Letters
Many thanks from the residents of Lookout Estate to Yve Stokes.
She organised and chaired a community meeting with the mayor and the majority of councillors.
It resulted in a great outcome.
The speed zone along Glen Road was changed to 60kmh through our estate and the old real estate sign on a vacant block was dismantled.
She got them cracking on repairs to the water treatment plant, which got a new roof and had the fence fixed up.
The nature reserve next to the water treatment plant has been tidied up with the road down the middle cleared.
The rural fire brigades of The Glen, Greymare and Karara, all volunteers, tired after a big day, burnt off the scrubland on Saturday afternoon.
Very professional job – it was a ‘cold fire’, so only the undergrowth was affected.
My mate Merv Bray, also a paramedic, was with The Glen crew.
He should be up for an award for Australia Day for giving up his days off to fight fires, no reward except for the satisfaction of helping others.
If you want a councillor who has a business brain and is pro sensible development – all you tradies take note – give Yve Stokes a tick.
She knows first we need water for Stanthorpe and Elbow Valley as a top priority.
Thanks again Yve from the residents of Lookout Estate.
John Felton,
Warwick.
We don’t matter
They will stop a multi-million dollar mine for a lizard but they cannot stop Grainx for the sake of people.
I think we living here are also an endangered species.
Even in their current output we live under the umbrella of their filth and dust and they are currently rolling up their sleeves.
Their agenda is outrageous, with residents and an old people’s home metres from their operations. Money rules!
Sandy Manson,
Allora.
Tank water talk
Mr Rowley’s letter (Split on Water, Southern Free Times, 6 August) has raised the important issue of water supply and use.
This discussion should be had by the whole Granite Belt community and not behind closed doors.
Everyone’s rates will be paying the cost of a new dam.
Council debt is already high and rate increases far outstrip the CPI.
Council policies are based on ‘user pays’.
Will the horticulture and other industries be paying for the cost of this investment? What is the cost of upgrade to sewage recycling for irrigation supply?
After the last big dry in the late 1990s to early 2000s, some communities in Australia made important decisions about water supply for dwellings, industry and commercial purposes.
By 2004, Goulburn’s Pejar Dam in NSW was a dusty mudflat at less than 10 per cent capacity.
With a population of 25,000 and expected to grow to 40,000 fairly quickly, it was obvious that decisions of water supply other than drought affected dams had to be made.
The Goulburn Mulwaree Council took the bit between the teeth and legislated that all new urban dwellings, units, industrial and commercial development had to have tanks installed and connected to the buildings.
South Australia passed similar legislation in 2004 for the entire state!
I have included the references as they show that the tank connection to the house follows Building Code of Australia (BCA) specifications in both cases.
Can we do this on the Granite Belt?
Brian Gibbons,
Stanthorpe.
Dam the expense
It is time Southern Downs Regional Council’s councillors backed off the Emu Swamp Dam proposal. With the business plan estimated to cost up to another $1 million on top of the other $4 million already spent, surely it is time to call it quits?
Irrigators are currently being asked to make a firm commitment as to whether they will use water and how much water they may use despite the fact that the true cost is not yet known.
They won’t be able to afford water, even if it were available, because in the dry times when they need it most, the ‘puddle’ will be preserved for Stanthorpe domestic use.
And, by the way, the farmers will still have to pay for the water they are not getting, so please do not be conned into a decision you may later regret.
Even if the Federal and State governments come to the party, the cost of the water will still be astronomical for town users as well.
Sue Johnson,
Stanthorpe.
We suck it up
This latest rate rise is shameful and I am frustrated by the incompetence of our local council.
My wife opened the latest rate notice and gasped. She looked at me and said in a monotone voice, ‘suck it up ratepayer!’
Once again (and it is once again) the local ratepayer has been rouged and our council has no problem with it and can justify their actions.
Our representatives informed us that there was a rigorous debate in chambers and they graciously came to a compromise over what to charge.
What is the latest excuse for the rate rise?
Infrastructure, rise in cost of living and other external factors.
It is so frustrating having to cop this rise once again.
Every year it’s the same story with a different set of excuses, the same reaction from local residence and you feel you have no recourse except to suck it up.
Ninety nine per cent of ratepayers do not earn the salary of our councillors so they have to find the money from somewhere.
It’s easy for those who rent houses, they simply increase the rent and local businesses simply increase their prices.
So now all goods and services will increase throughout this financial year and as a result we will all pay again from the numerous increases.
It is disturbing to see empty shops in our main street, and this will surely increase.
This latest rate rise helps contribute to this bad look.
One could say it’s simply economics. We all need to tighten our belt and live within our budget.
Hey, have I advertently found the answer to stop or reduce rate rises? Don’t spend what we don’t have.
If local residents must do it, why can’t the council? Ah, but they have a seasonal cash cow, ratepayers don’t.
Give it a month or so and the noise and frustrations of ratepayers will die down and then our local council members can get on doing whatever they’re doing.
And finally, to anyone who may be contemplating becoming a council member in the future, good for you. It is an admirable vocation, with high ideals.
Remember, though, you are representing and serving ordinary people in your district.
This latest rate rise does not reflect this.
Stephen Swinburne,
Stanthorpe.
Standing up for beliefs
We are in such a mess from the top, our whole world is in need of a revamp and I will not lie down my belief that the One who made us does know what is best for His creation as everyone who has made cars, even Lego creations knows how to put it back together when it breaks.
