Letter to Editor, Drainage woes Gympie Times April 6th
From: ron owen
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 9:59 AM
To: editor@gympietimes.com
Subject: Letter to the editor Drainage Woes

Re Letter to Editor, Drainage woes Gympie Times April 6th. See Newspaper Cutting.

To answer the last of Yvonne Wright’s many questions first. I believe that people are not equal, not all born with the same advantages, are not brought up with equal advantages and sometimes end up living in places which are positively unequal in living conditions. Neither, do I believe that people can be treated equally, some people need or deserve more help than others.

Of course we should all be judged in as equal terms as possible and councillors should represent every resident’s issues to the best of their abilities to the Council meeting table even if they disagree with them on that issue. The Councillors are the residents ‘voice’. That is where the word ‘represent’ originates from, to Re Present the resident’s case to the chamber. That was what disappointed me most, residents who had legitimate complaints about the drainage of Cooloola Cove and not one Councillor who disagreed and spoke up for them, or voted against that motion. Some people deserve or need more help than others. Cooloola Cove is one of those areas in our region where that definitely applies. Yvonne Wright may find it difficult to believe, but there are other areas in our Council region which are even worse off than Cooloola Cove, where greater injustice has been served out to home owners by Council and developers, so more deserving of time and effort representing them.

To answer the question on ‘Fault’. Well, the developers would be as responsible as Council, if among the original developers, responsible for acquiring this land for a future purpose of sub division were the Shire Chairman and the Shire Engineer. That could also explain the ‘ no holds barred’, and relaxations of development standards, but in no way removes the responsibility of the present council to address the faults of the past.

To answer, the question on the history of Cooloola Cove. Marcus Tullius Cicero said “Cui bono” which means “To whose benefit?”, a Latin proverb, indicating that the party responsible for something may be those who have something to gain. Questioners on this history, should ask long serving Councillors. Ask Cr Neilson how solicitors for the project gained from this development? Ask Cr Petersen how a Cattle Company and Elders real estate agents could benefit. Ask Cr Friske how earth moving contractors could benefit. Expert advice.

Yvonne, is correct. I was a Division Two councillor which is the major part of Cooloola Cove, for that four year term of Council. The Council table was split between the Mayor’s Junta of Cr Chapman, Cr Nissen, Cr McIntyre, Cr Watt, Cr Petersen, Cr Neilsen, Cr Cantrell, Cr Friske, and Cr Ellis, and the minority faction of Cr Jocumsen, Cr Sachs and myself. Cr Cantrell (Division 5) was the Councillor for the Coast and controlled the Coast budget, and for three years of the term was also Chairman of Planning. Cr Cantrell considered that he could do better for the Coast by voting and speaking for the Mayor’s ruling junta. I believe that former Cr Cantrell would admit that ‘Quid pro quo’ was never forthcoming, and any large works were committed to what Cr Cantrell describes as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’, Rainbow Beach, with million dollar toilet blocks and fancy paving stones in the shopping areas. The only small benefit that Cr Jocumsen, Cr Sachs and myself could obtain for Cooloola Cove was by assisting in applying media attention to Cooloola Cove problems, sometimes sacrificing credibility to embarrass the ruling junta into putting a bandaid solution to a problem or controlling another development mess, by taking photographs and showing them on the over head projector in Council so they could not ignore the eroding deficiencies. Cr Cantrell resigned after 3 years and the Mayor’s ruling junta appointed Cr Marie Prior considering that she would be the easiest to ‘bully’. Cr Prior followed Cr Cantrell’s lead at first, but quickly learnt that ‘Quid pro quo’, was a broken promise and then voted with her conscience. Of course Cr Prior was more concerned with saving the wallum than in drainage, but was honest and had a heart for the residents.

Due to overspending, too many Chiefs and not enough Indians, inefficiencies, State government policing roles, Parkinson’s Law, Jobs for the Boys, an ever increasing staff and Councillor wage bill, almost nothing is left to maintain decaying infrastructure and even less to rectify the corruptions of the past. Drastic cuts are needed in administration before anything can be done.

Ron Owen 54825070, 24 Mc Mahon Rd, Gympie, 4570