Whitsunday residents vow to fight rising insurance costs

 In the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi Queensland Premier Anna Bligh appealed to the nation’s insurance companies to show compassion. “We need her to do that again now,” says Whitsunday resident Margaret Shaw, who is part of a newly formed committee battling to tackle insurance premium hikes.

 Ms Shaw is joined in her fight by fellow Whitsunday Ratepayers Association members Lester Riley and Dave Tindall, but this group is by no means alone. Private individuals like Robyn Mitchell and Jeff Aquilina have also been involved in searching for a solution.

 Ms Mitchell says currently there is only one insurer dealing with tourist-style developments incorporating blocks of more than 20 units valued at more than $20 million. Since last summer’s disasters insurance premiums on this style of development have increased dramatically – in some cases up to 350 per cent.

 “Whether you’re retired or not, if you’re living in your unit the last thing you can afford is 300 per cent increases in insurance premiums,” Ms Mitchell said.

 “The problem with this particular issue is we don’t have alternatives. We can’t reduce the value of our asset, we can’t not insure and we can’t self-insure – the pitfalls would be huge.”

 Ms Mitchell and the newly formed committee have independently been working on compiling data and talking to insurance brokers and politicians, with the committee executives due to meet with Federal Member for Dawson George Christensen this week.

 Mr Christensen said he was aware that insurance in the Whitsunday region was rapidly becoming a “big issue”.

 “It seems most insurance companies have drawn a line on a map and are refusing to insure apartment buildings north of that line,” Mr Christensen said.

 “We have had reports that only one insurance company is offering body corporate policies in North Queensland and that’s not an ideal situation. Lack of competition opens the door for price gouging and we need to ensure we don’t see a total market failure in North Queensland.”

 Mr Christensen said the Liberal National Coalition in Canberra had called on the ACCC to investigate the insurance industry in North Queensland to ensure that Queenslanders did not fall victim to any such price gouging.

 “The Federal Government also is in discussions with the Insurance Council to consider policies that would increase competition in the North Queensland insurance market,” he said.

 Whitsunday MP Jan Jarratt advised “any groups or individuals with concerns or ideas to make their views known to the federal government enquiry into private insurance.”

 “The level of these rises in some of these premiums is beyond the scope of some of these people to deal with,” Ms Jarratt said.

 “Insurance is a commercial decision based on risk. It is a very complex arena, but what I’m being told is that Body Corporates’ need to have a broker who can look at the most competitive deals. I believe those BC’s and brokers who have put in the hard yards are starting to see some more affordable options on the table,” she said.

George Christensen to meet Whitsunday residents

 Roads, insurance, and local industry are expected to be the big issues raised with Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen, this Friday.

 Mr Christensen will be talking with Proserpine and Whitsunday residents this week about issues that concern them and already there has been a strong indication of what those issues are.

 "Roads are top of mind with everyone at the moment," Mr Christensen said.

"Especially in North Queensland where the wet summer really took a toll on our roads, there are problems with the Bruce Highway, main roads and local streets.

 "Roads is an issue for every level of government but, at the Federal level, the Liberal National Party members from electorates along the coast have banded together to push for more work on the Bruce Highway.

 "After the summer we have just had, the importance of our main artery along the coast has been highlighted."

 Mr Christensen is conducting public hearings in Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney this week with the carbon tax enquiry.

 "We tried to have a public hearing in Mackay but the plan was rejected by the Labor-Greens alliance," he said.

 "Most people in the Whitsundays are dependent on either sugar or tourism and both these export markets will be affected by the carbon tax.

 "Residents in our region are very concerned about the future of the local economy and uncertainty over the potential sale of the Proserpine mill."

 Residents can arrange a meeting with Mr Christensen by calling the electorate office on 4944 0662.

New Art Gallery for Airlie Beach

 After years of being little more than a community’s dream, Airlie Beach now has an art gallery space, located at the site of the previous post office in the heart of the CBD.

 It was nearly three years ago that Airlie’s councillor Jan Clifford attended a Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) conference on the scenic rim, where a presenter talked about initiating exactly this type of project in Newcastle, NSW.

