Sue Brooks’ Blog

sue November 19th, 2008

I am amazed at some of the comments about the facts relating to the decision by Flight Training Australia not to proceed with their plans to relocate here. While I agree that the proposed flight training school would have brought some economic benefits to our region I understand that a very great percentage of the millions of dollars been touted as entering our community, would have been through fuel sales. I am disappointed that there is so much finger pointing and a ‘blame game’ occurring.

In my opinion Council followed a very responsible and diligent process which was agreed to by Council. No Councillors have formally asked for the negotiation process to be changed. I don’t think the decision to not proceed with the proposal is based primarily on issues relating to Council. I believe that in the current economic climate, FTQ have made a decision based on economic realities. I expect Council will release a media statement today including advice that the information evenings have now been cancelled.

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sue November 15th, 2008

 Council has issued a media release which paints a more accurate picture of the situation in relation to legal costs etc associated with Development Applications. On a personal note I support Council defending its decisions. If Council simply agreed to change conditions imposed on developments during the approval process, in my opinion, we would be compromising our Planning Schemes. Developers are free to argue their case but I would not support Council continually bending to their will!

13 November 2008

Council not spending millions on legal bills

Despite persistent rumours in the media, the Fraser Coast Council, or the former Hervey Bay City Council, has not spent $10 to $20 million on legal fees.

The Council also refutes recent claims by the Fraser Coast Chronicle that it has spent millions of dollars on legal fees because it has adopted an arrogant and adversarial approach to town planning.

In 2006/07 the Hervey Bay City Council spent $292,400 on 11 appeals. In 2007/08 the council spent $336,832 on 15 appeals town planning matters.

During this two year period Council received 1513 development applications. The number of appeals filed by developers is 1.7% of all of the applications received.

In the first five months of the FCRC 6 appeals have been commenced against decisions made by Council. Again, this is less than 1.5% of the permits granted.

Claims that there has been an artificial slow-down in processing development applications by the Fraser Coast Regional Council or the former Hervey Bay City Council are also refuted by the FCRC.

While the new planning scheme has caused an increase in applications, amendments approved by the FCRC yesterday (Wednesday, November 12) mean that development permits are no longer required for many houses and sheds. However, building permits are still required.

Development figures show that a small team of dedicated staff stepped up to the challenge of processing developments while introducing a new Hervey Bay planning scheme. The Council makes no bones about the fact that the team was undermanned because it, like many other Councils, could not recruit sufficient town planning staff.

The Council is currently trying to recruit three town planners to fill vacancies.

Figures show that in first year of the FCRC (March to October 31) there have been 884 development applications received and 821 processed.

For the 12 months prior to amalgamation 751 development applications were received and 706 processed.

For the 2006/07 financial year 460 development applications were received and 429 processed.

Since March Council has approved permits allowing 291 new lots to be created. During the same time the Council has approved the final construction of 540 new allotments. Again this is a clear sign of continued growth.

New building commencements are also a good barometer of activity in the development industry. In 2006/07 there were 965 development permits for new dwellings approved. For 2007/08 there were 952 new dwellings approved. The overall value of all building permits issued in 2007/08 for development in the former Hervey Bay City Council area was a staggering $369 million.

The State Government recently carried out an audit to check if all Councils in the region had an adequate supply of residential land. The audit confirmed an estimated 15 years of supply of raw land suitable for approval for subdivision.

Noting the current world financial crisis Council expects that some developments it has approved, or those in the pipeline, may be put on hold.

ENDS

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sue November 11th, 2008

Tomorrow we have 3 major developments to decide upon, all of which are in Hervey Bay. Firstly a 33 Unit development at 459 Esplanade and 54 Cypress St. This development is 5 storeys high and is being assessed under the ‘old’ planning scheme.

The second development is huge. It is for 254 units on the old Anchorage Caravan park site on the corner of Boat Harbour Drive and The Esplanade at Urangan. It is for 5 separate buildings 4 of which are six storeys high and the fifth building being two storeys high. The site is 2.4 hectares approx and is currently vacant. I notice For Sale signs on the block so I’m not sure what future plans are in store for this development.

