Spectacular Gympie event better than Brisbane's

Events like this and the Gympie Muster put us on the map: Letter

Rosie Pinna, Maureen Cromer, Kim O'Brien and Margaret Lucas. Gympie Rotary Quilt & Craft Spectacular Day 1, November 3 2018. Picture: Josh Preston

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Congratulations on a spectacular event

ALL good stories start with "once upon a time" and old people like me can tell lots of those about the past when Gympie events are remembered as being bigger and better.

Well, this weekend I went to an equal. The Gympie Rotary Quilt and Craft Show at the Showgrounds and the expertise shown with the production of quilts and crafts was quite mind blowing. I saw sections of other craft work as well by Gympie and District and from other places. It was also the inaugural Ancient Crafts, Rare Trades Expo, Craft Beer, Make'n'Takes and free demos.

I know how hard Gympie Rotarians and their supporter organisations and individuals have worked to give the public a show described to me by visitors as being "better than Brisbane". How good is that!

To actually have people who are not glued to their TVs and other play things, willing to devote many hours on a sewing machine, or at a craft wheel shows a commitment most of us don't have. And to have busloads of out-of-towners coming here shows the expertise of Rotary president Brian and wife Kathy has a wide following.

Our council encourages the ratepayers to promote the tourism of the region and I believe events like this and the Muster put us on the map.

Gympie and region is blossoming in many ways and we try to look after our own. So the proceeds went to our hard working and essential Little Haven Palliative Care which also did the catering led by manager Sue Manton.

Unlike some productions, the price was low enough for all to attend.

If you missed it this time make sure you keep it in mind for the next one. If you enjoyed it, tell your friends.

Julia Lawrence OAM,

Gympie

Why aren't there solar panels on public buildings?

POLITICIANS of all hues and at every level use tax/rate payers as a cash cow and give not a hoot about the increased pressure on a dwindling money supply. There used to be a term called "disposal income." That no longer exists, thanks to politicians.

For example, the ban on supermarket bags has put an estimated $300 million on to the nation's grocery bill.

We are being led down the road of renewable power generation. It doesn't work well enough to power our country. How many industries have closed their doors because of this headlong rush to the dark ages?

Here's a thought: if the governments are so hell bent on using renewable power, why aren't public buildings adorned with solar panels?

Think of how much that would save us if every hospital, school, police station, court house was so equipped.

How about all our parliament houses and council buildings show us the way and lead by example?

Why isn't every rubbish dump extracting the methane from within and using that gas to power electricity generators?

How do governments get away with using tax/rate payers dollars to build infrastructure and then selling those assets to companies who charge us, the owners, to use them, thereby generating millions in profits for a private company?

What about fuel prices? A barrel of oil is around $70 per barrel. That should equate to around 70 cents per litre at the bowser. Yet we are told that oil is scarce worldwide and our dollar is weak.

Where is the overpaid regulator?

How about the truth for a change?

After all, this is money needlessly coming out of our pocket so that boardrooms and public officials can congratulate themselves.

And the latest: container deposit legislation forcing us to pay more for our drinks and then forcing us to get the empties to a collection station? What is the saving to the environment? How far will people have to drive their polluting cars to get to the collection point?

In future, I will question every candidate on what their vision is for the future. They will need to announce in clear and unambiguous terms what that is.

I know one thing for sure: I will grill each and every council candidate in future.

Not just my division councillor aspirant, but each and every one because, at the end of the day, they must govern for the entire region.

David Collins,

Araluen