October 17, 2023
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says she is “extremely concerned” about the wastage of a large amount of water flowing from Kingaroy Hospital into stormwater drains.
Mrs Frecklington said she had been contacted by a local resident who shared concerns about the water, which she believes has been flowing into nearby Venman Street for at least twelve months.
“It is quite extraordinary to see so much water going to waste. It is flowing into Venman Street, and then on to the South Burnett Rail Trail, where it has become a complete mess,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington wrote to Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman seeking an answer about why so much water was being discharged by Kingaroy Hospital and what was being done to address the problem.
“They have admitted the water is from the hospital and comes from overflowing storage tanks,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington said the Minister claimed she couldn’t quantify how much water was being wasted.
“I think any wastage of water was unacceptable – especially given the current dry conditions the South Burnett is experiencing and the value regional people place on the best use of water resources,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“This has been going on for too long and while the Minister’s response acknowledges the problem and an investigation, I would hope they can find a much better use for the water as soon as possible.
“The new Kingaroy Hospital has been plagued with problems since it opened several years ago and it really is disappointing that this problem has not been addressed sooner.
“The residents of Venman Street are also rightly sick and tired of constant water in their gutters and the situation it is causing.”
So South Burnett ratepayers are paying a 20 per cent cent increase in rates to cover the costs of wasted water, hidden murals, cement gardens upkeep instead of parking, more roundabouts but still potholes, and not forgetting the Councillors’ pay increases and so it goes on.
Have the old names of the Area forgotten the people that kept them in their business over the past years. The newcomers are unaware of the trials that has been before them.
How about some locals with guts who are unhappy with what’s happening to our Kingaroy Town to voice their opinions and make it known to the SBC we do not accept nor condone your continual nods for your own promotion to the demise of the South Burnett rate payers.
Surely there’s a valve they could turn off at the inlet to the tanks which could be monitored & turned on as required while they are waiting to get the tanks automatic shut off system fixed.
In the past four years the SBRC’s rates have risen by zero (2020), 1 per cent (2021), 1.75 per cent (2022) and 3.65 per cent (2023), J. Gilbody.
The wasted water cost at the hospital is paid by Queensland Health; new roundabouts (and their potholes) on our highways are the responsibility of DTMR; and Councillor pay rates are set by the independent Local Government Remuneration Commission (a State Government organisation), not Councillors.
Finally, two of the three new murals in Kingaroy were paid for by Stanwell and Westlink Petroleum and the one at the Visitor Information Centre (which was paid for by the Council) cost only marginally more than giving the Visitor Information Centre’s rear wall a much-needed coat of paint.
Any other misinformation you’d like to spread?