Toowoomba City Council - the Class of 2004 ...

GONE!

GONE!

GONE!

GONE!

GONE!


No more gourmet sandwiches, no more interstate
and overseas trips at ratepayers' expense!

Following San Diego and Caboolture Shire,
this marks the third Council where most if not all Councillors
have been removed following proposals to introduce potable reuse.

You'd think they'd learn ...

Feather duster status - redux ...

Worth revisiting.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

No office for recycling

by Amanda Gearing and Brendan O'Malley

27 June 2006

The first Australian mayor to be dumped from office for backing recycled drinking water has warned Toowoomba Mayor Di Thorley she risks the same fate.

Ten years ago Caboolture Shire residents ditched their mayor, John White, after he had served for 16 years on the council.

He blamed his demise on a plan to recycle purified sewage from the local wastewater treatment plant.

"I didn't see it as an election issue but very emotive terms were used and the topic was used to divide the public," he said.

"One day I was the rooster, the next I was a feather duster."

Cr Thorley, who plans to contest the 2008 council election, is backing a similar plan for drought-stricken Toowoomba, where residents are facing a July 29 referendum on water recycling.

Mr White warned she risked a similar fate and he called for a co-ordinated approach from the State Government instead of allowing individual councils to cop the flak.

"If (her) opposition chooses to use this as an issue then she will become a feather duster as well," he said.

He admitted that if he had been able to foresee the deep divisions the debate caused he would have advocated recycling for uses other than drinking.

Cr Thorley said that although she did not underestimate how concerned some residents were about the issue she would not back down.

"I've acknowledged that people take this seriously but I have not seen that as a reason to make me lose courage," she said.

"I think 1997 in Caboolture was a very different time.

"They weren't faced with running out of water, no one thought Wivenhoe Dam could run dry and you didn't have climate change in the media day after day."

Mr White said he was pleased the debate had led Caboolture to spend millions of dollars to improve its water treatment facilities and to embrace recycling of water for parks, gardens and sporting fields.

"It defies logic to treat millions of litres of water and then dump it into the ocean," he said.

In 1999 Caboolture upgraded its sewage treatment works, treating the effluent to A-class standard rather than building an outfall pipeline to Moreton Bay.

The recycled effluent is now used for new housing and industrial developments and major water users including school grounds, the town's showgrounds and sporting fields, parks and gardens, roadworks and building sites.

Source - Courier Mail - No office for recycling.

Toowoomba Regional Council - poll to be declared ...

... at 10am tomorrow, 28 March.

Vote count as at yesterday afternoon after counting additional postal votes:

1. ANTONIO, Paul (Millmerran Shire Council) - 55,520

2. TAYLOR, Carol (Cambooya Shire Council) - 49,892

3. SCOTNEY, Ros (Pittsworth Shire Council) - 44,657

4. WILLIAMS, Mike (Cambooya Shire Council) - 43,153

5. ORFORD, Ian (Jondaryan Shire Council) - 34,916

6. STROHFELD, Noel (Rosalie Shire Council) - 34,319

7. CAHILL, Bill (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 32,886

8. RAMIA, Joe (Toowoomba City Council) - 30,188

9. GLASHEEN, Anne (Clifton Shire Council) - 29,367

10. MARKS, Peter New Candidate - 29,121

Remaining outgoing Toowoomba City Councillors:

25. SCHNEIDER, Michelle (Toowoomba City Council) - 28,497

19. ENGLART, Sue (Toowoomba City Council) - 22,920

28. BARRON, Graham (Toowoomba City Council) - 21,884

22. BEER, Keith (Toowoomba City Council) - 21,286

23. ALROE, Michele (Toowoomba City Council) - 20,751

Total Enrolments: 98,313

Total Formal Votes: 79,795

Total Informal Votes: 5,869

Total Votes: 85,664

See - LGAQ numbers.

Also see - ECQ numbers.

Also see - Booth count.

Toowoomba Regional Council - Schneider fails in recount attempt ...

... left to contemplate life outside Council.

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Ruby counted out of council

27 March 2008

Failed Toowoomba Regional Council candidate Michelle (Ruby) Schneider yesterday requested, but was subsequently denied, a recount after falling 624 votes short of filling a place on the new council.

Mrs Schneider, who was a councillor on Toowoomba City Council, finished in 11th position behind Peter Marks in the poll.

She submitted her letter of request to returning officer Robyn Lowien at 2.30pm yesterday, but was denied the recount by the Electoral Commission late yesterday.

Mrs Schneider said her reasons for a recount included the size of the overall vote (797,950) and the closeness of the candidates in eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th positions.

She also claimed the commission changed its method of counting the votes from a manual system to an electronic system during the count.

The reason her request was rejected, she said, was that the Electoral Commission thought the margin she lost by was too big.

"They think the margin's too big and as far as informal votes go the percentage was very low," Mrs Schneider said.

"I'm happy to accept that, but sometimes you just have to request and have a go at these things otherwise you go through life wondering."

Earlier in the day, Mrs Schneider said the result was too close for comfort.

"This is about the process. It's not about sour grapes.

"I believe a recount will put minds at rest and then allow the new regional council to get on with the job for which they have been elected."

Mrs Schneider said she would also then be able to move on and into the next phase of her life with her family and career.

"It is very important for people to understand this is about process," she said.

"The time it has taken to get to this point is absolutely appalling and that feeling has been echoed by many candidates.

"I have fielded so many phone calls, emails and messages of support from the community who believe this has been unacceptable."

Returning officer Robyn Lowien said the count was finalised at 12.35pm, postal votes being the only ballot papers counted yesterday.

"There are 10 candidates in the position and it is my intention to have the candidates in my office and declare the poll at 10am on Friday," she said.

Ms Lowien said a candidate could not simply request a recount.

"They must have reasons as to why they think an error occurred and where they think some of the votes may have been omitted," she said.

See - Schneider fails in recount attempt.

Bottled water: the new social poison ...

Remember - if you didn't want to drink reycled water, you were supposed to buy bottled water.

How environmentally friendly was that?

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Bottled water: the new social poison?

22 March 2008

First fast food, then plastic bags. Now bottled water is the next alleged social evil to find itself in the crosshairs of pressure groups.

Environmentaists lay the blame for a growing mountain of plastic in landfill and the increasing strain on water resources directly at the feet of the large companies that sell bottled water.

The problem of our growing addiction to bottled water will come up at a meeting of environment ministers next month where the question of a national refund scheme for plastic or glass bottles will be raised.

Figures show the thirst for bottled water is far from being slaked. The market is expected to grow 9.1 per cent to $460 million this financial year, according to a forecast by the market researcher IBIS World, and Australia lags other developed countries in consumption.

NSW households are second only to those in South Australia in their reliance on bottled water: 13 per cent of South Australian households say they rely on bottled water as their main source of drinking water, compared with 9 per cent in NSW.

In the next year Australians are expected to drink 242 megalitres of bottled water, the equivalent of 19 600-millilitre bottles each. IBIS World predicts a boom in "premium" water as manufacturers claw back the higher costs of producing the plastic bottles from a crude oil derivative.

Expensive brands of water, marketed to younger women as essential fashion accessories or the key to a healthier lifestyle, are appearing on the market. The latest from Coca-Cola Amatil, which dominates the water market, is the trendily packaged Glaceau brand which contains added vitamins.

As sales of fizzy drinks flatten, beverage companies like Coca-Cola and Frucor are turning to water to pick up the slack. Audrey Riddell, an analyst for IBIS World, says canny marketing, in particular to women who drink more than men, is driving demand for a demand for a product only as good as what comes out of the tap. "Young women aren't buying it just for rehydration but to send a signal that they can afford to pay for something that is many more times expensive than tap-water," Ms Riddell said. "They are showing off their affluence and sophistication."

Clean Up Australia estimates the average price of bottled water is $2.53 a litre, against about a cent a litre for tap water.

The chief executive of Clean Up Australia, Terrie-Ann Johnson, said the shift in drinking habits from sugary fizzy drinks to water was showing up in waste. "We are finding more and more that the [plastic] bottles that we find in the waste stream are for water," she said.

The director of the Total Environment Centre, Jeff Angel, who wants a national refund scheme such as the one operating in South Australia, said: "When you look at the life cycle of a bottle of water from the extraction process, through to the transport and right the way through to its disposal, which is more often than not in landfill, then you have to say that this is an unjustified luxury."

