Concrete Marcia

Why do they continually use bitumen to fill pot holes where storm water always gathers? Wouldn’t concreting that section be a better long term solution. Take a bit longer to do, cost more initially, but there be less maintenance, last longer, thus in the long term a smarter cost effective solution. It’s like fixing up our region after Marcia. A quick fix may be fine in getting us back to the way it was, but do we just want to return to the way it was. Let’s be honest before Marcia the local economy wasn’t that fantastic. High unemployment (especially youth), subpar retail activity, patchy real estate market; we shouldn’t aim to return to what it was, we should be working towards making the region stronger from the experience. Last week’s column stressing the importance of buying local to maximise our regions long term recovery brought stories of insurance companies not giving claimants the option of getting replacement product locally. Plus an unconfirmed story of a clean-up contract being awarded to an out of town company. Just as we supported our neighbours we need now to support our local businesses. In doing so we create jobs, multiplying the new money circulating within and maximise the long term recovery of our region. It’s also an opportunity to provide real job training for unemployed youth under the mentorship of unemployed over 50 year olds who have the knowledge and skills. Take a bit longer to set up, but consider the long term benefits of youth knowing how to use more equipment and contributing to the recovery. Long term jobs could be the outcome for both demographics. Re-building the Nerimbera Football Clubhouse could be an ideal project. Where is the call for the formation of a local Green Army to help with the clean-up? Obviously the job is bigger than what local contractors can do, but wouldn’t working with a local Green Army be preferable to engaging out of the region contractors. Once water and power is fully restored the long term benefits to the region should be at the core of the decisions made. Let’s utilise the recovery money locally to build a stronger region, even if it does take a bit longer.