastructure portfolio because of her husband's council position. See Portfolio Chair may constitute a conflict of interest.

Cracks appear in new council team

2008-04-23T09:20:00.018+10:00

Less than a month since the polls were declared cracks are appearing in Mayor Mick's new council team, if a public rant by one Fraser Coast councillor is anything to go by.

It is one thing to vent one's spleen in public and not be recognised, but to disturb the patrons of a popular beach side cafe while wearing an easy to read name badge, is quite another.

The councillor complained long and loud to her companion about one councillor who, reportedly in a bad mood, wanted to annex Maryborough and its problems from the Fraser Coast Regional Council altogether. Interesting that the councillor being complained about said he supported an amalgamated council during his election campaign and indeed secured a swag of votes from Maryborough voters.

The councillor also proclaimed her disgust at how one councillor had treated her during a meeting, to the point that she became so upset she felt "nauseous". That another councillor needed to be pulled into line and support the Maryborough councillors. And the Mayor needed to do more to keep his team in line.

The tirade finished with a bemused shaking of her head and a "why am I putting up with this, for what? $70,000 a year? I could be earning $150,000 in private enterprise, but I have made a commitment. Perhaps I should do what a lot of the others do, just take my $70,000 and sit back and do nothing."

Could a bye-election be on the cards?

I understand this councillor's frustration with some of her colleagues, but that is the nature of politics. Councillors are there to do the job of representing those who elected them. Sometimes it can be bloody. Loyalties are fickle and it must be remembered councillors are not members of a quilting club. They are a disparate group, each pushing their own agenda. The niceties can disappear in an instant despite all initially pledging to honour the Councillor Code of Conduct.

What section of the Local Government Act, Mr Mayor?

2008-04-21T20:00:00.011+10:00

Tonight's local television news carried the story of REST and its receipt of a notice of eviction by the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

The mayor Mick Kruger cited two reasons for not extending the REST contract to continue its recycling activities in Maryborough until tenders were called in about seven months time. The first was that the original contract did not have provision for extending the contract, and the second was that extending the contract would contravene the Local Government Act.

The interview did not elaborate on what section of the Local Government Act covered a situation such as this. Using the Local Government Act as a reason for not doing what is right and proper is normally the refuge of bureaucrats who simply don't want action taken on a particular issue.

Perhaps the mayor could explain what section of the Act covered the council's decision or whether he was advised to use that hoary old chestnut as an excuse by the relevant bureaucrat?

In the meantime keep the pressure on our elected representative to represent us, the voters and ratepayers, and not the opinion of unelected bureaucrats. They are there to advise but not to interfere in council decision making. See, Support REST: Contact councillors and let them know where you stand.

I must watch myself, I am beginning to sound like the editor of the local daily rag...... Ahhhhh! In my defence I did not use the term "faceless bureaucrats".

Coal in them there hills?

2008-04-21T08:03:00.011+10:00

There appears to be plenty of coal under the ground on the Fraser Coast. I am not talking about Howard or Torbanlea but apparently a company named the Tiaro Coal Company has conducted surveys from Dundathu to Traveston Crossing.

Could this discovery change the State Government's intention to build the Traveston Crossing Dam? The flooding of viable farming land, destruction of the lower Mary River and the Great Sandy Straits for water, versus millions/billions of $$$'s from the sale of greenhouse gas emitting black gold to emerging third world countries? Quite a dilemma.

Check out Roger Currie's excellent blog site for more information, links and maps. Also read the comments on Bring Back Strewth and Hervey Bay Gossip.

Support REST: Contact councillors and let them know where you stand

2008-04-20T09:29:00.010+10:00

Public Question time at last Wednesday's Fraser Coast Regional Council general meeting was dominated by supporters of REST, a voluntary organisation that funds its community programs from recycling.

REST supports 18 community groups who rely on its ongoing operations. These include a Youth Centre for young people affected by mental illness and a computer school for more than 200 senior citizens.

REST had a contract with the old Maryborough City Council to run the recycling centre at its rubbish tips which expires at the end of the month. But after weeks of talks with councillors, REST now faces eviction. The organisation has been given 14 days notice by the council to vacate the recycling centre. The recycling centre is its only source of funding and without it REST and the Bazaar Street Community Centre could be forced to fold.