The Department of Environment and Climate Change estimates about 200 millilitres of oil is used to produce each one-litre bottle, including the plastic, transport and refrigeration.

The bottled water industry says that amount of oil makes three bottles.

Mr Angel added: "As demand increases, there's a serious potential to exhaust local supplies of water [from aquifers]."

See - Bottled water - the new social poison.

SEQ's proposed desalination plant sites ...

Excerpt from Brisbane Times:

27 March 2008
...

The six new sites identified by the Queensland Water Commission are owned by local councils, or the State Government.

Five of the six sites have the potential to produce more than 400ML/day, while the smallest site, at Lytton, has the potential to provide 100 megalitres per day.

The sites include:

- a 53ha site owned by Maroochy Shire Council at Marcoola near Sunshine Coast Airport;

- a 27.6ha site at Kawana owned by Caloundra Shire Council next to the Kawana Sewage Treatment Plant;

- a 8.3ha site in Freight Street at Lytton, next to the Australia TradeCoast industrial area;

- a 3110ha pine plantation at Bribie Island, which is surrounded by pine plantations;

- a 1970ha site on North Stradbroke Island within the Ibis sand mine; and

- a 63ha site on South Stradbroke Island, on State Government-owned land.

See - SEQ - desal plant sites.

Also see - SEQ - desal plant site map.

Toowoomba Regional Council - latest Councillor results ...

See - LGAQ - Toowoomba Regional Council - latest numbers.

Almost final ...

SEQ Water Strategy - recycled rubbish ...

Read the report here - QWC - SEQ Water Strategy.

Or read it bit by bit - QWC - SEQ Water Strategy.

How long has the QWC branch of the Qld Labor government been around?

You would think that they could at least get the basics right in their reports and synchronize their message with Anna Bligh's department.

Are you planning a pipeline link to Toowoomba or not?

By 2009?

And to which dam is it today?

Is the Toowoomba Regional Council supposed to sell recycled water to Acland Coal mine or not?

The blind leading the blind - at the taxpayers' expense ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - Councillor count - now at 87.13% ...

With 87.13% counted, the margin between Peter Marks (10) and Michelle Schneider (11) is now 629 votes - 29,121 to 28,497.

Ruby's dream of another term seems to have slipped away ...

SEQ put on permanent water restrictions ...

QWC shows it has no idea and that the southern capitals are far better at water management.

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Water restrictions to stay for ever

26 March 2008

Water restrictions will be permanent in south-east Queensland regardless of water levels, the Queensland Water Commission has announced.

The measure is part of a wide-ranging outlook for the state’s water supplies, that has ruled out future dam projects but outlined as many as half a dozen potential sites for desalination plants.

The commission is set to investigate setting up plants in Marcoola and Kawana on the Sunshine Coast, Bribie Island, the Brisbane river mouth, and at north and south Stradbroke Island.

In a discussion paper released today for public comment, the commission has also identified four possible sites for recycled water plants – at Hinze and North Pine dams, the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba, where water levels are at crisis point.

"There really are no other sites in south east Queensland that are suitable for any other major dams," Commissioner Elizabeth Nosworthy.

"Any other future sources of water will be from desalination plants or recycled water." Ms Nosworthy announced today there would be a limit of 230 litres per person per day, regardless of future water supplies.

Currently, the water limit usage level is 140 litres per person per day but that will be eased when and if combined storage capacities reach 40 per cent.
...

See - QWC - Water restrictions to last forever.

The paper released by the QWC is bound to spark some heated responses ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - Deputy Mayor becomes Deputy Dawg ...

'Smoking Joe' Ramia seems to have secured a spot towards the bottom of the Councillor ladder.

Council meetings will be a different affair this time around.

It seems unlikely that he will be chosen as Deputy Mayor (others have their eye on that spot).

So Joe may have to resign himself to a spot down the end of the table while the regional Councillors generally ignore him.

It raises the question - will Joe stay for 4 years or will he resign and force a by-election?

He can always sit up at Picnic Point and watch his flagpole ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - does Ruby need a new day job ...

With the vote count all but declared, it looks increasingly like Michelle "Ruby" Schneider has fallen short in her bid to be elected to the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Some of the harsher critics will say that she harboured ambitions to be Mayor with the outgoing Mayor supposed to hand the baton to her.

Beattie's amalgamation plans and the water debate may have torpedoed her plan although those who saw her in a Council meeting would doubt that the electorate would ever be sufficiently intellectually challenged to elect her Mayor.

She still trails in position 11 - and there are no prizes for 11th place.

Will she ask for a recount?

That may indicate whether she's a loser in the Council race or a sore loser ...

TXT2PIC.com

Toowoomba Regional Council - all booths counted ...

All 60 booths have been counted as have pre-poll votes and postal votes.

The vote count hasn't been declared as yet but here's where it's ended so far:

1. ANTONIO, Paul (Millmerran Shire Council) - 52,787

2. TAYLOR, Carol (Cambooya Shire Council) - 47,598

3. SCOTNEY, Ros (Pittsworth Shire Council) - 42,360

4. WILLIAMS, Mike (Cambooya Shire Council) - 41,055

5. ORFORD, Ian (Jondaryan Shire Council) - 33,033

6. STROHFELD, Noel (Rosalie Shire Council) - 32,299

7. CAHILL, Bill (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 31,497

8. RAMIA, Joe (Toowoomba City Council) - 28,680

9. GLASHEEN, Anne (Clifton Shire Council) - 27,817

10. MARKS, Peter New Candidate - 27,765

Remaining outgoing Toowoomba City Councillors:

25. SCHNEIDER, Michelle (Toowoomba City Council) - 27,252

19. ENGLART, Sue (Toowoomba City Council) - 21,853

28. BARRON, Graham (Toowoomba City Council) - 20,693

22. BEER, Keith (Toowoomba City Council) - 20,230

23. ALROE, Michele (Toowoomba City Council) - 19,789

See - LGAQ numbers.

Also see - ECQ numbers.

Also see - Booth count.

With 82.85% counted, the rest are likely to be no shows.

The line up looks like this:

Mayor - former Jondaryan Mayor

Councillors:

1. Former Millmerran Mayor

2. Former Cambooya Mayor

3. Former Pittsworth Mayor

4. Former Cambooya Deputy Mayor

5. Former Jondaryan Deputy Mayor

6. Former Rosalie Mayor

7. Former Crows Nest Councillor

8. Former Toowoomba Deputy Mayor

9. Former Clifton Deputy Mayor

10. New kid on the block.

There will be plenty of commentary on why voters chose this line-up.

It appears that voters have opted for experienced Councillors - just that they didn't want any of the existing Toowoomba City Councillors (other than 'Smoking Joe' Ramia scraping back in).

No-one in the former shires can say that their interests are being ignored ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - the race for 10th spot ...

With 58 out of 60 booths counted, the race remains on for 10th spot.

Peter Marks holds the lead on 25,232 with Michelle Schneider adrift on 24,741.

Marks has held the lead all day with the vote difference fluctuating but always above 400 votes in favour of Marks.

With such a close outcome, will the loser of the race for 10th spot ask for a recount ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - down to the wire on votes ...

With 53 booths counted (only 7 to go plus the odds and sods), the trend is pretty clear:

1. ANTONIO, Paul (Millmerran Shire Council) - 43708

2. TAYLOR, Carol (Cambooya Shire Council) - 39335

3. SCOTNEY, Ros (Pittsworth Shire Council) - 35017

4. WILLIAMS, Mike (Cambooya Shire Council) - 33862

5. ORFORD, Ian (Jondaryan Shire Council) - 26935

6. STROHFELD, Noel (Rosalie Shire Council) - 26693

7. CAHILL, Bill (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 25986

8. RAMIA, Joe (Toowoomba City Council) - 23105

9. GLASHEEN, Anne (Clifton Shire Council) - 23094

10. MARKS, Peter New Candidate - 22408

Remaining outgoing Toowoomba City Councillors:

25. SCHNEIDER, Michelle (Toowoomba City Council) - 22043 (still in 11th place)

19. ENGLART, Sue (Toowoomba City Council) - 17462

28. BARRON, Graham (Toowoomba City Council) - 16391

22. BEER, Keith (Toowoomba City Council) - 16213

23. ALROE, Michele (Toowoomba City Council) - 16100

See - LGAQ numbers.

