Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Some days are most definitely stones!

October 5th, 2010

I reckon that every day should be a good day. That being alive is simple reason enough to be ever thankful and positive and to go about living life fully with a smile and a cheery disposition. Easier said than done sometimes I find.

Lately the grey skies have reflected my mood. Several lives taken on our roads before their time and a trying time in Council have conspired to find me somewhat gloomy. Also we have to relocate our shop again after only 3 months so that is a total pain also.

Watching the news doesn’t help either with story after story of negative gloom and doom! But the icing on the cake was another round of let’s simply sack Council and me hitting some solid brick walls at Council. The Courier Mail has taken the story to sack Councils to the blogosphere with hundreds of comments reflecting a great community dissatisfaction with both our State and Local Governments. Then on the local Fraser Coast Forums Blog I’m copping a serve for driving a Council owned Prius and my every word and utterance comes back to bite me. Par for the course really when one decides to take on a public role but what makes life really hard for me is when I don’t live up to my own expectations.

I can understand community dissatisfaction but I decided to put my hand up as an elected member truly believing I had something to offer. That I could somehow make a difference to the people around me and help them. I wanted to work hard to make our region a better place and I believed I had some skills that I could contribute.

So what really hurts is when I feel like a failure to myself. Right now I am failing to help a resident with flooding problems as I’m told we ‘need a legal opinion’ and generally speaking Council doesn’t involve itself in inter allotment drainage issues. Next is a woman who bought what she thought was a shop but now finds it isn’t and to have it rezoned etc would be very difficult and probably cost thousands (current Planning Scheme rules even though the shop has been a shop for years and years) . Then a neighbour wants to build a shed but can’t as Council Planning Scheme rules says no. If you had built your shed when you bought your land all would have been well but hey the rules have changed now. Another pensioner finds she still owes Council money that she can’t possibly afford to pay in a lump sum and ‘the rules’ make it difficult for us to treat this case with compassion. A case of whats good for one is good for all it seems….. Another neighbour wants to run a fruit and veg stall from his house and reckons he should be able to but he can’t. The rules say no and his neighbours say no but now he is circumventing the rules by holding weekly fruit and vegie ‘garage sales’.  The neighbours are not happy.

 Then I learn that the SEMP process and applications for sand pushing trials in two small spots along our foreshore are dragging out beyond the time frames originally envisaged due to a myriad of reasons beyond my control.

So the days when I feel like a failure at every turn are the hard days. The days when I can’t change the rules. The days when through no direct fault of their own residents face bureaucratic brick walls that cost them financailly and emotionally and directly effect their quality of life. The days when I fail to convince my colleagues to support changes or decisions that I feel are needed. The days when I want to rip up our Planning Schemes and throw them away as they make life harder and harder for people instead of making life simpler and more straightforward. The days when I question whether I’m ‘good enough’ are the trying days. I think all of us share that need to feel that we make a difference or that we contribute in some small positive way to the world we live in.

So there. Maybe my public grizzle will help me pick up and carry on and just get on with it. Back to battle for common sense and for reasoned positive outcomes regardless of the situation and to try to influence change for the better. 

But if you see me on a bobcat gaily pushing sand back up to our foredunes you will know that I’ve probably totally cracked and lost my marbles…. but hey maybe that is one way of getting some action. So has anyone got a bobcat and a few spare hours?

Walking and cycling and living in a shed or not.

September 29th, 2010

Please do take some time from your busy schedules to take a peek at the Council Walk and Cycle Plan. This document brings together the previous Councils plans for ‘non car’ connectivity across the region and we need your input. The lack of pathways and the condition of existing footpaths is an ongoing big issue for local Government and I’m sure most of you do some walking every day, so getting this plan right is very important.

