As Noosa approaches its second Christmas under management of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council it’s worth pausing for a moment to see just how we have benefited from this amalgamation of councils.

So far, our rates have gone up almost 20% and we can be assured of more to come as someone has to pay the amalgamation costs and it certainly won’t be the State Government.   The fees for most services have increased and there will be more to come.  Response time for the delivery of services has decreased and it will only get worse.  We only have two councillors representing Noosa as opposed to nine plus the mayor on the former council. This miniscule representation reflects on the myriad of issues not receiving the attention they deserve. From the proposed boardwalk along Hilton Terrace to the delays in removing disbanded hulks from the Noosa River, to the controversy over the Peregian Originals and the deterioration of general community maintenance (it took 5 weeks, three phone calls and one email before the council finally repaired six street lights that were not working on the upper end of Hastings St.) and this is just the beginning.  So much for the benefits, or are they as usual on the ‘never never’ along with most government promises.

At the FoN AGM this morning (16 December) members were reminded that the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has extended the period for submissions on the new planning scheme until 31 December (although their website www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au still refers to the old deadline of 7 December).

The new Sunshine Coast planning scheme is crucial for the future of Noosa.  The former Noosa planning scheme is what maintained the so-called "population cap", kept out highrise etc.

So please send your views on the future of Noosa to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Technically, you will be commenting on the document "Planning for  a Sustainable Sunshine Coast - A Statement of Proposals".  Making a submission may seem bureaucratic but it is important.  The SCRC staff count the submissions and a small number from Noosa will  be interpreted as an indication that people are OK with amalgamation.

There is no need to write a long email and your own words are best but you may wish to draw on the following:

Noosa is one of the most desirable places in the world to live. This status has been achieved as a result of good fortune in terms of climate, amenity and natural resources and good management in terms of how consecutive generations have cared for the place and developed a set of community values and planning principles.

This community vision has been crystallised into planning schemes, which managed how Noosa developed.

In view of all that, I support a planning scheme based on “carrying capacity”, defined in Council's documents as “the population that can be supported indefinitely by its supporting systems”, and with a capacity to provide for new development that meets our requirements for economic, environmental and social sustainability.

However, I am concerned that the Statement of Proposals completely lacks local policy positions for the various localities across the Sunshine Coast, such as Noosa's Eastern Beaches, Cooroy, Noosa Heads, Pomona etc. It is essential for the character of the former Noosa Shire that this local "look and feel" be maintained, not lost in a search for "harmonisation".

Maintenance of this character is crucial not only for residents but also for the tourists who support the local economy.  Tourists come to Noosa because it is different from the higher-density feel of other resorts - not better, just different.

Thus it is very important that there be extensive community consultation before the draft planning scheme is submitted to the State Government, sometime in 2010.  Good planning schemes will come from a full understanding of community wishes. They include measures that:

• Ensure that the key drivers of development (population) cap be unchanged - urban development footprint, population densities and building heights
• Continue to encourage good design outcomes including acknowledging a 'village' scale and signage
• Continue with a centres strategy that avoids any larger scale shopping complexes and avoids any freestanding centres competing with existing business centres
• Encourages further sustainability outcomes in new developments
• Roads are generally 2 lanes with limited sections of 4 lanes; and roundabouts preferred to traffic lights
• Encourages a robust economy that is developed in a way that complements a vibrant community and conservation of our outstanding environment.

We know this is a busy time but making a submission will be a few minutes well spent.

Jim Berardo
President
Friends of Noosa

NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of the members of FRIENDS OF NOOSA INC will be held at the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, Hastings St Noosa Heads at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday 16 December 2009 to transact the following business: --

ORDINARY BUSINESS

1. Receiving the Associations financial statements and audited report for the last reportable         financial year and presenting that to the meeting for adoption.
2. Electing members of the management committee.
3. Re-appointing an auditor, an accountant, for the present financial year.

OTHER BUSINESS

1. President’s report.
2. Open forum discussion.

Nominations of candidates for the Management Committee must be given to the Secretary at least 14 days before the AGM. Nomination forms may be downloaded from www.friendsofnoosa.org

A member may take part and vote at the meeting in person, by proxy or by attorney.  Proxy forms may be downloaded from www.friendsofnoosa.org

By Order of the Management Committee
AG (Jock) Robertson
Secretary
Friends of Noosa Inc

Friends of Noosa urge all members to pick up the Discussion Papers and Feedback Forms relating to shaping the way the Coast will look, feel and grow over the next 20 years.

The key topics are 'Open Space', 'Biodiversity Strategy', 'Waterways and Coastal Foreshores Management Policy', Climate Change Strategy' and 'Flooding & Stormwater Management'.

The Feedback forms offer you the opportunity of expressing your view on each of these key planning proposals.  It's also a good opportunity to demonstrate to council the people of Noosa are civic minded and do care about our future.

Submissions to council close on Monday the 7th of December, so time is short. Forms are available from the former "Noosa Shire Council" offices at Tewantin, or via an on-line survey located on the following link:-

Our Place Our Future Survey

Bob Ansett
Friends of Noosa

My guiding principal in business was; ‘We’re in business to create a customer, and then satisfy the needs of that customer’.  To achieve this objective you have to get close to your customers and thoroughly understand what it is they want, and then work out a way to deliver the product or service they want and make a profit out of it.

Successful governments know they too must understand the needs of their constituents and govern accordingly.  In Queensland we have a government lead by a Premier who wanders around in a yellow vest and ‘hard hat’ repeating over and over the mantra, “I have been elected to make hard and unpopular decisions”. I know some businesses that arrogantly fed their customers a similar line, ‘here’s what we do, take it or leave it’.  It might work for awhile, but ultimately customers go elsewhere and the business disappears.

It’s been a fascinating exercise following the outing of Ministers in the Beattie/Bligh Government, some of whom have been convicted of corruption while others appear guilty of blatant cronyism.  Then there is the insidious “pay for access,” arrangements between the Government and former Ministers turned lobbyists. Even the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has engaged Rowlands Pty Ltd as its lobbyist;   So much for “stronger councils!”

Never was this democratic imbalance more apparent than in the great sham foisted upon Queenslanders with the establishment of the so called Local Government Reform Commission tasked with rubber stamping the Beattie/Bligh Government’s pre-prepared Council amalgamation agenda, against the wishes of ratepayers in the 81 Shires permitted a plebiscite.