Also see - ECQ numbers.

Ramia supports Toowoomba's phallic birthday pole ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

25 March 2008

Cr Ramia:

"A flagpole is forever and we will have a plaque engraved to mark the 150th birthday celebration of Queensland."

"It will always fly and will be lit at night."

"People will travel to come see the 150ft high flagpole."

Really?

Queued 50-deep at Picnic Point to gaze in wonder at Joe's creation?

Perhaps Councillors as silly as the last Toowoomba City Council will travel to see it. They used ratepayers' money to travel to Adelaide to look at their flagpole ...

Toowoomba - the lamington and dead koala connection ...

Excerpt from NZ Herald:

Australia: The tale of Baron Lamington and an improvised cake

6 October 2007

Australia's national cake and a national park were named after Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie, second Baron of Lamington.

But as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, m'lord upset ecologists by killing a koala, while lamington cakes turned out to be not to his taste at all.

The stories resurfaced recently when the Binna Burra Mountain Lodge, in Lamington National Park 75km south of Brisbane, opened its new Teahouse licensed cafe, replacing one that was destroyed by fire in 2005.
...

The story goes that, while visiting Harlaxton House in Toowoomba, the Governor had unexpected guests at teatime. The cupboard was bare apart from a stale sponge cake, so he asked the chef to improvise.

The chef chocolate-coated the sponge cake, cut it into 5cm squares and added shredded coconut because it was sticky. The result was the lamington, which he named after his vice-regal boss.

Although some reports say Lord Lamington approved of the taste (as did millions of Australians), he was reported to have referred to the cakes later as "those bloody poofy woolly biscuits".

Lord Lamington left a bad taste in everyone's mouth when Governor, by slaying a koala.

Invited to Binna Burra in 1899 by conservationists pushing for a national park, he had just begun his journey back to Brisbane when he ordered his carriage to stop: he had spotted a koala asleep high in a roadside tree.

Then he reached for his rifle, let loose one shot and it fell to earth dead, to the horror of his hosts.

One obituary of Lord Lamington referred to him as "an enthusiastic hunter", but this wasn't a deer in the Scottish Highlands whose antlers would be mounted over his fireplace.

You don't go around slaying a cuddly Australian icon (not declared a protected species until 1937), especially when you're a guest of conservationists.

The Governor later acknowledged his tragic mistake, saying remorsefully that the koala's "dying cries were terrible ... They haunted me for years".

Despite, or perhaps because of, the koala's death, Lord Lamington gave his support for Queensland national parks and what became Lamington National Park was declared a protected area in 1913.

What happened to the dead koala is not recorded.

See - Lamingtons and dead koalas - the Toowoomba connection.

Toowoomba Regional Council - remaining booths ...

Based on the number of valid ballots for Mayor, these appear to be the number of outstanding ballots to be counted for Councillor positions:

1. Glenvale - 2,296
2. Gabbinbar - 2,012
3. Harlaxton - 1,474
4. Harlaxton South - 930
5. Newtown - 2,603
6. Rangeville - 3,136
7. Rockville - 1,143
8. Toowoomba - 843
9. Tor Street north - 2,248
10. West Street - 1,333
11. Oakey - 2,112

and about 6000 ballots representing postal votes and hospitals.

See - Votes remaining to be counted.

New fire station built arse backwards ...

Another NSW Labor screw-up. Can anyone count high enough to add them all up?

Let's hope the new Highfields fire station is better built.

Excerpt from Sunday Telegraph:

Bathurst fire station is a flamin' bungle

23 March 2008

The new Bathurst fire station, a glittering, $2 million taxpayer-funded facility, has been built the wrong way round. It means fire engines have to drive out the back door instead of the front, which still requires a tricky manoeuvre to get out on to the road.

But it is not the only problem at what the NSW Government boasted was a "state-of-the-art" station.

The building also leaks and contains no oxygen compressor, which means the firefighters have to drive back to the old station to refill their tanks.

The disastrous planning problems follow similar issues at the nearby $100 million Bathurst Base Hospital; there the design and construction flaws were so serious they resulted in the suspension of some surgery.
...

A local firefighter claimed staff had witnessed pegs being put into the ground with the station the right way around before they were pulled up and mysteriously re-arranged.

At the official opening on March 14, 2007 - 10 days before the state election - crews were requested to turn the trucks around so they faced the front.
...

At a ceremony to turn the first sod for the station, former emergency services minister Tony Kelly described the station as state-of-the-art.
...

See - Fire station built arse backwards.

Toowoomba Regional Council - Councillor vote counting continues ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Taylor steps into mayoral role Tuesday

22 March 2008

Peter Taylor will officially become Toowoomba Regional mayor when the mayoral poll is declared next Tuesday.

But the 10 councillors to sit on his council won't be decided until next week when the count continues on Tuesday. And there is always the chance of the dreaded call for a recount, and further delays, if the final positions are too close.

On Thursday, returning officer Robyn Lowien sent her staff home for Easter with 58.71% of the vote counted and 11 of the 60 booths remaining.

In a day of to-ing and fro-ing, former Toowoomba City councillor Michelle Schneider's tussle with Toowoomba's Peter Marks, a council newcomer, continued for the 10th position.

As the booth tallies were returned she came within 485 votes of her rival, before drifting back to a 578-vote difference at the 5.12pm last tally.

Booths yet to be counted are mainly large city sites Glenvale, Gabbinbar, Harlaxton and Harlaxton South, Newtown, Rangeville, Rockville, Toowoomba, Tor Street north and West Street and Oakey and 6000 postal votes and institutions (i.e. hospital).
...

Former Crows Nest councillor Bill Cahill moved briefly into sixth place before again sliding back to seventh.

And former deputy mayor Anne Glasheen lost ground, but slotted back to eighth position.

Ms Lowien said: "I'm taking particular notice of the seats from eighth through to 11th, because any major shifts could impact on who fills eight, nine and 10 position.

See - Councillor vote continues.

Toowoomba Regional Council - the battle for the minor placings ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - Mayor-elect Taylor starts on Tuesday ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Taylor steps into mayoral role Tuesday

22 March 2008

Peter Taylor will officially become Toowoomba Regional mayor when the mayoral poll is declared next Tuesday.

But the 10 councillors to sit on his council won't be decided until next week when the count continues on Tuesday. And there is always the chance of the dreaded call for a recount, and further delays, if the final positions are too close.
...

Ms Lowien said she would declare the mayoral poll at 10am, so Mr Taylor can legitimately attend Premier Anna Bligh's mayoral summit in Brisbane later in the day.
...

See - Taylor takes the reins.

Toowoomba City Council's wasteful $250,000 flagpole defended ...

"It's not just a flagpole – it's a structure," says Labor government Minister.

Flagpole was apparently chosen by Towoomba City Council's bureaucrats.

Part of a $100 million State-wide spending spree.

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

How the state marks 150 years

21 March 2008

A giant flagpole and a major airconditioning fitout are among $100 million of projects deemed worthy by the State Government of marking Queensland's 150th birthday next year.

The projects have been criticised by local councils and historians as a wasted opportunity to recognise Queensland's past since its separation from NSW in June 1859.

And the Q150 body set up to oversee the celebrations has admitted they did not get to choose the projects that were, instead, handpicked by bureaucrats from the Local Government Department.

The projects include $250,000 for a 46m flagpole to stand on Toowoomba's Picnic Point, $400,000 to aircondition Rockhampton's Customs House and $2.5 million for a Tree of Knowledge memorial at Barcaldine.

Royal Historical Society of Queensland president Denver Beanland said many of the projects could be funded in other budgets.

"It seems capital works by another name," Mr Beanland said.

Scenic Rim Regional Council mayor-elect John Brent said the Government was playing favourites.

"It's all over the place like a dog's breakfast," he said.

But the State Government claims all the projects are significant and any criticism was just "sour grapes".

"Whenever you have a funding round, there are people who complain," Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said.

"Some people are winners, some people don't get what they want, but we all have to get on with life."

Mr Pitt defended the flagpole, saying it would be an icon for the state.

