BUY LOCAL Dear editor, The collapse of our last maker of architectural flat glass should ring alarm bells. The 169‑year‑old Australian manufacturer, Oceania Glass, has gone, 150 jobs are gone, and another chunk of our sovereign capability quietly shipped offshore…
DEMENTIA AWARENESS Dear editor, In 2026, there are an estimated 446,500 Australians living with dementia, a figure projected to more than double to over one million people by 2065. In Queensland, there are an estimated 88,200 people living with dementia in 2026 and without a significant…
ROAD TOLL Dear editor, Queensland’s roads have claimed 21 lives already in 2026, to January 26, surpassing most states and representing 19-22% of the national toll, despite our 20% population share. This follows 2025’s shameful 308 deaths, the worst in…
Dear editor, FRIENDLY TRAVELS There was a time when every country road came with its own unofficial greeting. You’d pass another car, lift a couple of fingers off the wheel, and the other driver would do the same. Just a…
SPEED HUMPS Dear editor, I am writing on behalf of several concerned community members regarding the newly installed high-speed humps at the South Coolum Rd Shopping Centre car park. Since their installation, many locals have noticed that the humps are…
AGED SOCIAL EQUITY Dear editor, The exposure that there are multitudes of elderly people waiting for aged care beds in hospital wards is a disgraceful smear on this so-called “lucky country”. Previously, there was a social contract by which a…
SAFETY ON YANDINA COOLUM RD Dear editor, I am amazed that after all these years, the narrow strip between the motorway and Yandina Coolum Beach Road near the roundabout has not had a vegetation barrier or physical barrier installed to…
ECONOMICS Dear editor, In the same week, global ratings agency Fitch confirmed Australia’s triple-A credit rating, the LNP Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien, questioned the Treasurer on the latest inflation rate in Parliament, looking for a gotcha moment. Dr Jim Chalmers…
GREEN ENERGY Dear editor, The Albanese Federal Government has laid out plans to build a future made in Australia, and the transition to clean and sustainable renewable energy is a big part of the plan. Unfortunately, the Crisafulli LNP State…
CLEAN ENERGY Dear editor, As of late 2024, approximately four million Australian homes had rooftop solar, which is about one-third. As of early 2025, approximately 320,000 homes, representing eight per cent of the total, were also equipped with batteries. With…