Hervey Bay Gossip

For some time now Hervey Bay has been promised a water park but we’re yet to see it. So what has held up the construction process?

Well according to the local member – Andrew McNamara – the Mayor has “deliberately obstructed” the construction of the water park for the past 16 months.

With the changes in local government that are going to happen in March it’s unlikely that we’ll see any work on the water park for some time to come.

It’s surprising that in a town like Hervey Bay so many people are using the Freedom of Information laws and now the Government is looking at ways of changing those laws to make them even easier to use.

Premier Anna Bligh today welcomed the 200-page discussion paper from a panel reviewing Queensland’s Freedom of Information laws, and encouraged the public to have their say on making access to government information easier.

“The discussion paper from the panel chaired by Dr David Solomon canvasses a range of important issues, from the fundamental principles of FOI to the nuts and bolts of its administration, time and cost,” Ms Bligh said.

“Freedom of information is one of the pillars of a healthy democracy and Queensland already grants nearly 90% of applications for documents sought through FOI.

“That is comparable with other states, but I want to provide even greater accessibility and transparency.

“The challenge is to deliver on that commitment without compromising personal privacy or essential government functions.

“The responses to this discussion paper will go a long way towards ensuring we strike the right balance.”

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine urged Queenslanders to have their say on the important issues raised by the review panel.

“The Freedom of Information Act has served Queensland very well since 1992, but it was framed in a different era when the Internet, workplace computers and email communication were still in their infancy,” Mr Shine said.

“These new technologies have led to the creation of millions of government documents each year, so we need to be very much smarter about how we operate in the information age.

“That has raised a whole host of challenges in relation to how we manage this information so it can be readily identified and retrieved when requested.

“A lot of progress has already been made in improving protocols for managing information and records across government, and this review will build on that good work by reinventing our freedom of information laws for the twenty-first century.

The bottom line is that we want to make FOI more efficient and user friendly.”

Public submissions close on 7 March 2008 and the panel is scheduled to submit its final report and recommendations for cabinet consideration by the end of May.

Mr Shine said this would enable the government to introduce proposed changes to the state’s FOI laws before the end of the year.

The discussion paper can be accessed at www.foireview.qld.gov.au.

Well it seems as though a big pile of dirt and a long blue fence are all we’re going to see of the new extensions to Centro Hervey Bay that were started late last year.

Very little if anything has been done since the Christmas break and with the parlous state of Centro’s finances this view – taken in November last year – is about all the people of Hervey Bay are going to be seeing for some time to come.

 

As more and more high-rise development takes place along the picturesque Esplanade here in Hervey Bay people are beginning to discover that the White Shoe Brigade still have a grip on the reins of power here in Queensland.

One man’s protest at that power that overwhelms the little people has been to paint his house home on the Esplanade a bright yellow.

The sign he’s erected says it all.

For Sale $5,000,000

This privately owned property is lawful. A memorial to inept Queensland politicians and our Council who refuse to protect (as other states do) adjoining properties from illegal damage caused by development construction, especially below ground car parks, thus leaving adjoining property owners exposed to expensive litigation in an often futile attempt at justice

Hence

Development at any Cost!!

Construction of a new resort development will soon begin next door to this house.

Ted Sorenson announced today that he would not be seeking re-election at the local government elections due in March. Instead it seems that the current Mayor of Hervey Bay has turned his gaze towards Brisbane and hopes to represent Hervey Bay at the state level.

I’m sure that announcement has caught a few people by surprise.

Here in Hervey Bay there must be thousands of people on anti-cholesterol drugs who think that by taking these drugs they’re prolonging their lives … but are they?

Is the risk of heart attack actually reduced by lowering a person’s cholesterol level?

Medical research now be suggesting that the benefits of anti-cholesterol drugs by be overstated. You can read the BusinessWeek report here.

 

Hervey Bay should soon be shifting into election mode as the local government elections draw ever closer. Just who is actually standing for election is a little bit of a mystery just yet although we know that the present Mayor here in Hervey Bay intends running for the same position in the new Council.

As for the rest … well I guess we’ll find out who they might be closer to the election. However Strewth! … that blog that our current Mayor so dislikes … is prepared to hear from potential candidates. Of course if a candidate does post a message on Strewth! they can be sure that there will be plenty of robust discussion about whatever they might choose to say.

Despite the possibility of having to answer some hard questions posting on Strewth! might be a wise move for potential candidates because it will show that they’re not afraid to open themselves up to the scrutiny that each candidate should undergo before the election date rolls around.

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On March 15 the people in Hervey Bay will be voting to elect the first council for the new local government area that we will be part of. It’s a very important election and there are only two weeks left to enrol to vote.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt encouraged all Queenslanders to make sure they were enrolled to vote as the polling day marked a major milestone in the State Government’s reform process.

“The election rolls close on January 31 and it is absolutely vital that the community has a say about who will be governing their local government areas,” Mr Pitt said.

“Every vote counts towards the outcome, so I urge people to make sure they are enrolled to vote.

“Enrolling is easy – people just need to contact the Queensland Electoral Commission or the Australian Electoral Commission, and the enrolment forms are available on their websites and at all post offices.

“Voting is compulsory, and will be conducted through either a postal ballot or traditional ballot on the day.

