Letters to the editor

Political donations leads the letters this week, followed by views on conservation of bushland in Capalaba and a comment about unsightly litter at Toondah Harbour.

Finally a bit of a touch up for Redlands2030 from a prolific local commentator.

If you have something to say send your letter by email to:

theeditor@redlands2030.net

Political donations

The Mayor did indeed receive political donations from developers and others during the 2012 election campaign.

During that campaign she refused to deny or confirm whether or not she received donations from “builders or developers in your quest to be elected Mayor of Redlands. As is now obvious, she received political donations from developers with a vested interest in getting their development proposals “looked at favourably” The Mayor states in the article (Redland City Bulletin 2 October 2015) that “In the lead-up to the 2008 council election, community protest group CARP, supporter of the previous Hobson/Boglary/Ogilvie/Elliott Council, also called for and received donations and as part of their strategy, used the Qld Conservation Council as a third party to receive those donations because that organisation had ‘deductible gift recipient’ status”

What the Mayor does not state in her statement is that she was supported by the “Concerned Redlands residents Association” CRRA, (a third party who received $21,675 in gifts) … whose treasurer was Gordon Wilson, a ” principal of property development company Fox and Bell.” whose sole aim was the removal of “mayor Melva Hobson and seven councillors accused of halting development.”

What is interesting to note that on the CRRA website then Cr Karen Williams stated, ” She denied her expensive campaign was being bankrolled by developers.” My only response to that statement is the hypocrisy is staggering!

Dan Ling, Alexandra Hills

Editor’s note: Mr Ling is referring to this article in the Redland City Bulletin

Conservation of bushland in Capalaba

Seemingly, RCC is hellbent on filling every available open space in our suburbs. Why! I would like someone to explain the following to me:

A local resident advised Willard Rd Capalaba was to have a dozen units built to replace three homes, with no notice on site for any resident to object. Decided to go walkabout having been personally involved in then Mayor Eddie Santagiuliana agreeing to purchase on Bowen Street, (after losing our fight to save the Bowen St Bush, koala habitat where koalas with offspring walked from Valantine Park to the site) house block owned by a German resident, and since losing the bush, a treed block beside play area. I then spoke with resident on Bowen St who was concerned that Council was planning to plant houses on the Keith Street Reserve provided to the community by Redland Shire Council.

I walked through this badly neglected Reserve, almost tripped, got entangled in vines, tried finding my way through where there had been a pathway. Eventually made my way closer to the play area, and able to make my way to the car along path there. I personally obtained brochures that Margaret Harvey took to council for the play equipment and from time to time drove there happy to see parents were there with youngsters. I became involved because I couldn’t bear seeing children playing on road or on concrete driveways.

During the Don Seccombe Administration, this Reserve was totally neglected. When Melva Hobson unseated him, I took the opportunity to attend her first meeting in council with members of the community who wanted to discuss issues. I raised the neglect of this Reserve that, we the people, fought so hard to obtain for the community. Leader of the group was Margaret Harvey (deceased) and in my view, the Reserve should be retained and named after her.

Keith St is cut up area from Willard Rd where we had tried to get council buy Will’s backyard that cuts through there, as it is a narrow part of his backyard….and to my horror today, noted EIGHT TOWNHOUSES being squeezed in there. Adjacent to this is Denison Crt housing commission homes where you can hear neighbours’ arguments and people are having to to live on top of each other.

This is not progress.

A Glade, Birkdale

Clean up Toondah Harbour

Rubbish in the carpark at Toondah Harbour

Litter in the carpark at Toondah Harbour

Toondah Harbour, desolate and windswept one day…

and litter strewn the next and the next..?.

If Council is serious about tourism maybe they can’t change the weather but

…..they can clean up the place.

The litter has been around for ages.

Not a good look for the 10,000 people expected to live there!

Name withheld, Cleveland

Bonsai and boneyards

Pictures of Bonsai, and defunct bone yards just about sums up Redlands 2030 in my view now.

This organisation (which I am not a member of) is surrounded by individuals that really know their stuff. They have highlighted important issues in the community that would otherwise would have been buried conveniently by the present Council. They have arked up the community so to speak. That’s a good thing. The time for talk is over. It is time for action.

Redlands 2030 IS a political lobby group/organisation. They are for the most part opposed to the current Council. Nothing wrong with that. But having said that, it is about time that they put up or shut up.

Who is the alternative Mayoral candidate? As far as I can see there is none. The clock is ticking. People will feel let down badly of there is no quality candidate to take on the current Mayor. In fact if there is just a token candidate then the Mayor will be re elected and all the hard work will mean jack. People will jump ship.

On another note, why is there no post about the debate with the Mayor held at Raby Bay the other night? I was there. When can we see the video?

Dan Ling, Alex Hills

Editors note: Here is a link to Redlands2030’s report about the meeting at Raby Bay:

Toondah project could have 10,000 residents

A link to the video of the debate will be included in another post, to be published shortly.

Redlands2030 – 15 October 2015

One Comment

Brendan from Cleveland, Oct 19, 2015

Further to the Redland City Bulletin article re. electoral donations. I agree with the 2030 editior’s summation of hypocrisy. Surely there must be some “come uppance” for the mass distribution of flyers and advertising campaign “xing” out councillors that did not fit with the CRRA. What about the huge billboard at the Shore St roundabout. I agree with the declaration from the 2012 candidates in that all of their donations were declared. Yet it beggars belief that we should accept that there would be no payback for the campaign run by the CRRA; or am I just being naive?

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