Mackay region residents have their say on what should be funded in the council’s 2021-22 budget

Residents are screaming out for free kerbside pick-up, road repairs, footpaths, more attention for Sarina plus a whole lot more. See the full list.

Mackay residents have had their say on what they’d like to see in the 2021-22 council budget.

Mackay residents are passionate about how the council should spend its money with ideas ranging from kerbside pick-up to building a bridge connecting Slade Point to Blacks Beach.

We asked our readers to tell us what was on their wishlist for Mackay Regional Council’s 2021-22 budget and you had plenty to say.

Alan Laskey said not having kerbside clean-up before the annual cyclone season was a “disgrace” with Jennifer Ford and Joel Bow adding they would like pick-up for household items and hard rubbish.

A few said they would like shade over the Bluewater Lagoon’s top pools with the current situation “dangerous” in Mackay’s warm summers.

And Joel Sadlier said the council should build a V8 Supercar and MotoGP track and “watch the money roll in”.

But Craig Hamilton said many were ignorantly asking for stuff outside of the council’s responsibility.

“Perfect reason why voting shouldn’t be compulsory,” Mr Hamilton said.

The full list of what you had to say:

Terry Harris: “Definitely rate cuts.”

Jennifer Ford: “Side walk pick-ups once a year for household items and one for green waste.”

Cheryl Kinnear: “Thank you for walking paths etc. (at) Bucasia, Shoal Point but we need another road out in case of emergencies.”
Judy McNichol: “Maybe some more coffee shops/cafes.”

Alan Laskey: “Reintroduce popular annual kerbside garbage clean-up before the cyclone season would be a good start; apparently the kerb and channelling in some regional towns is self-maintaining before the wet season – it’s a disgrace.”

Joel Sadleir: “Build a V8 supercar/MotoGP track and watch the $$ roll in.”
Craig Hamilton: “Amazing how many people asking for stuff that MRC isn’t responsible for. So much ignorance. Perfect reason why voting shouldn’t be compulsory.”

Jodie Cleary: “Shade roof for the skate park in Sarina.”

Kristen Clearly Pratt: “Park/playground update for Koumala.”

Jason Crofts: “Council pay cuts so rates don’t keep going up.”

Sams Winn: “Transparency, honesty.”

Paula Mulcair: “Waterslide.”

Joel Bow: “Hard rubbish throw out like Victoria. It’s awesome.”

Christa Buckler: “Consistent pothole repair.”

Lisa Michelle: “Kerbside pick-up once a year prior to cyclone season. Fix Golf Links (Rd) roundabout.”

Pip Marshall: “Fix the roads. FIX! THE! ROADS! Properly!”

Evon Mills: “Put some money back into Sarina, a lot of people walk in this area and the footpaths are crap, and fix southbound from before the wreckers all the way into Sarina. Absolutely atrocious.”
Ray Smith: “Fix McEwens Beach Rd. Make it two-lane all the way, this is my fourth windscreen.”

Kristy Joyce: “Cover over the other two pools at the Bluewater Lagoon, the water is warm in summer because there is no shade and it is just plain dangerous for everybody’s skin, not having any shade!”

Sarah Dougan: “Bridge from Blacks Beach to Shoal Point.”

Steve Wells: “Fix Bridge Rd at IGA and Parkside before someone gets killed or hurt badly with the traffic turning right when signs show no right-hand turn. And cars turning into Parkside from Bridge Rd over unbroken white lines. Needs fixing badly so who is in charge of it, council or police?”

Richard Blizzard: “Have noticed the past few months council have started to install a pathway on Norris St. Would like to see more pathways being built where they are needed to make the streets more safer for pedestrians.”

Georgie Schlitter: “ALDI.”

Riss Austin: “No more rate rises. We pay too much for no services already.”

Carolyn Everett: “Save the Memorial Pool and improve it. Roadside pick up, especially before storm season for branches etc. Also gives people opportunity to clean up unwanted goods.”
Amanda Aah: “A water play area in Sarina or a small lagoon in Sarina.”