"That's not just a flagpole – it's a structure," he said.

The Q150 Committee was not told how the Government made its decisions.

Q150 executive chairman Peter Coaldrake said the funding was through the Local Government Department.

"I don't know that a hundred million spread across the state, if the choices are good, is a large amount of money," Professor Coaldrake said. "If it's wasted money, it's a fair comment."

Griffith University Centre for Public Culture and Ideas professor Raymond Evans said funding should be prioritised to ensure the state was shown in the right light.

"Some of these things seem to be a bit dodgy," Dr Evans said.

"Do they really need two-and-a-half million dollars for a memorial?"

Dr Evans said some projects appeared to have nothing to do with the sesquicentenary and areas of significance were under-represented with Brisbane City Council only receiving $1 million for "cultural trails", or signage identifying historical sites.

This was compared with grants of $5 million for a multi-purpose indoor sport and recreation centre to be built at Logan and $16 million for the Southport Broadwater Parklands.

"Brisbane and Ipswich were the population centres of 1859. They should be at the centre of the project," Dr Evans said.

"As far as white settlement goes, there was nothing happening at the Gold Coast."

Liberal Party leader Mark McArdle said a $250,000 flagpole was "absolutely ludicrous".

"They really should be putting money into projects that celebrate our past, our image and our future," he said.

See - Toowoomba City Council's $250,000 flagpole labelled ludicrous.

See the full list of projects here - How State government and Councils wasted $100 million.

Sydney's recycled water trains ...

Excerpt from news.com.au:

Metro rail in 'potential reservoir'

21 March 2008

Tunnels flagged for Sydney's northwest metro rail project have already been earmarked by the NSW Government as a potential underground reservoir, the State Opposition says.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian says the Government's "double-dipping" shows the ad hoc planning of the $12.5 billion metro rail project.

"Before it has even gotten off the ground in relation to consultation, we have a Government double dipping, trying to use it both as a water reservoir and also as a train tunnel for a metro system," Ms Berjiklian said.

"Both can't co-exist."

In February last year, Premier Morris Iemma announced that disused train tunnels at St James Station could be used to supply the city with more than 17 million litres of recycled stormwater a year.

See - Trains and storm water don't mix.

Qld establishes the Office of the Water Supply Regulator ...

What is the role of the Office of the Water Supply Regulator?

The Office of the Water Supply Regulator is being established within the Department of Natural Resources and Water and will be responsible for regulating the safety and reliability of Queensland's drinking water and recycled water.

The existing regulatory functions of the department relating to dam safety, urban water supply asset management and water and sewerage service providers will also be managed by the Office of the Water Supply Regulator.

When is consultation planned for the implementation of the new regulatory arrangements?

Drinking water

Consultation on the implementation of the new regulatory provisions for drinking water will commence in the second half of 2008.

Recycled water

Stakeholders will be given the opportunity to provide input to the development of regulatory guidelines for recycled water, as well as the systems and processes that will be established to support implementation.

It is anticipated that consultation will take place during May 2008.

See - Office of the Water Supply Regulator.

Election vote count - Deputy Mayor dummy spit - "My life is on hold" ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Council candidate criticises vote count delay

20 March 2008

A candidate for the Toowoomba Regional Council says it is "deplorable" that counting of votes from the weekend's election is taking so long.

Former Toowoomba deputy mayor Joe Ramia is currently ninth in the poll to elect 10 councillors, but only 36 per cent of the roll has been counted.

He says results will not be known until after the Easter break, and those contenders grappling for the last five spots have had to put their lives on hold.

"You look around Queensland and you see how other cities and shires have got their votes the latest maybe Saturday night or Sunday morning and you've got to say why has it taken this long? ... I don't know why, I really don't," he said.

Returning officer Robyn Lowien says the Toowoomba count is taking longer than other larger regional and metropolitan centres because it is an 'unsubdivided' council and there are 36 names on each ballot paper.

See - Ramia whinge - my life is on hold.

Gee Joe, did you really have anything better to do over Easter ...

Election update - Deputy Mayor chosen ...

... in Brisbane not Toowoomba.

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Graham Quirk Brisbane's new deputy mayor

20 March 2008

Liberal councillor Graham Quirk is Brisbane's new deputy mayor after winning a vote at Civic Cabinet today.

Cr Quirk, who was previously the council's Transport Committee chair, was chosen today at a meeting of Civic Cabinet. he is also chair of the Infrastructure Committee and councillor responsible for ibnternational relations and multiculutral affairs.

He won the deputy mayoralty 10-7 over councillor Jane Prentice.

Another councillor who had been expected to stand for the deputy's job, Margaret de Wit, decided not to contest the position.

The vote for the deputy mayor's position follows Mayor Campbell Newman's re-election and the Liberals winning a majority in council. Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said Cr de Wit pulled out of the vote after she was told the position of chair of the council was available.

"I would have been happy with any of the three in the position of deputy mayor but I stress today we can only have one person and the council room has chosen Cr Quirk," Mr Newman said.

"I want to make it clear that there are three senior members of my council today- Cr Quirk, Cr Prentice and Cr de Wit."

Cr Prentice said she was excited to take up her new role in public and "active" transport and economic development and said the new deputy mayor had her complete support.

To participate in the ballot, councillors must have won their electorates by at least 100 votes.

Mr Newman congratulated the new civic cabinet but warned they needed to deliver.

"There is 12 months for the people behind me to really show what they can do and deliver. If they don't then i'll be having a cabinet reshuffle."

In the close fight for Central Ward, Cr Newman said Labor candidate Cr David Hinchcliffe was ahead of Liberal candidate Vicki Howard by 16 votes with 1400 votes still to be counted.

"There are 700 postals and 700 absentee votes still to come and if the trend continues Vicki Howard may be the next councillor for Central Ward.

"But I'm not counting my chickens yet."

Other Civic Cabinet positions are:

Jane Prentice - Public and Active Transport/Economic Development

Norm Wyndham - Environment, Parks and Sustainability

Geraldine Knapp - Families and Community Services

Amanda Cooper - Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment

Adrian Schrinner - Finance and Administration

David McLachlan - Water and City Businesses

Margaret De Wit - Chair of the council and representative on LGAQ Executive

Nicole Johnston - Councillor assisting the Lord Mayor

Fiona King - Councillor on the Lord Mayor's Community Trust

Ian Mackenzie - Party room secretary

Krista Adams - Party room Whip

See - Brisbane's Deputy Mayor chosen.

Toowoomba Regional Council - vote count as interesting as watching clouds form ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - battle for Deputy Mayor begins as Antonio chases No. 2 spot ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Country's out in front for deputy

20 March 2008

While Paul Antonio is shaping up for a tilt as deputy mayor on the Toowoomba Regional Council, there is mounting city angst that the country push has been "overdone" and the job should go to a city delegate.

That's if there is one.

Former Pittsworth mayor Ros Scotney, in vowing she's not interested in the job, said yesterday she'd fielded several calls from people that "they'd overdone it and are now looking for their city representation".

As the battle for the top 10 councillor seats continues, the only potential former city council survivors are Joe Ramia at ninth and Michelle Schneider at 11th. The top eight positions are dominated by former shire mayors and deputy mayors, with former Millmerran mayor Paul Antonio ahead of Cambooya mayor Carol Taylor and Ms Scotney.

Ms Scotney said: "I tried to tell them that all along we need a balance. Now the chickens have come home to roost. "Whoever the new structure is, and I think I will be there, will need to give a lot of thought about a balanced representation," she said.

Ms Scotney said being a councillor would be a big enough job for her.

"I've been very busy as mayor but just the extra travelling you can multiply it by eight," she said.

"While Peter Taylor isn't that far away, I don't know where he's going to live."

The travelling, the distance and the extra duties the deputy mayor has, she said, would sit better with a Toowoomba councillor.

Former Cambooya mayor Carol Taylor, sitting second on the tally, agreed.

"Personally I was thinking we should have a city person because we have a country mayor and that's what I was thinking in the interests of being inclusive.

"But I'm not saying I won't, but I haven't, at this point, considered it," Mrs Taylor said.

When asked whether she thought her surname could be a disadvantage, given she and the mayor elect Peter Taylor share the same surname, Mrs Taylor said: "It shouldn't, but perhaps it might."

