ROAD CONDITIONS
Dear editor,
I see that Dan Purdie MP is urging residents to sign his petition “to save lives and bust congestion in Coolum”. Our State MP representative seems to think that the recent death of a 3-year-old child, was due to the condition of our local roads – in this case, the conditions at the roundabout on the motorway and Yandina-Coolum Road being solely responsible for this “accident”. May I respectfully suggest that the condition of the person driving a vehicle on the wrong side of the road and colliding with an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane, might have cost another innocent life?
As I have often driven this road and negotiated this roundabout sans difficulty, I cannot justify the expenditure of more taxpayers funding to widen a motorway at the loss of more, currently vacant, land.
Maybe Mr Purdie could invest his time in advocating a population cap for Coolum Beach and requesting our Council to cease approving “multi accommodation” apartments such as has been constructed on Sunrise Avenue. A residential increase/more cars/more congestion on our roads/more “innocent lives” lost?
I understand that there are certain times during the day when our Sunshine Coast roads bear more traffic than is comfortable for those drivers needing to make appointments or arrive at their workplace and I certainly have no solution other than to say, “if we widen the roads, they will come” …which is hardly a solution for the concrete invasion of what used to be an underpopulated region.
Having driven on many roads more suitable for a 4WD, my most memorable drive being Darwin-Innisfail-Cairns-Sydney in 1968 in a Mini Minor, with both driver and vehicle reaching their destination, unscathed – the condition of the road does make for a challenging journey which a driver must negotiate with care and consideration for self, and vehicle. This applies to our motorway and the maligned roundabout which Mr Purdie wrongly suggests is responsible for the latest fatality.
Linese Norrish,
Coolum Beach.
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PLANE SPRAYING
Dear editor,
I am seriously concerned about the continued spraying from light planes over the Mount Coolum/Coolum areas over the past several months. Seems to be a daily occurrence that is causing health issues such as stinging eyes, sore throat, nausea, fatigue and headaches. Not sure if it is cloud seeding or something else being sprayed, but myself and many others, part of a local community group are concerned and have pictures and videos of the chemtrails. I have also noticed a decrease in bird life which is usually prolific in the area. Myself and others have contacted our local members, the federal member advised me that it’s a state issue, the state member did not respond to my concerns. The spraying is wide-ranging with comments from Northern Rivers, Victoria, Gympie and Townsville residents also expressing concern. Would be interested to know if any of your readers are feeling the effects?
Sharyn Ebsworth,
Mount Coolum.
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PHONE DETECTION CAMERAS
Dear editor,
The installation of mobile phone and seat belt detectors on the Sunshine Coast over the past four months, has netted the State Government $40 million dollars in fines, for drivers breaking this law. This windfall is indicative of complacent driver attitude to our road rules, regarding using mobile phones while driving and the wearing of seat belts.
Many drivers believe that speed limits and road rules are merely income-producing, an irritant to the driving public. If the complaining driving public have legitimate drivers’ licences, they would have had to sit for oral and written tests to pass the test. Including in the preliminaries are questions about speed limits and the rules regarding seatbelt wearing and mobile phone usage.
Ignorance is no excuse. Seatbelts save lives, which has been proven in many accidents where those with belts connected, come out alive or with fewer injuries. The fact that it is for the driver and passengers’ own good, that the rule exists, is common sense. Mobile phone usage when driving takes the attention of the driver off the road. Here again, it is for driver and passenger safety, that phone usage while driving is illegal and, frankly, selfish.
Many who fail to do the right thing, are hit with hefty fines. Sometimes it takes a hit to the hip pocket before offenders get the message. These illegal practices lead not only to damaged vehicles but innocent victims at the receiving end. It takes $40 million lessons for some to learn it. How many of these fines remain unpaid? Common sense is not so common.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.
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REFUGEES
Dear editor,
Broken lives, now freedom for the refugee family returned from our prison camps to their Home in ‘Bilo’. What about freedom and compassion for the rest of our refugees? Refugee is not a four-letter word. Refugee Week is 19th to 25th June.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
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FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT
Dear editor,
Reading the lead article last week about the proposed development on the floodplain of west Coolum, memories of the white shoe brigade of the 1990s came to mind. They floated many suspect proposals in the hope of getting council approvals usually with the intent of selling the development rights and land to others for a huge profit.
A compliant pro-development council was voted out resoundingly in 1997 with an independent Mayor Don Culley elected, along with the majority of councillors, in what nowadays could be considered a forerunner of the “Voices of” movement. The majority of the councillors elected were community-based and protecting the environment was their priority.
Hopefully, Consolidated Properties revise their plans after considering what the Community 6 outlined is a clear case for the floodplains to be left as is. Otherwise, it looks like there will be another long and expensive campaign on the scale of the highly successful community push against the Sekisui development at Yaroomba.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
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