Lastly we have the ‘Gilligans’ backpacker development. This is for 136 units with 500 beds in an upmarket backpacker styled development situated opposite Seafront Oval at 26-42 Hillyard St. It will be six storeys high. I have asked for more detail about the car parking as it appears that the car park is primarily at ground level not in a basement. I’m not sure that a large on the ground carpark is a ‘good look’ in this area.

 So the changing face of our foreshore continues unabated it seems. While I worry personally that Hervey Bay is pouring a bit too much concrete and loosing too many trees all these applications appear on first reading to conform primarily with our Planning Scheme. It seems that for many years developers had the power to build to 6 storeys but did not avail themselves of the opportunity. How times change!

Lastly I apologise for sending out an email today to many of you without remembering to use the BCC function to keep addresses private. So please forgive me for my slip up and remember to respect each others privacy. I promise to do my very best to never ever do so again… Feel free to email me if you do want to be included on my email list even though I admit I’m not foolproof in managing to send out group emails! Till next time, Sue

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sue November 8th, 2008

Well at last this topic does seem to be generating some much needed debate. At this weeks Ordinary Council Meeting held in Hervey Bay a petition was presented to Council by Maryborough residents opposed to some aspects of the proposed FTA facility at the Maryborough Airport. Several other Hervey Bay residents also spoke against the proposal. As a result of this continuuing interest and questions from residents wanting more knowledge about the proposal I asked Council to support two information sessions one each for Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Cr Dalgleish seconded the motion and it was supported unanimously.

The sessions will be held prior to December 15th and I will confirm dates and venues tomorrow. It may be a good idea for anyone who is interested to know more to visit the FTA website. I was surprised about some of the perceptions that our residents have about the school including the opportunity for students to board locally or receive English tuition. From my knowledge this would not occur as the school is very self contained. Students eat, sleep and play on campus while they are training. They have all their basic requirements met and are very busy learning how to be pilots. The school would have its own sports grounds and entertainment facilities including a bar. Students are predominantly overseas students who return to their home countries to fly for their respective airlines. Please visit http://www.flighttrainingadelaide.com/ to learn more. Thanks, Sue

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sue October 29th, 2008

THE SENILITY PRAYER  

God grant me the senility to forget  the  people  I  never liked anyway, 
the good fortune to run into the ones I do, 
and the eyesight to tell the difference.

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sue October 27th, 2008

It was interesting to read the recent media coverage re the potential Flight Training School (Flight Training Queensland) proposal to locate to the Fraser Coast. This school is a very professionally run school currently based in Adelaide. The Maryborough City Council had made commitments about this school prior to amalgamation but final decisions etc will be made by the ‘new’ Fraser Coast Regional Council.

Questions that come to my mind relate to ‘real’ economic return for the region, ‘real’ cost to Council and the impact of noise on both Maryborough and Hervey Bay residents. Although the school buildings etc are proposed to be built on the Maryborough airport grounds the aircraft will use both airports to facilitate their training. The amount of flying undertaken is an issue as, in my personal opinion, the impact of 6 planes a day flying over my house is quite different to that from a possible plane flying over my house every 6 minutes.

Here is a recent media release responding to questions forwarded by the Fraser Coast Chronicle to the FCRC CEO Mr Andrew Brien. 

23 October 2008

1: Is the flight training school plan being held up – if so why?  

The FTQ Project is still in the process of negotiation between the two parties, these being the Fraser Coast Regional Council and Flight Training Australia.  The process for negotiating an agreement of this type is complex and there is a need to ensure that all parties are happy with the final agreement. The Council and FTQ continue to discuss the project.

2: When do we expect to see movement on the flight training school if it is not being held up?  

A number of workshops, a site visit to Adelaide and updates provided by State Government Departments have already been undertaken. Council has been progressively briefed on the FTQ project. Many of the briefings have been undertaken on a confidential basis due to the commercial nature of discussions.

3: Have officials any documented evidence that the flight training school should not go ahead?  