"It was a problem during the election and I never thought it would be; I never expected people to think we were related."

But, Mrs Taylor said, they did.

"I heard people say they weren't going to vote for the husband-and-wife team.

Meanwhile, Mr Antonio said: "I'm not going out there chasing it but I think if I top the poll, then I would be a likely candidate."

He concedes topping the poll does not translate to the deputy mayor's job.

"I do have an interest and I'd be more than happy to back up Peter as his deputy," he said.

See - Who will be Deputy Mayor.

Toowoomba Regional Council - updated voting results ...

Currently leading the chase for Councillor seats:

1. (15) ANTONIO, Paul Sitting Mayor (Millmerran Shire Council) - 24033

2. (4) TAYLOR, Carol Sitting Mayor (Cambooya Shire Council) - 21374

3. (30) SCOTNEY, Ros Sitting Mayor (Pittsworth Shire Council) - 18862

4. (1) WILLIAMS, Mike Sitting Councillor (Cambooya Shire Council) - 18474

5. (33) STROHFELD, Noel Sitting Mayor (Rosalie Shire Council) - 14878

6. (36) ORFORD, Ian Sitting Councillor (Jondaryan Shire Council) - 14497

7. (32) CAHILL, Bill Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 14103

8. (17) GLASHEEN, Anne Sitting Councillor (Clifton Shire Council) - 13122

9. (7) RAMIA, Joe Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 11911

10. (13) MARKS, Peter New Candidate - 11606

And then:

25. SCHNEIDER, Michelle Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 11327

31. YEATES, Chris Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 10090

11. BOURKE, Tony New Candidate - 9702

18. SULLIVAN, Megan Sitting Councillor (Clifton Shire Council) - 9451

24. MICHAEL, Julie Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 9173

19. ENGLART, Sue Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 9108

22. BEER, Keith Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 8509

See - Updated results.

New water saving device invented by Darling Downs inventor ..

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Lloyd's cool water-saving invention runs hot

18 March 2008

A Darling Downs resident has invented a valve that stops the average household losing 16,000 litres of water down the drain.

Lloyd Linson-Smith's Enviro Save device diverts and saves cold water that flows from domestic taps before hot water arrives.

It has won a segment on the ABC's New Inventors television program, has been described as the breakthrough of century, and is now in commercial production.

The $198 valve can be fitted to plumbing systems in new homes or retro fitted to older style houses for $475.
...

See - Water saving device.

Toowoomba Regional Council - updated voting results ...

Currently leading the chase for Councillor seats:

1. (15) ANTONIO, Paul Sitting Mayor (Millmerran Shire Council) - 14497

2. (4) TAYLOR, Carol Sitting Mayor (Cambooya Shire Council) - 12904

3. (30) SCOTNEY, Ros Sitting Mayor (Pittsworth Shire Council) - 11257

4. (1) WILLIAMS, Mike Sitting Councillor (Cambooya Shire Council) - 10987

5. (33) STROHFELD, Noel Sitting Mayor (Rosalie Shire Council) - 9282

6. (36) ORFORD, Ian Sitting Councillor (Jondaryan Shire Council) - 8688

7. (17) GLASHEEN, Anne Sitting Councillor (Clifton Shire Council) - 8064

8. (32) CAHILL, Bill Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 7485

9. (7) RAMIA, Joe Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 6717

10. (13) MARKS, Peter New Candidate - 6589

And then:

25. SCHNEIDER, Michelle Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 6335

31. YEATES, Chris Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 6073

18. SULLIVAN, Megan Sitting Councillor (Clifton Shire Council) - 5914

11. BOURKE, Tony New Candidate - 5726

24. MICHAEL, Julie Sitting Councillor (Crows Nest Shire Council) - 5138

19. ENGLART, Sue Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 5120

22. BEER, Keith Sitting Councillor (Toowoomba City Council) - 5044

See - LGAQ - Councillor tally.

4350water blog apology ...

Some of the 'administrator' comments became a bit extreme over the past couple of days - in part due to some over-zealous editing of blog comments post-election period but also in response to some potentially inflammatory anonymous postings. Changes have now been made to the 'administrator'.

Normal service has now been resumed ...

Anna Bligh gives Beattie plush LA gig ...

After saying that in no circumstances would he accept a government job, it's taken former Premier Beattie about 5 minutes to yet again perform a backflip and take up Anna's offer of Qld's Trade Commissioner posting in LA.

See - Former Premier Peter Beattie is US Trade Commissioner.

Obviously couldn't live without the government salary.

The trade-off for resigning before the Federal election after the tap on the back from K Rudd ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - sewer sippers start to concede defeat ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

18 March 2008

Yesterday ... Michele Alroe, Sue Englart ... conceded defeat.

Ms Alroe said: "The city showed instant sympathy for the country and the vote reflects that.

"This provides a wonderful opportunity for a (life ) change."
...

Ms Englart said: "Being a councillor has never been about me, it was about my city and it's about who's going to care for the things that are dear to my heart."

They wished the new council well.

See - Two sewer sippers concede.

Looks like no more gourmet sandwiches for them ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - voters left in the dark ...

See - Voters left in the dark.

Toowoomba Regional Council - Joe Ramia hanging by a thread ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

18 March 2008

Yesterday former Toowoomba City Council deputy mayor Joe Ramia, who usually polled second highest in the count, was struggling to hold a seat.

"I'll be lucky to survive and that is really sad given there could be no-one there to represent the city of 100,000 people," he said.
...

See - Joe hangs by a thread.

Voters seem to be opting for experience - just not wanting to re-experience the problems over the past 4 years ...

Something for the USQ readers ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

18 March 2008

Hundreds of degrees and courses will be cut at the University of Southern Queensland in a plan by Vice-Chancellor Professor Bill Lovegrove to design more up-to-date, flexible programs. Professor Lovegrove said he had presented a draft implementation plan for the academic review and renewal project to staff yesterday.

The review recommends 353 degrees would be slashed to 93 and 1592 courses would decrease to 751.
...

See - USQ downsizes.

Mayor-elect Taylor plots Council name change ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Name change mooted for Toowoomba Council

17 March 2008

A name change could be on the cards for the new Toowoomba Regional Council.

Mayor-elect Peter Taylor says it appears that several former mayors and a deputy from the merging rural councils will join him on the new local government authority.

Councillor Taylor says while its still relatively early days in the count, it appears there has been general support for the mayors from communities outside Toowoomba city.

"[It is] early days of the new council but a more inclusive name ... this is about all of us coming together," he said.

See - TRC - name change mooted.

Sounds like poaching the policy of one of the candidates unlikely to be elected.

See - I will change the name of the Council.

Toowoomba Regional Council - 2008 election update ...

Councillor race - still leading:

- Antonio
- Taylor
- Williams
- Scotney
- Glasheen
- Strohfeld
- Orford
- Marks
- Cahill

and maybe 'Smoking Joe' Ramia.

Still too close to call with positions 9 and 10 certainly up for grabs ...


See - Latest results.

Toowoomba Regional Council - election update ...

With more votes counted, the following lead:

- Antonio
- Williams
- Taylor
- Scotney
- Glasheen
- Cahill
- Strohfeld
- Orford
- Marks

and maybe Ramia.

The rest of the 6-pack are not in contention at this point ...

See - TRC - latest results.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - news highlights ...

See - Antonio keen to have 'strong say'.

See - Manners bid for top job goes down the gurgler; Jones goes fishing.

See - Overwhelming win humbles Taylor.

Remaining booths to be counted today but it looks grim for most of the former Toowoomba City Council councillors ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - 2008 election results ...

The LGAQ has a good summary of the Councillor election results here - LGAQ - Toowoomba Regional Council election results.

Toowoomba Regional Council - Councillor voting results ...

