Letters to the editor

Mayor Karen Williams, what you and Redland City Council have invested in (buying Cleveland Point land) is well worth the money. We need it as open as possible so that all can share it.

We have wonderful designers who can create something and keep it safe from cars, bikes and other large conveyances.

With my three generations of family we can sit and eat fish and chips and look west along Raby Bay and east to the paradise of Moreton Bay and North Stradbroke Island.

-L. Onraet, Cleveland

G. Robins (RCB, May 15) has ignored one important fact from his complaint about proposed changes to the treatment of franking credits if Labor is elected to government.

He gave an example of the different treatment for Bill Shorten and a retiree receiving the same dividend from shares.

If Shorten receives a dividend from shares, he has to declare this as income and pay tax on it at his marginal tax rate (45 per cent). He can then deduct the franking credit (calculated by the company at company tax rate of 30 per cent). So Bill would still be taxed on the balance of his dividend at the 45 per cent rate.

The retiree on the other hand has no tax liability, so has the full benefit of his dividend.

In short, the retiree receives a larger benefit than a taxpayer.

- M. Mann, Thornlands

In such a tight election, the intervention of someone like Al Gore, assisted by the climate activist Australian Broadcasting Commission, could change the result.

Gore labelled the LNP climate policy as "not credible" and praised the opposition Labor plan as "significant leadership". This carefully timed intervention in a closely fought Australian election by a prominent foreign politician is a blatant attempt to promote a damaging climate agenda.

This justifies an inquiry into foreign electoral interference and ABC complicity.

- V. Forbes, Saltbush Club director

It seems that some things never change and that history has a habit of repeating itself. One example can be seen in discussions relating to the proposed development of Toondah Harbour, a topic which features regularly in the Redland City Bulletin.

Articles have told us that community sessions at Cleveland and Dunwich will be held during consultation conducted by the developers.

Opposition to the proposed development by Walker Corporation has been expressed by environment and community groups, who are concerned about the development's impact on a Ramsar site, the loss of public space, the impact on threatened species like the koala, eastern curlew and the lesser sand plover to mention but a few. Also of concern are road and public transport issues.

Interestingly, the topic of Toondah surfaced recently in a 1912 article I found published in The Brisbane Courier in June 1912, headed The Deputation. This deputation to the treasurer was attended by three Redland Shire representatives - Cr George Randall, Cr Walker and Cr Woodgate, with five other interested parties.

The topic was the dredging of Toondah Channel. Unfortunately there is no evidence whether or not this venture was successful.

We might well imagine that various letters to the editor appeared in the 1912 media, as they have done this year. These letters are supportive of the work and opposed to it. People attending the 1912 meeting would never have imagined the 10 storey unit blocks, shops, ferry terminals and marina proposed by developers, but current writers are well aware of them and their concerns focus on ecological and social issues, just as the article of 1912 does.

No doubt the men at the 1912 deputation would be intrigued to read these recent letters, but even more intrigued to see that Toondah still remains a topic of media interest after 107 years. The wheel of history does indeed rotate a full 360 degrees.

- S. Davis, Wellington Point

Redlands Coast is the new branding for tourism. Would it be a worthwhile idea for television to use "Redlands Coast" on their weather maps instead of just "Redlands"? Fraser Coast, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast are identified by using "coast".

- J. Palise, Coochiemudlo Island

On Wednesday, April 17, I dropped my wallet in the Bunnings Capalaba car park.

I returned 10 minutes later but my wallet had disappeared. As I do not have a mobile phone, I then drove to Credit Union Australia at Capalaba Central.

A woman in her 50s had used my Visa Card at three stores at Capalaba Central, buying non-essential items. Bunnings called the same night to report my wallet had been found. About $260 was missing. All up I was out of pocket nearly $500 and my Easter and Anzac Day were ruined.

I hope this lady is proud of what she did to me. How low. Before anyone steals please consider the consequences of your actions on an older person.

- R. Henderson, Alexandra Hills

It never ceases to amaze me that people pitch a flimsy tent on the ground among dingoes on Fraser Island and wonder why they get bitten.

I suppose the same people would not think twice of taking their kids to camp in a lions' cage in a zoo.

BCFing mad.

- L. Sorrell, Cleveland