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!’

RSVP Here All Welcome!

More info here!

Recently I was reading an article in our Fraser Coast Chronicle by Peter Chapman | 29th January 2011 titled ‘Local firms lose tourism tender’, where (after some investigation) apparently only one local marketing firm actually got to tender!)

Fraser Coast Tourism chair Anne Nioa said, “that while the local companies’ tenders were given extra weight the tender accepted was considerably cheaper.”  …  But no local PRINTERS were given the opportunity to tender? 

After news of this got out there was a Tourism Fraser Coast MEDIA RELEASE on Tuesday 1st February 2011 Statement by Tourism Fraser Coast CEO Damien Massingham quoting , “Tourism Fraser Coast confirms today that McTaggarts The Printers, our only local Printer member has been invited to quote on this aspect of the project.” … hmmm pardon me but has local print company Inkworks not been a member since Tourism Fraser Coast first started 9 years ago plus successfully operated a printing business in Hervey Bay for 20 years?
(Not sure what value for money you are getting for your fees there Anton?)

(Download Media Statement Here)

When asked from several sources around town both the Council and Tourism Fraser Coast are refusing to say who won the tender, even to their members and the media.
What is the big secret?
Is there some corruption involved?
What’s wrong with being open and transparent?

DONATE HERE

I never thought I would see the day when I had to say something nice about a Queenslander, but that time has come.

I don’t think I have ever been as proud to be an Australian as I am now. I have watched the reactions of Queenslanders to the devastating floods and have been amazed at their resilience and courage.

Many of them have lost everything, their homes, their businesses and sometimes their lives – yet with all that they keep their sense of humour and look on the bright side – I can’t find one – they dig in and help each other; they don’t sit and bewail their fate, nor do they complain about the government or the rescue services. They are not blaming others for the natural disaster that has ruined them. I shall walk taller and hold my head high and be grateful for being an Aussie from now on.

David Edwards

Quote from www.news.com.au | Full story on the flood disaster here

Toowoomba yesturday …

NOT sure who to vote for? With just days to go until we head to the polls, news.com.au’s Vote-a-matic 2.0 can help.

The Voteamatic 2.0 asks you 15 questions based on policies announced during the campaign, as well as issues and beliefs associated with the main parties contesting the August 21 election.  Answer the questions and at the end you’ll see which party best matches your views.

Click here to find your result

Well my result was 42% Liberal!!! Yeah I vote for them anyway!!

The Fraser Island Challenge is a fun walk / run across picturesque World Heritage listed Fraser Island QLD in One Day to raise Money in the name of Australian Cancer Charities.

Unique in that participants can choose their cancer related charity to raise donations for AND it is the first event of it’s size run in a QLD National Park.

From the beautiful Kingfisher Bay Resort & Village to the beach front resort at Eurong 100 competitors follow a course on established tracks (25km) with an extension option for elite competitors around the lake Wabby circuit (total 50km)…. Click here to find out more or register in the event.

Competitors in this event independently raise funds for their preferred Cancer Charity using a custom donation tracker on the event web site, with 100% of donations going directly to the selected charity

Please show your support and sponsor me …

proceeds go to the Queensland Cancer Council.

 
Apparently since DERM has taken control of the island over 100 dingoes have been killed, shot, injected and left to starve to death.

SUSTAINABILITY Minister Kate Jones has strongly defended her Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy and denied seeing any evidence that it has resulted in starvation for dingoes or danger to the public…. Click here and here to learn more.

THE dingo may be the oldest dog breed in the world, according to a new study (well not for long!!)…. click here to learn more.

Save the Fraser Island Dingo… Sign the petition

The Law of Attraction says people’s thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they’re aware of it. Essentially “if you really want something and truly believe it’s possible, you’ll get it”,… click here to learn more.

The Secret teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day…. click here to learn more.

I am a huge believer in this theory and see the effects of it in my live on a very regular basis. What you put out to the universe is what you will recieve. Only you have the choice of whether you attract good or bad into your life.

This Tuesday when our Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was in town on Melbourne Cup day for talks re our health system I put it out there to have a photo with him on my facebook profile stating, “The PM is in Hervey Bay today, hope I see him to get a snapshot!!!”

The following day we both made the front page of the local newspaper!!!! (I am the small picture top right ha ha!)

Unfortunately on this occasion I made a slight flaw forgetting to put it out there to meet and be photographed together in person, not at different events!  

Ok time to put it out there again, see how I go this time….

“Dear Jeanette, thank you so much for visiting me in New York, I am so thrilled we finally have had a photo taken together. I would love to pay for your trip! “…. lol your mate forever Donald Trump

[Some info & images via Wikipedia, The Secret & Donald Trump websites]

$150,000 spent on an eyesore!

What a disaster to have a council in power that would approve to waste that much of rate payer’s money on a sign!!! ….. and then they had the hide to make it look UGLY!
OMG how embarrassing for Hervey Bay!!!

Councillor Anne Nioa who approved this sign states she wanted, ‘something that would represent a contemporary community’.  I’m at a lost how a sign that utilises cluttered collage design trends from the 70’s could possibly be passed off as a modern or contemporary representation of our area. 

From a Qualified & Experienced Professional Designer’s point of view:
It is far too BUSY & CLUTTERED, does not look BALANCED, the colours CLASH, the YELLOW is not part of the Style Guide The Council had designed in Brisbane!!, the word FRASER COAST is lost over the waves & far too small to be read by passing vehicles, the WHALE looks like a grade 3 student drew it & congratulations to them if they did, the structural framework is distracting (wood & aluminium) or is that supposed to be part of the design? …. and that’s just a start, pity I can’t see the whole sign in the editorial. 

Comment from Councillor Sue Brook’s blog when she saw the initial proof…. 

In the FCC today we see a depiction of the new entrance sign for Hervey Bay. I do think that community consultation would assist the development of what I believe are community signs rather than ‘Council signs’ and I do have some concerns that this particular sign is a bit too ‘busy’ and that the free standing bits and pieces won’t stand out against a varying background. 

Another comment from the blog of Councillor Sue Brooks: 

I noticed that the Hervey Bay entrance sign due to be installed on the Hervey Bay Maryborough Rd was shown in the weekend edition of  The Independent. While I like the general look of the sign I worry that the detail will get lost in the background once installed. I must be old fashioned as I prefer a simple stone wall and the words ‘welcome’ and ‘farewell’ on city entrance/exit signs. The sign has been workshopped through Council after being developed by Cr Nioa and the Marketing and Tourism Portfolio team. It will be a relief to finally have a sign for Hervey Bay so fingers crossed that ‘it works’. 

No you are not old fashioned Sue, you clearly have an eye for design plus the elements that will and won’t work and probably should have pushed harder for a professional & community opinion to be sought on the draft. Anyway from past experience we all know how the Council operates on these matters……. 

Oh Dear! How long till the next election………??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe a better way to raise revenue and grow Queensland is to stop throwing away money and putting us more in debt with stimulus packages that then raise the cost of living and everything else!!!!

QLD Government is proposing to increase Vehicle Registration by 20%.  Most can barely afford rego now, without having to pay extra $250 per year!
In simple terms this would mean that we will pay about $800 a year for car rego when Victoria only pays about $300! 
[accuracy of statement and source unknown]

Petition now to stop increase of Car Rego in QLD!!!!! Click here !!!!!

Looks like I’ll be using the push bike for work soon!