Councillor candidates (as at Sunday evening - to be updated):

1. Mike WILLIAMS - 1,291

2. Rosemary MORLEY - 336

3. Rob BERRY - 237

4. Carol TAYLOR - 1,472

5. Barry SHARP - 347

6. Annette FRIZZELL - 499

7. Joe RAMIA - 668

8. Denise STATHAM - 204

9. Mark SCHUSTER - 304

10. Bruce ELVERY - 134

11. Tony BOURKE - 550

12. Terry LEDBURY - 150

13. Peter MARKS - 632

14. Debbie HUXLEY - 465

15. Paul ANTONIO - 1,627

16. Mick SMITH - 340

17. Anne GLASHEEN - 973

18. Megan SULLIVAN - 632

19. Sue ENGLART - 479

20. Lynne DEAN - 202

21. Darby McCARTHY - 221

22. Keith BEER -478

23. Michele ALROE - 402

24. Julie MICHAEL - 605

25. Michelle SCHNEIDER - 618

26. Ian GRAHAM - 599

27. Tim FITZGERALD - 184

28. Graham BARRON - 470

29. Ven SORENSEN - 261

30. Ros SCOTNEY - 1,241

31. Chris YEATES - 846

32. Bill CAHILL - 764

33. Noel STROHFELD - 1,196

34. Terry DHANN - 478

35. Crystal STARK - 478

36. Ian ORFORD - 967

Booths reporting - 8 out of 60

Toowoomba Regional Council - early Councillor results (updated) ...

Update:

With 8 booths counted, some of the middle pack are starting to catch up. While the top positions remain clear, there is a large group building in the middle.

Update 6:

With 7 booths counted, here are the leading contenders:

1. Antonio - 1,436
2. Taylor - 1,316
3. Williams -1,164
4. Scotney - 1,112
5. Strohfeld - 978
6. Glasheen - 845
7. Orford - 838
8. Yeates - 757
9. Cahill - 684
10. ???

Crs Ramia (610), Schneider (575), Englart (441) and Alroe (365) are trailing. As are Crs Beer (429) and Barron (423).

The voter message so far seems clear - it's time for a clean sweep of Council with a whole new team for the Toowoomba Regional Council, with preference given to the shire Councillors.

Update 5:

With 6 booths counted, Antonio, Taylor, Williams and Scotney have a clear lead with Strohfeld, Orford and Glasheen, Yeates and Cahill in the next group with Ramia and Sullivan grappling for position 10.

Update 4:

Wth 5 booths counted, a pattern is emerging showing the shire Councillors taking control of the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Things don't look good for Crs Alroe, Englart, Ramia and Schneider, nor for Crs Beer and Barron - with them all struggling to hold onto their seats.

Update 3:

With 4 booths counted, the shire Councillors are still in the lead.

Update 2:

With 3 booths counted, it's the shire Councillor pack leading the field - with the top 10 as follows:
- Antonio
- Taylor
- Williams
- Scotney
- Glasheen
- Orford
- Strohfeld
- Sullivan
- Graham
- Cahill

Early days yet in the counting but the shire Councillors are performing strongly and it may be hard for any of the existing Toowoomba City Councillors to be returned.

Update 1:

Very early results (2 booths out of 60) show a clear preference to the existing shire Councillors with Williams, Taylor, Antonio, Glasheen, Sullivan, Scotney and Strohfeld all polling strongly.

Too early to tell, but the top 7 or 8 positions may be quickly filled with the rest of the field vying for positions 9 and 10 ...

K Rudd staff forced to reveal affairs, gay encounters ...

Excerpt from Herald Sun:

Ministry staff told to reveal details of sex life

16 March 2008

Ministerial staff in the Rudd government are being forced to list their history of sexual partners, before gaining security clearance.

Staff are also expected to reveal extra-marital affairs and detail homosexual experiences.

More than 300 ministerial and electorate staffers have been ordered to fill in a 25-page form and attend an in-depth interview into their personal finances, drug habits and sexual history before gaining high-level security clearance.

Senior staff say they have been told the security form is designed to protect them from blackmail.

But several have told The Sunday Telegraph they were affronted at the personal information they had been forced to divulge.
...

See - Rudd pries into sex lives.

There might be some concerns north of the border if K Rudd decided to impose the same rules on State and Local governments ...

Toowoomba Regional Council - Mayor voting results ...

Mayoral candidates:

1. MANNERS, FP. "Snow" - 7,951 (11.39%)
2. JONES, Ian - 11,776 (16.87%)
3. TAYLOR, Peter - 50,078 (71.74%)

Electors at Close of Roll: 98,313

Votes counted:

Total Formal Votes
69,805

Total Informal
1,483

Total Votes
71,288

Booths reporting - 60 out of 60.

Taylor has won a stunning victory - taking both rural and city votes with the outgoing Mayor's nominee Jones pushed into second place and Manners adrift in third.

Is this an indication of today's Councillor results with the entire incumbent Council to be tossed out?

See - Toowoomba Regional Council - Mayoral results.

In Brisbane, Campbell 'Can Do' Newman has won with Greg Rowell conceding defeat.

On the Gold Coast, Ron Clarke is ahead by a nose.

In Dalby, Ray Brown is well ahead of Geisel and O'Shea ...

Breaking news : Mayoral candidate Taylor expelled from polling booth ...

Late this afternoon, Mayoral candidate Peter Taylor was trawling for votes on the east side of the city and was asked by officials to leave the East State School polling booth.

His conduct was less than appropriate for an election candidate.

He blocked the entrance to the polling booth so that people trying to enter the East State School polling booth needed to squeeze past him into the polling area.

No doubt trying to be the last person voters saw before heading in to vote.

A polling official took exception to his conduct and asked him to leave the premises.

His excuse - "I was just going to the toilet".

His attempt to influence voters seems to have fallen flat with one voter heard calling him 'arrogant' and declaring they wouldn't be voting for him ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - complete list of candidates ...

For a complete list of candidates (and website links) for the

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - see:

4350election blog - FINAL list of candidates.



4350water blog and 4350election blog provide links to the various websites of candidates for the Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election but are not responsible for their content.

Toowoomba Regional Council - election day ...

It's election day and 4350water blog will bring you all the results as counting takes place over the weekend.

By the end of the weekend, Toowoomba and the surrounding region will have a new Mayor and 10 new Councillors.

Who will win?

Who will fail spectacularly?

What will happen to the remains of the sewer 6-pack?

Who will end their career in local government this weekend?

WWKD?

Updates across the weekend ...

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor has regrets and a one-way ticket to Tasmania ...

See - Mayor has one-way ticket to Tasmania.

No regrets though about subjecting Toowoomba to:

- her fear campaign ('Toowoomba will run out of water')

- her bullying tactics ('You can drink it or buy bottled water') or

- her downright obscene behaviour ('I'm looking forward to drinking your recycled sh*t').

Many many people in Toowoomba will be grateful she has bought a one-way ticket and the reign of thug Thorley is at an end ...

Carbon neutral funerals ...

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Cemetery offers carbon neutral funerals

11 March 2008

South Australia's largest cemetery will offer carbon-neutral cremations and burials as part of plans to offset the carbon emissions of its entire operations.

Centennial Park in Adelaide said its carbon offset scheme was believed to be a first for an Australian cemetery and followed a study into the environmental impacts of cremations and burials.

The study found it was better for people to be cremated, compared with the long-term impact of burials, even though four times as much carbon dioxide was produced during the initial cremation process.

"On the day that a cremation or burial takes place, the volume of carbon dioxide produced is higher for cremation than for burial," Centennial Park chief executive Bryan Elliott said.

"The report found that each cremation at Centennial Park generates approximately 160kg of carbon dioxide equivalent.

"Each burial at Centennial Park generates approximately 39kg of Co2.

"However, when the long-term environmental footprint is considered, burials at Centennial Park have a 10 per cent greater impact than cremations.

"This is because we must look after the gravesite for a number of years by watering and mowing the surrounding lawn area and maintaining the concrete beam on which the headstone is placed.

"Burial is a more labour and resource intensive process, consumes more fuels and produces larger quantities of waste than cremation."

Mr Elliott said the report had provided Centennial Park with useful calculations that would be used to develop the carbon neutral program.

"Our initial research suggests that in order to offset the environmental footprint of burials and cremations at Centennial Park, we need to plant around one tree for each service," he said.

"Based on the current total number of services performed at Centennial Park, the total cost is likely to be around $8,000 each year for cremations and $2,500 for burials."

Mr Elliott said Centennial Park planned to absorb the extra cost rather than pass it on to families and relatives.

See - Carbon neutral funerals.

Vote for the candidates who share your dreams and ideals ...

Water expert dies ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Water expert Cullen dies

14 March 2008

One of Australia's leading experts on water has died at at the age of 65 after collapsing in his home at Gunning, near Canberra last Friday.

