Toondah Harbour and right to information

Letters this week question the scale of the proposed upgrade of the Toondah ferry terminal given recent works at Weinam Creek. Other letters discuss the Redlands Coast branding, cost-benefit analysis and Redlands2030’s pursuit of a right to information request.

Toondah ferry terminal needs to be functional

The Weinam Creek ferry terminal upgrade at Redland Bay is first class, with everything required including bus interchange.

No unnecessary crap such as tourist shops or restaurants, which are not required with Redland Bay hotel and shopping district just a short walk away.

This upgrade was done by State Government and Redland City Council for $9 Million. A slightly scaled-up version is all that a required for Toondah. I’m guessing $20-25M would cover it and retail outlets could be leased as an income stream to cover maintenance etc.

No damage to Moreton Bay Marine Park or the Ramsar wetlands.

The Walker /RCC-RIC proposal entails massive dredging for the marina and reclaiming land for the atrocious 3,600 apartments spread around in up to 10 storeys in an artificial city.

Marine scientists at Dunwich have stated that the resulting toxic bloom would not only destroy seagrass beds in the Bay, but would also be the death of the last living coral around adjacent Peel Island. With corals dead, the healthy population of reef fish would also vanish with knock-on effects to other dependent species.

We could then kiss goodbye to our chances of World Heritage Listing for Moreton Bay and the ecotourism boost to Australia and Queensland in particular that this listing would engender.

BH
Cleveland

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Benefit-Cost for Toondah is needed

Congratulations Howard Guille and Redlands 2030! The article on benefit cost from 29 October was is an unexpected gem. It was an analysis of how we should do an overall cost-benefit analysis of the Toondah Harbour proposal.

I’m very glad I raised the subject a couple of months ago. I raised it then because of the letter written by the Minjerribah leader about how the Toondah proposals up to that point had ignored his people’s welfare and views. Reading between the lines of what he wrote, I think he was raising how critical was their current economic plight. That’s what moved me too (as it obviously moved you!)

However, I don’t think this impact is absolute. For me, it is rather that if there are economic benefits coming our community’s way, a lot should be directed at the indigenous community of Minjerribah and it appears to me that they would be grateful for them as several other major First People’s acceptance of developments in WA and NT and Queensland have done.

I would add to this excellent analysis that there are many existing cost-benefit reports such as those of the Productivity Commission in Canberra that can be used to quantify increased traffic congestions costs and government health care increases’ benefits for example. So my minor criticism is that Howard has made a cost-benefit analysis sound too hard to do when in fact it is being used in many projects, possibly in incomplete fashion but it’s certainly a lot better than nothing.

Even a little of rigour is better than none. I applaud very loudly the fact we now have cost-benefit analyses as standard operating procedures in infrastructure.

And I don’t care if the developer makes a heap of profit. What I do care about is whether the public benefits outweigh the public costs!

ZJ
Raby Bay

Editor: Our apologies for the delay in publishing this letter.

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Redland City is bayside not a coast

I have noticed that candidate for Division 7 in the upcoming City Council elections, Rowanne McKenzie, is making allegations against another candidate in Division 9, Adelia Berridge. 

It all appears to be very petty stuff. Ms Berridge has pointed out that the re-branding exercise of the Redland City Council will cost around $500,000 and for what?  It has already cost over $224,000 and there is a lot more to be spent yet. 

Let’s look at that re-branding exercise, which the Mayor claims is widely supported. She said the same about the Toondah Proposal and thousands of residents are strongly opposed to dredging and reclamation of the protected shorebird zone to make way for 3,600 units in the Bay. 

The latest re-branding states – “Redland Coast – Naturally Wonderful” has a little logo that I think looks like dog vomit.

There is nothing natural or wonderful about recent developments approved by the Council.

I had the idea to look up the word coast. It is where the mainland meets the sea.  Redlands are more correctly described as “bayside”…why because that is exactly what it is. Families and tourists are attracted to the bayside no matter what label or logo we wish to give it.

DT
Victoria Point

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Right to Information laws

I am dismayed you have had to revert to a fundraising campaign to argue your case before QCAT.

Given the public interest in the matter you have challenged there must surely be a way for the public interest to prevail without such costs.

We all know the law is an ass but in this case, the Government has challenged the decision of its own independent umpire. What a terrible precedent!

So keep up the good work.

RS
Cleveland

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More letters

If you have something to say, email your letter to theeditor@redlands2030.net

Here are more letters that have been published by Redlands2030:

Council elections and wildlife care in letters

Claire4mayor, safety and plastic roads in letters

High rollers, splitters and Toondah in letters

Redlands2030 looks forward to printing letters that express the views, interests and opinions of our readers. We suggest short snappy letters…these will get more interest and more readers so that the opinion is more widely heard.

Redlands2030 – 20 January 2020