Not as green as we thought

MOST of the statistics the federal government released overnight that compared Toowoomba against Australia’s largest cities were predictable - some sadly so:

We already knew that people in Toowoomba are overweight; that the local labour market is strong and that most people in the city aren’t buckling under the same mortgage stress as home owners in Sydney or Melbourne.

But when we came across the sustainability and liveability section of the Smart Cities report, we were stunned.

Toowoomba ranks last in terms of how many people live within 400m of green space and how much of the city is dedicated to park land.

How do these statistics gel with our identification as the Garden City?

Anecdotally, it seems fair to say that most residents don’t feel squeezed of green.

We’re fortunate to have sizable backyards and easy access to the city’s parks and gardens.

Perhaps these figures can be attributed to parts of the city where suburbs have been heavily developed and are devoid of parkland.

Will this revelation make us, as a city, re-examine how we plan development and self identify?

BIBLE THOUGHT

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 AKJV)

The Bible will show us who really is speaking for the Lord.