'Stunned' by Chamber, Perrett's lack of direction for Gympie

Letter writer believes those in business and politics should have an idea of where Gympie should go

Crowds enjoy the attractions at last year's Mary Christmas street party. Picture: Contributed

Two steps back

I WAS stunned, but again not surprised, reading Tuesday's edition of the Gympie Times this week.

First, I read the article submitted by Brendan Allen, writing on behalf of the Gympie Chamber of Commerce, and, well, mmmm? To think that a spokesperson for such an organisation could actually be 'stumped' by the question of what does Gympie want to be, and that he'd never heard the question put that way before, stunned me.

As Gympie sits as the next cab off the rank (or more likely the next Uber job these days) in Sth East Qld's urban sprawl, I figured that any local business organisation would've already asked itself that question, collectively and as individuals.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett. Picture: Cassandra Glover

At least in this week's article Mr Allen wrote of businesses other than what has traditionally been a pretty CBD-centric narrative. I'm glad Mr Allen offered a broader opinion piece than would've appeared a few short years back; not so our State MP, Tony Perrett, who seems to not yet recognise the evolutionary process of change.

It's not that shark drum lines aren't important as much as it was just last week's generic, scripted, LNP party hack 'talking point'. It's limited in importance to the majority in the Gympie electorate but as usual offered a handy tool for Mr Perrett to perform his almost only trick, 'slamming' the State Government, and of course 'animal activists'. In another regular feature of his being our voice at state level he again failed to offer anything proactive for Gympie.

He seems to be a plan and idea-free zone. He may be a reflector of some locals' wishes but he exhibits nothing of civic leadership.

Regardless of what Gympie hopes to be, it will be subject to growth which if not managed will see us lose control of what happens to us. Mr Perrett's offering nothing but negativity toward those who currently govern and talk usually limited to issues of little relevance to Gympie has convinced me he represents our weakest link in facing the changes coming.

That's quite an achievement in an area where local politics can be as petty as it often is. While Labor may never represent our needs, the LNP has long failed us.

I believe we at least require a representative at state level capable of displaying progressive independent thought. Is there anybody out there?

Dave Freeman,

Cedar Pocket

MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

ACT has lost plot on marijuana

ONE may well ask if the ACT has lost the plot by legalising marijuana. Millions of dollars have been spent in the past and currently, advising of the damage smoking cigarettes can cause, mostly the peril of lung cancer.

Knowing full well the effects drugs can have, not just a personal one, but the extreme danger to the public generally. Shootings, stabbings, cars speeding - no end to it; the mental health situation is already high.

Will the same sort of money come out of the pockets of the public to advertise the danger of drug use I wonder? Where will the responsibility of this situation lie?

Its beyond my mental capacity to understand the need to take drugs to enjoy a musical concert, seems odd.

Faith Devere

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The surprise tree

I WAS taken aback by the announcement of the $64,000 spend on a Christmas tree. It was just a few weeks ago that the council could not afford the $600/$800 cost of public liability cover for the Pre-Muster Party.

Did we win the Lotto?

Merv Welch

The Palms

Climate change rally in Lismore as more than a 100 protests take place across the nation. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

How dare they?

HOW good is it to see the next generation of voters marching and protesting against the inaction of their leaders.

Thousands of scientists have spent decades studying changes in the environment and well over 90per cent of them agree that the planet is heating out of control, and that humans are largely responsible. So, how dare these ageing conservative leaders and also some ageing conservative commentators ignore this science?

And, how dare they blame parents and teachers for the anxiety young people are experiencing? Those at the helm are to blame and history will ultimately prove their irresponsibility.

We can only hope that when real and positive action is taken it is not too late for the generations to come.

Peter Easton,

Mothar Mountain

Greentopia

THEY planned the Land of Make Believe. They wanted water without building dams, cheap reliable electricity without burning coal or gas, transport without using petrol or diesel, food without farmers or fishermen, employment without factories, and metals and motor fuels without refineries.

Their countryside was uglified by paddocks of magic mirrors, forests of whirling bird slicers and spider-webs of access tracks and power lines that delivered abundant electricity when it was least needed.

But the taps went dry, cattle and crops died, lights went out, seafood and rice came from Vietnam, metals were smelted and refined in China, trains were built in India, cars and trucks came from Japan, motors fuels were imported from South-East Asia, and savings fled to Zurich.

Welcome to Green Australia.

Viv Forbes,

Washpool, Qld