Aimee Thompson: “Playground in Alligator Creek. Kindy at Alligator Creek State School.”

Dennis McLean: “Approve development applications that would see the town develop instead of stagnate.”

Mitch Rays: “Compost bins for food waste.”

Jayne McKenna: “Footpath, after paying rates for 28 years, I think it’s a safety thing for all the elderly in the street who have been here longer than us.”

Louise Steains: “Fix local roads. The Pioneer Valley roads are a disgrace.”

Heather Sullivan: “A new footpath on Webberley St instead of the broken, cracked and uneven bitumen we’ve had for the past 27 years. I wonder what my rates get wasted on, definitely not in our street that’s for sure.”

Jacki Rose: “Swimming enclosures.”

Casey Hansen: “More local roads connected for access to the Northern Beaches.”

Riley Formosa: “Redevelop Queens Park.”

Samson Chow: “Free green waste dump. Annual road side pick-up.”

Gail Blaney: “Acknowledge that Sarina is part of Mackay Regional Council and put some effort into updating children’s facilities and footpaths in Central St. How about some bike paths as well? Why does the Northern Beaches have more awareness and facilities than the southern beaches which are just as beautiful?”

Debra Greinke: “Footpath improvements in Slade Point especially near the schools, parks and shops.”

Ken Lewis: “Stop giving yourself pay rises and bonuses and stop hiking the rates up. The rate payers aren’t your private ATMs.”

Greg Arnold: “Surf ranch.”

Jennifer Gray Knight: “Lower rates.”

Alice Watkin: “Turning lane into the Sarina Showgrounds.”

Kathryn Dougan: “Kerbside pick-up.”

Janai Giles: “Child care centre. Better roads. Free kerbside collection. Access to Northern Beaches or lights at Golf Links Rd roundabout as it’s dangerous. Things to do in our riverfront as we do have the bluest river that’s not utilised. Strand. Better public transport. Things for kids to do.”

Aaron Insch: “Rate reduction.”

Raymond Weise: “Free green waste dumping, reduced rates and another road to Northern Beaches.”

Alicia Fitzpatrick: “Mobile phone coverage that actually works. Not exactly a council thing though maybe they can approve whatever infrastructure is needed to achieve this.”

Amanda Moree: “Pay rise for workers. Sarina township. New footpaths. Shade sail over the skate park. Central St and Broad St upgrade to attract tourists (to) make it look nice instead of a shabby place.”

Joseph Roberts: “Brampton Island reopened.”

Sandie Summer: “No rate increases.”

Brookie Bowman: “Big indoor activity centre for all ages like chipmunks with trampolines like the bigger cities have.”

Sonja Bragg Hallam: “Lower rates.”

Muz Sheedy: “Better second access to Northern Beaches. And free green waste dumping.”

Barry Windsor: “Water slides! Like the one we used to have out at the harbour.”

Jill Andrews: “Council keeps asking for ideas but nothing gets done.”
Crystle van Vuuren: “Fix the roads that are damaged.”

Sheryl Jo-Anne Miles: “Lower rates and no rate rise for a change.”

Paula Glew: “Free parking for people who work in the city.”

Terri Smith: “Lower rates and values for the exorbitant amount we already pay.”

Bobette Twidale: “Town water”.

Tracey Albano: “Twice annual free kerbside collection. Another access to Northern Beaches. More facilities at Northern Beaches.”

Smiley Collins: “For all councillors to take a pay cut. Not worth what they are getting paid.”

Scott Cronin: “Better roads”.

Teresa Vella: “Cleaning and tidying up the local creek at Walkerston.”

Lyle Hoppe: “Better roads”.

Steve Spencer: “Mackay desperately needs a hydrotherapy facility! Take out the ridiculous “traffic management” mountains on George Fordyce Dr and the S-bend on Marzan St. Another access to Northern Beaches to the city. Sunday public transport. Second Centrelink office in the city. Homelessness accommodation. Mentorship for young offenders. Rehab centre.”