Hartwig: We must make a silk purse out of a $20m sow's ear
When your road is not graded, your road edge not mowed or the pothole not fixed take a trip on the Rattler so you can see where the money has gone.
Gympie
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THE statement by the Mayor that Gympie needs a tourist attraction to bring people in once the bypass happens shows little understanding of reality.
Nambour and Yandina thrived after they were bypassed, I personally saw the benefits. I lived there.
READ MORE: Gympie MP wants an audit into the State Govt's role in the Rattler cost blowout
Gympie is more than an expensive train and will thrive more once the bypass is complete.
CLICK HERE: A complete breakdown of where the Rattler money is being spent
Agriculture, construction and manufacturing are our biggest employers and it would have been more prudent to develop a large industrial estate to bring business to this town that create jobs for our younger generations.
Motherhood statements like the Rattler is good for Gympie, it will be a great tourist attraction, defy and deny the necessity to consider how much we have spent on this project, the continual upkeep and if there were better options to get greater value for money.
When your road is not graded, your road edge not mowed or the pothole not fixed take a trip on the Rattler so you can see where the money has gone.
Gympie region is a great place to live without expensive toys and trinkets. Its natural beauty is only surpassed by the wonderful people that make this area such a rewarding place to spend your life.
The Rattler needed to be a staged project with smaller projects coming first that created income to fund the large rail project. A steady, conservative approach was needed with the Rattler which did not happen.
It's true that the horse has bolted and we have to try to find a way to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
There is no point forgetting how we got here or we will repeat the mistakes as we take this project forward.
The question that ratepayers should ask is, is $20 million upfront and $1-2 million every year after value for money?
Glen Hartwig,
Gympie Regional Council Division 2
Originally published as Hartwig: We must make a silk purse out of a $20m sow's ear
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