 “I heard him speak, got some information from him, came racing back here and presented it to council’s CEO. John Finlay was very excited about the prospect and basically said, “What can I do?” Since then it’s been a case of talking to Real Estate agents and eventually Nathan Leman and the team at Trustees Australia Ltd, (TAu) were the first ones to take up the opportunity,” Ms Clifford said.

 Ms Clifford, who called in to the new gallery on Monday, said she could “nearly burst into tears” at the realisation of the vision. Ms Clifford also said a “big thanks” must go to Whitsunday Regional Council for getting the gallery, which is part of the “Renew Airlie” project, off the ground.

 “This is only possible because of council’s efforts. They’ve drawn up the leases and they’re covering the insurance (under RADF). I’d also really like to acknowledge the generosity of Mr Michael Hackett’s group (TAu), the owners of the building space,” she said.

 “Now when the cruise ships come into town there will be something quintessentially Whitsundays for them to see and buy.”

 Art Whitsunday member Jellena Demartini said the not-for-profit organisation had “jumped at the chance to have a space like this”.

 “Mackay has ‘Art Space’, now we have a start in that direction,” Ms Demartini said.

 Ms Demartini said the gallery would be manned entirely by Art Whitsunday members on a volunteer basis, with a changing exhibition every month. A ‘soft’ opening will be held on October 21, in honour of WRC and other parties who made the project possible. This will be followed by a gala opening for the general public at a date yet to be confirmed.

 Ms Clifford said she hoped this was just the beginning of what could become a blueprint for other ‘galleries’ around the region.

 “I’m now hoping we’ll get some more exhibitors and even potentially another building. Now this is up and running I’m hoping some other landlords with empty shops might see the benefits and join the project too,” she said.

Rotary Clubs of Proserpine, Airlie Beach and Bowen unite to eradicate Polio

Through a rare opportunity, all three Rotary clubs in the region including Airlie Beach, Proserpine and Bowen came together last Tuesday evening.

 Some 40 Rotary members congregated to welcome and support a fellow Rotary member from Grafton, Rob Byrne, who is currently riding a bike around Australia to raise awareness and money to eradicate polio.

 "It’s a pretty tremendous effort. We wanted Rob to feel welcomed and support the cause," said president of the Rotary Club of Bowen president David Higgens.

 The three clubs also helped Rob with his quest by donating $600 in total to the cause.

 Proserpine Rotary Club President Paul Joice said he was thrilled to see all club’s coming together in support of Rob who also gave a presentation to explain his passion for the cause.

 "My main point to get across is that we have the chance to eradicate polio within 18 months but it’s going to take a whole lot more money. It’s a message of urgency," Rob said.

 The presentation was held upstairs at the Metropole Hotel in Proserpine, with the group also having dinner.

Quota to launch new community garden project

 Quota International of Whitsunday Inc is about to launch another ambitious community project, this time in collaboration with Conservation Volunteers Australia.

 The new “care and share garden project” is currently in a developmental phase, but the seed germinating among members of the two organisations is sure to grow nothing but success.

 While a venue for the garden has yet to be determined, the project will be targeting at-risk and vulnerable youth, with plans to incorporate native, bush tucker and edible gardens into the overall result.

 Regional manager for Conservation Volunteers Australia Caitlin Davies said she was very much looking forward to seeing the project progress.

 “We’re fairly new to the region so we’re really excited to become a part of the community,” Ms Davies said.

 Quota Whitsunday President Kerrie McCallum-Coles said this promises to be a true community project, for the community, by the community.

 “This project will bring together individuals, organisations and local businesses who care for the environment, care for their community and care enough about the Whitsunday region to share their skills and knowledge, share their time to help others and ultimately share what they create with everyone,” Ms Mcallum-Coles said.

 The project will require the donation of materials including soils, mulches, plants and tools. For more information or to become involved, contact Kerrie McCallum-Coles on 0409 222 548.

NQ Cowboy Chris McLean at home in Bloomsbury

A flying visit to the family property west of Bloomsbury could provide grand final inspiration for Cowboys under 20s captain Chris McLean.

 Chris’s visit to the Bloomsbury block comes just seven days before he heads to Sydney for his team’s grand final clash against the Warriors who took out the Toyota Cup last season.

 After a scintillating 38-14 preliminary final victory against the Sharks on Friday night, the 20-year-old captain enjoyed some R&R with his family.

 "It’s always good to get away and relax, getting out in the bush really seems to be the medicine I need, even if it’s only for a day.

 "It is a place where you can get every thing in prospective so you can get focused on the next game when you return to training," Chris said.

 After flying in Saturday lunch time from Sydney, Chris said he saw a great opportunity to head to one of their cattle blocks at Bloomsbury and also visit grandparents at Mount Ossa.

 "So I loaded up the 4 wheeler and my dog and headed out. I also included a spot of pigging which always seems to get the mind off footy and caught up with some mates and cousins," Chris said.

 His mum Sue agreed the bush was the best medicine for her son.

 "He just loves it. Even if he just takes his dog and goes for a potter around, he’s a country boy through and through and loves spending time on the family properties."

 Although he grew up on a property near Clermont, Chris’s ties in the Whitsundays are strong. His grandmother Lorna McLean was born and bred in Proserpine and still has three brothers in the Whitsunday region - Micky, Fred and Victor Norman and Bobby in Bowen. Chris’s brother and sister Lee and Kelly who have both played for the Burdekin Roosters.

 "I don’t think it has hit me, the fact that I am leading my team to the first ever Cowboys NYC premiership. We have been training since November last year and it all comes down to one game to achieve the ultimate goal," Chris said.

Magistrate fines Cyril Vains for punching Whitsundays mayor

Bowen Turf Club president Cyril Vains has been slapped with a $500 fine for punching mayor Mike Brunker in the nose.

 The long-running saga came to a close in Bowen Magistrates Court on Friday after the carpark punch-up at last year’s running of the Ben Bolt Cup on August 8.

 Punters got more excitement than expected as the high-profile pair swapped insults and punches after a dispute over political advertising hoardings.

 The dispute led news broadcasts and newspaper headlines across the country as one of the ‘highlights’ of a dreary Federal election campaign.

 Mr Brunker, Whitsunday Regional Council mayor and Labor aspirant for the seat of Dawson, went to the track to boost his profile and left after a Vains’ punch ‘popped the blackheads on his nose’.

 After a number of adjournments from December when the charge was first listed to be heard until Vains pleaded not guilty to common assault during a two-day hearing in May, the matter reached a finale when magistrate Ross Risson gave his findings on Friday.

 He did not accept Vains’ version of events on the day and acceded to a call from defence counsel Alex Raeburn not to record a conviction saying a lack of remorse was not a factor to apply one.

 Mr Risson said he accepted evidence heard during a two-day trial in May that Vains threw the first punch to Mr Brunker’s nose with the mayor then retaliating.

 “You were foolish, in my view, to call Mr Brunker outside when security could have removed Mr Brunker and his signs,” Mr Risson told the 70-year-old defendant on Friday.

 “You have been the subject of wide media coverage and no doubt will be again after today.”

 The magistrate took his seat on the bench at noon and spent the next 25 minutes outlining his decision before announcing he rejected Vains’ version.

 Prosecutor Mark Fenlon made a five-minute speech saying a good behaviour bond was out of the question as Vains had shown no remorse or contrition.

 He said taxpayers had been put through the costs of a two-day hearing. Vains had already been charged, found guilty and suspended by Queensland Racing authorities, Mr Fenlon said.

 He said a conviction would not have any affect on Vain’s chances of getting a job as he was 70 and retired.

 Mr Raeburn countered saying going to trial was everyone’s right and did not mean a heavier penalty should be imposed.

 “He’s 70, has no criminal record and I ask for a bond with no conviction recorded,” Mr Raeburn said.

 “There was no bodily harm….the blow was not sufficient to knock his (Brunker’s) hat off.”

 Mr Raeburn said Vains had already been penalised by Queensland Racing, was disqualified from his job for three months and not allowed to go on any track during that time.

