Tom Sharp's
Blog
10-09-2020
SHARP COMMENT 7 - For the people
The SRRC planned town revitalisation program for Beaudesert has now well and truly been exposed as a flawed development and waste of both ratepayers’ and taxpayers’ money. Moreover, it is something that the people neither want nor need – a bit like the failed town by-pass before it.
We have the reality of a failed consultation process, a proposed library twice rejected by the people, an independent consultant’s report rejecting the proposal, and proposed $4.5 million in new debt at the ratepayers’ expense. This new proposed debt comes on top of the existing $41.1 million ratepayers have been burdened with, and you may very well ask what do we have to show for it? Compounding this is the disputed Helen Street Saleyards, with no solution in sight from Council. It now also has the cloud of heritage listing hanging over it and goodness knows what other significant matters that Council has failed to deal with or plan for.
Davidson Park lies at the centre of Council’s development dreams and it is interesting to note that in 1937 the Clerk of the day,
Mr A L Lane, said that considerable assistance in connection with the Railway Park had been received from the then Queensland Railways Commissioner, James Davidson, and suggested that as Mr Davidson was retiring shortly it would be an appropriate gesture to name the park after him. Mr Davidson was considered the best “railway man” in Queensland and a great friend to the people of Beaudesert for his work in advancing transportation via the railways within the region.
The suggestion to name the park after Davidson was met quite favourably by the people, but other suggestions by Council, such as the moving of the RSL Memorial to Davidson Park was rejected by the people. That’s right, the Beaudesert Town Council actually consulted with the people of Beaudesert and represented their concerns and wishes. Hence the memorial remains at its original position.
This historical snapshot opens a gaping window into the inadequacies of today’s Council – a total lack of vision, business acumen and knowledge with regard to representation of the people.
Sadly, the only private enterprise and business success connected with Council lies in our Division 5 and 6 councillors: one a pastoralist, the other a long-standing dairyman. There is no other successful business experience on or in Council. Yet, Beaudesert has an abundance of leadership and successful businessmen and women to engage with – SRRC please engage with our “brains trust” along with the rest of the people of this region.
If Beaudesert wants to increase its visitation by tourists and travellers alike, it should consider a Centre of Excellence to showcase the region’s products and produce, including exhibits representing the region’s finest industries – our equine industry, timber industry, beef industry, dairy industry, agriculture and horticultural industries, our leather products, wine and spirits, processed delicacies and so on.
We have an abundance of community hubs in Beaudesert: Jubilee Park, Beaudesert RSL, and none bigger than the Beaudesert Kingfishers.
We don’t need another community hub, but we do need vision and sustainability that is in keeping with our rural lifestyle, economy and heritage.
We do not need more debt and a dead duck library building! How about investing in the content of the existing library and bringing it into the 21st century for the people, as opposed to glorification of the ever increasing SRRC administration.
We have the reality of a failed consultation process, a proposed library twice rejected by the people, an independent consultant’s report rejecting the proposal, and proposed $4.5 million in new debt at the ratepayers’ expense. This new proposed debt comes on top of the existing $41.1 million ratepayers have been burdened with, and you may very well ask what do we have to show for it? Compounding this is the disputed Helen Street Saleyards, with no solution in sight from Council. It now also has the cloud of heritage listing hanging over it and goodness knows what other significant matters that Council has failed to deal with or plan for.
Davidson Park lies at the centre of Council’s development dreams and it is interesting to note that in 1937 the Clerk of the day,
Mr A L Lane, said that considerable assistance in connection with the Railway Park had been received from the then Queensland Railways Commissioner, James Davidson, and suggested that as Mr Davidson was retiring shortly it would be an appropriate gesture to name the park after him. Mr Davidson was considered the best “railway man” in Queensland and a great friend to the people of Beaudesert for his work in advancing transportation via the railways within the region.
The suggestion to name the park after Davidson was met quite favourably by the people, but other suggestions by Council, such as the moving of the RSL Memorial to Davidson Park was rejected by the people. That’s right, the Beaudesert Town Council actually consulted with the people of Beaudesert and represented their concerns and wishes. Hence the memorial remains at its original position.
This historical snapshot opens a gaping window into the inadequacies of today’s Council – a total lack of vision, business acumen and knowledge with regard to representation of the people.
Sadly, the only private enterprise and business success connected with Council lies in our Division 5 and 6 councillors: one a pastoralist, the other a long-standing dairyman. There is no other successful business experience on or in Council. Yet, Beaudesert has an abundance of leadership and successful businessmen and women to engage with – SRRC please engage with our “brains trust” along with the rest of the people of this region.
If Beaudesert wants to increase its visitation by tourists and travellers alike, it should consider a Centre of Excellence to showcase the region’s products and produce, including exhibits representing the region’s finest industries – our equine industry, timber industry, beef industry, dairy industry, agriculture and horticultural industries, our leather products, wine and spirits, processed delicacies and so on.
We have an abundance of community hubs in Beaudesert: Jubilee Park, Beaudesert RSL, and none bigger than the Beaudesert Kingfishers.
We don’t need another community hub, but we do need vision and sustainability that is in keeping with our rural lifestyle, economy and heritage.
We do not need more debt and a dead duck library building! How about investing in the content of the existing library and bringing it into the 21st century for the people, as opposed to glorification of the ever increasing SRRC administration.