Letters to Redlands2030 this week are about election sign vandalism and an opinion about a recent opinion piece by newspaper columnist Des Houghton.

Election signs

055 Election sign Greg Underwood Cleveland 23 February 2016 comp

A Greg Underwood election sign


Having lived in Capalaba for the past 30 years, I have become aware lately while driving around in the local area this past week, of seeing numerous signs of our incumbent mayor Karen Williams, but none of mayoral hopeful Greg Underwood, a former General Manager of Redland Shire Council.
On making inquiries, I was informed that signs erected in the Ney/School Road area adjacent to Mt Cotton Road, Capalaba, disappeared overnight. I was also informed by an Ormiston resident that signage on her property has been tampered with, found lying on the ground, finally having been damaged to the extent to where the sign is unusable.
We know politics is a dirty business, but isn’t this going too far? All those who wish to take on – having seen harm done in communities across the Redlands – the difficult task of representing their local communities to the best of their ability, should be allowed to do so, with signage left in place.
Aren’t we Aussies the people who are willing to give everyone ‘a fair go’? Please consider this before destroying/discarding any further signs of those considered as being unwelcome in the new council.
Amy E Glade
Capalaba
 

Des Houghton’s credibility

How disappointing that the popular journalist Des Houghton chose to sacrifice his credibility by writing such a biased and ill-informed opinion piece (Courier Mail Sat, 13 Feb) about the current Mayor, Karen Williams.
As a Redland resident with an active interest in Council’s people, politics and performance, I was frustrated by the inaccurate comments including commending the contentious development approvals granted by the power block of six councillors whom she leads.
Certainly malicious personal slurs are unacceptable, and so is the worsening intimidation being experienced by some other electoral candidates and their supporters. Using the widely read Courier Mail column to seek the sympathy vote as a victim suggests that the Mayor certainly is feeling the heat from an electorate stewing about community views being ignored.
This is evident in the contents of our draft City Plan and in the apparently unstoppable deluge of inappropriate developments.
Yes, things are warming up in the Redlands and the Houghton article demonstrates that the claims and promises are getting ever more ridiculous as the election looms closer.
Michelle Jeppesen
Ormiston
 

Letters to the editor

Letter-to-the-editor-300x178
Recent changes to the Redland City Bulletin’s layout mean that very few letters are now being published in the local paper. Sometime, a single long letter can take up half of the  space that the Bulletin allocates for letters.
If you are fed up with your letters not being published by the Bulletin, send them here instead. The email address is
theeditor@redlands2030.net
 

Published by Redlands2030 – 26 February

5 Comments

Amy E Glade, Mar 25, 2023

Remembering our first Redland Shire Council’s elected mayor, Eddie Santagiuliana, who left us all too soon. As stated by a Cleveland resident, Eddie was passionate about the Redlands. As new arrival in Capalaba in 1986, knowing no one, joined Ney Road Bowls Club to meet local residents, prior to election. Not knowing who to vote for, asked member of the bowls club, who stated: ” Eddie, he gets things done!” In joining other local groups, got to know Eddie well. Personally became involved in volunteering help, to the best of my ability, looking after community needs, environmentally, physically, and financially, as needed. For my efforts, received awards for my work, one in Parliament, but the one I value most and cherish, is the one handed to me by Eddie on June 5, 1995, which read: “World Environment Day 1995, Redland Shire Council, Environmental Award, for your personal contribution in preserving and enhancing our Redland Environment”. Often think of Eddie, who is sorely missed.

Tim Barker, Feb 27, 2016

Lovely to see another publication with a ‘Letters to the Editor’ Section. Always had them in my paper Bay Island News, and will again when it comes back next month.
The other Island paper has never seen fit to publish the opinions of its readers. Afraid they may be critical perhaps.
Anyway, good on you, I’ll be visiting this site more often, we have complementary ideals, methinks.
PS: Been too busy with facebook (Bay Island News Group) and election stuff to redo website, and I’m a webmaster. I vote for a 25 hour day!

Sally Piracha, Feb 27, 2016

Let’s not use Des Houghton’s name in the same breathe as the word “credibility”. It’s literally decades since he had any, and Mayor Williams’ will not benefit from Des’s rambling.

Mal McGookin, Feb 26, 2016

The problem is that a small cadre of insiders connected to the present Mayor believe they “own” the Redlands.
When Redlands was a more sparsely populated shire, the influence of this gang of insiders was less obvious. However, I have seen at first hand how developers and their lackey mouthpieces who claim to offer Redlanders “choice” have instead limited choice and consigned each new wave of Redlanders to a miserable table d’hote menu of stifling, claustraphobic estates, cluster housing and dogbox development.
This is a Mayor running scared. She was tasked with delivering a smooth path for her developer vandal buddies. Her job is only half done. Not seeing it through is a terrifying option for the Mayor. There are billions at stake. Money drives people to desperate measures.
Imagine having Brannigan, Mitchell, Donald, Harling, Owen or that “forged at the gates of hell” lady on council? Unthinkable. All have one thing in common – no ideas, no policies, no concern for Redlanders, no other reason to run except to advance the house-building agenda of developers.

examinator Ant, Feb 26, 2016

In my point of view all election advertising i.e posters are equivalent to the worst of graffiti in that adds nothing to the sum total of information to the public …. pure emotional manipulation.
e.g. Talty posters are glamour shots .
One could note that in her advertising literature the pictures include Williams. Who’s shadowing whom?
One also needs to look closer in that the properties that display her/ their pictures, as one observant citizen noted are big land holders who are looking to serve their own interests rather than as he put it “those who are left to deal with the mess”

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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