The recent announcements by Bundaberg Regional Council that they intend to remove grassroots support for Community Services such as Rural Fire, Marine Rescue and other volunteer essential services, as well as taking away the Seniors subsidy for caravan parks is nothing but short changing the community and seniors of the region.
Council's efforts in these areas is nothing but scant disregard for the both the ongoing commitment by Volunteers to their communities and for the contribution that Seniors have made during their working lives.
With the Seniors issue, there are two issues, one is that surely there needs to be some recognition that most have worked all their lives and deserve some, albeit small, recompense for this. Further, there seems to be the lack of understanding by Council of sheer basic economics of the value of a dollar that is spent in a community by our visiting seniors. It is spent many times around before it eventually moves on. This measly act by Councillors will negate the positive economic multiplying effect for the communities of the region. The negative knock on will affect small and medium size businesses of all areas as news travels fast that it is cheaper to set up camp in some other more senior friendly community.
The withdrawal of support of Community Services eg: Rural Fire, Marine Rescue , completely disregards these services ongoing commitment to the safety and security of our communities and smacks each volunteer in the face. Each service will now to try and compete against each other for already scarce funds.
I welcome individual Councillors to put their hands up and let us all know if you fought against the damaging moves during deliberations, and for those that didn't fight against them, to identify what part of your election commitments was it that you promised to undertake these senseless acts.
That's my Personal View and I look forward to your comments.
Mal
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