Letter to the Editor

EDITOR -

I'm hurt by Cr Geoff Littler's suggestion that the Hinterland Shire Committee is attempting to con the people of Palmwoods into supporting the new shire move, by our suggesting that Palmwoods could be the site of the new shire's offices.

When we started our research for the new shire in 1995, we began by selecting hypothetical but logical boundaries, so that we had an area around which to do the sums. The area selected included that part of Maroochy Shire west of the Bruce Highway.

In our February 1996 report we said that Palmwoods, Landsborough and Beerwah were three logical sites and it's true - because all are railway towns with the significant population, services, space, importance and infrastructure to be the new shire headquarters .

Our committee won't be making the decision as to which town. It will be up to the Electoral Commissioner and yes, Palmwoods could be the new shire centre.

Cr Littler said that he'd support the new shire move if Nambour was the proposed site. We did consider this in 1995, but dismissed the idea because Nambour was the location of Maroochy Shire's offices and they'd be too big for the new shire. Also, the new shire would have to pay for them and pick up the $2 million debt still outstanding on the buildings.

Cr Littler may get his wish. The growing support for the hinterland shire move has been noticed by people who, in 1986, sought the amalgamation of the coastal areas of Maroochy and Caloundra into one City. We understand that a new "Sun City" committee is to be formed.

We have no connection with that committee but, as many people have commented to our survey teams, it would be logical to simultaneously form a single city east of the Bruce Highway, perhaps based on Maroochydore; and a hinterland shire to the west, based on Nambour.

Good local government is all about a community of interest - people with common interests, aspirations and expectations, and the ability of council to respond to and provide what its community wants.

Both Maroochy and Caloundra at present are schizophrenic councils - half city and half rural - and it shows in their decisions. Surely, it makes sense to have one city council and a rural shire, each meeting the precise needs of its citizens.

John Chiarotto
Chairman
Hinterland Shire Committee