While I sometimes think we spend too much time planning and not enough time doing, a strategy like this one is needed so that we can prioritise spending and target ‘broken links’ etc and make our region a better one. Due to timelines etc the strategy is only available for comment till the 8th October which isn’t a long time frame but then again sometimes it is better to get things done now rather than put them off and end up rushing to meet deadlines regardless. The Council web site has details at http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/web/guest/walk-and-cycle-plan

Recent media reports about Council turfing people out of a shed are somewhat alarmist in my opinion. I was evicted from a shed I s living in on our previous block here at Dundowran by the old HBCC some years back, so I do see things from both sides. Council has responded to the majority community view that we don’t want people permanently residing in sheds. Sheds are not up to Building Standards as houses are and as well as a visual amenity issue we have health issues to consider. Anyone can live in a shed for up to 2 years or so (I should check that this hasn’t changed but am confident it hasn’t)  if they lodge a Building Application to erect their house. Extensions to this time period can sometimes also be negotiated but at the end of the day Council, on behalf of you our community, expects people to live in a building that can be certified as a house.

If Council is actually serving notices to vacate or requesting someone to move out of a shed, it is usually because of complaints as Council staff don’t patrol the region looking for ‘shed dwellers’.  Council also has made it harder for people to build sheds on vacant land to try and prevent people from using sheds as houses… but that’s another story! So it is a difficult issue and one that is getting some space in the local paper. I think we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t!

Lastly I did attend the Brooweena Community Chat yesterday morning ( my name was missing from the report in the Chronicle) and I enjoyed the morning immensely. We had a lovely morning tea and the community were respectful, sensible and very pro active in the comments they made to Council. Yes they did point out some future desires like maybe a BBQ and public toilet for their park and some roads that could do with attention etc but on the whole the discussions were positive and pleasant. Several residents said that the general condition of roads was steadily improving and that it is better now than in the past! This is a feather in the cap to our roads teams and good news I felt. So a big warm thank you to the Brooweena community for attending our chat and keeping a positive and sensible attitude. Together we can make our region a better one.

Cheers, Sue

The travellers return

September 20th, 2010

What an experience China is. This time we spent a few days in Shanghai which made the outgoing trip easier and gave us the opportunity to attend the World Expo and experience more of China. My sons wedding to his beautiful bride Bambi, went very well and the few days in Harbin were over quite quickly. We left our hotel in Harbin at 8.30 am Sat morning Australian time and got home last night at 5pm. So after 32.5 hours travelling, (3 planes and rechecking our luggage evey time and the drive back from Brissy airport), I’m a wee bit pooped.

Our puppies and pussies are ever so glad to have us back and we are glad to be home. More tales from China and pictures etc will be coming soon but just a quick general apopogy that it will take me a few days to catch up so if you are waiting on a return phone call or email I should be caught up by Wednesday. Now to tackle the dreaded inboxes! Cheers, Sue

Fraser island wanderings

May 17th, 2010

It was with great pleasure that I enjoyed the company of several other women on the very first Butchulla Women’s Tour of Fraser Island. Our wonderful hostess Chrissy introduced us to many facets of Butchulla culture and we enjoyed dancing, weaving, eating, wonderful company and visiting new places on our beautiful sandy island. We also learned more about how the very first inhabitants of this country prospered prior to the arrival of white man.

For me it was a trip of several firsts. I had not visited Dilli Village before and this is where we stayed on Saturday night. We visited Lake Boomanjin a beautiful large and very peaceful lake. It is so nice to find that this lake is less frequently visited by tourists and we were the only ones getting our tootsies wet. A beautiful and peaceful place. Then yesterday it was off to Indian Head to pay our respects to the Butchulla women of the past who are no longer with us. We then travelled to the Kgari camp (which I have now learned to pronounce as Gari), to enjoy a fresh and scrumptious lunch.

Over the two days I saw three dingoes. One female we saw twice at Dilli Village outside the dingo fence and this female showed absolutely no interest in us. Then we spied a glimpse of the dingo who frequents Kgari and this dingo also didn’t want to have anything to do with us. The last dingo was spotted on the beach from the bus and looked a bit worse for wear. He had been fighting and had a closed eye and scars and was the thinnest of the three. All dingo’s did not appear to be starving however and it made my trip all the better to know that these beautiful creatures are still surviving despite the trials of living in a now predominantly human impacted habitat!

