Letters to the Editor
Some letters to Redlands2030 comment about recent suggestions that building 3,600 apartments on the Toondah mudflats will address the current housing crisis.
If you have something to say about the housing crisis or anything else email it to theeditor@redlands2030.net
Toondah claims are nonsensical
Don Brown MP suggested that Toondah would partially alleviate the housing crisis.
That is nonsensical!! The proposed scheme is only for the very rich and for investors who live abroad and no mention of affordable housing anywhere in the glossy Toondah advertising strategy.
Mr Brown should stick to his knitting whatever that is. As to our Council’s complicity in the Toondah scam, a cleanout of all but one or two of this sorry lot is a must.
B.M.
Cleveland
Toondah and the housing crisis
There is not a skerrick of evidence that Toondah could be a response to the housing crisis!
Don Brown triggered a noisy public response to his call for the Toondah PDA to be purposed as a partial “solution” for the Queensland housing shortage. Let’s not worry about how a development planned for 800 units on the land of GJ Walter Park, under the previous LNP Government, can now, magically, fit a 3600 apartments in the waters of Moreton Bay. There has no evidence, not a skerrick, of infrastructure planning sufficient for thousands of residents including three new schools, hospitals, adequate open space, roads, public transport, busses, trains, water, sewerage or community services like police, fire brigade, ambulance or SES!
Would the infrastructure arrive in a timely way or would it lag for years?
Why would the Government stump up millions for infrastructure for an elite suburb? Perhaps Mr Brown could check the site planning for 800 units (done by the LNP in 2014) and nothing has ever changed. The ALP never revised the development scheme but now plans to shoe-horn 3600 apartments into the site. Was that an accident or was it subterfuge?
J.D.
Cleveland
Build on rock, not mud
I recall one of the songs I learnt as a child was “Build on the rock, and not upon the sand.” Some reports out of Raby Bay clearly indicate the problems that this type of development creates. I fail to see why building 3,600 high-rise units in similar circumstances can possibly be any different. 27,000 people thought so too!
Why not build the same units on land and enjoy the benefits of our natural world at the same time? Surely that’s a win/win?
But for those with shorter memories the music of Build on the Rock and not upon the Sand will rekindle Sunday School and the words, as adjusted for Toondah, go like this:
Build on the Rock, the Rock that ever stands,
Oh, build on the Rock, and not upon the sands;
You need not fear the storm, or the earthquake shock,
You’re safe for evermore if you build on the Rock.
Build on the shore, and not upon the mud,
Lest you end up with a unit, that’s bound to be a dud,
For you cannot see the end, of the troubles you will brave,
When global warming strikes, and you sink beneath the wave.
And let us not forget, that we warned you all along,
It’s all very clear, just listen to the song,
The problem with the site, it’s simply just not right,
So stop the rort, just fix the port.
R.C.
Cleveland
Build in Capalaba not Toondah
In the Redlands City News of 1 – 7 June 2023, Don Brown, Member for Capalaba has raised some serious issues about a proposal to build high-rise units in Moreton Bay.
The points raised by Mr Brown include the increased supply of housing, jobs for locals including skilled trades, savings in commuting to Brisbane and that residents against the proposal are merely being negative and saying; ‘Not in my backyard’ (NIMBY).
Well, Mr Brown, you are of course very familiar with the local scene in Redlands. The type of accommodation proposed at Toondah Harbour is clearly not the low-income type critically needed. Talk to your own Housing Minister to get some clarification that the type of accommodation being proposed. It sure ain’t low-cost accommodation. Take a look at Raby Bay to see what is being proposed at Toondah. Exactly who will be able to afford to own waterfront accommodation and marina facilities for an expensive yacht?
Those who consider commuting might also like to consider that any additional population density placed in at the extreme edge of the area can only cause more congestion on the roads and infrastructure and not less.
The locus of population, accommodation and transport is in your own electorate of Capalaba. Isn’t it therefore a case of you yourself saying NIMBY at Capalaba?
The logical place to build high-rise accommodation is where the transport hub is already developed and is well connected to the CBD, rather than a new site in Moreton Bay and at the extreme edge of the region and the commuter road system.
Finally, consider your argument about providing employment for local skilled workers. What difference would it matter if the thousands of high-rise units were built on land, and not on reclaimed ground in the middle of the current wildlife sanctuary? The work would still be there for local skilled workers who presumably, may not live in Raby Bay.
There have been reports that the existing buildings at Raby Bay and suffering from being built on reclaimed land. And those aren’t high-rise units.
You should request the Federal Environment Minister to come and conduct a closer inspection of the proposal. But first, take a good hard look at the facts. Making emotive comments that are for some unknown reason clouding the real issues and lacking common sense.
S.O.
Cleveland
Why build on reclaimed wetlands?
In the Redland City News ( June 1-7-2023) a local MP waxes lyrical about the benefits of the latest Toondah proposal. That’s the one that keeps morphing into a bigger and bigger number of high-rise units being built on reclaimed sandfly and mosquito-laden wetlands, now currently occupied by native birds and threatened local koalas.
Yup! Mr Brown has again come out strongly in support of this twice rejected proposal. Bags of employment here Mr Brown says. Commuters will now not have to travel to the CBD. Wow! But why wouldn’t commuters want to live closer to the city rather than in a very constricted corner of the wetlands?
More desperately needed public Housing! That’s Mr Brown’s answer! Of course! Why didn’t we think of that? High-rise, luxury units so that owners can have their own marina to tie up yachts and power boats.
Still, there must be some reason why Mr Brown doesn’t want these benefits in his own electorate. Seems rather strange that Capalaba isn’t a better choice for desperately needed low and medium-cost accommodation and more convenient access to the CBD? And isn’t Mr Brown not advocating at the same time his government’s concept of how there will be better and faster bus routes to the CBD? Why isn’t he looking after the people of his own electorate instead of promoting the wondrous benefits in another electorate?
And then there are the problems one hears about the similar but last big development at Raby Bay? I wonder why Mr Brown doesn’t suggest it’s better to build on dry land rather than reclaimed wetlands?
P.S.
Cleveland
More letters to the Editor
Capalaba needs attention, banking, homeless in the Redlands, Toondah
Council clean-out, Birkdale lands and G.J. Walter Park road plan – in letters
Birkdale Whitewater Proposal, Turtle Killings, And Toondah In Letters
Redlands2030 – 28 July 2023
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3 Comments
The comments by Member for Capalaba, Don Brown, on the Toondah Proposal shows that he is out of touch with the community but in touch with generous developers. The Proposal for Toondah of 3,600 units over shore-bird zone has nothing to do with providing more suitable housing and Don Brown knows it. He should be kicked out on his arse at the next election and so should most of the councillors of RCC at their next election. Just to give you an idea there is a block of over 90 units already built on dry land just 500m from G J Walter Park. It is called Toondah Outlook but of course there will be No outlook if Walker Corporation get their way. Units on the 7th floor of this block recently sold for one million dollars and they are built on dry land. It costs much more to build over an intertidal zone so if units were built there the price would have to be around two million each for the developer to make a profit. But Don Brown is too much of a dummy to recognise this fact. Furthermore, no insurance companies will insure houses or apartments built below the high tide level. Did Don Brown consider any of these facts?
Stop Toondah development! This is a madness!! Save koalas, unique environement and wildlife!
The world is watching!
SAVE THE WETLANDS .BUILDING ON MUD FLATS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN