President’s update

From David Grogan

I don’t know about you, but for me the year is marching on. NCV has been really busy behind the scenes developing our technical capability to listen more effectively, so your views are properly collated to create the evidence base for change we all know we need.

Our website has had a major overhaul, so information is much easier to find. We’re continually learning and reviewing the website, so please use the links to give us feedback or let us know if things are not working as you might expect.

We have also been working to make sure we are legally compliant. That means you can be confident that when you give us your information it will be securely protected. We have updated our Privacy Policy, and we will be reaching out to our contacts to make sure we have your permission to send you newsletters, surveys and other information.

Our first AGM is on 25 October. Details are below, and I am looking forward to sharing our progress.

Don’t forget, you need to be a member to be able to vote.

Members Membership draw winner Congratulations to member Amanda, who has won two tickets to see Hindley Street Country Club at Eatons Hill Hotel later this month. Amanda was there for the draw at the Latin Shack, Samford Valley on 30 September. She was thrilled to win, as she absolutely loves their music. Rock on, Amanda!

Listening comes first What matters to you? Listening comes first at NCV. Over the past month, our volunteers have spent six days out in the community with a clipboard, a short form and one simple question: what matters to you? We listened at Old Petrie Town, Dayboro and Green Thumb Farm markets, coffee catch-ups at Woody Point, Petrie and Samford, and a pop-up engagement at Leslie Patrick Park at Arana Hills. Most of the issues currently on our list came directly from those conversations.

We also listen online

Community Surveys, and Share an Issue

Our Community Surveys for Local, State and Federal Government went live in early September, while The Hills District Survey opened on 12 September. Share an Issue is open all the time to anyone living in the City of Moreton Bay. Tell us, in a sentence or two, what matters to you. It only takes a few minutes. You don’t have to give your name, and your views count just the same either way.

NCV will undertake, and report on, two community surveys each year. The more responses we get, the more we can legitimately hold our elected officials to account and track how they are progressing over time. Make sure you have given consent for NCV to share our reports with you.

So, what happens to what you tell us?

Each point is recorded as its own anonymous record; nothing is summarised away. We then sort the responses into topics and look at how many people have raised each issue, how important it is to them, and how satisfied they are with things as they are now. Our Working Groups add relevant facts and research, before taking the evidence and community priorities to Council, State and Federal representatives.

Listening at Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills.

Every answer, in people’s own words

Since early September, 19 people from across the City of Moreton Bay have told us 90 things that matter to them, in their own words, and our online Local, State and Federal government surveys have had 18 responses. Every answer is kept as its own record, without the person’s name.

The topics raised by the most people so far are transport and local roads, gas and mining, and climate change. In the surveys, energy, electrification and electric vehicles was chosen most often. See every issue raised so far, and how many people raised it, on our website.

Petition A Fair Go From Our Gas Our gas belongs to all of us. But a handful of corporations wrote themselves a deal that lets them take the profit and pay next to nothing, while families in the City of Moreton Bay and across Australia can’t get on top of the cost of living. Together with many other Voices groups around Australia, we have been collecting signatures for a petition addressed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers, asking them to introduce a 25% gas export tax, so this money finally works for the people who own it.

Samford

At the Farmgate Markets, and this Saturday

We had a recent stall at the Farmgate Markets (Green Thumb Farm) to run a community issue survey, promote the 25% gas export tax petition and talk about electrification. The next stall will be at John Scott Park, Samford, from 8 am to 11 am this Saturday 10 October, with regular monthly stalls to follow (dates to be advised).

The Hills District Mornings at Leslie Patrick Park On Saturday 12 September and Saturday 3 October, members spent the morning at Leslie Patrick Park in Arana Hills, listening to families and community members about what is important to them. Our 25% gas tax petition was a great hit, as was our community survey. Look out for us around The Hills District throughout October, and follow us on Facebook for updates on catch-up locations.

Caboolture Week Without Driving Get Around Caboolture kicked off Week Without Driving in Morayfield on Thursday 1 October with Mark Ryan MP, Shayne Whitehouse from Urban Tech, and local residents who rely on lifts, scooters and footpaths. When you travel around the station precinct without a car, you quickly notice things like a sloping footpath, traffic passing close beside you, and the difficulty of finding a safe crossing that’s easy to use. To close the week on Wednesday 7 October, Mayor Peter Flannery and Councillors Ellie Smith, Mark Booth, Brooke Savige and Jim Moloney will undertake a similar tour around Caboolture Station. There’s a nice connection with last year, when Cr Smith joined our Week Without Driving tour and bike ride at Caboolture Station for her first public event as a councillor. Week Without Driving is about transport choice: giving people who depend on lifts more independence, freeing up the people who currently drive them, and giving all of us more choice about how we get around. Photo supplied by Get Around Caboolture.

Beachmere and the Pumicestone area

Moreton Motorsport Park

Plans for a $20 million Moreton Motorsport Park at Bloesch Road, Beachmere, are continuing to generate strong community debate. The proposed 24.8-hectare facility would include speedway and motocross tracks and could attract up to 4,000 spectators to major events. While the proponents point to economic benefits, employment and opportunities for driver training, residents and community groups have raised concerns about potential impacts on flooding, noise, traffic, groundwater and the surrounding environment.

The proposal is now being considered under the State Government’s Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process. Concerns have been raised about whether this process provides sufficient opportunity for local communities to have their voices heard. A submission to the Member for Pumicestone is calling for full development assessment and public notification, together with independent assessments of noise, ecological and traffic impacts.

What’s new at Bluey and Jean Piva Park

The facilities include a Changing Places facility for people with high support needs, accessible toilets and showers, and free beach wheelchairs and a beach wheely walker. Together with the existing beach access mat, these improvements will make it easier for more people and families to enjoy one of Moreton Bay’s beautiful beaches.

We welcome initiatives like this that make our city more inclusive and accessible for everyone. Woorim is now one of four Changing Places locations listed by the City of Moreton Bay. Others are at South Pine Indoor Sports Centre, Redcliffe Library and Albany Creek Leisure Centre. More are planned, including at Caboolture Pool and Fitness Centre.

The Woorim upgrade was funded by the City and the SEQ Liveability Fund under the SEQ City Deal.

Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity Action

What the Working Group is working on

The Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity Action Working Group was established to support coordinated action on climate change, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation within the City of Moreton Bay. At the moment it is working on:

One of many Voices

NCV is only one of many Voices groups across Australia. Our website hosts a directory with links to many of these groups, so you can see how we fit into an ecosystem of active Voices groups.

We have been collaborating with both Voices of Fisher on the Sunshine Coast and Redlands Matters. It’s great to learn from others and share our experience as we all work to create community-based listening and better representation.

Importantly, this shows we are one of many Voices groups, representing a growing movement of people who are not only calling for, but building, a more responsive and representative type of democracy that genuinely reflects the voices of the community.

Members at our barbecue in Petrie.

We have been out and about around our community

Members met for a delicious barbecue in Petrie, which was a great time to connect and socialise. Thanks to members of Redlands Matters for joining us and sharing their activities and progress.

Thanks also to Tyler Miscannon and River North Community Foundation, who welcomed four members to their Networking Night, along with representatives from a variety of other community organisations, focused on grassroots grant-making, local philanthropy education and connecting community groups, social enterprises and charities with shared resources.

Regular coffee catch-ups

Come and have a coffee with us

Everyone is welcome. Follow our Facebook page for real-time updates on events and catch-ups.

Northside Community Voices Inc.

A non-partisan community association in the City of Moreton Bay, taking the community's priorities to government.

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