Like last year, I’m fairly sure we are all looking forward to 2022 being a better year than 2021. But don’t we do that every year – hope that next year, or even the next day, is better than the last? I’m an optimist and even though there will be new challenges in 2022, as a community, state and nation we have the ability to weather them.

There will be new challenges, but also some we’ve seen before and which we can draw on experience to get past. As your representative, I do my best to be your advocate – on issues affecting individuals and affecting the whole community. Sometimes, there are hugely conflicting views in the community, and we're advocating for a popular option that may not be the right thing, in the long term.

These past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the politics that accompanied it have served up quite a few issues like that. Be assured I take seriously my duty to represent your views, individually and collectively, even when issues bringing the conflict arise. You may not read about it all in the paper, on Facebook or in a newsletter, but between myself and the Electorate Office team we endeavour to make sure that everybody’s view is put forward to the Government and to my colleagues in Parliament that form the Opposition – put “into the mix”. Sometimes your view becomes part of Government policy, and sometimes it does not. That is the nature of our system of democracy.  

To all in the Scenic Rim Electorate – thank you for making our part of the world one of the best to live, work and raise a family in. Merry Christmas and here’s to a happy and prosperous 2022.

TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN ROADS
After the recent rain, potholes opened up in numerous places on roads across the Mountain. Every time we see significant rain in our region, we see the same problems with potholes. These potholes will be fixed, but I will keep on arguing in every meeting with Main Roads for a proper long-term fix – not just more “band-aids”. This issue shows quite clearly the impact of the backlog of road repairs and maintenance that has been allowed to build up over the past 25 out of 30 years of Labor Government in Queensland. That backlog is now nearly $6,000,000,000 – $6 billion. An awfully big black hole.

LET’S CONTINUE TO BUY LOCAL
In the Scenic Rim, we have so many small businesses run with dedication and hard work. They are the backbone of our local economy. Let’s keep on supporting your locals whenever possible. The government at all levels needs to make it easier for these businesses to grow – get rid of the red tape, the costs and the regulations – so they can create more jobs.

REMINDER: Buy Local Christmas 2021 local collection points are at Charlie & Me on the Walk, Spice of Life Café, Granny Mac’s Fudge, Lux & Gather, Tamborine Mountain Visitor Information Centre, Mumma Duck’s Sweets & Treats, Witchscents Organics, Angela’s Pantry, MountView Alpaca Farm, My Country Escape, KD Antiques, Butchery Canungra, Canungra Books & Art and the Canungra Visitor Information Centre. The boxes will be collected in early January and the winner drawn in mid-January.

If you have an issue that you think should be fixed, I encourage you to contact my office, toll-free on 1800 813 960 or email scenicrim@parliament.qld.gov.au, so I can lobby on your behalf in Brisbane.