More must be done to help Mackay’s struggling marina

‘An advertising campaign for the city and the marina would also help this wonderful facility and region... ’

The state of the Mackay marina prompted one writer to call for change. Picture: Contributed

Mackay Marina

MY PARTNER and I had our first date at Mackay Marina. Every year we come back to see it in the New Year.

We have been saddened by the progressive decline of the marina, with closing restaurants, shops and day spas. Despite declining numbers the businesses are crippled by exorbitant rents without relief.

We have contributed to drought relief for our farmers. We have contributed to assistance programs for bushfire victims. We support assistance for our volunteer firefighters. As proud Australians we cherish our communities’ reputation for helping each other when times are bad.

We would gladly contribute to help our struggling local businesses here but apart from patronage there are no options to do so.

Our councillors and our local MP are oblivious to the problem or lack the energy, courage or imagination to help. George Christensen seems (from media reports) keener to spend money in bars in the Philippines than helping the local small businesses.

A rate relief scheme for landlords contingent on significant rent reductions for tenants can be easily funded if spread across the community.

An advertising campaign for the city and the marina would also help this wonderful facility and region to transition to a mixed economy that embraces tourism.

If the MP and council cannot do their jobs they should be sacked.

Bring back people to the Marina and the city.

Paul Flanagan, Mackay

Water concerns

WHO would sell our water? So China is going to mine for water … we have known it was there for 150 years. This must be stopped now. As if underground water is not already at a historic low. Yes, we are running out of water.

Ron McLean, Mackay

‘Grasping at straws’

AFTER seeing the Sunday Mail promoting serial pessimist, Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington, it’s obvious her party has been grasping at straws for a very long time.

She seems to be following in the footsteps of previous leaders of the LNP by not advocating new ideas or solutions, but seeks a headline by criticising others.

It’s a shame the party stoops so low and follows previous Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s example of his treatment of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

This kind of gutter politics may have worked in the past, but if a politician is worth their salt they would display more intelligence and decorum by coming up with plausible policies and plans to improve the standard of life for millions of Australians struggling to survive in this mineral-rich country.

Land owners in Australia only own the top metre of dirt and the government owns the rest. How is it possible for land owners to get wealth by mining their land when it “legally” belongs to the government?

This is beastly corruption at its worst.

Jay Nauss, Glen Alpin

Tell us what you think

WE DON’T like to make big changes without consulting you, our readers.

But we’ve been rethinking the community diary page in our Wednesday paper.

We’re considering whether to cease running it each week and seek your feedback on that possible move.

We also ask you to write in and let us know if there’s anything you would like to see more of.

Email [e-mail] with your thoughts.

Rae Wilson, Editor

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