Anyhow it was nice to get away and to try and forget about Council agenda’s and reports and other work related problems and activities. Lastly a big thank you to our intrepid driver Sarah. Sarah works for ‘Fraser Experience’ and is one of only two female bus driving tour guides on the island apparently. Sarah was informative and a highly experienced driver and I do recommend her tours.

So here are some pics to show you how wonderful our neighbourly island and our local Butchulla community are. Chrissy I wish you and everyone else that helped make our tour a great one every success for the future. Thank you, Sue

Learning to weave

Learning to weave

Dilli Village

Our digs at Dilli Village

 

Lake Boomanjin

Lake Boomanjin

 

Beach outside Dilli Village

Population, Fraser and culture

March 30th, 2010

I spent the weekend on Fraser Island as part of the annual ‘joint meeting’ where the community, indigenous and scientific advisory groups all come together to share information and discuss Fraser Island related issues in general. Two of the main topics discussed were the potential impacts on Fraser Island of climate change and also the State Government planned extension to the heritage area to include parts of Cooloola to the South of FI. We also visited Lake McKenzie to see the redevelopment happening there. Concern was expressed about the potential sediment run off from the new car park making its way to the waters of the lake. I trust that this will be dealt with as construction progresses. I must note however that the new mode of travel to Fraser via bus and then barge rather than direct from the Marina isn’t as pleasant a journey as in the past. I don’t think visitors will appreciate the extra travel and inconvenience especailly if only wanting to pop over to Kingfisher for the day!

Back on the main land I am pleased to say that from all accounts the Cultural Festival was another success this year. Hans and his volunteers have done an excellent job and the festival is rapidly growing to become a premier event within our region. I am very disappointed that I missed most of it and will choose the festival next year if I suffer the same clash of dates!

Council has called for nominations for the Environmental awards so I urge you all to take a look at the categories and nominate yourselves or individuals and groups that have worked towards protecting and preserving our natural environment during the year. This year we have some valuable sponsorships for the awards which I very much appreciate. I’m also pleased that we have introduced a category for the ‘best’ building site. Check out the Council home page for more details.

Population growth is being discussed more and more it seems thses days which I find thoroughly pleasing. I have long held the belief that continually growing more humans is not in our long term best interests so the sooner we all deal with this issue the better off the planet and our descendants will be. I enjoyed listening to Dick Smith recently as he seems to be a late comer to the debate but has quickly realised how important it is. If you have the time please do peruse this site and listen to Dick!

http://www.population.org.au/

Cheers, Sue

PS More rain… and here I was contemplating a quick snorkel this arvo! I do hope we get some fine weather over Easter..

Farewell David King

March 23rd, 2010

So sorry David that you will no longer be working for our Council. I have always found you to be a hard worker and a fair person. You have always shown strength in leadership and you expect hard work and honest effort from your staff . You have also shown strength of character while leading  the Planning and Development Services department, a department which sometimes bears the brunt of  less than professional behaviour from those with whom it deals .

I believe Council, especially our staff, and the wider community will be the poorer for your departure so I hope that your future brings nothing but happiness for you and your family. It would be nice to think you could stay here on the Fraser Coast and contribute further to making our community a strong and happy one but wherever you travel I hope you receive a warmer welcome than you have received here of late. I like to believe in ‘Karma’ and trust that those who work hard and live an honest life will be one day rewarded. I am sure that you qualify!

Take care and all the best, Sue

Chronicle pool campaign

March 16th, 2010

I believe the article about the pool on Saturday took my words from this blog out of context. But hey what’s new! So yesterday morning I thought I should respond and did so by way of a letter to the editor. I’m still waiting to see if it sees light of day but here is what I sent in.

