It’s Time To Be Proactive
For many years, in fact, for decades the needs of the SMBI have been a low priority for the local council. Roads remain badly maintained, many unsealed, island and mainland parking is inadequate, and the infrastructure needs of the islands with a growing population generally lacking. Yet council’s own strategic plans indicate that the islands population is due to grow to 20,000 or more. Future planning for SMBI is currently non existent.
Outgoing Mayor Karen Williams was recently quoted in the Friendly Bay Islander publication that the islands deserve “regional status” to ever get a “fair deal”. In the article, Mayor Williams encourages the islanders to reach out to State and Federal politicians for “critical infrastructure” funds.
Islanders4Islanders are wondering why Williams in her two decades in the job was unable to represent the islands to obtain the funding for “critical infrastructure” . Redlands population as of 2019 was 158,815, of which South Moreton Bay Islands population was 7629 according to the 2021 Census. Perhaps the numbers speak for themselves , and that is why the islands barely get a mention in council’s “Our Future Redlands- A Corporate Plan to 2026 and Beyond”.
But is it just the numbers, after all North Stradbroke Island, as of 2021, had a population of 2021.
If we can’t get the representation that we deserve though our local council, perhaps it’s time for this community to lobby State and Federal Governments directly. No one knows the needs of these islands better than we do.
We at Islanders4Islanders are up for it.
Any interested parties who want to see the islands thrive and willing to contribute positively and proactively to submissions to State and Federal Governments, please contact us via email: [email protected]