Mayor Karen Williams’ destinations in North America – Photo of Karen Williams by Redland City Bulletin / Emily Lowe
Mayor Karen Williams may be welcoming the prospect of packing her bags and leaving town in a few days time. She’s joining a posse of SEQ mayors heading for Vancouver and Los Angeles on a ‘business mission’, which could offer some respite from her won’t-go-away drinking debacle of last year.
Trips such as these are commonplace. But less usual was a late agenda item, added to the Council meeting on December 14th, to give the mayor the okay, and the money, for a side-trip.
She wanted “… to visit emergency services training and white water facilities to explore ongoing partnerships to support the Birkdale Community Precinct and associated resilience training facility…”. The destination was undisclosed.
It’s not clear why this was sprung on councillors with so little warning, and it duly produced some tribal rancour around the table.
Councillor Hewlett, with interjections from the Mayor, spoke against an unwarranted drain on the public purse. Councillor Mitchell retaliated by predicting “great outcomes” from a “really wise investment”.
Based on what? The entire debate was conducted without any mention, or apparent knowledge, of where the Mayor was going. The vote went in her favour, by the predictable margin of 7 to 4.
Mayor to visit USA Whitewater Centre
After some prodding last week, the Mayor’s office revealed the mystery destination. She’ll be visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Centre in Charlotte, North Carolina.
There, she will investigate “potential international collaboration” and measures to ensure “the facility delivers a lasting legacy”.
Much stress is put on “potential swift water and emergency service training opportunities.” Has anyone, ever, been rescued from ‘swift water’ in the Redlands? Do we even have any?
Mind you, building a wild whitewater course at Birkdale would supply the city with exactly the dangerous drowning hazard it needs to justify training up a specialist rescue unit to fish people out of it.
Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
Redlands2030 – 22 January 2023
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
9 Comments
I believe the Mayor will investigate Waste Management facilities whilst in the US.
I encourage Redlanders to explore our own Waste Management options in March 24.
Let’s throw the garbage out, starting with the 7 Councillors who voted for this junket.
Why the hell is the Mayor ( and the Deputy Mayor ) wasting our ratepayers money on this junket , when they haven’t even finished the Centre Rd footpath to Sandy Beach , after 9 years ( where a young boy died )?!
And they refuse to put a pool heater pump in the Russell Island ️ pool so it doesn’t have to close in the winter months !
But they’ll waste money on this trip to Los Angeles and Vancouver ?!
And didn’t the Premier kick Williams off the Olympic Committee because of her drink driving ?
Seriously , WTAF ?
* Btw , the Ipswich Mayor and Deputy Mayor are NOT going because they said that they want to be accountable and transparent on their expenditures, and look after their community first and foremost.
THAT’S what we need here !
How the hell is she still mayor what an absolute disgrace, Redlands council is in shambles. At least put a wave pool at the site so children can learn to surf etc
Why do they even have to go overseas on a fact finding mission. Contact those that held ” the best Olympics ever. SOCOG
I’m afraid the 8 -10 trafic lanes will not be any help for our 2-3 lane roads.
Unbelievable. When did Premier and Mayor Williams decide the Birkdale land was the right place for whitewater rafting facility and what kind of background knowledge does the mayor have or even pretend to want to know about swift water rescues? Sounds like a fairy tale…yes, agree with those who say its jobs for the boys. I can’t meet with friends without being greeted with ..your mayor should be thrown out. We the people, were asked to help shape the future of this land..to Imagine a place for connection and community. Shape vision for world-class precinct for Redlands Coast at Birkdale. This is our chance to transform an important parcel of land into an exciting area of local, regional and national significance. Redland City Council is seeking community input into visioning for the site and while on tour, asked for our ideas for future of this unique parcel of land, stating we would learn about (a) WWII Radio Receiving Station, (b) native wild flowers (c) local characters & identities (d) general history of the site. Consultation closed May 4, 2021. Looks to me like ideas and aspirations for the site by we the people, died on the same day….May 4, 2021.
I’ve written in many comment sections about the Birkdale land in other online press sites stating all and more of what your comment said.
You are dead set right. The community input and open day at the Birkdale site was all a farce. Our input ment nothing because the Mayors white water rafting centre was a done deal .
If you remember years ago she wanted to build a white water centre at Mt Cotton and I can’t help but think she was just putting the idea out there because she new the qld government was working on getting the Olympics. So when we won the Olympics she simply took the same idea and planted in the Birkdale site. If you look at it all you can’t half tell it was always going to be.
Absolutely disgusting that Mayor Williams is even still Mayor.
Why not send an engineer ( if anyone) who understands and knows what they are talking about.
Here’s another thought – since I believe the white water facility in North Carolina is going to be used for the Los Angeles Olympics, a considerable distance away from LA, why doesn’t Queensland use the white water rafting facility at Penrith in NSW. I understand it could do with an injection of cash as it is a considerable drain on the community.
Here’s a thought … what if we actually held the Olympic Whitewater events on an actual QLD fast flowing river with rapids, on which whitewater sports rafting is run … rather than spend $150 Million+ building an artificial one, that the Ratepayers are milked to maintain – but not before few grand of Ratepayers hard-earnt is squandered on pointless fatcat junkets like this. Smart State, right??