Those who spoke at the council meeting asked council to consider allowing REST to continue its recycling operation until tenders were called and it could tender to run the service. The, at times, emotional speakers feared the loss of something that had made such a positive impact on so many lives.

REST is a volunteer organisation that funds its services in a positive way to truly benefit the community. It would be a travesty if it lost its income source over the period of time the council takes to restructure its operations and it was not around to tender for the recycling business when and if it finally goes out to tender.

Support REST by letting our elected representatives know how the community feels about this issue. The power of the people can change things so email them either as a group or individually. Click on the following email links. All councillors or the mayor, Mick Kruger, deputy mayor, Belinda McNeven, councillors, Julie Arthur, Sue Brooks, David Dalgleish, Linda Harris, Debbie Hawes, Barbara Hovard, Les MucKan, Anne Nioa, Gerard O'Connell.

Dingo fence equals political farce

2008-04-18T15:51:00.002+10:00

The dingo management situation on Fraser is a joke. No disrespect to the rangers who do a great job completely hamstrung by a lack of funding and resources, conflicting policies, and politicians who tell them to do one thing one day then something else the next.

The dingo problem has been around for decades. Compounded by the removal of the brumbies and the closing of the tip sites on Fraser. The dingos then got hungrier and braver. The dingos have been responsible for the decimation of a lot of other wildlife on the island, especially the ground dwelling animals. Nobody seems to consider that issue.

Years ago rangers were told not to fine people for feeding the dingos as it was bad for tourism, just warn them. The culmination was the tragic loss of Clinton Gage. Rangers were then ordered to practically shoot dingos on sight, and to fine anyone who so much as wiped a greasy pan and left the piece of paper lying around, or left an empty egg shell in the camp site. Then the rangers were ordered to put up that stupid fence around Waddy Point barbecue area as a cheap political stunt. NOT around the camping area where most of the humans spent most of their time, but around a small barbecue area measuring a hundred metres or so, which got very little use.

For years numerous experienced people debated and discussed the issue, with the government doing nothing. The Fraser Island Advisory Committee made recommendations. Nothing was done. Businesses and tour operators all had ideas. Nothing. The most sensible idea was to place remote feeding stations several kilometres from residential and popular camping areas to attract the dingos away. At the same time dingoes could be medicated via their food for disease and population control. The radicals said this was interfering too much with nature.

So now, out of the blue, our great white knight Andrew McNamara, after no public consultation by himself whatsoever, comes charging in on his donkey and builds the Great Wall of Fraser. Except it really is not a wall to control dingos at all. It is a cheap, correction, expensive political stunt that ruins a massive amount of sensitive habitat, walls in the humans in a couple of relatively small places, REALLY cheeses everybody off, and it won't even work!

The Watcher

Dingo fence clearing causes environmental damage

2008-04-17T11:05:00.007+10:00

The State government's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has pushed ahead with clearing for the construction of a dingo fence and fire break around the Fraser Island townships of Eurong and Happy Valley, causing major environmental damage.

Fraser Coast Regional councillor, Sue Books successfully moved yesterday that the council write to the Minister of Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew MacNamara outlining concerns about the lack of consultation, non consideration of the former Maryborough and Hervey Bay Councils' expressed concerns, and the unacceptable environmental damage caused when the route was cleared by bulldozers.

Cr Brooks showed a series of photographs of the damage caused by the clearing and labelled the fence as unnecessarily intrusive in an environmentally sensitive area which was World Heritage listed.

Cr Les MucKan who rarely comments, said on behalf of the Butchulla people, that he was disgusted by the environmental damage shown in the photographs. He said if dingos were fed they would not cause a problem.

Cost cutting? You betcha

2008-04-17T09:11:00.002+10:00

The Fraser Coast Regional Council's first Ordinary Meeting No. 1 took place yesterday. In line with the main reason for amalgamation our council has started cutting costs. No longer will members of the public attending council meeting be able to obtain a hard copy of council's agenda! There will now be three copies in plastic folders to be shared!! This will not only save ratepayers money, but also save the trees!!!

A cynic like me could think this is aimed at keeping the public in the dark. I am told those with access to a computer can download a copy prior to attending council meetings. So we don't save trees, we just shift the cost.

It was decided, once again not to pursue non voters at the recent council elections. I've always thought a law that can't or won't be enforced, is a bad law and should be removed from legislation.

Fees associated with Food Safety have been increased raising revenue from $105K to $113K.

