“The time has come” the Walrus said” to speak of many things..” Lewis Carroll.

It may come as no surprise to hear that I have moved away from Gladstone. I value my health more than the area and I don’t know if it was the pollution causing me to be ill or other unknown entities but I erred on the side of caution and moved.

You will find many people with differing opinions on the level of pollution and I quote the following;

“Mr McVean believes an investigation of what's in the heavy clouds that often spew from smokestacks across Gladstone could save lives. But he concedes that his move may not be popular in the industry-reliant city.

"They (employers) have been telling their employees that stories like this are likely to damage their property values in Gladstone," he said.

"You get this culture of fear, where people think that if we keep this up we are going to damage Gladstone."

Mr McVean spoke out after The Sunday Mail revealed last week how the rate of leukemia in Gladstone is more than double the rest of Queensland.

Alarming Queensland Health figures show that between 1996 and 2004, there were 19 cases of chronic lymphoid leukemia diagnosed there – 10 more than average.

Other types of leukemia in Gladstone are also higher, with 22 cases of the disease diagnosed between 2000 and 2004 – seven more than the state average.

Gladstone Independent MP Liz Cunningham said a cocktail of poisonous gases and coal dust from industry had blanketed the city for years and urged Queensland Health to investigate.”

I believe that your Council should explore other avenues to bring in the dollars rather than allow mining giants to pollute the atmosphere. Gladstone has the potential to be a beautiful city and developing tourism attractions would be a good start. Making a Southbank type precinct on the water would be a good start.

To be honest, I wouldn’t vote for any of the current councillors if I were still there at the next election. Maybe Matt Burnett will improve as he seems to have the energy needed. Above all, your councillors need to devote all of their time to their position and not receive income from other resources that they were previously earning a living from prior to being elected. They are receiving a full-time income for their position as a councillor and should therefore work full-time for the voters that put them there.

Do you want a council that calls its voters “Johnny-come-latelies”.?

Do you want a council that if a problem is too difficult for them to handle they pass the responsibility to residents?

It’s up to you. About 4 of the current councillors probably won’t be standing at the next election so make your vote count next time.

 

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Did you know……. That bulletproof vests, windshield wipers and laser printers were all invented by women?