Tag: View from the gallery
Climate change and aircraft noise set the night alight
Dusk had well and truly set in as 70 or so protestors milled outside the council chambers. They waved placards showing they were demonstrating against changes to aircraft flight paths which they claimed would affect the peaceful solitude of their lives.
From the committees: Kerbside pick-ups silently disappear
In this column regular contributor John Lobb presents the highlights from two Noosa Council meetings held on Tuesday 12 February - the Planning & Environment Committee and the Services & Organisation Committee.
The fish drama continues … many questions unanswered
The Noosa Council ordinary meeting of Thursday 17 January, 2019. Spoke to Stan from Pomona who is not happy with the Council. He spoke to Mayor Tony Wellington but will contact other Councillors to express his concerns. Wellington gave me a forced nod; I'll have to send him another letter reminding him of his faults. Cr Jess Glasgow rushed past and said nothing. Cr Joe Juresivic walked past without a greeting...
Fish drama – was this decision really carefully considered?
The first three years of the 'Bring back the fish' project were beset with delays and the University of the Sunshine Coast scientists deployed to it were not able to do much (or anything) by way of evaluating its effectiveness - it seemed to have been decided the university’s services would no longer be required.
Speculative purchase of TAFE: stroke of genius or costly error?
A rare Mayoral Minute is called recommending that council purchase for $1.7 million the old TAFE college site closed by the state government in 2014 after eight years operation. It consists of four now decrepit buildings on 11.4 hectares of land in Tewantin. John Lobb looks at the pros and the cons and what it could mean for the Noosa community.
A long meeting agrees to Noosa’s first video council
The Noosa Council general committee meeting of Monday 17 December 2018
In the chair deputy mayor Cr Frank Wilkie with mayor Cr Tony Wellington, Cr Ingrid Jackson, Cr Brian Stockwell, Cr Joe Jurisevic, Cr Frank Pardon. Apology Cr Jess Glasgow.
A country drive & a council meeting at Pomona
Very occasionally Noosa Council gets into the hinterland and convenes a meeting at one of the pretty townships that are scattered around the rural areas of the shire. Such was the case for the last ordinary meeting which was held on a lovely evening at former timber town Pomona.
Council acts on river erosion – but is it too little,...
Did Noosa Council scrap a stabilisation scheme which would have prevented Noosa River eroding the sand spit that keeps it on course and protects Noosa Sound from inundation? And if they abandoned the program, why?
River poses imminent threat as Council splashes around
In this column I review the highlights of last Tuesday’s meetings of two Noosa Council committees – Services & Organisation and Planning & Environment - which discuss matters that eventually go up the line for final determination at the ordinary meeting nine days later. Yes, Council decision-making, like making a sausage, is a process.
Councillors try to design a unit block on the run
I despair as Councillors try to design a unit block on the run. There we were in Tewantin promptly at 6pm with mayor Tony Wellington, back from leave, in the chair and a full council plus six senior staff around the table. At the press desk was Peter Gardiner from Noosa News.
One of the strangest (and longest) Noosa Council meetings
Noosa Council General Committee Meeting, Monday October 15th. Noosa had received a year’s rainfall in a single week, so it was no surprise to walk into the foyer of the Council chambers and see water damage caused by a leaking roof. Just one of many repair jobs across the shire that need attention.
Noosa’s past week – as seen by its two newspapers
Mayor Cr Tony Wellington is on leave and Noosa Council’s meetings (open and secret) have temporarily ground to a halt, so I thought I...
Live streaming and bad behaviour
There was only one item of significance at Noosa Council’s ordinary meeting last Thursday (20 September) and that was a motion from Cr Ingrid...
A shock outburst, pokies and one bridge too far
At the Monday 17 September general meeting of Noosa Council, the public gallery was crowded with three members of the public, including me. At...
Spooked horses, an airfield and a rickety bridge on Gumtree Drive
Most ratepayers would never know this (or even be interested if they did know) but Noosa Council has a monthly meeting cycle which includes four meetings, sometimes five, that are open to the public.
Collapsed pipes, swamp crayfish and wilting flowers
I’m now well into my regular reporting of Noosa Council meetings as I seek to provide a critical and constructive rather than some councillors’...
John’s view on a not so ordinary meeting
Ordinary meetings of Noosa Council are rarely lively affairs. They tend to be tick-box night. But last Thursday it was an unexpected transport proposal, an unusual admission of wrong-doing from Cr Stockwell and the reappearance of Cr Pardon provided some spice to warm up a chilly winter’s evening at Tewantin.
John Digby Lobb’s view on budget and transport
This week I’m taking a good hard look at a special Noosa Council meeting on Friday 6 July, the primary aim of which was...
John Digby Lobb’s view from the gallery
By John Digby Lobb. Those who know me from my occasional disruptions to your life in the columns of the local media will understand that I live just outside the Noosa Council boundaries. But, because I feel this is my community of interest, I’m a regular attender at Council meetings – and have been for many years.