‘I have not yet made up my mind about the future development of the Maryborough Swimming Pool. I am listening to the debate and still want to learn more about options to restore the 50m pool. I don’t want any community to lose facilities but rather to gain them as we grow our region.

I do however believe that there are ‘some’ facilities that will have to be shared across the region and not duplicated in each city, especially sporting and entertainment facilities. I used the Brolga theatre as one such example in a general discussion on my blog some time ago now. I am not comparing driving to the theatre with daily swimming training and apologise if that inference was made.

I do believe in sharing my views publicly and so openly debate topics that are Council related on my private web blog found at www.suebrooks.com.au I believe it is my duty as your elected member to be accessible and make myself readily available to residents wanting to communicate with me. But I do change my mind and update comments and topics. I won’t remove something once I have said it but will build on the conversation or change my mind as my knowledge grows. Open communication is important to me and I appreciate the intense community interest in the pool redevelopment’.

Swimming Pools in the news.

March 14th, 2010

The debate about the future of the Maryborough Swimming Pool is becoming the number one Council related topic as rated by community interest. I decided I had better devote a post to the issue especially as The Chronicle is printing some of my comments found here on my blog. (Be good if they would include the url when they do this but they don’t).

So for an update on what has happened and will happen re the pool. Council officers have briefed Council informally on the current Maryborough Swimming Pool and provided some background information on options to revitalise the complex. I am led to believe that everything on the site needs upgrading and that the previous MCC was hoping to purchase more land so that they could build a better swimming facility. To build a new 50m pool costs an awful lot of money and then the buildings also need upgrading. FCRC is faced with having to fund a total upgrading of this facility so we do need to decide on priorities in relation to possibly upgrading the site in stages and how best to afford to do the needed works. I also am told that doing nothing is not an option.

Council has not made up its mind, about how best to progress although the 2 x 25m pools option has been discussed informally as an affordable way forward. Apparently, I am informed, it is cheaper both to construct and operate 2 X 25m pools than one 50m pool and the range of uses possible by having 2 smaller pools is greater than that obtained with just one big pool.

I have been given information about how the Maryborough Swimming Pool is currently being used provided to me by Council staff. I believe they have provided much factual information to Councillors as background. As always I won’t make a decision on the future of the pool without weighing up all the facts that I can find. At the end of the day we must make as sensible decision as possible.

So I do ask that you the users of the pool and the concerned community members (those who may not actually use the pool themselves but appreciate the value to their community of having such infrastructure within their community), forward info especially any knowledge on how best to upgrade a broken and old 50m pool shell! Costings are an important facet of this discussion.

As always prior to making any decision I am listening to you. The more I listen the more I learn. Let’s try to find a solution to this issue and make a sensible decision based on facts and realities.

Some points already raised by you, the community include

- That many people train by swimming 50m long laps and swimming 25m long laps is not a viable option for them for many reasons.

- That various competitions are now held at the pool because it is 50m long. These competitions can’t be held in a 25m long pool.

- That travelling to Hervey Bay to train in that pool is too difficult and time consuming for current and future Maryborough pool users.

- That if more users came to the Hervey Bay Pool this pool would become over crowded.

- That Hervey Bay based residents are also concerned about the future of the Maryborough Pool.

- That it is possible to upgrade the facility in stages and thereby making the project affordable over time.

I must include a comment, as much as I hate to, that cost is a huge factor. This Council has to fund the project with the help of grants hopefully. As I travel around the community I often here people simply saying – “Council can pay to do that or Council can pay to do this.” I sometimes think we forget that there is no such thing as a Council pot of money from which we can continually dip. Council has no money of its own. It has to fund the work that it does via your purses and wallets. Yes we receive grants but these grant monies are also funded by all of us paying taxes. At the end of the day you and I pay for the services we receive. It is interesting to note in closing, that both the Maryborough Town Hall and the Swimming Pool were built by virtue of direct donations from the community. For many reasons it seems that in this day and age there are either less wealthy people or the wealthy business community has decided that it will keep its profits to itself. We seem to live at a time where philanthropy is dying.