Peter Cullen was a founding member of the Wentworth Group of scientists.
...

See - Water expert dies.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - everybody wants to read about Mayoral candidate Manners ...

... even Google:

Domain Name google.com (Commercial)
ISP : Google
Country : United States
State : California
City : Mountain View

Time of Visit : Mar 13 2008 8:00:23 pm
Visit Length : 13 minutes 34 seconds
Search Engine : google.com
Search Words : snow manners
Visit Entry Page : http://4350water.blogspot.com/

Seems Snow's gone global ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Ian Knox's odd candidate list ...

Read it here - Water Futures blog - Ian Knox email.

Didn't Knox say he'd never build in Toowoomba again following difficulties with the Toowoomba City Council?

Why then is he recommending that voters re-elect such stellar candidates as:

2. Joe Ramia (Toowoomba Deputy Mayor)

6. Sue Englart (Toowoomba Councillor)

8. Michele Alroe (Toowoomba Councillor)

Doesn't make sense.

And 'Axis of Evil'? Does Mac Stirling think he's George Bush Jnr?

You'll remember Mac Stirling - he claimed that recycled water would attract people to Toowoomba, using some bizarre analogy that people in the US drive miles to shop at Wal-Mart because they were installing energy-reducing systems in their buildings.

See - Developer thinks recycled water will attract people, not flies.

It had nothing to do Wal-Mart having cheap prices ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Mayoral candidate Taylor interview ...

Interview with Mayoral hopeful Peter Taylor - watch it on YouTube.

Toowoomba Election website shuts forum ...

4350water blog aired concerns over candidate blackmail comments on this forum.

What else has been going on?

See - Toowoomba Election forum closed.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - interview with Mayoral candidate Manners ...

Listen to it here - Manners interview.

Excerpt from campaign flyer:

What sets you apart from other candidates?

I will be a full-time Mayor. Some other candidates still have their farms or businesses to run. The Darling Downs and Toowoomba Region needs a fully focused, competent Mayor devoting all his attention to the job.

I am the only candidate that has experience on the large Toowoomba City Council with the education and qualifications to work equally with Council’s professional staff.

This is a critical time and we can’t afford a Mayor on a learning curve or a Mayor furthering their political career. The strategies we put in place over the next four years will set the tone of the region for decades.
...

See - Manners - Campaign flyer.

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor - the end of the line ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - the YES campaign's dream team ...

From the team that brought you balloons and pizza - the core team of YES campaign supporters - this time it's their pick for the Toowooomba Regional Council.

See - Kirsty - but mummy do we have to drink it?

Their picks:

For Mayor:

- Ian Jones.

For Councillors (no surprises and some real gems here):

- Joe Ramia - you can listen to Joe here.

- Michele Alroe

- Michelle Schneider

- Sue Englart.

Their support of the remains of the sewer six-pack is no real surprise.

And their pick of the new talent:

- Bill Cahill

- Mike Williams

- Ros Scotney

- Mark Schuster

- Peter Marks

- Paul Antonio

- Megan Sullivan

- Ian Orford

- Noel Strohfeld

See - YES campaign's candidates.

Some of these candidates are likely to be surprised they've been included on the YES campaign list - indicating that they would support the introduction of recycled water to the Toowoomba and region water supply.

With only two days left to distance themselves from the voter fallout, some of these candidates may be working overtime ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Anna Bligh tries to replace Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor with her own brand of scare tactics ...

Seems like Anna Bligh is trying to replace Toowoomba's bullying outgoing Mayor with her bullying tactics.

It's outrageous that she would try to interfere in a local government election to try to get her candidate elected.

She takes a leaf out of the outgoing Mayor's campaign book with her claim that Toowoomba will run out of water.

Toowoomba residents were told the water would run out by Christmas 2005.

It didn't.

The water lasted far longer than Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor and will probably outlast Anna Bligh.

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Bligh warns Manners over pipeline stance: I'll stop you

12 March 2008

Toowoomba mayoral hopeful Snow Manners is claiming political interference after Premier Anna Bligh vowed to "over-ride" anyone who stood in the way of a pipeline to deliver emergency water from Wivenhoe Dam.

"This is a political scare campaign, in the last week of an election, to ensure Snow Manners doesn't get elected," Cr Manners ruled.

He reignited claims the Labor Party was backing one of his rival candidates.

Cr Manners has made it clear that if elected he would stop the pipeline which would bring recycled water into the region.

He has said one his first meetings if elected would be to renegotiate the deal with Ms Bligh.

And while the Premier concedes she wants to sit down and talk, she's damning his proposal to create a Darling Downs water grid.

The Premier said the Toowoomba Water Taskforce brought the "disagreeing parties" together two years ago and agreed the pipeline was the best option.

"People who are holding out hope of false options, I don't think, are doing their electors any great service.

"This is the best long-term future source of water for Toowoomba and I'm not going to let that city run dry," Ms Bligh told the ABC.

As water levels in the dams continue to fall, the State Government has provided $20 million to expedite works.

Cr Manners said he expected to be clobbered by his rivals, Clifton mayor Ian Jones or Jondaryan mayor Peter Taylor, but not Ms Bligh.

Yesterday, Ms Bligh said the State Government wanted to work cooperatively and consultatively with every council.

"I will work with whoever the Toowoomba region (electors) chose as their mayor.

"Frankly, I do not believe that any mayor of Toowoomba would deny water to the region's residents.

"If, in the very unlikely event that such an act ever happened, I would act swiftly to put the safety and security of Toowoomba region residents first," she said.

"I don't think people should underestimate the seriousness of the situation we don't have three or four years for people to keep 8arguing about this.

"The time has come to act. In Toowoomba, this city is running out of water and it could run out as early as sometime in 2009."

Cr Manners says the city council has a drought management plan and won't run out of water.

"Anna Bligh has told me, on more than one occasion that the idea of amalgamation was to give regional councils real political clout and on the other hand she's saying that she will 8impose her rule on regional councils.

"And she has said she will sit around the table and talk about water. I'm looking for that opportunity to sit down with Anna Bligh and renegotiate this.

"This community wants that opportunity. We have got to do what's best for the Darling Downs region and, it's not Toowoomba only, it's the whole of the Darling Downs region," Cr Manners said.

He also cited failed Labor Party candidate Chris Meibusch's letters of endorsement where he tossed up between Crs Jones and Taylor for mayor "and not getting Snow Manners".

"I've heard candidates endorsing candidates, parties endorsing candidates and candidates saying they are not endorsed by parties, definitely Anna Bligh has bought into this for political reasons only nothing to do with water supply," he said.

Cr Manners said the Premier, who will face an election within two years, would not want a regional mayor opposed to drinking recycled water.

See - Bligh and Manners go head to head.

If no-one in Labor wants Mayoral candidate Manners elected as Mayor, he must be doing somehing right ...

Mayoral candidate Taylor's website 'hacked' ...

See - Taylor's website gets bombed.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - interviews with candidates ...

See - Interviews with Candidates.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - final Mayoral candidate debate ...

Excerpt from WIN News:

Mayoral debate

11 March 2008

The three mayoral candidates have gone head to head for the final time before Saturday's Election for the Toowoomba Regional Council.

In what at times was a heated debate at the University of Southern Queensland last night, the issue of political party backing came to the fore.

The issue of community representation was also a point of contention, with Clifton Mayor, Ian Jones, debunking his rivals proposal to establish community boards.
...

See - WIN News - final debate.

Anna prays for no Snow ...

Made with free image tools @ TXT2PIC.com

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Anna Bligh picks her man ...

First it was the Meibusch letter backing Taylor to try to ensure that Manners doesn't become Mayor.

Now it's Anna Bligh's turn - indicating that she wants a Yes-person installed as Mayor in Toowoomba and will over-rule any attempt by Manners as Mayor to act in the best interests of Toowoomba and the region.

Excerpt from WIN News:

Dam Non Negotiable

10 March 2008

Premier Anna Bligh has put paid to Mayoral candidate Snow Manners' key policy of re-negotiating connection to the South East Water Grid, confirming she'll over-ride the council if necessary.

Premier Anna Bligh has today headed off Snow Manners at the pass on his key election policy of re-negotiating Toowoomba's connection to the South East Water Grid.