There are many broken people and we do care; the local council drama is not getting better and really the mayor and his band of ‘merry men’ will just go ‘round and round’ keeping away from truth and falling into mire.
Saul, the first king of Israel, wanted to keep the throne after he went astray and God put David in his place much to Saul’s grief.
We probably do need a new head, one who will be prepared to consider others above his own agenda.
I continue to pray for Mr Blundell; The God I know does all things well and He is gentle and lowly and in Him we find rest for our souls.
Matt 11:28 I find deep joy in serving this One who made me and had me in mind before my parents did.
Julie McFetridge,
Maryvale.
Natural order
Every dollar destroys, manipulates and controls nature in some way.
Yet all we seem to care about is more and more money without giving anything back.
It is the least wealthy who plant wildlife corridors. It is the ignorant that remove native bush causing salt etc to rise to the surface.
When man’s laws coincide with nature and her laws then we might see some balance coming back. If we continue this vertical insanity of straight up, meaning also no smaller networking, large companies controlling us all from food to shelter to education, especially health it will all be a heartless business and one part weakness and it all collapses e.g. G.F.C.
Nature can live without us; remember that we cannot live without nature as for we would have no clean air to breathe.
Through nature our senses evolve, developed senses means a greater ability to censor, hence too wise for booze, smokes, drugs or alcohol.
A greater understanding of Aboriginal culture could well help the wayward.
They lived here 60,000 odd years without any pollution. How amazing.
C. Roelink,
Warwick.
Damaging debate
Those who claim the debate on the council rate fiasco is not damaging this region’s future have their heads in the sand.
Of course it is damaging and it must stop.
To continue down this path is a path of no return.
It is time for everyone to get on the front foot and come forward with meaningful suggestions on how to fix the rate problem long term.
However, before outlining my suggestions, I must express disappointment that the mayor and councillors have allowed this mostly negative debate to continue for such a long time.
The mayor in particular has a responsibility to explain in detail the reasons for the unacceptable financial state currently facing the council. Leadership please Mr Mayor!
I was less than impressed at the break in ranks by the three councillors following the adoption of the budget.
All three have been councillors for several years and cannot escape criticism now, for they are part and parcel of the problem. Do I hear an election coming on?
Last week I was confused when I read the CEO’s comments, that the council debt could be reduced to $10.2 million by 2025 given the council’s intention of not taking out any further borrowings.
This surely borders on being unreasonable, as the council has already committed itself to proceeding with a new Granite Belt Water storage (Emu Swamp Dam).
Has that vital project now been shelved at least until 2025, or was the statement designed to give the impression, that the future rate cost blowouts may not be all that concerning?
Now to the positive side: Most rate payers, notably pensioners, self-funded retirees, small businesses and small farm operators will not be able to afford large council rate and service charges on an ongoing basis, so meaningful action has to be taken to get on top of the issue.
How do we go about that? The first solution that comes to mind is to petition the State Government to abandon the March 2016 council election and appoint an administrator to get finances of the council onto a sustainable basis.
I don’t really favour this path as much would depend on the individual appointed.
In the past some of these people have been first class but some have made the position worse. However, if the council cannot provide assurances, we will need to consider such action.
Given that, to date, council has been unable to satisfy electors, that costs have been contained (and a reduction of costs is really the only way to contain increased charges) I believe, that we need a competent person to look into the operations of the council.
It needs to be an outside person with a track record of running an efficient business – no need for an expensive consultant.
From the outside looking in perspective, it does not make sense to me to have council owning expensive machines that are only working a few hours a week. The same applies to vehicles.
Are they all required, when you see them sitting outside homes, or in council car park, for a lot more hours in the week than the staff work?
The manpower at road and street works very often appears excessive.
Surely mobile stop-go traffic lights would be less costly.
Is it necessary for council to fund a unit to organise workshops etc for all manner of things?
Surely this is not a core activity when finances are tight.
It should be left to private enterprises or service clubs to organise and fund.
I could go on but I won’t in the interests of time and space and I will conclude with the following remarks.
As a person who was very actively involved in managing several organisations and inquiries over about 40 years in public life, I just know from experience that there are probably some cost cutting measures that can be implemented to allow council to reduce costs now and into the future.
We must all try and assist council to get on top of costs and the ongoing unsustainable increases in rates and charges.
In saying that, we cannot stop essential development by council and the private sector.
To have no capital works is to go backwards and, of course, preventative maintenance is a must.
Because of my age, I will not be a candidate for council but I would gladly be prepared to discuss my ideas with anyone.
My wife Gloria was born in Warwick and spent her early childhood years here.
I have shopped in Warwick for the past 70 years and for many years had a big involvement with local grain farmers.
My father and brother were involved in Granite Belt political affairs for several decades.
We therefore have a long affinity with the region.
Gloria and I have been permanent residents of Warwick for the past 13 years.
We really want Warwick and Districts, Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt to proceed along a path of steady development and that won’t happen if we continue down the path of recent months where all the public criticism is shooting our region in the foot at a time when our neighbouring councils are doing everything possible to entice developers and retirees to their regions.
They have been very successful!
Enough of negativity. Let’s now move forward in a co-operative spirit.
Don McKechnie,
Warwick.
