YOUR VIEWS

AS Mayor, I am open to criticism and I accept that this is part of the role.

As a council, we can always do things better and we strive to improve our frontline services year in, year out. I am confident the new CEO, who starts in two weeks, will find even greater efficiencies within our annual $1.83 billion budget.

What I can’t accept is completely inaccurate comments such as those from Mr Dick FaureField (GC Bulletin, Jan 19).

Firstly, he states I plan on using ratepayer funds to pay for RAT Covid tests. Incorrect.

I have made it clear that the State would pay any bill.

If the letter writer understood domestic productivity, he would know that tens of millions of dollars is being lost in our local businesses every day because their staff can’t get tested, and back to work.

That lost productivity hurts us all so I am trying to help small business – and the government – to find a solution to the RAT debacle. At no cost to ratepayers.

Secondly, the theme of the letter is his belief that we are wasting ratepayers’ funds on various projects and initiatives and that we need to stick to ‘roads, rates and rubbish’. It’s an easy argument for someone to mount if they don’t understand the depth of council responsibilities in the 21st century.

Pools, libraries, water services, lifeguards, animal management, community halls, sporting fields, cycleways, beach preservation, natural areas management and disaster response preparedness. All these are essential council services and not one of them involves roads, rates and rubbish.

He is critical of the new cultural precinct, specifically the arts gallery. Having a cultural heartland and a place of identity for the arts and culture community is critical to a city’s social and economic health. Look at Paris, Melbourne, London or even regional cities like Bendigo. These precincts attract new visitors who stay longer and spend more. Like many of our other community assets, we are working hard to make HOTA cost-neutral to ratepayers. In the long term, we will achieve that but it will take time. Let’s remember that our libraries don’t make money and neither do our 2300 parks and children’s playgrounds. A review is underway into HOTA with a view to finding more value-for-money in how the precinct is run.

Finally, the letter tries to imply that council has dropped the ball when it comes to local road repairs and funding.

Nothing could be more inaccurate. In the past four financial years, this council has invested record funding on roads and transport – around $200 million per annum. The list of major road and bridge improvements is extensive – and ongoing. Road repairs, including pot holes, are captured within that funding.

I encourage every resident to keep in touch with their local councillor to highlight the local road repairs and upgrades they want to see addressed.

TOM TATE, GOLD COAST MAYOR

THE article by Nelson Quinn on climate issues has more holes than a sea urchin’s underpants. How is the ocean in Fiji rising rapidly yet nothing happening in Australia?

I’m a boating person so I’d notice. Where is the big increase in cyclonic activity?

Seems the same to me (over 50 years observation).

Climate change still smells of a left-wing agenda to attack the Government.

LOUIS CARBONI, GOLD COAST