The Premier says she'll over-ride the new council if necessary to ensure connection to Wivenhoe Dam proceeds as planned next year.

Manners says the announcement is purely political, claiming the government is backing one of his rivals.

See - WIN News - Anna blows her top.

Amazing how Labor is falling over themselves in attempts to ensure that candidate Manners is not elected Mayor.

Really poses the question - why is Labor so desperate to avoid Manners being Mayor?

If you want to upset Anna's plans to ram Labor's agenda through on Toowoomba and the surrounding region, you know who to vote for ...

Now that's a fear campaign ad ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - candidate Rob Berry goes live ...

Read his website here - Candidate Berry.

His biggest issue seems to be changing the name of the council from 'Toowoomba Regional Council' to 'Darling Downs Regional Council' and sledging those who wanted to keep the name Toowoomba City Council.

This reflects his 'positive regional attitude'.

Beyond that, he's against forcing people to drink recycled water.

His plan to stop plans to sell recycled water to Acland Coal and 'give the water to all residents water (sic) via a purple pipe to improve their quality of living and their gardens' is perhaps a little impractical - retrofitting Toowoomba with a purple pipe system will never happen.

It seems candidate Crystal Stark is also against potable reuse once you read through the reams of campaign fluff - it does say - 'I will go on record NOW as telling you I am NOT in favour of drinking recycled sewerage water'.

Clearly seeking No voters ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - candidates seek donations online ...

... on the Candidates Online website.

See - Candidates Online.

Listed on the website so far:

- Paul Antonio
- Bill Cahill
- Ros Scotney
- Barry Sharp
- Megan Sullivan
- Chris Yeates

Seeking donations so far:

- Paul Antonio
- Bill Cahill

With 5 days left on the campaign trail, they may be leaving the hunt for donations a little late ...

4350water blog - recent search terms ...

1. toowoomba blog

2. candidates for toowoomba regional council

3. qld "moreton bay regional" council election candidates

4. peter taylor candidate toowoomba council election

5. nothing wrong with sewage recycle water the way to go

6. toowoomba, mayoral election, peter taylor

7. manners snow

8. 2008 toowoomba candidates

9. water crisis south east qld - recycled water

10. "di thorley" and toowoomba and tasmania

11. toowoomba water blog site

12. toowoomba city council candidates

13. toowoomba regional council councillor nominations

14. darby mccarthy council

15. john brown toowoomba

16. paul rigby ipswich mass.

17. toowoomba ian jones

18. toowoomba council election candidate profiles ven sorensen

19. toowoomba council elections

20. candidate toowoomba regional council berry

All roads lead to the blogs ...

Toowoomba Election website spits the dummy ...

Excerpt from Toowoomba Election forum:

Candidates who have chosen not to be listed have generally done so as they are afraid of technology and/or afraid of the competition of being weighed up next to their opponents.

As an example, a mayor candidate who I won't name chose not to be listed because he "[has] access to a number of email networks and web-sites that have effectively served two previous campaigns over the past two years."

I am concerned that a mayoral candidate would be more concerned about what will win or lose him an election as opposed to what will be the best thing for the voters.

We are getting over 200 unique visitors to the site every day. I hope that these visitors realise that the candidates who have opted out of the site are making the democratic process more difficult for voters and therefore exclude them from their vote on March 15!

See - Toowoomba Election website spits the dummy.

Always interesting when a website claims that it's in the voters' interests that its website be used and that a failure to use their website makes the democratic process more difficult.

Even more extraordinary is the attempt at candidate blackmail by the Toowoomba Election website - voters should exclude from their vote any candidate who doesn't provide their details and participate in the Toowoomba Election website.

Candidates are probably sensible to avoid the Toowoomba Election website - not wishing to be drawn into attempts at candidate blackmail being circulated by that website.

A simple sampling of blogsite visits and google searches shows that voters are intelligent enough to think beyond one website when researching candidates for next Saturday's election ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Electoral Commission gives Taylor a defect notice ...

Word on the street is that the Returning Officer smacked Mayoral hopeful Peter Taylor for the mixed authorisations on his TV ads.

His ads have a voiceover which refer to Taylor as being resident in Toowoomba while the authorisation on the screen at the end of his ads says 'Jondaryan'.

Seems Taylor was called in by the Qld Electoral Commission and told to change his ads so as not to send mixed messages to the voters.

This is becoming an expensive election campaign for Taylor. He had to reprint 50,000 brochures when he contravened his own Interim Committee rules on use of the Toowoomba Regional Council logo. Now he faces further editing costs for his ads.

A real comedy of errors ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - candidate Yeates' fireside chats ...

Councillor candidate Chris Yeates must be topping the YouTube charts with his 7 videos (so far) outlining his views.

See - Yeates on YouTube.

Not many viewers so far (other than for the consultation video previously plugged on the 4350water blog) ...

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor - 'no-one pisses in my pockets' ...

Charming to the bitter end.

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor claims that she has 'plastic-lined pockets to stop anyone pissing in mine'.

See - AIM debate speech - into the gutter.

For most in Toowoomba, next Saturday can't come soon enough ...

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor - 'Hitler had the right idea' ...

Outrageous to the end.

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor comments that Hitler had the right idea with the Night of the Long Knives and wishes she'd had a few swords at the time of the Water Futures debacle.

Excerpt from AIM debate speech:

Those of you who had anything to do with what was happening in Toowoomba a little while ago, that know that there were a great deal of people who were coming out fighting, or so they thought.

But actually had never reached the great heights of someone such as Adolph Hitler who actually had the ability to do the Night of the Long Knives where he got out there and put them to the sword.

And I can assure you I wish I'd had a few bloody swords because I'd have taken it to a few people - metaphorically of course, not literally.

Who would ever have the Mayor of Toowoomba end up in Boggo Road. Oh bugger, that's closed isn't it.

See - Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor - Hitler had the right idea.

For more information on the Night of the Long Knives see - Wikipedia - Night of the Long Knives - when the Nazi regime executed at least 85 people for political reasons - setting up Hitler for a period of unquestioned and unchallenged power and unbelievable atrocities against mankind.

Great leadership - a Mayor who wanted to kill her political opponents (metaphorically speaking of course) and a Deputy Mayor who threatened to drop rocks on them.

Time for wholesale change ...

Toowoomba's outgoing Mayor - farewell speech hits YouTube ...

She thanks Brisbane for inviting her and says that she's looking forward to "drinking their recycled sh*t. It's better quality."

Let's see how long it takes for the AIM to pull this one off YouTube once it spreads through the blogging world.

And she wonders why no-one will miss her ...

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - candidate Yeates hits YouTube again ...

See - YouTube - more Yeates videos.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - candidate Scotney disclaims Meibusch endorsement ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Endorsement from left field a surprise

6 March 2008

Ros Scotney says her "dear departed father" Gordon would be turning in his grave if he knew she had been endorsed by a Labor Party powerbroker in the Toowoomba Regional Council election. But she has.

The Pittsworth mayor and Clifton Shire deputy mayor Anne Glasheen are the latest additions on Chris Meibusch's updated list of "preferred" council candidates.

Cr Scotney admits she is a member of both the National and Liberal parties and openly campaigned for Ian Macfarlane, with two placards on her properties, to retain the federal seat of Groom.

Cr Scotney concedes she's "shocked" to have been endorsed by Mr Macfarlane's Labor Party rival.

Cr Scotney received her "letter" in yesterday's mail.
...

See - Labor's dream team candidates start disclaiming endorsements.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Manners on water ...

Excerpt from Mayoral candidate Manners' address to the Hume Ridge meeting:

I will negotiate to establish Toowoomba Regional Council as the Regional Water Authority independent from Brisbane and responsible for the establishment of the Darling Downs Water Grid.

I am adamant that recycled water will never enter our drinking supplies. But reusing water in ways acceptable to the whole community is an integral part of a modern water strategy. On that basis we can all move forward together.

See - Snow Manners' address to the Hume Ridge meeting.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - Mayoral candidates' views on potable reuse ...

As evident at last night's debate:

"Will you allow recycled water in the city supplies?"

Candidate Manners - No

Candidate Jones - Yes

Candidate Taylor - Yes and No and I don't know.

See - Water Futures blog - Hume Ridge meeting success.