A new year underway! Fresh with resident resolutions, record visitations to our beautiful community, and ramifications from our over indulgences? Welcome to 2019!

While on the subject of ‘R’s’ – December was full of them. ‘R’esults, ‘r’ejoicing’, ‘r’ecognition and ‘r’espect – as well as a bit of ‘r’age and ‘r’ecycling mayhem!

Let’s go for the good news first! After much advocacy, the application for renewal of EPBC2556, a mining exploration license covering the northern parts of Noosa Shire, was ‘r’efused. This is a wonderful example of community activism and what can be achieved working together as a collective voice. Congratulations to all involved including Noosa Council, Mayor Tony, Councillors, and Cooran Earth Rights for their efforts, and to Minister Anthony Lynham for understanding the negative impacts of this permit to our electorate, its economy and lifestyle.

The announcement by Council on the purchase of the decommissioned TAFE site was overwhelmingly well received, with Noosa now having control of how this property can best deliver on the many identified needs, and access the opportunities it can provide. This is an exciting space in multiple ‘r’ealms, and I look forward in the coming months to seeing what is developed. Another announcement ‘r’ejoiced came from Minister Furner, in that the Department of Fisheries boatshed in Noosaville will now proceed through normal Noosa Council development approvals with consultation.

L-R: TSS Graduation; Tom Buckley 40yr JP Award; GSLC Tournament of the Minds Champions

There has also been much success with funding for community groups across the electorate. Majors including Tewantin Cricket Club for new nets and lights, and Noosa Community Training and Landcare being awarded Skilling for Queenslander packages, enabling a host of traineeships now up for grabs. As well, Tewantin Noosa Parkinson’s Support group have successfully advocated for a ‘first’ in obtaining funding for a Parkinson’s Support Nurse on the Sunshine Coast. Congratulations to these committees, and all others, for your hard work and commitment to provide.

‘R’eally pleasing was the excellent results from the collaborative effort of all involved in ensuring improved behaviour over the Christmas period on Teewah Beach and Cooloola. There were no reported incidents of driving on dunes or unruly behaviour, however a small number of fines regarding traffic infringements and drink-driving that indicates there is still work to do. The Teewah Cooloola Working Group members met again in December in planning how to ensure that this area is not negatively impacted by being ‘overloved’ into the future, and updates should be available in the first quarter of this year.

On the ‘R’ecognition front, far too many to mention, however a special call out to Good Shepard Lutheran College STEM crew who took out the National Title at Tournament of the Minds QLD. To Tom Buckley and Winifred Lupton also who have provided 40 years and 25 years respectively for services to the community. I also got my first taste of Wheely Basketball, with the B Grade putting out a challenge to MP’s – I am not sure whether I should be excited, or very frightened! You will know what I mean if you have watched or participated?

Christmas gave me opportunity to celebrate the year with many of our organisations, and visit our matriarchs and patriarchs in our nursing homes. It was wonderful to see much love and laughter, and a very interesting assortment of Santas that I hitched a ride with! As well, being able to hand deliver State flags to our service providers and schools, seeing the Waves of Kindeness volunteers unload the truck from Foodbank ensuring 1700 of our children weekly receive a breakfast or lunch at school, and meeting with the parents of our disadvantaged whilst they receive their hampers. This again reiterated all the incredible good in our community and the tireless work that is done by so many on a daily basis. For anyone not already involved in ‘making change’, I encourage you to look around for one that matches your passions to make that difference!

L-R: Noosa ‘Firies’; ‘Netside’ at Tewantin Noosa Cricket Club; Suncoast Spinners 2019 Tournament

Now, to the darker side of the ‘R’ equation.

‘R’epercussions. Especially relevant after Weaver extraordinaire Liz Abel presented our office with her most recent work that depicts the impact of every person’s individual actions on the wider community. ‘R’epercussions and ‘r’amifications can be good, alternatively not so good. Over Christmas, two ‘R’s – ‘r’ecycling and ‘r’ants.

