Many of us tonight will make a resolution or two. A popular resolution
will be to get fitter in 2012. Could we extend this to making a
resolution for a fitter Central Queensland in 2012 also? What would it
mean if we were to make this resolution? ‘To get in good health and
physical condition’, I think that’s what most of us mean when we say ‘I
want to get fitter’. Can this also be relevant for a geographic region
also?
Our politicians will tell us CQ is in great shape – never better,
billion dollar projects; jobs, jobs and jobs.
Is CQ fit though?
Are our rivers, harbours, agricultural land an indication of good
physical condition? People living in their cars, creating an environment
that encourages prostitution to flourish are these indicators of a
region in good health.
I therefore hope that many of us will make a resolution for a fitter CQ
tonight. Along with this resolution however should be one for strong
‘fit’ leadership for our region. As without strong ‘fit’ leadership I
fear it will be difficult for the other resolution to be achieved. The
resource boom will provide our region many opportunities. Strong ‘fit’
leadership will be required to recognise and grab those opportunities
that will lead to a fitter CQ. But also be prepared to stand up
opposing those projects that may be thrust upon us which may in the long
term be detrimental to a fitter CQ. This ‘fit’ leadership will need to
be proactive, on the front foot, not reactive jumping on populist issues
after the damage is done. It certainly can’t be sitting on its hands
cowering behind bureaucratic processes, committees and awaiting the
production of expensive authorless ‘fuzzy logic’ expert opinion called a
report. Opportunities good and bad will have passed while other
experts are deciphering what the report says or doesn’t say. “Fit’
leaders will be pro-active in pushing for the early rollout of the
national broadband network (NBN) for this region, high speed train
linking Rockhampton and Gladstone, an environmentally sensitive resort
for Great Keppel Island, a high school for Gracemere, better vehicle
access at the southern entrance to Rockhampton and a foreshore
development that will attract tourists to Yeppoon because they know
these aspirations are needed to help make CQ fitter.
2012 looks to be an exciting year. You can choose to passively sit by
as the 366 days pass by (taking an interest in the Olympics of course)
or indicate to the mining companies, south east Queensland State
Government and Canberra that Central Queensland is more than just a mine
which you fly workers in and out of to exploit. There will be two
elections in the first quarter of the New Year. If you make a silent
resolution tonight for a ‘fitter’ CQ that your kids and their kids will
want to live, work and play in, consider not the party the candidate
represents or the fuzzy logic of their promises, but which one’s are
offering ‘fit’ leadership, willing to put their neck on the line to make
our region fitter.
To keep the resolutions you make tonight will depend on your actions.
Just like your future, it’s yours to make, not to see. Let’s make 2012 a
good ‘fitter’ one for us individually and as a community.
Happy New Year here’s hoping we’re not met with the challenges that we
were presented with at the beginning of this year.