Councillor Arthur was elected to represent council on the Local Government Association of Queensland Executive for 2008 - 2012.

Authority was given to the mayor to set in motion the recruitment of our new CEO.

Meeting closed: 1130hrs.

John A Neve

Saving the Trees?

2008-04-16T16:47:00.005+10:00

The Fraser Coast Regional Council was doing its bit for the planet today by saving a tree or two and limiting the number of printed agendas available in the public gallery.

At today's General Council Meeting the shortage of agendas made it difficult for members of the public to follow the meeting. I, for one, was heartened by the knowledge that, while some in the gallery remained blissfully ignorant of the issues being discussed, trees had not been sacrificed to the notion of open government.

That said, the projection of motions onto a big screen behind the heads of councillors did go some way in assisting the public gallery's understanding of some of the ensuing discussions.

I must also commend the Council for now making agendas available on its website prior to council meetings. A big help to residents who can now decide whether to attend a meeting should a subject of interest appear on the agenda.

Email Comment

2008-04-15T20:35:00.003+10:00

Blind Bias

An article from the Maryborough Herald (27/2/08), has belatedly been brought to my attention. While some weeks old now, the article by a Mr Alan Betteridge deserves, I believe, a response.

Titled "Election fever brings out the distorted truth", having real Alan's comments, I feel he is right, he has distorted the truth. His comments relate to an AEC Group report into Wide Bay Water commissioned by the Hervey Bay City Council. Their charter was to review the financial implications of WBW for the HBCC. The article suggests on more than one occasion that the report has been discredited! I would have to ask when and by whom? He goes on to question the report "the accuracy of which has now been brought into doubt by the respected financial analysts Pricewaterhouse-Coopers"! I am surprised, as any one reading the financial reviews would know Pricewaterhouse-Coopers have themselves of recent times, been the subject of critical comments.

Mr Betteridge finishes his comments by quoting the following: "Beware of the person who will do anything to become a councillor just because they want to be someone in the city rather than do something for the city" and he is so right. That is why someone obviously thought the report, after being hidden from the public gaze for so long, needed to see the light of day.

I wonder if, prior to making his comments, Mr Betteridge had read both reports? Because having done so, I believe they were looking at two different sets of criteria. I suggest everyone interested read them for themselves.

John A Neve

Email comment

2008-04-15T12:08:00.022+10:00

The following two comments were emailed to the Free Clarion by a reader who was catching up on the news and responded to the Yag'ubi postponed story and Wide Bay Water's PR machine continues apace story.

The hard questions need to be asked

I disagree slightly with Bec T, the editor of the Clarion, on a couple of minor points. I don't believe the big issues are percentages of Return on Capital/Council Investment etc, etc, are all that important. Yes they must be calculated but bureaucrats, accountants and lawyers will have a field day with those percentages for years with the residents and councillors none the wiser. The simple questions that should be asked are things like how much NET profit is being made from the external business activities, with all costs counted, including a share of the corporate costs?

And other questions I have read elsewhere about keeping down the costs of running the business. How many expenses do WBW have that normal council departments don't? Why should WBW staff be on different pay rates for equivalent jobs compared with the rest of council? Does it cost more to have a CEO of WBW than the CEO of the Council itself? If so, why? Do WBW staff and partners get all expenses paid Christmas parties (lavish dinner) when standard council workers paid $10 a head for a sausage sizzle in the park, no partners allowed? Is there a lavish expensive Chinese garden attached to the CEO WBW's office for his own personal use? How much did it cost? Who paid for it? Why pay for a board of directors with all their associated expenses? Why have duplication of staff, finance, IT, HR etc, etc, when that expertise is already available in Council? There are potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings of ratepayers' money involved in these questions.

To the best of my knowledge no councillor, other than Sue Brooks, have ever asked any questions like these. It is time they did.

_________________________________

Two multicultural festivals madness

Bec T is right. We cannot have two multicultural festivals on the Fraser Coast. It is madness.

Yagubi was a wonderful event in the early years. It has been dying for some time now. This implies no disrespect to the committee who work very hard all year round and we can all debate at length the possible reasons for the fading popularity.

There is probably more to the story as to why the FCMF refused to combine but that is all water under the bridge. The reality is that festivals nearly always make a loss (there are a few notable exceptions) and only survive/show a profit due to sponsorship and council/govt grants. Yes there are often a small number of businesses that profit but not the general community/ratepayers as a rule.

