CELEBRATING OUR TALENT

THE 2020 Harvey Norman Gold Coast Women of the Year awards have yet again showcased the talented women who are contributing to our great city.

When we gathered in January to launch the awards, none of us could’ve predicted the devastation that COVID-19 has brought with it, particularly here on the Gold Coast where tourism and small businesses have been hit incredibly hard.

But as Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page summed it up: “2020 is a year like no other. Yet our fundamentals remain unchanged. We live in a community here on the Coast populated by talented, determined people who cherish where they live and work,” Ms Page said.

Today’s special magazine celebrates the 24 women nominated in this year’s awards and the category winners, who through their various fields enrich our city.

Women of the Year winner Tani Bloudell, who also took out the Young Women category award, is an inspiration who, at just 24 years of age, has already dedicated half her life to volunteering and raising funds for those in need.

People’s Choice winner Melissa McGuinness turned the most heart-breaking of tragedies into spreading the youth road safety message to teens in schools.

Entrepreneur Amreeta Abbott shows the true meaning of hard work and determination, transforming her fintech start-up company into a multi-million-dollar business. The list goes on. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists. You have done the Coast proud.

SO if colours and names are so offensive now, what does this also mean for Minties and chocolates being offensively named, what then about all white and black cars, will they need to be repainted?

No more offensive white picket fences, and what about zebra crossings?

Probably need to dye those white shirts and even the cricketers’ pants.

Will white be taken out of the dictionary, along with thousands of possible insulting words?

I am surprised we have lasted this long.

Is the colour of our roads offensive. Can we please find a more neutral colour?

Milk, yoghurt and coconut will need to be changed too. Wait, I love black, sorry aniseed jelly beans, blue and green ones not quite the same.

Wow, a chance for many new businesses here

DAVID HOBBS, GOLD COAST

TODAY we were confronted with news that Victoria’s infection rate is not reducing but increasing.

This is threatening our ability to return to normal. It could be fixed by our southern neighbours in NSW closing their border to Victoria to ensure our safety.

But a bigger question still floats in the air like the virus.

Victoria’s sudden increase has appeared in numbers exactly two weeks after the protests in Melbourne, which is the epicentre of this outbreak.

How is it that we in Queensland and in NSW have no sudden outbreaks? We in Brisbane have seen so many ongoing protests on a

daily basis in Brisbane and yet not one reported case.

As we are all so very aware the protest groups who organize these events love to work away from public scrutiny, using social media to relay their instructions to others without detection.

We are also aware that the people associated with these groups are in an age range that laughs at infection because of their belief of immunity because of their age and fitness.

Have we seen them promoting to their followers to go get tested for public safety, especially after it was revealed some had contracted the virus before they attended the protests and since then the numbers have grown.

I personally believe that we all now have to be more vigilant and to protect ourselves start reporting anyone we know who has attended the protests and ask the authorities to test them.

There is no doubt that Victoria has take its eye off the ball but can we be sure that the second wave is not already among us?

RON NIGHTINGALE, BIGGERA WATERS

THERE are few certainties in life.

But one of them is whichever way Annnastacia Palaszczuk turns over the border crossing she will have the LNP cheer squad and ScoMo beating the drums and calling for head her on a stick.

And it will be guaranteed whatever way she goes their cheer crowd will be there to stick the boot into her.

DJ FRASER, CURRUMBIN

With the health authorities reminding

us not to relax our COVID-19 vigilance, one wonders why Australia Fair at Southport has reintroduced its boom gate parking system. As we line up to enter the car park, we are again all required to press our fingers on the boom gate button, a magic spot where the virus can live for up to four days.

Are car parking spaces so precious that it’s worth risking people’s’ lives?

PAUL CURTIS, GOLD COAST

I AGREE 100 per cent with Tim Costello’s excellent analysis of this nationwide problem (GCB, 15/06): The tens of thousands of poker machines in clubs and pubs.

What is the Government waiting for before they legislate for a total ban of gambling advertisements on all social media? It has done it for tobacco products.

WERNER LANZ, GOLD COAST

OUR local MP Laura Gerber has sent to the government a petition to call for a halt to the pole lighting of the Coastway between Bilinga and Tugun because turtles are said to breed on that stretch of beach, and the pole lighting will affect them.

If turtles are breeding at Tugun this well-kept secret is now out, and this warrants extended protection: the beach should be fenced from the tourist hoards who will now flock to Tugun in search for breeding and hatching turtles; the Tugun Surf Club’s light which floods the beach with light for patrons should cease; Council’s well-lit tractors which filter the beach sand at night should cease; professional fishermen with their multitude of vehicles