July 3, 2013
Reaction to today’s South Burnett Regional Council Budget has been cool on social media, with Facebook members questioning on Council’s wall the need to spend money on some projects when local roads need repairs.
The announcement that $295,000 would be spent on upgrades to Kingaroy Town Hall and Art Gallery provoked a response.
“They upgrading town hall again? Didn’t they just finish taking years to do it?” wrote one.
Less gracious was this comment: “Why waste money on the hall? Dumb tards really!!!”
“How about fixing the bloody roads. That’s ridiculous!” said another.
“Priorities all wrong I’m afraid!!!”
“Rise in rates to upgrade the town hall… how about asking the rate payers their thoughts… roads would be a big concern I think…”
“Roads are more important than making the town hall look pretty. its already been done out the front… for goodness sake”
“Fix the roads… the hall is fine”
“How many accidents have been at the town hall… if the roads don’t get fixed there are going to be a lot more accidents than what there has been already…”
“So this will be the 3rd time the Town Hall has had a make over. sounds like you people have money to waste.”
“Think they should put money into roads since we are going to pay for them in our rates town hall doesn’t need an up grade.”
“Nice budget ***hats maybe you should include cost of fixing our cars due to poor roads? But hey least the area where you ‘work’ will be pretty.”
(The money allocated to the Kingaroy Town Hall is to level the sloping carpeted area at the rear of the hall which has been criticised by users for years.)
Other Facebook readers seemed concerned their towns might be missing out on something.
Under a Council note about money allocated to be spent in Nanango was the complaint: “Wat about f***** Wondai?”
“Anything getting done in Blackbutt?”
“What about Kumbia I see no mention for my town”
“Hey. Wondai and Murgon Towns are still part of South Burnett….how come most projects go to Kingaroy?”
“Where the hell is the skate park in Murgon?”
(It’s getting built already …)
There were also general complaints about road conditions.
“I for one would like to see the roads resurfaced around Blackbutt instead of quick pothole fixes, as soon as it rains the potholes reappear larger. People dodge the potholes and there have been numerous near head-on collision …”
“Bout time you fixed Silverleaf Road its a joke.”
“Same goes for Crumpton Drive … quick fix and before you know it we are dodging cars and pot holes.”
Some people seem confused about what things are Council’s responsibility …
“$932k on streetscape, wt the town looks nice the way it is you don’t need to spend that amount on it all. And $150k on cemetery. I really don’t think u can justify that amount of money on those things when the money could be used in other ways … like the Nanango hospital. No mention there.”
(Nanango Hospital is a Queensland Health facility; it has nothing to do with Council.)
And while some people were complaining about Council spending money, others were suggesting even more should be spent:
“How about putting a playground down at the Tingoora cricket grounds so the familys of there have somewhere the kids can play and same for visitors to Tingoora and upgrand the toilets there as well”
And this: “Please rebuild the walking track”.
“The walking track! The walking track!”
“Here’s an idea why not put in more footpaths and street lights.”
“As a rates payer… can Murgon have a decent park …”
There was even confusion why the Mayor’s Red Earth Flood Appeal money hadn’t be mentioned in the Budget:
“Can I ask what the mayor proposes to spend all of the Flood Money that was raised by our local community on.”
(The donated money is being distributed by the Red Earth Community Foundation South Burnett to flood-affected farmers; it is not part of the Council Budget).
It seems to us that you can please some of the people – especially on Facebook – none of the time!
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