Perhaps the Yagubi committee should consider winding the organisation up by resolution at the AGM and as most constitutions say, gift all profits and assets to a like organisation. I am sure the FCMF committee would not refuse that offer. I am also sure that any of the hard working committee members of Yagubi would be welcomed onto the FCMF committee. A rather drastic suggestion I know, and I am sure there will be showers of criticism for suggesting it, but it is realistic.

The Watcher

Kayaker's epic journey to highlight dam opposition

2008-04-15T07:36:00.005+10:00

The fight against the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam received a welcome shot in the arm when long-distance kayaker Steve Posselt announced he was highlighting his opposition to it during his latest epic journey.

Mr Posselt left Brisbane on Saturday for a two-week paddle along the Brisbane, Stanley and Mary rivers before returning via the ocean.

Last year the self proclaimed river campaigner paddled and walked from Brisbane to Adelaide, using the Murray-Darling system and this time he has the Traveston dam in his sights. He said it had been a "knee-jerk reaction when we've had a water crisis.

"Let's at least not dig our heels in and say 'oh well we're going to have to have the dam'. Let's take a rational approach to it and figure it all out before we proceed."

Yag'ubi postponed

2008-04-14T15:37:00.006+10:00

Hervey Bay's Yag'ubi festival has been postponed, for this year at least, thanks to a combination of poor community support, organisation, the Wide Bay Water sponsored Fraser Coast Multicultural Festival (FCMF) and a lack of media publicity.

A committee spokesperson said that running the FCMF six weeks before Yag'ubi last year contributed to declining numbers. It also did not help that the FCMF billed itself as the Fraser Coast's only multicultural festival.

Apparently Yag'ubi organisers this year attempted to negotiate with the FCMF to combine the two festivals but the FCMF was resistant to the idea and it did not eventuate. Hervey Bay is just not big enough for two multicultural festivals so it would have made excellent sense to combine the two. After all Yag'ubi has been around for a long time and the FCMF is the new kid on the block.

I can only speculate that had Yag'ubi been sponsored by Wide Bay Water, an excellent run of publicity in our daily newspaper would have been assured as would the success of the festival.

Fundraising and events for Yag'ubi will continue so hopefully it will give the FCMF a run for its money and come back bigger, brighter and stronger next year.

Oops! Hervey Bay not in electorate of Wide Bay

2008-04-13T13:50:00.009+10:00

Fraser Coast residents have been declared the happiest in Australia, according to the Fraser Coast Regional Council's website. Mayor Mick Kruger said he was not surprised.

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index report found, for the second year running, that the federal electorate of Wide Bay had the nation's highest level of personal wellbeing.

Did someone mention the Wide Bay? Unhappily, the Fraser Coast's most populous city, Hervey Bay now belongs in the federal electorate of Hinkler while most of the remainder of the region along with Noosa sits in the federal electorate of Wide Bay. Where did Hinkler sit on the index?

Perhaps the council's media officer should have checked that out and also included the Hinkler result in his media release before the mayor jumped on the bandwagon and claimed the result for himself.

Email comment

2008-04-12T14:10:00.002+10:00

Water finds its own level

Once upon a time, in the car park adjacent to the Hervey Bay RSL and behind Pialba Place, there used to be a sign (it could still be there), which said "Warning, car park subject to flooding"! This was at ground level. Extensions to Pialba Place now have an underground car park! There are a number of new buildings in our city that now boast an underground car park. In most if not all cases, the car park is below sea level!!

Rumour has it that one of the first underground car parks on The Esplanade flooded prior to Christmas. If true this has been kept very quiet! One has to ask why?

If an underground car park floods causing damage to vehicles or loss of life, who is at fault? The owner of the building or the council for allowing the construction? As part of the construction pumps, in many cases, are installed to prevent flooding. But in storm conditions, power can be lost and pumps don't work.

History tells us King Canute once tried to stop the waves, he of course failed and so will we. Water is the hardest thing to keep out. One has to ask, why does our council allow car parks three and four metres below ground?

John A Neve

Councillors gagged if proposal gets green light

2008-04-11T08:13:00.008+10:00

My mind flashed back to the mid 1980's when I read today's Independent editorial that councillors were being asked to consider the introduction of a proposed 11 step process before media representatives could obtain councillor or senior staff comments.

