Don Brown and Jackie Trad announcing Labor’s support for the Toondah project in June 2015. Photo Chris McCormack RCB
Environmental harm of the Toondah proposal, advice for the mayor on conflicts of interest and clarification about activity charges at the Donald Simpson Centre are discussed in letters to the Editor.
If you have something to say to our readers, email: theeditor@redlands2030.net
Stop the “horrendous Toondah proposal”
As a kid I grew up visiting Straddie. I still have family on the island and have only recently found out that this horrendous Toondah proposal is still proceeding.
While I live in Lutwyche and work full time on work days I would love to support the community efforts to stop this proposal.
The Ramsar area, koala and migratory birds are issues the whole of Brisbane and the whole of Queensland should have been invited to make comment on. I can’t believe that the Government didn’t ensure the broadest possible community engagement at the time. And then to expand the development 450% looks like a back door deal.
I will now attend protests, write submissions, share your posts on social media etc with my friends and colleagues. Please keep me posted and let me know how I can help.
I have already written to Jackie Trad, the Premier and my local member.
Good luck with your campaign, thanks for your efforts to save Moreton Bay.
OD
Lutwych
Toondah process looks flawed and corrupted
One of the Toondah koalas
How can we see the State and Federal governments have honestly considered the damage to Moreton Bay due to dredging for Toondah?
Never mind the Ramsar invasion, the damage to wildlife (including koalas) and the disruption to locals?
Such development as proposed is totally unwise and process to date looks flawed and corrupted.
There is little or no value to the Redlands. its ratepayers or its residents
GC
Clevelend
Advice for the Mayor on conflicts of interest
Mayor Karen Williams chairing a meeting
I read with interest a Redland City Bulletin story reporting Mayor Williams’ comments that she is keen to have the Premier tighten up donations from developers and rules regarding conflict of interest.
Why does it need the Premier to sort these issues out?
Anyone with some conscience and common sense should not need anyone to tell them that accepting money from developers – and then staying in the Council Chambers to help make decisions in favour of the same developers’ applications – is a disgrace.
Communities all over Australia, but especially in Queensland, have seen the dodgy deals done in some councils recently – whether it be on ABC 4 Corners or front page in the Courier Mail.
Dodgy deals are rampant and people have had a gutful of the arrogance of some.
Huge amounts of public money spent on the Operation Belcarra have highlighted the attitude of some elected members who think they are above the law.
And there’s the 2012 changes to the Local Government Act by ex Premier Campbell Newman, giving mayors almost unlimited powers.
I believe that all the guidelines and strengthening of the law will only be followed by the honest.
Sadly, there will always be those who will find a loophole and use it.
If Mayor Williams needs clarity in understanding conflict of interest, when an elected member receives money from a developer, here is my advice.
If you take the money, LEAVE THE ROOM.
TB
Sheldon
Donald Simpson Community Centre Activity fees
The Donald Simpson Community Centre
There has been some misreporting, which has been repeated without checking by others, of the Activity Fee increase at the Donald Simpson Centre.
In order to raise some additional funding with as little impact on members as possible, the Activity Fee was increased by $1 from $4 to $5 per activity regardless of length.
It is intended to increase our income with as little impact as possible on our members some of whom are among the most financially vulnerable in the Redlands.
A member who pays membership and attends one session a week for around 45 weeks per year pays around $240 per year for the opportunity to socialise in their chosen activity.
Some members have to limit their activities because of shortage of funds and this operates against the purpose of the Centre in avoiding social isolation.
Tony Christinson
Board Chairman
Donald Simpson Centre
Letters published by Redlands2030 – 14 November 2017
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3 Comments
As mentioned by Sheldon resident on Redland Council’s dodgy deals…don’t all councils act the same way? Having asked member in real estate industry if other councils were as corrupt as Redlands, reply was that ‘all councils are corrupt!’ Can’t forget time I stood up in council to speak on behalf of locals wanting to save officially listed in council records, cluster of koala habitat trees by TAFE fence, Alex Hills, only to be silenced by RSC member officiating on that day, after hearing the word ‘trees’, with comment ‘done deal, Amy’..so no further effort on my part to speak in Redlands council on any issue being made aware that all deals are back room deals with a select few invited into mayor’s inner sanctum with we, the people of Redlands, having no say.
Listening to Gold Coast radio recently, speaker mentioned renaming Gold Coast ‘Dodge City’. Redlands Council have wasted time and money on asking locals for a ‘brand’ name for Redland City. Has an appropriate one been found?
I fully agree with OD, GC and TB above. What each of these people are saying is just common sense. When councillors or politicians accept donations from Developers they should take no part in decisions which involve those Developers. Jackie Trad, Deputy Premier of Qld Labor, not only supported the Walker Proposal after her Party accepted a large donation, but she did nothing about the increasing road congestion in the Redlands. The question at voting time in less than two weeks is not which major Party should be given preference but which one should receive the No.5.
Remember every Mayor wants to make a name for (her)self and Karen will walk over broken bodies to ensure she is remembered, even if for the wrong reasons!
She operates in the Jackboot tradition and will simply ignore common sense and the feelings of the REDLANDS ratepayers to gain this notoriority – no way we will win this one!
Listening to the community, liaising, discussing and (God forbid) even backing down in many areas is simply not her style! She sees that as a loss of face and it ain’t gunna happen!