The Council has been provided with extensive information in relation to the project which outlines all of the benefits and issues associated with the project.  This information has been assessed and matters identified are being worked through. 

4: Are there any Council officials stalling the project?  

No. 

5: Does the flight path of the proposed school fly over the CEO’s house?  

While the question is irrelevant, the Flight Training School at this stage has not provided any flight paths.  A review of the flight paths of the existing Flight Training Australia operations in Adelaide shows that the majority of houses in Maryborough would be under the flight path.  This is shown on the diagram contained in a report prepared by Airservices Australia. The map is provided below and provides an overview of the flight paths over the Parafield site over a 3 week period.

ENDS

My copying and pasting skills are lacking so here is the link to the report which includes maps of flight paths etc at the Adelaide Parafield Airport.

http://www.airservices.gov.au/projectsservices/reports/nfpms/2006/PF1484.pdf

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sue October 23rd, 2008

It’s Friday. Yeah! No meetings today. No rush this morning so I take time to read the paper before setting out for my morning walk quite a bit later than usual. My wonderful companion Sharna is still sporting her shaved torso after underging scans etc earlier in the week, but she is always keen to sniff and smell and see what has changed along the pathway since yesterday morning. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. Hardly a cloud in the sky and no wind. A perfect Hervey Bay morning.

As we walk through the vine forest to the beach I notice the tide is retreating and the sand is still coated in a layer of green. A usual occurrence at this time of year. The shoreline is dotted with birds. Two pure white  egrets (I think..) poke their beaks into the muddy sand for breakfast as do our small group of pied oystercatchers which have been visiting these last few weeks. Their bright red beaks and feet and black and white plumage make them easy to spot. Seagulls and sandpipers complete the picture along the waters edge but looking inland, along the edge of the forest, I spot ‘Ozzie1′ or ‘Ozzie2′ (yes we have two Ospreys but I can’t tell them apart) resting in his favourite dead tree. High up he sits surveying his terrain. Rainbow bee eaters dart between the shoreline Casuarinas and butterflys flit this way and that.

Looking down I notice many Ladybirds on the sand. More and more of them are here so I’m careful where I place my feet. These little red and black insects are here in their thousands it seems. I wonder what draws them to the beach as I have not noticed them before. They fly away when I approach or sit and reorganise their wings folding and unflolding them. I hope that they find what they are looking for.

I can’t help but feel uplifted. The last few weeks have been tough ones so it is with a renewed sense of pleasure in the simple natural beauty of life that lifts my spirits. I enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature and the sheer beauty of this small patch of preserved vine forest and beautiful beach. Once again I rejoice at the simple pleasure of being so very lucky to live here and to be able to walk along such a lovely stretch of coastline whenever I please.

Just before I reach my pathway home I hear a drone. The sound is a plane approaching. I stop and look to the sky expecting one of our frequent light planes to be travelling past but no, I can’t see anything. The noise increases and as I look further afield I watch as a large jet approaches. The bright orange Jetstar logo and silver fuselage glint in the morning sunshine. I wonder how many people are visiting us for the first time or returning to the city that they call home. I think about the many plane trips I seem to make these days and how easy it is to travel to places far away. The contrast between my silent, peaceful natural surrounds and the noisy but magnificent silver aeroplane is stark. I admire how clever mankind is. That we can build such beautiful machines to fly through the skies and take us to every far corner of this, our planet Earth, is a reflection of the cleverness of human achievement.

I return home wondering how we can maintain the right balance. How can we preserve and protect everything that is good and wonderful and beautifully natural upon our planet while at the same time digging the earth and damming our rivers to supply the food, water and minerals that we use to survive and proliferate? How many people is the right amount of people that this planet can support and how do we decide? How many noisy planes can fly over my otherwise serene neighbourhood before I feel annoyed and invaded by ‘progress’? The big questions and the little questions. I return home thankful that I live here. Our Fraser Coast is truly a place to be treasured.

