http://aspirecq.com/?p=59
3:30pm, as if on cue the afternoon south easterly picked up. Being a fresher breeze meant it was going to be worse today. Though hard to see in the air, it could be noticed on the once white roofs of homes in Keppel Sands and on top of windscreen wipers of cars parked along Lakes Creek Road. Fine coal dust blown in off the hills of coal to be loaded onto the giant ships parked in Keppel Bay waiting their turn to berth at Balaclava Island Port.
Is this an aspiration we want for the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton? Maybe it is for some; a sign of progress, jobs, economic growth. The coal dust would be something we would just have to put up with. Possible health concerns would be constantly debated just like adding fluoride to the water.
Last week I questioned if there was a plan/vision for Queensland, particularly Central Queensland or if we were jumping on any bandwagon to help address the debt levels no matter the possible long term detriments.
Today we have a chance to say what kind of future we do aspire to. Many of us will do the same as previous, some will change their preference and some will draw a smiley face, doodle, write obscenities, or just leave the vote blank. This will be a sign of protest by some. Others it’s just an indication of a lack of interest or belief things won’t change with or without their vote… which is a pity, as it basically gives permission to the south east corner decision makers to continue to make decisions that allow FIFO, discharges into our waterways, peoples right to object to zoning changes to be quashed, accommodation crisis to escalate, investment in necessary infrastructure to be ignored and perhaps coal dust to blow over a large part of the Rockhampton region. Whose aspiration for CQ is this?
In all the negativity and even defeatism of the election campaign have the major parties indicated what their big picture vision is for Central Queensland. Or is it just to continue as the income generator for the State.
Supposedly the Council’s vision for the Rockhampton region is to be the most liveable community in the world. It is hard to find evidence to show how they are working towards this lofty goal though. A super dump mooted for in Yeppoon, and an industrial estate mooted to be built beside residential homes, little interest in the National Broadband Network and potentially coal dust blowing in on a south easterly are hardly an indication this goal is really considered. In my first letter to the editor I proposed a tri- city concept for Gladstone, Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast. A work, live and play destination: a destination that with the appropriate infrastructure would attract people, taking pressure off the south east corner. Unfortunately in elections you don’t hear of visions/aspirations, only how bad the alternative is. It’s got to change, but for change to happen it has got to come from us. Show the politicians we do give a damn and that we expect them to be more accountable.
If your pro-development, anti-development; pro asset sales or anti asset sales; pro amalgamation or anti amalgamation; young or old, demonstrate today that you are interested in what is happening in our region, in CQ by making a valid vote. By demonstrating our interest in the future of CQ we have a better chance to make the politicians, when they meet in George Street, think twice about the decisions they make about CQ. We have a better chance of finding an acceptable balance between development, lifestyle and the CQ our children and grand children are to inherit. Our politicians must be made aware that we can’t be taken for granted, that CQ can’t be just milked but not fed. Barack Obama said, “…. if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy as a democracy and civically start taking short cuts, then it results in bad government and politics”.
If there is to be a change of government let it be known from day one that the people of CQ are paying attention and will not tolerate shortcuts in the decisions they make, particularly the ones affecting us.
The future is not too see it is too create. Make a valid vote today that indicates the future for CQ you aspire to see created.