 There is much more to learn so I welcome your objective suggestions.

Trees win developer loses!

March 11th, 2010

It was with much joy that I learned Council scored a victory in the courts re some illegal land clearing in Hervey Bay. The complaint was made by concerned residents and Council officers were able to attend quickly to gather evidence. I urge residents to report land clearing activities so that Council can check if the owners of the land do have the appropriate permits.

The Council media release follows…..

10 March 2010

 Landmark win for the environment in Court for Fraser Coast Regional Council

The Fraser Coast Regional Council successfully prosecuted a Townsville property developer in a landmark environmental protection case in the Magistrate’s Court in Hervey Bay on Monday of this week.

The Council instigated legal action against developer, Wulguru Heights Pty Ltd, (part of the Santalucia group of companies), after several Dundowran Beach residents complained about vegetation clearing on freehold beachfront land at Dundowran Beach in May 2008.

After pleading guilty to clearing vegetation without an effective development permit (under section  4.3.1 of the Integrated Planning Act 1997), Wulguru Heights Pty Ltd was convicted, fined $12,600 and ordered to pay costs of $20,000 to FCRC.  The company was also ordered to rehabilitate the cleared land, starting within six months.

Councillor Sue Brooks said the decision was just.

“It’s great to see the courts taking a tough stand on environmental issues and supporting the Council in its endeavours to protect our natural vegetation and although the rehabilitation will take a long time to mitigate the effects of the bulldozing I think it’s a great leap forward,” she said.

“Land owners need to be very aware that the Council will diligently protect vegetation and we encourage residents to report as soon as possible any vegetation clearing – especially broad scale clearing – that they suspect is illegal.”

When the Council’s Planning Compliance and Vegetation Management Officers investigated the complaints, they found that the 14 hectares of land where the clearing was undertaken, consisted of partially mapped natural areas and regrowth vegetation adjacent to mapped Of Concern and Essential Habitat (black breasted button quail) ecosystems.  No development applications or approvals existed over the land at the time of the clearing. 

The contractor who carried out the vegetation clearing will be sentenced at a later date.

Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Acting Director of Development Services Michael Ellery said the Council was pleased with the result.

“The penalty imposed and rehabilitation orders made by the Court send a strong message to land owners that they cannot pre-emptively clear vegetation and must obtain the appropriate development approvals,” he said.

End

Centro – the unsanitised facts

March 2nd, 2010

CENTRO – THE FACTS

There have been a number of reports recently in the local press about the Council’s alleged obstruction of the proposed expansion of the Centro Shopping Centre located at Boat Harbour Drive, Hervey Bay.

Some of the key elements of this reporting are:

 That Council has not approved the Centro extensions;

 That Council delayed the assessment of the application;

 That Council is unreasonably asking for $1 million in public art;

 That Council is unreasonably asking the developer to construct the mobility corridor and the first leg of the Urraween Distributor connection road; and

 That the wording of the draft Infrastructure Agreement presented to the applicant had been changed to their detriment without the knowledge of the applicant or the Council.

Council’s Development Services staff are concerned that the reporting has not been balanced and contains a number of inaccuracies and errors. The facts and history of the Centro expansion are as follows:

28 June 2006 – the former Hervey Bay City Council granted a Preliminary Approval to DA513/3-031104 for the extension of the centre. The applicant placed the approval on hold on 6 August 2006 to make representations about the conditions. The applicant has not contacted Council about this approval since.

21 March 2007 – Leda Holdings Pty Ltd lodges a new application for a Material Change of Use to extend the Centro shopping centre. The extension is significantly larger than that previously sought.

24 April 2007 – DMR issued an information request;

29 June 2007 – The applicant’s consultant writes to Council to change the application. The effect of this change was to restart the application from the beginning of the process. The change was not requested or required by the Council.