Back then it was the old Noosa Shire Council. The council had just employed a Media and Communications Officer who announced to the attending media at a general council meeting that in future there would be no need for them to attend council meetings as media releases would be issued by him in time to meet deadlines. He was quick to assure the stunned journalists that they were not banned from attending, just that there would be no point. That the tradition of having free access to councillors and senior staff at morning tea on council meeting days, or after the meeting, would cease and all media inquiries would be directed through the officer.

In a rare show of solidarity, the media collectively advised the Noosa Shire Council that should this directive not be overturned, there would be no reporting of council matters whatsoever. Needless to say, the directive was overturned almost immediately as councillors realised the implications of such a media blackout. Councillors need the media for political survival, in much the same way as the rest of us need oxygen for survival.

Council is grass roots government and the media, if it is doing its job, plays an important role in getting information out to residents and ratepayers. When a council is beset by secrecy and unbalanced dissemination of information, as the Noosa Shire Council attempted, then democracy and the public's right to know, is compromised. The success or failure of the first Fraser Coast Regional Council will depend heavily on an informed public.

The council's interim CEO Andrew Brien may believe that the symbiotic relationship between the fourth estate and a government body like the council makes for an unholy alliance, and unfortunately in the case of our local daily newspaper, that is sometimes true. However for good or bad, it is important that the council is not only accountable but is seen to be accountable by the public it serves. It achieves that by being open to media requests for comment and not filtering information through a process that hampers the public's right to know and gives only a sanitised version of council news.

Fraser Coast Regional Council's first Planning & Development meeting

2008-04-09T17:54:00.005+10:00

A big thank you to John Neve for covering today's Planning & Development Meeting and filing the following report:

The Fraser Coast Regional Council held its first Planning & Development meeting today. There were three applications on the agenda.

Item 4.1

Material change of use, two lots into 17 lots in Annie Street, Howard. This was rejected due to the potential for flooding. The land was low lying.

Item 4.2

Reconfiguration of two lots into 51 lots in Madsen Road, Urraween. The mayor vacated the chair, whether there was a conflict of interest or a pecuniary interest, I don't know. Councillor McNevan took the chair and the recommendation to approve the application was passed nine - zero with councillor MucKan abstaining.

Item 4.3

Material change of use multiple units in access to two storeys in height. Restaurant/food services and vegetation removal. The Esplanade, Scarness. This application was deferred until July 9, at the request of the applicant. The officer's recommendation was for a refusal.

There were three items in CONFIDENTIAL these being the Waterfront (Qld) Pty Ltd, Cnr Fraser Street and the Esplanade, Seashift Properties, Burrum Heads Road, Burrum Heads and Torquay Heights Drainage Flooding issues. All three were covered verbally! On resumption of the open meeting no comment was offered, so I am unable to comment.

General Business

Councillor Dalgleish requested an update on the Burrum Town Plan.

John A Neve

Wide Bay Water's PR machine continues apace

2008-04-08T16:53:00.009+10:00

I wonder why Wide Bay Water (WBW) employs a Media, Communications Officer? Surely it is an unnecessary expense when the Chronicle's editor and former Corporation board member does such a fine PR job on its behalf.

A copy of the paper's story dated April 8 was on its website and featured the usual weekly, piece on the virtues of WBW. Under the catchy heading "Little place, big waves" we had the head of a US water efficiency body "startled to find Hervey Bay had a population of only about 50,000.

Why was the executive director of the federal Chicago-based Alliance for Water Efficiency, Mary Ann Dickinson so startled? Because of WBW's big international reputation.

Apparently "Ms Dickinson said she would like to see the Wide Bay Water governance model for water utilities replicated in the US. She was, according to the report "shocked" by how small the city was because of the "impact WBW is having on the world stage and in leading worldwide innovation."

Then came the cruncher. "On the other hand, by being small and set up as a corporation, you have flexibility here that you might not get in a bigger organisation that is part of a council water department. Water utilities can be so conservative."

All this praise and recognition will count for nothing if the people of Hervey Bay face the huge hike in the cost of their water and sewerage, predicted by the AEC Group's Financial Review of Wide Bay Water Corporation, commissioned by the former Hervey Bay City Council. The report under the heading Return on Council Investment in WBWC states: "The actual achieved return on investment (or the achieved return on capital - weighted average cost of capital) by WBWC has been below the expectations outlined in the corporatisation charter. WBWC has achieved actual average annual rate of return of 3.8%, compared to the average benchmark of 6.8% between 2001/2 and 2005/06.

