Queensland Consumer Watch: 26/07/2009

Ipswich is the big winner with the new SEQ Regional Plan released today

PICS: Ipswich growth to soar

Ipswich is the big winner under the new Southeast Queensland Regional Plan released today by the State Government.

Residential, commercial and industrial development combined with the protection of key environmental areas are the main themes for Ipswich.

This is a synopsis of the SEQ Regional Plan 2009 - 2031 in relation to Ipswich:

Implications for the City of Ipswich

The SEQ Regional Plan provides a land use planning framework for Queensland, effectively identifying a hierarchy of planning policy and priority responsibility between State Agencies, and Local Government and the key delivery mechanisms for implementing both statutory and non-statutory planning policy.

Growth
The Plan forecasts that Ipswich's population will grow from 142,400 persons (2006) to 435,000 persons by 2031 an increase of 292,600 persons over 25 years, i.e. an average of 11,704 persons per year.

To accommodate this growth, dwelling production needs to grow from 52,300 dwellings in 2006 to 118,000 dwellings in 2031. An increase of 65,700 dwellings over 25 years, i.e. an average of 2,628 dwellings per year.

The Plan also advocates that of these additional dwellings 18,000 will be constructed as infill development in existing urban areas of the City.

Economy and Employment
The Plan recognises the principal regional activity status of Ipswich CBD and Springfield Town Centre; and the major regional activity functions of Goodna and the future Ripley Urban Core.

The administrative, cultural and community functions of the Ipswich CBD are promoted as well as its sub-regional retail and commercial functions.

In addition to the employment offered by the City's significant centres, Ipswich has major existing and future employment generators in Ebenezer/Willowbank, Swanbank, New Chum, Riverview/Bundamba, Redbank Peninsula, Wulkuraka, Carole Park, RAAF Base Amberley and the Amberley Aerospace and Defence Support Centre. These employment opportunities not only provide the City with a robust and growing economy but will ensure a high level of employment self-containment and be a major contributor to the Region's employment growth.

Identified Growth Areas
Lanefield-Grandchester is identified as a future growth area requiring significant investigation to determine its suitability for urban growth.

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PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Sea World and Movie World are a disgrace to Queensland

Sea World and Movie World have blotted Queensland's copybook as visitor-friendly destinations with their ban on patrons bringing their own food into their grounds.

What could be more un-Australian than having security guards rifling through people's bags searching for cut sandwiches, biscuits or fruit.

With the crackerjack admission and food prices charged by these two theme parks, no wonder parents are forced to bring their own lunches to save a few dollars just so their kids can enjoy the entertainment provided.

This is truly appalling what these two outlets have done.
Imagine being greeted on arrival by security guards determined to prevent one morsel of contraband food passing through the turnstiles of Sea World or Movie World.

Local consumers and international visitors should vote with their feet and boycott these venues which have destroyed the fun of a day out at Queensland theme park.

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Queensland Liquor Licensing turns the law into an ass!

The law is an ass - thanks to the buffoons running Queensland Liquor Licensing.
On the one hand, they are moving quite sensibly to ban glass liquor containers in hot spots including venues which provide entertainment, or have a history of violent incidents or trade past 3am.

But the apparently unbending 3am rule will force the Qantas Club and the Chairman's Lounge at the Brisbane Airport to serve all liquor in flimsy plastic cups.

This is bureaucracy gone mad.

Airline travellers pay hundreds of dollars a year for the privilege of using the relatively-civilised facilities of the Qantas Club.

Now, businessmen and women will be treated no differently from beer-swilling yobbos looking for a fight who frequent Brisbane's nightclubs and dingy bars.

When was the last time anyone saw a punch-up or glassing incident at the Qantas Club?

This latest edict by Liquor Licensing against the Qantas Club shows how out of touch they are with reality.

They should be targetting the genuinely high-risk venues not respectable establishments like the Brisbane Qantas Club.

Because of this ill-thought decision, Kevin Rudd will be the only Government leader in the world who will have to drink his wine from a plastic cup when he passes through the Chairman's Lounge of his local airport.

Think again Liquor Licensing.

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Support for lowering Australia's voting age to 16

The Australian newspaper reports today the Federal Government is considering lowering the voting age to 16.

Some of the individual states in the US are already considering, or implementing, a lower voting age.

The voting age was last changed across Australia 35 years ago as it became obvious that younger, more-mature individuals had the capacity to take on the responsibilities of adulthood prior to the age of 21.

I first advocated reducing the voting age to 16 almost 20 years ago and again promoted the idea in March 2008.

Modern sixteen year olds have the commonsense, maturity and interest in community issues to justify a reduction in the voting age to 16.

The only real question is:

How soon will it happen?

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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