YOUR SAY: Thumbs up (and down) for white water stadium

The valuation of our property has gone from $44.000 to $ 110.000 in one year.

This is excessive and without any explanation.

I like to know what has changed in one year to make my land so much more valuable. Unfortunately, we still have no infrastructure like sewage.

This is a money grab by the state government. It seems that the average property owner has minimal reasons for objections because of the rigid conditions by the relevant authorities. Rudi Schmidt

I agree with your editor, Craig Thomson, about journalists asking gotcha questions of politicians. The last thing we need is politicians who can think on their feet. We much prefer to listen to puppets who are well-trained by their media staff to provide well-rehearsed responses to the standard questions (climate change, integrity, etc.) so we know the real thoughts behind the pasted-on expressions. How else can we get an insight into the person?

Besides, drafting penetrating questions is way too much work for the small team of journalists charged with interrogating our pollies. It's much more efficient to dust off those Pro-forma questions (prepared by someone much more intelligent, usually with a couple of decades of experience, so we know the questions will be good).

That way, the answers we get from the politicians: absolutely riveting! Frank Cop, Wellington Point

It is disappointing that it's seems that the council already had an agenda placing The Redland Whitewater Centre as a priority. Besides putting a large concrete monstrosity where it's been beautifully preserved. You're not even listening to the feedback from the community. This is not what we asked for. A limited few enjoy white water rafting. Be transparent and listen to the community. Megan Storer, Capalaba

As Birkdale residents for over 35 yrs, my family and I are aghast at this Olympic venue proposal for this last remaining open and semi forested package of land. Last year, the consultation process was an exercise in making the contributors look like stupid mugs and frankly has incensed and offended us. This proposal is another exercise in politicians or local govt office holders wanting their names attached to some monolithic development or structure as their legacy. Without a conservationist approach to future management and access to the land, we can take the continued existence of koalas right out of the Redlands. In Birkdale, land development has, over the last 35 years, taken out large sections of undisturbed bushland by developers. We used to have three koalas at a time in nearby trees in the early 90s. Now we only hear one every two or three years. The last one we saw five yrs ago in the pathetic 30 metre wide corridors linking scant corpses of trees amongst houses was diseased and suffering. It died in our driveway. This is the price of development and the loss of large bushland refuges. Don't let our last tract of near-natural space be concreted and trampled for the sake of a flash artificial waterway for a one week show in 2032. We have plenty of alternative waterways for future young families to use. We live on the promoted Redlands coastline and we have a freshwater dam to use! Janelle Hobbins, Birkdale

A white-water park in Birkdale? What a tacky, waste of money idea! Just leave it alone or have it as a nature trail or koala breeding centre.

Upgrade or expand the Cleveland Aquatic centre instead! It's the only decent pool in the Redlands to swim laps, but every time I go to use it, swim squads take up most of the lanes therefore I don't bother going anymore.

Better still, build a tidal pool so we can swim safely in the ocean, for free! There is so much ocean around us - yet there is limited access to have a swim!

Alanna Salt, Birkdale.

craig.thomson@austcommunitymedia.com.au