30 August 2007 – The Council requests further information from the applicant about the changed application.

25 September 2007 – the applicant responds to Council’s information request.

7 November 2007 – DMR issued a letter acknowledging receipt of the amended application on 5 November 2007, and also reiterating that their previous request for further information was still outstanding;

8 January 2008 – the applicant responded to DMR’s information request.

27 February 2008 – the DMR directs Council to refuse the application.

4 March 2008 – the applicant requests Council to suspend the decision period to allow them to negotiate with DMR about their refusal.

25 June 2008 – the DMR issues an amended concurrence agency response, approving the application subject to conditions.

19 August 2008 – the applicant writes to Council agreeing to extend the assessment period for the application to allow the applicant more time to submit further information in support of their application.

21 October 2008 – The applicant submits the last of the supporting information for the application.

27 January 2009 – the applicant provides final versions of proposal plans that it wishes Council to approve.

11 March 2009 – Officer report presented to the Council seeking approval for the terms of the Infrastructure Agreement. Council approve the terms as recommended.

19 March 2009 – a copy of the infrastructure agreement is given to Leda Holdings and also emailed to Councillors on the same day. The terms included in the agreement were those decided by the Council at its meeting of 11 March 2009.

24 March 2009 – A representative of Leda emails Council listing concerns with Infrastructure Agreement. Crediting arrangements for the proposed trunk roadworks is not listed as a concern.

25 March 2009 – at a special meeting of the Planning and Development Committee the application for extension to the Centro shopping centre is approved subject to conditions.

15 April 2009 – The Decision Notice for the Development Permit is issued to the applicant in accordance with Council’s decision of 25 March. A letter is also included outlining the infrastructure contributions applicable under the policy at the time.

24 April 2009 – The applicant suspends the appeal period to allow them to make representations about the conditions.

17 May 2009 – electronic copy of Infrastructure Agreement provided to applicant at their request to allow them to forward to their lawyers. The copy provided was not altered in any way from that provided on 19 March 2009.

27 May 2009 – The applicant’s representations are received.

9 September 2009 – Leda Holdings writes to Council agreeing to a credit of $1 million for constructing the trunk roadworks, agrees to build the mobility corridor and offers to provide $500,000 of public art.

15 October 2009 – Council replied to letter of 9/9/09 stating that the proposed reduction in the value of public art is not acceptable.

24 December 2009 – Negotiated Decision Notice issued to the applicant in response to applicant’s representations, agreeing to change a number of the conditions. A new advice letter containing the infrastructure contributions under PSP 4 is also included.

7 January 2010 – representative of Leda Holdings raises first concerns about the proposed credit of $1 million for roadworks.

13 January 2010 – before Council can respond, the Chronicle publishes article claiming that the development is in jeopardy because of the terms of the infrastructure agreement.

15 January 2010 – the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer of the FCRC meet with the developer and their representatives to discuss matters raised in the Chronicle’s article.

27 January 2010 – the Council considers and decides on new terms for the infrastructure agreement as agreed to with the developer.

As this chronology demonstrates, a number of facts are self evident:

1. An approval for extensions to the Centro shopping centre has been in existence since June 2006, and was again approved in March 2009 and December 2009.

2. In the latest application, the applicant was responsible for at least 15 months of delays in deciding the application. Council processes only accounted for four (4) months of the application process.

3. After it received the final plans from the developer in January 2009, the Council decided this major and complex application in less than two months.

4. The infrastructure agreement was not changed from when it was given to the applicant and the Councillors in March 2009. The applicant only raised concerns about alleged changes to wording in January 2010 – ten months after first receiving the agreement.

5. The applicant has agreed in writing to build the mobility corridor and the trunk road shown within their property in Council’s Planning Scheme policy documents. These works were relied on in part to justify a reduction in the number of car parking spaces to be provided by the development, a reduction of 785 parking spaces from the number required by Council’s planning scheme. The works were also required to provide additional community benefit to help offset the impact the proposal would have on other existing shopping centres in the Fraser Coast region.

 

« Prev - Next »