 He said a conviction could have implications for the turf club’s liquor licence.

 Mr Raeburn said Vains tried to settle the matter through mediation but Mr Brunker would not agree.

 He also held up a thick folder of newspaper clippings which he said Vains had had to “suffer” as the story unfolded from the punch-up in the carpark last August and which would increase following Friday’s sentencing.

 Mr Risson fined Vains $500 to be paid within two months or he would serve eight days in jail. No conviction was recorded.

Proserpine Sugar Mill compares bids

 The battle for Proserpine’s sugar mill is far from over, with major players Wilmar-backed Sucrogen and Cofco-backed Tully Sugar, now engaged in what some growers are calling a “two horse race”.

 The PCSMA’s board of directors called a meeting at the Entertainment Centre last Thursday morning to explain the co-operative’s position thus far. Prior to the meeting the board had engaged the services of former Mackay Sugar and QSL chief executive John Pollock to provide an independent assessment of what were then considered to be very different bids.

 Based on Mr Pollock’s advice the PCSMA board continued to recommend Sucrogen, saying theirs was the “superior” offer, but at 4.30am on Thursday, Cofco/Tully Sugar upped the stakes, putting in a revised bid.

 Proserpine’s acting CEO Ian McBean said the board decided to run Thursday’s meeting in spite of the new twists and turns.

 “We decided to take the opportunity to provide members with information on not only why we couldn’t accept the Tully/Cofco offer the first time around, but also to give them some insight into the detail and complexity of this and the fine line the board has to tread,” Mr McBean said.

 Mr McBean says Tully/Cofco’s revised offer means the board must go through a comparison process yet again.

 “We have an asset sale offer for $120 million from Tully/Cofco and we have an asset sale offer for $115 million from Sucrogen, but at the end of the day it’s not about the top dollar value, it’s about the actual return to the members,” he said.

 Under Proserpine’s current contractual obligations, if the Tully/Cofco offer is deemed superior, Sucrogen has five working days in which to decide whether to match the $120 million bid. As the Guardian went to press on Tuesday afternoon, a decision by the board had not yet been made, but Tony Jeppersen, like many of the members who attended Thursday’s meeting, said he looked forward to a reasonably speedy conclusion.

 “The critical thing that all members and parties bidding now seem to appreciate is that the timeline is the most crucial part of this process,” he said.

New Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser is Proserpine's political star

 Proserpine born Andrew Fraser puts his political achievements down to the quality education he received at Proserpine High School.

 Mr Fraser, who at just 35-years-old was last week sworn in as deputy premier to Anna Bligh, said very few people could name five academy award winners, while many would remember this number of their most inspirational teachers.

 “The education I received in Proserpine has enabled me to go on and pursue my ambitions – giving me the opportunity to represent the people of Queensland,” he said.

 Mr Fraser, who remembers “reading the Guardian when it came out on a Thursday and was only 25cents”, said he has always considered the sense of community in Proserpine to be one of the original motivators behind his career.

 “To work as a community, not as an individual, underpins why I stood for parliament in the first place,” he said.

 Whitsunday MP Jan Jarratt, who describes Andrew as “one of the brightest and most talented people in Queensland’s political landscape,” says the appointment is a proud moment for the region.

 “Andrew has always been a great supporter of the Whitsundays, and given his intimate knowledge of this area and its needs, he has also been a great ally for me in Parliament.

 “It’s fantastic to see a small town boy who attended a state school attain this enormous honour and I hope Andrew’s success will inspire local students to believe that anything is possible,” Ms Jarratt said.

 Meanwhile on a family level, Andrew’s parents Peter and Jeanne said they are very proud of their son, attributing his success to “sheer hard work”.

 “With Andrew anything could happen. He’s a determined sort of a bloke and if he puts his mind to something he’ll achieve it,” Peter Fraser said.

 Mr Fraser (Senior) said Andrew had never lost sight of his Proserpine roots.

 “When he comes home to the family at Midge Point he’s just a normal bloke who likes a cold stubby on a hot day.” 