"The projected real pre-tax return on capital to be achieved by WBWC averages 2.4% for the life of the financial plan, compared to the benchmark rate of 6.6% determined by QTC for WBWC.

"The inability to achieve the return on capital target effectively means that WBWC is not meeting its legislative requirement to set prices in accordance with full cost. WBWC should be fully recovering three components namely a return on capital invested, a return of capital (depreciation) and efficient operating costs.

To achieve the targeted level of return of 6.6%, the report stated: "Indicative price increases, above inflation, would be required for Water and Sewerage: 2007/08, Water 74%, Sewerage 12%."

It remains to be seen what the new Fraser Coast Regional Council will do with water and sewerage. Hopefully it won't be swayed by the regular PR puff pieces in the Chronicle.

There are probably two options to consider, the first, to bring WBW back in-house or the second that WBW remain a corporation and take over Maryborough and Tiaro's water supply. The new council should take a long hard look at the operating efficiency of WBW and compare that to the in-house operating efficiency of Maryborough and Tiaro's water management.

Council Meetings: Information not available on website

2008-04-07T16:18:00.004+10:00

A reminder that the council's first Planning & Development Standing Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday April 9, 9.30am at the Maryborough Council Chambers.

I am publishing this information to remind readers because it is not currently available on the Fraser Coast Regional Council's web site.

Not good enough. The only thing loaded on the site is the Post Election Meeting which took place on April 2, and the agenda for that meeting. Information after the fact is of little use. In the interests of democracy why can't council list the meetings before they happen together with the agenda? If an agenda was available prior to the meeting, interested ratepayers would know when an issue of interest was coming up and attend that particular meeting.

Committee and Council meetings are open to the public, provided of course they know when and where. It was decided at the April 2 meeting that Council meetings would be held on the first and third Wednesday of each month and the Planning & Development Standing Committee on the second Wednesday of the month, rotating between Maryborough and Hervey Bay Council Chambers. How difficult could it be to load that information onto the council's website?

Comment

2008-04-06T13:49:00.003+10:00

Dundowran Public Meeting

This afternoon I attended the public meeting to discuss the application to change the terms of Hervey Bay's town plan. This would allow development in Ansons Road, Dundowran. About 150 people were in attendance, amongst these were councillors Hovard, Arthur, Hawes and Brooks.

The meeting was well-run by Tanya Sanders a new Dundowranite from Sydney. The feeling of the meeting was totally opposed to the development, although there was little specific information on what was proposed! This after all was not an application to build, rather one to change town plan zoning for this land.

I can only hope those who submit written opposition to such changes, point out the proposal is out of sequence, lacks any viable sewerage plan, lacks good vehicular access and will increase traffic on the Hervey Bay - Burrum Road.

Having only been in Hervey Bay for eight weeks, this city needs more like Tanya Sanders.

John A Neve

Life imitates art: Subdivision

2008-04-06T10:54:00.016+10:00

Was it a case of life imitating art or art imitating life? On the weekend that casting for extras on the Hervey Bay-based film Subdivision took place, a community meeting at the Dundowran Hall yesterday afternoon voiced its objections to a proposed real-life subdivision on Ansons Road.

The movie Subdivision focuses on the change a community experiences when city developers take over. The majority of the concerned (approximately) 150 residents attending the public meeting said they did not want the peace and amenity of their community to change.

Alas the all too familiar story of Hervey Bay.

The coincidences did not stop there. The movie Subdivision will be directed by Japanese Story director, Sue Brooks. Not Cr Sue Brooks who, unless she is moonlighting as a director, attended the Dundowran meeting along with Crs Barb Hovard, Gerard O'Connell, Debbie Hawes and Julie Arthur, and Fraser Coast Regional Council's manager, Development Assessment, Michael Ellery.

The meeting was organised by Tanya Sanders, a young mum and Dundowran resident of only eight weeks. Tanya explained to the packed hall that she moved to Dundowran from Sydney because she was attracted by the wildlife, peace and safety of the area which enjoyed a zero crime rate. She said the developer, Braith Vidler, could not attend the meeting but was happy to meet a small committee after the meeting and listen to their concerns.

