The new Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) convened for the first time last week. Led by Mayor Bob Abbot, councillors publically committed to reflect the
wishes of their constituents, who clearly voted for sensible population growth, environmental protection and maintenance of our envied life style.
But with all the goodwill in the world, history tells us the further government is removed from its constituents the less accountable it becomes; services decline
and costs go up. Super-Councils inevitably lead to bloated bureaucracy's more subject to corruption than smaller government. (Think Wollongong)
Wendell Cox the American authority on urban planning, noted in his seminal report titled ‘Pennsylvania Efficient Township Government’ --“the smaller the local
government the lower costs per capita--”. He goes on to say, “the reason they are more efficient is they are closer to the people”. And his report highlights, the only
economies of scale are for special interest groups (property developers) who are able to exert control over larger government departments.

All of the above have been argued by the Friends of Noosa over the past six months as we tried to stop the amalgamation. We were unsuccessful as our State
Government arrogantly refused to listen, ignoring the overwhelming NO vote by Noosa electors to amalgamation.

But the fight isn’t over by a long shot. The Friends of Noosa have redefined its ongoing campaign as illustrated by the attached ‘matrix’. In essence we will
accumulate a ‘brief of evidence’ that will ultimately be used to de-amalgamate Noosa from the SCRC. Meanwhile, we will keep the new council accountable. For
no matter how hard our representative’s on the SCRC try, they will not be able to indefinitely protect our lifestyle, our values, our culture, our town plan, and our
environment.

To achieve this objective, we seek support from all our members and the community generally to keep us informed about any deterioration of Council
services, breaches to our Town Plan or other factors that impinge upon our lifestyle and community values.

To keep you informed the FON REPORT will be published on our website monthly and emailed to those on our mailing list. If you aren’t currently on our mailing list
and would like to receive this Report via email, just send us your address.

The fight has just begun!

Bob Ansett