Cleveland, Toondah and Australia in letters

The Cleveland CBD, environmental regulation and poor political leadership in Australia today are discussed in letters published by Redlands2030.

If you have something to say to our community, email your letter to:

theeditor@redlands2030.net

Is this the Australia we want to be proud of ?

I used to be proud to be an Australian, and I was a Liberal voter on most occasions throughout my life because of what the party said it stood for – in general, the power of individuals and business to create wealth.

My pride in being an Australian was because Australia was a fair country which, while giving incentives and opportunity to those who could participate, also looked after those who were unable to do so in a world-leading way:

• The aged
• Those with a disability
• The unemployable
• The sick and injured
• Refugees from other countries

My Australia was a model international citizen that was a role model for other countries in positive participation in UN and similar initiatives to help the poor, the hungry and the oppressed. It was a front-line participant in global movements and agreements leading to a better world Australian men and women have perished in fighting for the rights of others in wars and unrest in their countries.

It now appears I live in a country where political parties are so beholden to big business interests for election funding that, to avoid upsetting their donors they:

• Put their electoral fortunes ahead of everything else
• Deny, fail to identify and provide for major existential risks
• Close their eyes and deny major shifts in commodity markets and technologies
• Refuse to spell out sane and sensible transition strategies to help affected Australians understand their place in the new future
• Trash the environment in the name of progress
• Manipulate and distort the use of their own environmental protection protocols
• Use election campaign tactics of fear, untruth and deceit
• Push back on any attempts to weed out unethical and corrupt behaviour
• Exit from areas of government that will put enormous pressure on those parts of our community that cannot fend for themselves
• Use whatever mechanisms they can to gag and suppress community opposition to their agenda

Today’s Australia is minimising its obligations under international agreements, playing politics with refugees, backsliding on protocols agreed by predecessor governments, and being willing to be dragged kicking and screaming into global activities on the basis that we are “too small to make a difference”.

The recent (2019) federal election made it clear that by obfuscation and treachery, an election was won in favour of the corporate mates of the LNP. It was done in a way that led Australians to vote with their hip pockets, and reject an agenda that gave some hope to the needy and the environment.

It was done in a way that let guesswork, fear and deceit triumph over planning, openness and fairness.

This is not the Australia our servicemen fought for in several conflicts. It resembles a poor copy of Trump’s USA.

Australia, I’ve had enough. If I had not before, Saturday’s exercise in clever political chicanery made it very clear. I think I’ve become a left-leaning tree-hugger activist. That’s because it’s time for some balance, and most of the rest of Australia is leaning the other way.

It’s time to wake up, wise up, and stand up to these smug political bullies of any persuasion. I’m calling on all Australians to take a long hard look in the mirror, and ask themselves “Is this the Australia we want to be proud of?”

DC
Thornlands

Toondah – an embarrassment for Queensland and Australia

I heard Mr Laming crowing on the ABC about state/ federal bi-partisan  support for the development of the Toondah PDA.

It seems the Federal Minister for Environment,  is the only hope for a rational outcome but it also seems to me on like matters that the State and Federal environmental advisers and the CSIRO are being ignored.

It appears the State environment scrutineers were being thorough and even tough with Adani in regards to bird habitat, sub-surface water and geo-technical matters.  After the election I expect that is now being changed.  The top down edict seems likely to be “approve Adani” and so best wishes to any rational thinking and fearless public servant.. 

As I see it the trouble with all of this is the risks imposed by compensation and court actions for any government decision that stopped the nonsense.

The lawyers rubbing their hands, the community will pay and the developer cannot loose. What can I say but that Toondah is not looking good? And this for all the wrong reasons.  

What an embarrassment for Queensland and Australia on the world stage.  

But lets hope the locals can continue to keep the system as honest as possible.  Because I think reason and science have gone from the debate  

JB
Brisbane

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Council petitioned to do better for Cleveland CBD

I am petitioning Redland City Council to consider a strategy to upgrade the Cleveland CBD in an effort to make it more affordable for people to do business in Cleveland.

The petition also looks at a means for Council to upgrade parking behind the Council building, and look at ways to incorporate the public use of the land where the Chefs Inc. used to be. And that Council begins finding ways to work with businesses to encourage a feasible plan is implemented on car parking and looking at making it more affordable for businesses to continue operating in the CBD.

I gathered 250 signatures since last week, 84 of them online via a petition on Change.Org and the rest 172 being hand written petitions to the Council. I consulted everyday residents of the Redlands and Cleveland including businesses and customers alike on the issue. 

Much of the feedback I received was a concern that Council hasn’t planned ahead on the issue of car parking, that car parks being sold off isn’t solving the problem, that it’s also creating a backflow on residential streets, not enough consultation was occurring with businesses, and that Cleveland was fast becoming a ghost town. Some businesses felt not enough space was being made with the train station being factored in as well as any thought towards a multi level car space, greens space for young families and teens, lack of disability access and high rent. It doesn’t take a space alien or Martian to figure this out. 

I hope that this petition can highlight to the Council the urgent need to do something and work out a strategy to improve car parking and the Cleveland CBD overall. I will be exploring my options to table this not only to Redlands City Council staff but the Council itself if they allow it. 

My petition can be found here!

Callen Sorensen-Karkliss
Cleveland

Letters published by Redlands2030 – 31 May 2019