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sue October 15th, 2008

There is a Special (Council) Meeting called on behalf of the Mayor, as I understand it, tomorrow at 1.30pm at Hervey Bay. This meeting has been called to decide on the recommendations of the Water Review Committee.  I expect that Council will make a decision in relation to the future structure for water and sewerage services provision for the Fraser Coast. I expect the discussion to take place in open Council and not behind doors in confidential or closed session.

Here is the link.

http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/council/meetings/Ordinary%20Meetings/ORDINARY%20MEETING%20AGENDA%20and%20MINUTES.shtml

The meeting agenda can be found under the Ordinary meetings heading on the FCRC web site.

Rather than post anew post I am including the Resolution that resulted from the Special meeting which is as follows.

RESOLUTION ( Brooks / Nioa )

        That:  

•  
  • 1. Council endorse the findings of the Water Review Committee in relation to the establishment of a single water entity for the Fraser Coast Regional Council;
    2. A Transition Plan, including financial arrangements, governance arrangements and pricing structures be developed through the Water Review Committee and be provided to Council for resolution;
    3. Staff and Union consultation with Fraser Coast Water staff commence immediately in relation to the proposed changes;
    4. The existing Council representatives on the Water Review Committee continue to progress the recommendations in conjunction with Wide Bay Water;
    5. An effective date of 1 July 2009 be set for the commencement of the entity; and
    6. The following guiding principles be used for the development of Terms of Reference for the Transitional Committee: 
• All findings, recommendations and areas for improvement of both the Yarra Valley Water Report and the Price Waterhouse Coopers Report be incorporated into the transitional arrangements;
• A further review of the AEC Report and the PWC prepared by the former Hervey Bay City Council and Wide Bay Water respectively;
• The development and implementation of a staff transitional plan consistent with the provisions of the Workforce Transition Code of Practice; and
• Regular reports be provided to Council on the development and implementation of the transition plan.

                        Carried Unanimously

I am pleased with this resolution as it gives us the opportunity to closely examine the best way forward for combining our water and sewerage activities. The inclusion of a review of the HBCC commissioned AEC report is also intended to ensure that issues addressed within this report are looked at by the current Council.

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sue October 1st, 2008

Just a quick note to apologise in advance. I have had some family health hassles recently and need to have a week away. I must admit that health services in Brisbane aren’t an improvement on ours and spending a day in hospital there (not as the patient) made me appreciate our local hospitals a lot more.

I will be away from tomorrow till the 10th October and am not sure if I will have web access so I may not be able to moderate comments etc. So feel free to continue to send comments but it may take a week or so for them to appear on the site. Take care, look after yourselves and never ever take good health for granted. Cheers, Sue

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sue September 28th, 2008

The comments about the lack of opportunity for local tendering I believe are fairly made. I do however acknowledge that Council was keen to establish itself in terms of identity and with the adoption of portfolios this project was portfolio driven and used suppliers that the Maryborough City Council has successfully used in the past. While I totally agree that using local providers and suppliers is always preferable to not doing so, I will ask more questions about how we can ensure that future activities do provide the opportunity for local competition. There have been new businesses established locally since 2004 and I believe these businesses should be given an opportunity to ’strut their stuff’.

Councillors are chairperson of one portfolio only and are members on others but can attend any portfolio meeting that they wish. I agree that the breadth of activities undertaken by Council does make it difficult for any one Councillor to be very closely involved with every portfolio so we do need to share responsibility and concentrate on our own portfolio area primarily. I also am keen to review the way in which the outcomes of portfolio meetings are reported publicly as I believe this is an essential aspect of ‘good governance’.

Even though it is now 6 months since March and the formation of this new FCRC, I often still feel like we are very ‘new’. Staff are finally settling into their permanent roles and so are the Councillors I believe. But there is always room for improvement in the way we do things. Councillors and Directors are busily involved with our corporate planning and this process will help guide the way we deliver on our aims and commitments.

I also wish to say that I believe we have a team of very responsible, hard working and honest staff who work in a very responsible and honest manner. I also believe the challenges of amalgamation have been huge but that everyone is working towards achieving a united, competent and efficient Council that provides a high quality service to our community.

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