The proposed concept plan for the subdivision divides the area fronting the eastern side of Ansons Road into two lots, one lot for low density residential, 600 square metre blocks and townhouses/multiple unit development. The second lot for shops, a tavern, service station and sporting fields with only one access road, Ansons Road.

However, Tanya said the concept plan was just that, a concept. There were no guarantees the concept was what would be built there. She said the developer's application to the Council was a preliminary one, to override the old Transitional Town Plan. The submission did not include an application to build. She said that if Council approved the application to override the town plan, no other public notices would be required.

Mr Ellery confirmed this and advised the developer's application would be assessed under the old Town Plan with reference to the new Transitional Plan. He said both had equal weight. He said an application seeking to change the Town Plan would involve State Government agencies and the Council. He said the previous application made by the developer was not rejected by Council. The developer was asked to provide further information within 12 months. The information was lodged one day before the 12 months expired.

Mr Ellery said the Nikenbah Sewerage Treatment Plant was proposed to be upgraded by 2009 and under the new Town Plan, the efficient roll out of infrastructure could be argued. He said the Emergent Community zone, which the land is zoned, gave a lot more leeway. However he said there were issues with on-site treatment of sewerage.

Public submissions either for or against the proposal would be given equal weight, Mr Ellery said. They must be addressed to the CEO, include name and address, the file reference, application number, be based on valid reasoning, ie town planning, environmental impact, need, etc., and lodged by 4pm on April 16. He said late submissions would not be accepted.

On the issue of need, Tanya argued that residents were well serviced by Eli Waters Shopping Centre, six minutes drive away, the Craignish Store plus planning for more shops adjacent to the store, three minutes, the United Service Station, five minutes, and the Craignish Country Club and golf course, Fraser Lakes golf course and club house, (five minutes). She said approving more shops, a tavern and a service station was not needed and it would take until 2014 before the catchment area (local, Burrum Heads, Toogoom and Craignish) was big enough to make it a viable business proposition.

Impact was another area of concern. Tanya said approval to override the Town Plan could pave the way for future high density development in other garden residential areas. She said the area around the proposed development was the home of 148 species of bird, the last stand of Vine Forest left in Hervey Bay, wildlife, the Arkarra Lagoons, third popular eco-tourism site after Fraser Island and whale watching. She said many local residents set aside land in their yards to encourage wild life.

If you wish to make a submission, for or against, address your letter to the Chief Executive Officer, Fraser Coast Regional Council, PO Box 1943, Hervey Bay, Qld, 4655. File number: 513/3-061243 Development application for 59 Ansons Road (lot 21 RP35381) and lodge it before 4 pm, April 16, 2008.

In the interests of publishing all sides of the story, the Free Clarion would like to hear from readers who have a different point of view and wish to contribute to the debate, email us or click the comments link at the bottom of this story.

Reminder: Dundowran Public Meeting

2008-04-04T17:46:00.002+10:00

The public meeting protesting the proposed Ansons Road development project starts at 4 pm tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at the Dundowran Hall on Dundowran Road.

Come along and find out what it is all about and what you can do. Residents have until April 16 to lodge objections.

For further information phone Tanya 0401 356 878

Email comment

2008-04-04T16:41:00.006+10:00

The inside story: How the deputy mayor won

The following email was sent to the Free Clarion by a reader who had the low down on the machinations that took place prior to Wednesday's Fraser Coast Regional Council meeting at which Cr Belinda McNeven defeated Cr Barb Hovard for the Deputy Mayor's spot.

"Actually, the deal was done a couple of days before the official meeting. Hovard, McNeven and Dalgleish put their hand up. McNeven had the support of her gang of four from the electioneering - Hawes, O'Connell, Nioa and herself. Sue Books committed to her and Kruger promised his support. Dalgleish only had MucKan. These two would never vote for McNeven. The rest for Hovard. Hovard could have pulled out at that time but pushed on to the official meeting. With Dalgleish pulling out that left five for Hovard with Kruger carrying it for Hervey Bay. The numbers six, three and two were public knowledge long before the official meeting. Yes Hovard should have been deputy, but McNeven (AKA Biddy Marchant) managed to politically out maneuver her. The question is, can McNeven maintain the support of her colleagues beyond 12 months? History suggests otherwise."