Comments on: More info re the airports…

By: Ben Collingwood

Ben Collingwood — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:12:16 +0000

Surely the Sunshine Coast has more than one? Maroochydore, Caboulture, Caloundra.. I might be wrong.. but then again, how many other regions have two major cities ?

Either way, I feel council should stop wasting money on consultants and just employ people capable of doing the research and coming up with the goods.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:07:27 +0000

I’d suggest that we’d need to keep one, if only for emergency use in case of a natural disaster etc. If it can be used for other purposes during non-disaster periods to make a profit, then all the better.

By: sue

sue — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:23:46 +0000

Ben to my knowledge Council is not obligated to maintain or retain both facilities. Not sure if we are required even to have one to tell you the truth. Be interesting to see what the Feds or State Govt would do if Councils throughout the State decided not to fund them now wouldn’t it?
But seriously speaking I believe we are the only Queensland regional Council with two airports currently rated for general aviation.

By: Ben Collingwood

Ben Collingwood — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:49:29 +0000

Sadman

Is council legally obligated to maintain both facilities? This is the question some of us would like answered

By: Sadman

Sadman — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:12:08 +0000

Ben,

If you are going to use an analogy to make your point, try useing an accurate one. Airports and Libraries are so far apart as to be a nonsense.

As to the costs of running Hervey Bay’s airport; I would of thought any one interested would know the answer. It’s been raised many times before.

The real and only question is, do we need two airports thirty minutes apart, both running at a lose?

The rational answer is NO.

Sadman

By: Ben Collingwood

Ben Collingwood — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:40:15 +0000

Sadman, do we close the libraries because they don’t generate a revenue? Or do we stop maintaining parks because they don’t generate revenue?

Perhaps we should be asking WHY Hervey Bay’s airport costs so much to run!

By: Sadman

Sadman — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:53:15 +0000

Ben,

What is the point “to preserve what we already have”, if it not worth preserving?

Tell us Ben, what business person would keep paying out $1 million per year to
“preserve” their business?

I repeat yet again, this region can build a case for one airport loseing money,
no one can make a case for having two airports loseing money.

Sadman

By: Ben Collingwood

Ben Collingwood — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:59:42 +0000

Trying being the operative word.

Given the lead stories in the local paper the past few days, I’d say council needs to try harder.

Forward planning, crystal balling, studies, call them what you like are all good and well but it is no good looking ahead if we fail to preserve what we already have.

By: sue

sue — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:51:39 +0000

Ben I believe Council is trying to facilitate the best long term outcome for our region in relation to aviation. While both previous Councils had plans for their airports these plans were still based on a ’separate city’ basis, in my opinion, even though there were co operative talks prior to amalgamation.
This Council has in fact been supportive of aviation related business by recently getting rid of casual landing fees etc and by working with businesses such as Seabird. Twice now FCRC has worked with the State Government to negotiate tender processes and provide business incentives to help Seabird try and win new contracts. Maryborough airport requires capital works spending to bring infrastructure up to modern day stndards as I understand. So if Council is to invest considerable funds into the airport it I would imagine that the community would expect us to ensure that the funds are invested wisely for a long term benefit.
I personally am not prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, which would require increased borrowings or general rate rises, to facilitate infrastructure development without a long term plan for the future.

By: Ben Collingwood

Ben Collingwood — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:53:24 +0000

It is about time council started this type of open communication with the community.

It is just a shame the issues tend to get swept under the carpet until such time as a journalist from the daily gets a tip off.

I am also bitterly disappointed by the element in the community that have come out swinging at the local businesses who are trying to work out of the airports.

Not only are these people trying to create jobs (and yes, make a dollar for themselves hopefully), but they also add to the viability of the airport through lease revenues and other means.

It is a shame also that council has not seen fit to provide some sort of short term security for these businesses or provided assistance to them through their economic development department to ensure continuity of their operations and retaining / creation of more jobs.