Sept2011_COUNCILLORs COLUMN
by Cr Bob Millar
2012 AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS
The Moreton Bay Regional Council Australia Day Awards recognises individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to their local community and/or achieved exceptional results in sporting, environment or cultural endeavours. The Categories are: Citizen of the Year; Sportsperson of the Year; Environmental Achievement; Community Event; Young Citizen of the Year; Young Sportsperson of the Year and Cultural Award. Anyone can put in a nomination and these must be received by 4th November 2011. For further information call 3283 0489 or visit www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/ausawards .
LOCAL LAWS
Over the last 18 months, Council has been working on reviewing and consolidating the more than 25 local laws of the three former councils into a new set of laws for the Moreton Bay Region. Six new local and subordinate laws came into effect on 5th August 2011 following approval by the State Government. Copies are available for viewing and/or/purchase at Council’s Strathpine customer service centre and Strathpine Library. For more information visit our website www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au .
SMOKEY FIRES
Many residents in the rural residential parts of the Region use fire from time to time to either dispose of excess vegetation or to reduce undergrowth on their properties. However, the fire must not cause nuisance to surrounding properties and if the material is more than 2 metres in any direction, a permit is required from your local fire warden. Details of your local fire warden can be found on the website www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au. To avoid inconvenience to neighbours you should not burn green waste but wait until the material has dried. Council also provides a free facility at its transfer stations and landfill sites for the disposal of green waste which is then mulched. Council’s recently adopted local laws also regulate the use of fire for burning material less than 2 metres in size including the requirement for a 6 metre boundary setback and fires not being lit before 7am and requiring to be extinguished no later than dusk. Lighting or maintaining a fire outdoors is prohibited on an allotment of 3000 square metres or less unless the fire is contained in a properly prepared barbeque or similar cooking apparatus using clean and dry combustible material for the purpose of cooking food for human consumption. Further details are contained on Council’s website.
WHERE DO YOU SHOP
I am often surprised when meeting new residents and sometimes those who are much longer term residents that they have little knowledge of the services and facilities that our local shops and businesses provide. I have encouraged people to walk the streets of the village and they often report finding not only the items they did not realise were available, but that the prices were very competitive with the “big shops” over the range. The village and its environs are quite unique and have been built on small business from the very beginnings as a farming and timber area. Its more recent service providers can adequately meet the reasonable day to day needs of our rural and urban residents. Most of us like it this way and see little need for this style or level of service to change, but it is important that we actively support those businesses. A check of the Council business directory on our website and contact with our local chamber of commerce will also reveal a significant number of small businesses which do not have street front presence.
37 NEW AUSSIES FOR MORETON BAY
At the Citizenship ceremony held on the 18th of August at Caboolture, another 37 residents from the Moreton Bay region received their Australian citizenship. The candidates originally came from 11 countries around the world with 13 candidates coming from New Zealand and a further 11 from the United Kingdom. Other countries represented on the night were South Africa, Argentina, Ethiopia, Fiji, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Apart from receiving their citizenship certificates before an enthusiastic group of friends and relatives, the candidates were presented with a small tree by their respective Divisional councillors as a token of “something new”. It is expected that around 1,500 Moreton Bay Regional Council residents will take out Australian citizenship over the next 12 months.
FACELIFT FOR DAYBORO CEMETERY
As part of Council’s ongoing program to improve the amenity and serviceability of cemeteries across the region, Dayboro Cemetery is in line for works to be undertaken in the current financial year. Planning is currently underway to commence Stage 1 works which will include: improved access from Laceys Creek Road; replacement of the front fencing and gates; internal pathways and additional landscaping. Future Stage 2 works will include repairing and upgrading of the existing shelter, establishment of memorial gardens and internal access trails. The $100,000 first stage of construction is expected to commence early next calendar year.
DID YOU KNOW?
Moreton Bay region spans some 2037sq kms and the average growth rate over the last 10 years is 3.04 per cent making it one of the fastest growing populations in Australia.
LOCAL LAWS
Over the last 18 months, Council has been working on reviewing and consolidating the more than 25 local laws of the three former councils into a new set of laws for the Moreton Bay Region. Six new local and subordinate laws came into effect on 5th August 2011 following approval by the State Government. Copies are available for viewing and/or/purchase at Council’s Strathpine customer service centre and Strathpine Library. For more information visit our website www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au .
SMOKEY FIRES
Many residents in the rural residential parts of the Region use fire from time to time to either dispose of excess vegetation or to reduce undergrowth on their properties. However, the fire must not cause nuisance to surrounding properties and if the material is more than 2 metres in any direction, a permit is required from your local fire warden. Details of your local fire warden can be found on the website www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au. To avoid inconvenience to neighbours you should not burn green waste but wait until the material has dried. Council also provides a free facility at its transfer stations and landfill sites for the disposal of green waste which is then mulched. Council’s recently adopted local laws also regulate the use of fire for burning material less than 2 metres in size including the requirement for a 6 metre boundary setback and fires not being lit before 7am and requiring to be extinguished no later than dusk. Lighting or maintaining a fire outdoors is prohibited on an allotment of 3000 square metres or less unless the fire is contained in a properly prepared barbeque or similar cooking apparatus using clean and dry combustible material for the purpose of cooking food for human consumption. Further details are contained on Council’s website.
WHERE DO YOU SHOP
I am often surprised when meeting new residents and sometimes those who are much longer term residents that they have little knowledge of the services and facilities that our local shops and businesses provide. I have encouraged people to walk the streets of the village and they often report finding not only the items they did not realise were available, but that the prices were very competitive with the “big shops” over the range. The village and its environs are quite unique and have been built on small business from the very beginnings as a farming and timber area. Its more recent service providers can adequately meet the reasonable day to day needs of our rural and urban residents. Most of us like it this way and see little need for this style or level of service to change, but it is important that we actively support those businesses. A check of the Council business directory on our website and contact with our local chamber of commerce will also reveal a significant number of small businesses which do not have street front presence.
37 NEW AUSSIES FOR MORETON BAY
At the Citizenship ceremony held on the 18th of August at Caboolture, another 37 residents from the Moreton Bay region received their Australian citizenship. The candidates originally came from 11 countries around the world with 13 candidates coming from New Zealand and a further 11 from the United Kingdom. Other countries represented on the night were South Africa, Argentina, Ethiopia, Fiji, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Apart from receiving their citizenship certificates before an enthusiastic group of friends and relatives, the candidates were presented with a small tree by their respective Divisional councillors as a token of “something new”. It is expected that around 1,500 Moreton Bay Regional Council residents will take out Australian citizenship over the next 12 months.
FACELIFT FOR DAYBORO CEMETERY
As part of Council’s ongoing program to improve the amenity and serviceability of cemeteries across the region, Dayboro Cemetery is in line for works to be undertaken in the current financial year. Planning is currently underway to commence Stage 1 works which will include: improved access from Laceys Creek Road; replacement of the front fencing and gates; internal pathways and additional landscaping. Future Stage 2 works will include repairing and upgrading of the existing shelter, establishment of memorial gardens and internal access trails. The $100,000 first stage of construction is expected to commence early next calendar year.
DID YOU KNOW?
Moreton Bay region spans some 2037sq kms and the average growth rate over the last 10 years is 3.04 per cent making it one of the fastest growing populations in Australia.
For all your general council enquiries call 3205 0555 or email:
mbrc@moretonbay.qld.gov.au
If I can assist further please contact me.
Councillor Bob Millar
Independent – Division 11.