Whitsunday Rate Payers Association gains support

 The Whitsunday Ratepayers Association (WRA) is now 450 members-strong, with executives noticing increased support, particularly from Proserpine.

 WRA President Adrian Abrahams said members were communicating a clear message that council should not be perceived as political.

 “Local government should be about delivering the services the community needs,” Mr Abrahams said.

 The association has been particularly active this year, in lobbying against a purely postal vote and liaising with the Electorate Commission Queensland (ECQ) on the proposed changes to divisional boundaries.

 WRA secretary Tony Moscato said he believed the association had achieved some measure of success from its communications with ECQ, “but it’s still not what we want”.

 “The (current) proposal by the commission is a lot better that the initial proposal by council, but it is still far from ideal. (However) we have great hope that the commission will consider our two submissions and act in a fair and reasonable manner,” Mr Moscato said.

 As for the matter of postal voting WRA treasurer Ross Plowman says his next step will be writing a letter to the minister for local government.

 “We want to officially request that the minister determines this matter once and for all, now, and not just prior to the election,” Mr Plowman said.

 Also at work within the association is a newly formed sub-committee, which is looking to tackle the issue of insurance industry price controlling.

 Lester Riley, who is at the forefront of this particular campaign, along with WRA members Margaret Shaw and Dave Tindall, said the group was currently focused on compiling data.

 “The key thing is you can’t get any competitive quotes. However you look at it this is a rort by insurance companies,” Mr Riley said.

 According to Mr Riley the insurance industry has targeted multi-level resort buildings in north Queensland as a means of extracting maximum premiums following the summer’s natural disasters. Mr Riley says increases of up to 350 per cent have been implemented, which are “absolutely incredible and indefensible”.

 “This is unconscionable conduct and must surely border on industry protectionism, price fixing, or even criminal intent,” he said.

 Last, but by no means least, WRA executives say they are “very pleased” to be meeting with council for budget discussions, possibly within the next month. 

Whitsunday women form new Quota club

A group of passionate, young Whitsunday women will make history on October 8 when their group is chartered to become the very first group of its kind in the nation.

Officially called the Quota International of Whitsunday Coast, a group of some 15 community spirited women put their heads together some weeks ago to form what is arguably the very first “all young members' club” in Australia.

Group president Amanda Porter said the newly formed group was hoping to attract a few more professional, young women in their 20s and mid 30s who were interested in the social aspect as much as the charitable side of the organisation.

“Many of us did a fair bit of community work in high school … but it’s really just about young people who are looking for a good social networking opportunity and those who are passionate about their community,” Ms Porter said.

Only weeks old and the women are bursting with ideas to raise money including bake-offs, fashion parades, trivia nights and a booze cruise.

“Already we have a couple of projects we’d like to work towards including raising some money for youth space, put some more playground equipment around and deck out the green room at the hospital with a bit more stuff,” she said.

Veteran Quotarian and president of Quota International Whitsunday Jeanette Gray said the local Quotarians were actually world leaders in starting new clubs.

“There have been eight new clubs chartered internationally in the past 18 months …. Two of them are in this district. “All young people looking for professional development experience, the opportunity to travel and meet people should get involved,” she said.

Whitsunday Anglers catch prize barra at Peter Faust Dam

A catch-and-release fishing competition made its debut in the Whitsundays over the weekend attracting some 16 teams out to the Proserpine Dam.

The 2011 Peter Faust Barra Trophy catered for both skilled and amateur anglers with organiser Matt Fraser hailing it a success.

“There’s nothing quite like this in the north. It’s a friendly competition. We don’t like killing the fish and we use knotless rubber nets so as to not hurt their scales,” Mr Fraser said.

The idea to bring this competition north came about when a couple of Whitsunday anglers ventured down to Gladstone to compete in a similar event.

Two brothers from Airlie Beach, Kerrin and Cy Taylor teamed up as Evinrude / Mako Eyewear to take out the winning trophy on Sunday catching six barras totalling just over 480cm in length.

The 2012 Peter Faust Barra Trophy will be an annual event, taking place roughly the same time next year.