The issue of amalgamation costs continue to fester after the Queensland Local Government Association predicted the overall cost of council mergers would most likely exceed 200 million dollars compared with the measly 27
million allocated by the state government. Some difference!

Anna Bligh responded by saying “should costs blow out councils can ask for more money”. Sounds good, but as we know with this government, things are never quite as they seem. On cue, the minister for local government, Warren Pitt quickly pitched in, saying, “He doubted the state government would need to provide any additional financial assistance as it would first be necessary for councils to deduct merger costs from future savings arising from efficiencies of scale.”

All well and good, but how on earth are councils going to predict future savings when the state government has no idea of the economies of scale. Having done no economic modelling on council mergers they, simply assumed ‘big has got to be better’. The fact, is nobody knows whether there will or won’t be savings, but the chances of increased operating costs are far greater than savings if the experience from other council mergers
here and overseas are any guide.

While there has been the odd hiccup the regional council has functioned pretty well since inception 6 months ago. Given the momentous task of forging three councils together, then finding ways to work as a united team to achieve common objectives, they have done well so far. Of course, the electors of the Sunshine Coast helped immensely by electing like-minded councillors all opposed to rampant development at any cost.

It’s not so much the current council we fear but future councils that may be influenced by special interest groups (developers) who have their own agenda for Noosa. Remember, the northern end of the Coast only elects 3 of
the 12 councillors and Bob Abbot won’t always be mayor. So Noosa remains vulnerable.

The Bligh government has made their position abundantly clear on future Sunshine Coast development, seeing it as a natural reservoir for expansive housing growth aimed at accommodating a further 75,000 people at the southern end of the coast. Yet, at a time of intensive public debate over global climate change, Noosa represents a model for the future on how to manage urban growth in a sustainable manner. UNESCO recognised this in awarding Noosa a Biosphere Reserve status last year, calling it “a Biosphere Museum for governments around the world to emulate”.

So if our politicians are really concerned about climate change, they should be out there promoting this invaluable asset that’s capable of being packaged as a model for others to emulate. For unless others see the value of conserving and using in a sustainable way the natural and cultural resources of their particular region Noosa will increasingly become an island in a sea of discontent.

Accordingly, it has never been more important for Noosa to control its own destiny than now. That means regaining our democratic right of self government. Noosa is what it is today because we have had a government reflecting the interests of its constituency for the past 90 years. We are now a community of nearly 50,000 people and have demonstrated time and time again our ability to govern ourselves.

Bob Ansett
Friends of Noosa