‘Walk the Talk!’ – Letter to the Editor
Comments(5) 
Letter to the Editor (Fraser Coast Chronicle) in Full:
Having lived in Hervey Bay for nearly 34 years and owned and operated Design House, a successful graphic and website design and marketing business for over seven years, I’ve witnessed the Fraser Coast go from THRIVE to complete Nose Dive!
We need Clear Vision! New Ideas! Positive Energy! Excitement! Fresh Enthusiasm! Creativity! Leadership! … from a Mayor.
Don’t get too excited about going shopping or having a meal out as a large proportion of the businesses I thought were strong have had to shut up shop. You only have to take a scenic drive down the Esplanade to see this. Working in the business and marketing industry, I feel we should create opportunities and provide seminars to train and educate our local businesses. Something as simple as a business plan can clearly forecast whether a business is viable or not.
Strong and feasible businesses create local employment.
Is it a matter of play spot the tourist nowadays?
Hervey Bay used to be the place to be!
Where are all the promotions for what we have to offer on the Fraser Coast for locals, interstate and overseas visitors?
I know we have Staycations but is this really working? There are only a handful of businesses registered on the website when there are thousands of businesses on the Fraser Coast? What are the figures? Are our tourist attractions and tours affordable?
People are doing it tough with everything going up except for our wages or senior pensions.
Why are we not promoting regional ‘package deals’ including and combining accommodation, meals, restaurants, free outings suggestions and a tour for a set fee, saving our tourists heaps of dollars and doing the hard work of planning for them?
When I was a teenager I briefly moved to Brisbane for work and entertainment as there was certainly none here for those under 18! From what I can see twenty years on, not much has changed and some of our teenagers are either bored, unemployed, leaving, drinking in the parks or sadly resorting to crime and violence. Let’s get them engaged, involved, trained with new skills, excited about life plus have more supervised youth recreational facilities. I started working at 14 and a half and feel as a teenager it is important to be working whilst still at school and learning life skills, not idle.
Upon leaving school, I couldn’t study my field of interest – graphic design here at the TAFE or University and twenty years on there is still not that option. A high majority of our locals whether younger or mature aged students are fortunate to be highly creative, let’s see what courses we can offer to keep them local.
I understand that current Councillors may have done their best to keep rates low, as this affects them also, but perhaps we could make changes within the operational budget?
A staffing review could ensure staff positions are achieving KPI’s and outputs, benchmarking the outputs and ensure that staff provide input into making their departments continue to run better, more efficiently, economically and are achieving results.
When rates go up so does rent, putting our residents under financial and emotional stress.
I personally know thousands of dollars have been wasted by Council on their advertising and marketing with jobs going outside the Fraser Coast and not a single local designer or printer being offered the opportunity to quote on tenders. By obtaining a professional opinion in this area the Council could save a fortune! How many other industries does this happen to?
Where are direct flights for all the mine workers, business people and tourists eg. to Gladstone, Rockhampton, Townsville or Cairns? What is the current figures and research? Let’s get to our destinations quicker, with less fatigue and road causalities. One could then spend that time with loved ones plus be home to spend your money locally. Why no local mining skills training?
More consideration needs to be given to community safety through improving partnerships with law enforcement agencies and the community. There is a definite need to lobby State Government for increased Police numbers for our safety and theirs.
Why are our severely ill and elderly residents travelling for treatment to other towns or even Brisbane?
We should be making life as comfortable and affordable as possible for these unwell people and have the latest technology medical machines and resources local, if possible.
Let’s start some proactive regular large scale community fortnightly or monthly events targeting fitness, fun and wellbeing while promoting a positive mind and healthy lifestyle!
“Strong Mind, Strong Body!”
Time to start preventing illness, obesity and unnecessary health issues!
Our health professionals do a magnificent job so let’s not make them responsible for us. Instead as members of the community let’s be proactive and help to take the pressure off them by having excellent health and fitness!
Sadly there are many VICTIMS within any community (children, women and men) whether it be from sexual assault and molestation, domestic violence, victims of crimes, bullying, alcohol or substance abuse, depression, divorce, separation, abandonment etc.
Let’s support, promote and facilitate recovery, healing, counselling, education, growth, inclusion and the biggie ‘Self Love’! Make people aware they are not alone, people do care, healing is achievable and enable these people to become SURVIVORS and have confidence within themselves and the community.
Until we love ourselves we are unable to love others.
I understand all these issues are not at local government level but none the less they need to be addressed and I feel the local, state and federal members should be working together on achieving the same common community GOALS!
Please note I strongly say GOALS; something that is specific, measureable, action based, realistic, time bound, executed and recorded.
Unless the boys club are going to hit me with some ‘WOW FACTOR’ Mayoral GOALS not policies, I may have to run myself!
My life motto…’Failure is NOT an Option!’
