In a powerful and unreserved address to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s budget meeting on Monday, 7 July, Division 10 Councillor David Law mounted a staunch defence of the Sunshine Coast’s hinterland communities, prominently featuring Nambour as a critical hub for the broader region, including the vital Blackall Range. His intervention highlighted a perceived imbalance in regional investment and passionately advocated for a fundamental shift in how the financial burden of climate-related natural disasters is distributed.
At the heart of Cr Law’s argument was the Council’s contentious decision to defer the long-promised Nambour Library and Community Administration Centre by six years, now slated to commence no earlier than 2031. For communities throughout the Blackall Range, including Montville, Flaxton, Mapleton, and their surrounding districts, Nambour serves as the principal commercial and administrative hub. This delay is thus a matter of significant concern for the entire region, particularly as the upgrade and refurbishment of these council buildings are crucial components of the broader Nambour Centre Activation Project, a key initiative aimed at revitalising the town’s core as a vibrant community and cultural hub.
“Here we are, budget day, and everyone is being asked to do a bit more for the benefit of the whole region,” Cr Law stated with palpable frustration, “But I don’t like this one at all. Not one bit.”
He meticulously detailed how this deferral undermined the Council’s own Workplace Strategy, of which the Nambour facility was to be the final stage. He contrasted Nambour’s situation with the Council’s main administration building in Maroochydore and the Caloundra Library Plus, both of which received substantial additional funding—$20 million and $10 million respectively—when needed. “I was assured the whole workplace strategy would happen,” Cr Law emphasised, suggesting a lapse in commitment towards the hinterland’s foundational infrastructure.
With approximately $1 million already invested in preparatory work, the Nambour project was poised to begin construction this financial year. Councillor Law asserted that pushing it back six years sends a detrimental message, not just to Nambour, but to the entire hinterland, including the communities nestled in the Blackall Range. “This major investment in Nambour… would signal to the hinterland community of Nambour and surrounds that ‘we believe in you’,” he argued, stressing its potential to unlock further private and organisational investment. “It’s not okay to move that major investment by six years — because in Nambour, we need that now.” He further clarified that this need extends beyond Nambour itself, benefiting “Maleny, Kenilworth, Woombye, Palmwoods, Eumundi, Yandina, everyone that is serviced by that library and by that customer service centre throughout the whole hinterland.”
Beyond the critical Nambour development, Cr Law extended his critique to the broader financial governance of the Council, particularly the escalating costs of natural disaster recovery. He strongly advocated for the adoption of the “polluter pays” principle, asserting that ratepayers and local government should not be left to bear the full cost of climate-impacted extreme weather events, that are worsening due to human-driven climate change.
He highlighted the severe and ongoing impacts of three major rain events that struck Nambour within a mere 46 days, causing widespread damage to businesses and forcing the closure of community facilities. For residents of the Blackall Range, who often rely on Nambour’s services and infrastructure, these disruptions directly affect their daily lives and access to essential amenities. “There are businesses that have still not reopened since the 25th of April,” he noted. “The polluter should pay — not the ratepayers, not the council — the polluter.” This sentiment, he noted, is broadly supported by the Australian public, citing a Climate Now report indicating 75% backing for this approach to tackle rising carbon emissions.
Cr Law also drew a pointed comparison between significant investments in coastal projects, such as $11 million for beach re-nourishment and $12 million for seawalls, and the reduction in funding for essential hinterland infrastructure, specifically noting the cut to unsealed road funding. He found it “curious” that “500 kilometres of unsealed roads where the… That funding has been cut to $4.5 million. 65 kilometres [of beaches], $11 million.” This disparity, he argued, directly impacts the quality of life and accessibility for those residing in Blackall Range communities.
In a compelling conclusion, Cr Law invoked the historical relationship between the hinterland and the coastal development of the Sunshine Coast. He reminded councilors that the region’s early growth and the very creation of its famed coastal beauty were largely financed and facilitated by the prosperity of the hinterland’s early railway and agricultural towns, including Nambour. “It’s time to pay back that original funding that created this amazing coastline where most of the Sunshine Coasters live, and we need that back in the hinterland,” he declared. This historical perspective frames the current call for equitable investment as a rightful and overdue return for the foundational role the hinterland has played in the greater region’s historical success.
Councilor Law’s resolute stance underscores the increasing call from hinterland communities for equitable recognition and investment. For the Blackall Range, the fate of Nambour and the broader hinterland funding model are directly tied to their own prosperity and access to vital services. The Council’s subsequent actions in response to these profound concerns will be closely observed by residents across the entire hinterland.
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