“If you voted in the recent federal election you do not need to re-enrol unless you have moved house, in which case, you will need to complete a new enrolment form.”

Queenslanders will vote in 73 local government areas. Of these, 38 are existing councils, 31 are new councils, and four are existing councils with changed boundaries.

“People will be voting to elect 73 mayors and 480 councillors who will represent them and take their councils forward into the future,” Mr Pitt said.

“This government is building a new, stronger system of local government and getting the best possible outcomes for local communities.”

Mr Pitt said the reform process was changing the face of local government in Queensland.

“March 15 will be the first day of the newly merged councils and every effort is being made to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.

“Following the elections, we will see better reporting and transparent performance monitoring to ensure ratepayers have a good understanding of how their rates are being spent.”

The Queensland Electoral Commission will be releasing information regarding how the elections will be run in each local government area.

… but not to our taps just yet.

The Queensland Government has approved more than $21.9 million to further develop major water infrastructure projects that will have significant community and environmental benefits for the Hervey Bay region.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said the funding for three important projects would ensure the future sustainability of water resources in Hervey Bay.

Member for Hervey Bay and Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Andrew McNamara welcomed the announcement, which will provide:
• more than $16.5 million for the Eli South waste water treatment plant
• $3.3 million for the Vanderwolf Road farm recycled water scheme
• $2.1 million for the Dreamtime Avenue farm recycled water scheme.

“Hervey Bay has experienced significant population growth in the past two decades and with this, the council has faced a host of challenges including how to deal with waste and waste water,” Mr McNamara said.

“The council, working with Wide Bay Water Corporation, has implemented innovative waste water projects that enable up to 100 per cent of the city’s effluent to be re-used on farms.

“The announcement of these key projects is great news for the community and will significantly reduce the volume of waste water being discharged to the environment.”

Mr Pitt said funding for the new Eli South Waste Water Treatment Plant would produce an improved quality of waste water.

“This project will not only allow water to be re-used, but will also take some of the strain off the existing Eli Creek waste water treatment plant,” he said.

“A new bioreactor treatment plant will be built and it will be capable of removing bacteria from waste water, resulting in better quality waste water.”

Mr Pitt said the Vanderwolf Road farm recycled water scheme included the purchase of about 135 hectares of land suitable for establishing a hardwood plantation.

“The project also includes construction of a main pipeline to the farm from the existing re-use main at Booral Road, and the construction of a 500-megalitre onsite storage dam,” he said.

“The areas unsuitable for hardwood plantation will be used to trial a wetlands area to improve irrigation water quality.”

Mr Pitt said the Dreamtime Avenue farm recycled water scheme would manage effluent from the Burrum Heads area.

“The Dreamtime Avenue farm is suitable for growing crops and there are a number of tree species that can be grown to manage effluent extracted by the Burrum Heads waste water treatment plant,” he said.

“This project consists of the purchase of a 175-hectare farm, a 50-megalitre storage facility, a pumping station, a new waste water pipeline from the existing Burrum Heads waste water treatment plant and the development of a hardwood plantation.

“Eighty hectares of woodland will be planted, and the direct management of re-use on the trees means it will be more reliable and sustainable.”

Mr McNamara said these projects would help eliminate the need for ocean discharge and would protect the bay’s marine environment.

“Hervey Bay has many magnificent natural resources but, unfortunately, an abundant water supply is not one of them,” he said.

“These projects represent a significant investment in water resource management in Hervey Bay, and are an excellent example of the government and local council working together.”

Mr Pitt said the Queensland Government provided 40 to 50 per cent of the funding for these projects under the Water and Sewerage Program, with the council providing the rest of the costs.

“This program provides funding for water and sewerage infrastructure projects that encourage the re-use of waste water and reduce discharge into the waterways.”

It’s good to see that Strewth – the blog that throws a light on the less attractive side of Hervey Bay politics and local development – is back after a short break. It’s also good to see that it doesn’t seem to have lost any of its sting.

I was interested to see that the Gossip even rated a mention when one contributor referred to a rather unpleasant episode late last year when someone thought it would be smart to post a comment on Strewth in my name. It’s nice to know that my ramblings here seem to get under someone’s skin.

In that reference to the Gossip on the latest edition of Strewth the contributor also referred to a post I made on September 26 2005 about the Urangan Beach Front in which I made some rather unflattering comments about Peppers. Thanks Jonangel for reminding me of what I said; interestingly now that it’s built I haven’t changed my mind about that development at all.

It may not be quite the eyesore that it was when it was being built but it certainly hasn’t been the great boon to the local economy that some might have hoped. Just ask some of the small business people who, instead of finding that their businesses have boomed because of Peppers, have found that they’ve actually lost money instead.

All that Peppers really seems to have done for Hervey Bay is to pull in other developers and property groups and push up commercial rents to the point where local businesses simply can’t afford to stay in business. And if you doubt that all you have to do is take a drive along Main Street Pialba, Liuzzi Street and Bay Drive to see how many ‘For Lease’ signs are on display.

In Liuzzi Street a new development of 10 units that opened in mid-October still only has three tenants. The new commercial units in Bay Drive have been available for several months and still have no tenants and down in Main Street very high rents have kept quite a few shops opposite Pialba Place vacant for many months.

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