Regions need equality
THERE are, unfortunately, many low acts carried out every day in this city.
Break and enters, car thefts, assaults... it is a sobering list.
The police will tell you they occur more commonly than any of us would like.
They are all terrible crimes and are condemned by all right- minded people.
But there is one wrong that hits a nerve with just about everybody: stealing from a charity.
That was graphically demonstrated over the past two days when Mount Louisa Red Rooster franchisee Michael Jones posted on Facebook a video of two females stealing from the charity tin in his restaurant.
“It’s very disappointing that people would stoop that low,’’ he told the
last night. The video sparked widespread outrage and prompted the mother of one of the alleged thieves to come forward.
She did the right thing by apologising on the phone to Mr Jones for this low act and promising that her daughter would do the same, and also donate to the charity, The Cure Starts Now.
This cause raises funds for research into childhood cancers. You’d be hard- pressed to find a more worthy cause.
Perhaps there is a happy ending to this sordid tale.
The publicity this story has generated may ironically prompt a spike in donations to The Cure Starts Now.
We’re happy to get the ball rolling with a $ 100 donation. THE latest figures for drivers caught over the legal drinking limit or on drugs are cause for grave concern.
When will these idiots get it into their thick heads that drunk or drug driving can kill? A SOUTHERN newspaper reported earlier in the year that in total, board members of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility ( NAIF) had earned more than $ 500,000 a year despite the NAIF still not issuing a cent to job- creating projects.
Here is who and what the board gets paid as of March 10. Sharon Warburton: $ 146,960; Bill Shannon: $ 71,250; Justin Mannolini: $ 63,840; Sally Pitkin: $ 63,840; Karla Way- McPhail: $ 56,150; Khory McCormick: $ 56,150; Barry Coulter: $ 43,825; Chairwoman bonus: $ 34,000; Audit chair bonus: $ 15,370; Audit committee bonus: $ 7960.
While this select NAIF Board has been given jobs and big money to look at possibly, maybe, not sure yet, $ 5.4 billion worth of loans, the State’s Deputy Premier’s job is safe if she can build a $ 5.4 billion tunnel that is not needed until 2036.
One Nation has committed to axing the $ 5.4 billion Cross River Rail in favour of water security and lowering electricity costs, done so, I must say, without the need of high paid executives.
One Nation state leader Steve Dickson announced last week more key state policy that is not about tunnels and grandstanding, rather it was about water security and cheaper energy.
At the time Steve put the question to the old party run Federal Government to match our commitment. It may be that their state counterparts in Opposition, who I hope agree, are still applying pressure.
To date there has been no such commitment.
I support Steve Dickson’s stance that the Federal Government needs to match these commitments instead of paying lip service to NAIF loans and the Development of Northern Australia. Queenslanders are telling them that water and energy have been neglected for too long now.
The sleepy old parties just don’t get it that by lowering the cost of living, helping to increase savings for individuals and increasing the state’s revenue, is the best way for government to assist everyone.
With the balance of power in Queensland after the next election One Nation can keep the old parties focused on the job at hand which is to first and foremost deliver services equally to the regions and the big cities.
SAM COX, One Nation candidate Burdekin.