Firstly the Containers for Change Scheme caught Noosa flat-footed. The lack of community ‘buy in’ not experienced in other areas, led to only 1 not for profit and 2 business outlets signing up to host receptacles for household containers. The repercussions? Not enough drop off points for very eager residents to participate, and a shortage of bags and overloaded receptacles from a minority who had hoarded commercial quantities waiting for the scheme to commence.

Ramifications? An MP spending the holidays on the phone searching for sites and operators to open up to share the load, for hoarders and holders of commercial quantities to use the depots, and for residents to be respectful to volunteers. These outlets are mostly not for profits providing a service, some with no financial return, others in return for some much needed fundraising; so please, a bit of understanding and patience whilst these guys get through any teething problems.

The end ‘r’esult of efforts? Currently 2 other sites are in the process of opening, and a full depot in Noosaville is going through approval processes. Plus an extra large shipment of Envirobank bags to hit the QLD shores, which will have Lisa and Brett very pleased as then our office will no longer need to be the emergency ‘go to’!

Secondly – ’rants’. Even though we have seen a great improvement on Facebook (FB) with many users understanding the ramifications of their ‘posting’, ‘liking’ and/or ‘sharing’ defamatory comments about fellow residents or businesses. Over Christmas I was alerted to a couple of posts that were extremely inappropriate. For those on FB, please remember that when you ‘like’ or ‘share’ these types of posts, you are impacting that person or business in a negative way, as well their family and friends which are the fabric of our community. This is a form of bullying and abuse, and there are always repercussions from this, including increasing our growing poor mental and physical health statistics.

It is time for this community, both on and off line, to reject this type of behaviour – fullstop. A ‘r’ant is a one sided conversation, not a communication which involves both parties, and does not deliver any good whatsoever. For anyone that has a ‘gripe’ – please discuss with the person or business first, and if there is no resolution, take it to the appropriate process.

L-R: Solar Tuk on tour; Congratulating on TN Parkinson’s Group; Foodbank delivery at WoK

Be part of solutions and resolutions, not the hurt, harm and harassment that rants create. Be the change – for yourself, and others. What an incredible community, state and country we would be if we can build on the simplicity of that very old saying ‘Do unto others’.

The Inbox

Prominent issue updates and discussions posted to Noosa 360 in summary include;

  • Fisheries consultation
  • Containers for Change
  • Lake MacDonald Upgrade
  • Toll Roads Inquiry Update
  • Koala Signage
  • Full Update of 2018 Issues

Please visit Noosa 360 for all updates
Projects / Initiatives / Your Say

Local

Community Trailer & Marquee:
To assist our community we now have a trailer and marquees available for use, free of charge. If your organisation needs the use of either, please call the office for booking details on 5319 3100

State

Have your say:

Great Sandy Marine Park Zoning Plan  – An online survey on opportunities to enhance the zoning plan, open until 25 February 2019.

Cooroy Intersection improvements –  Submissions are open until 18 February 2019.

To see all areas open for consultation click here

Grant search tools:

QLD Government Grant Finder
Grant Guru

Noosa EO Reminders

Stay Connected

Our monthly newsletters can be viewed by clicking  here, and stay updated by ‘liking’ our Facebook page. Monthly columns are in Noosa News and Noosa Today, and at SandyBolton.com you will find some helpful links, as well current bills and committee reports. To catch up on ‘Hot Topics’ or participate in a discussion forum register for Noosa 360.

And Finally…

In between preparing to return to Parliament and fitting in as many meetings and research as possible, I have been enjoying reading all comments from the MP Survey. It has been extremely valuable and I thank those that took time to have that online ‘chat’. Results will be uploaded to the website in the next fortnight, and we will include a summary in the next newsletter.

As has been said many times, I do not vote in Parliament using my own opinion on any bill, but rather take the view of the electorate and research to ensure I am voting for the best outcome for Noosa and indeed QLD. Surveys such as this and residents taking the time to communicate with our office in many different modes is essential. This includes our ‘360’ platform which has had some changes over the break to now include ‘Spectrum chat’. If you have not joined yet just head to SandyBolton.com/Noosa360.

Until next month, enjoy this ongoing beautiful weather.
How blessed we are!

Warmest regards,

Sandy