New year will be the same, but different

WELCOME to 2019 - another year of same, same but different.

CHANGING PLACES: This year could usher in a new prime minister in the form of Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP/MICK TSIKAS

WELCOME to 2019 - another year of same, same but different.

There will be the same rhetoric from our politicians, especially federal ones, given there will be a federal election early in the year.

But it will be different as we will have a new federal government sworn into office - whether it be Coalition or Labor.

This means there will be a different prime minister.

Either Scott "Sco-mo” Morrison will be elected in his own right or Bill Shorten will live up to his name and shorten the odds on Labor winning the election.

From a state political view, we can expect not much change as our state representatives don't go to the polls until October 2020.

So it is more of the same there except that there will be different programs and policy rollouts in response to the needs.

Locally, Ipswich residents can expect more of the same as the administrator of Ipswich City Council continues to work to fix the damage done by previous administrations.

Expect some different ways in how the council works with the community during this process.

We should see some great changes by the end of the year.

Community groups locally, I expect, will continue to provide much-needed services and entertainment that they are so good at providing year after year.

There are too many of you to name but each and every one do a great job for this community.

There will be more of the same for the Ipswich CBD, with shops closed and very little foot traffic.

And by the middle of the year, there will be another big hole as BCC cinemas closes its doors, not that it will make much of a difference as BCC is not that nice a place to go to see a movie.

Besides, it showed the same movies at the same times as the other cinema across the trickle of water called the Bremer River.

I always believe optimism is much better than pessimism every time, so I am very optimistic that things will change for the better in the CBD.

For business, especially small business, hopefully the coming year looks brighter than the previous one.

Many businesses will experience much the same while others will have some big changes.

There are a number of small businesses on the market and the new year will see new business owners renovating and making changes to the way their business operates.

And what about you?

What changes do you have in place for the coming year - that long dreamed about trip to some exotic place or you've taken the big step and decided to retire.

Maybe you have decided to renovate the house or shift house or downsize.

Whatever it is, make the most of your decision.