MOONLIGHT MOVIES Great to see big crowds and lots of fun for the first of the Moonlight Movies on Macleay event. Are than 500 people turned up for the evening and night movie event. It was a great event for island families and proves islanders really want more activities like this to enjoy. The organisers have issued a ‘thanks to everyone’ for coming out and supporting and enjoying this community run event. See you at the next x2 screenings! SOME RENTERS One of the major problems with our islands over the years has been the standard of behaviour of some renters. For years, low rental returns attracted a certain type of person to our islands who had a different standard of living and lifestyle to the average and very good and sturdy renting public. Our low rentals for many years attracted some ‘undesirable’ people who ‘used’ our islands to hide some activities that are frowned upon by society in general. Drug supply and use and other substance abuse has been part of the problem. Also back in the dim dark days of 10 years ago or so, some real estate agents made the problem doubly difficult by renting island properties to people with hardly any or ’nil’ background checks. At that time, The Friendly Bay Islander joined with Cr Mark Edwards in getting island real estate agencies on board to sign a public document that they would strive to lift the standard of renting and renters on our islands. The Covid pandemic came along and that changed everything. Australians decided en masse that an ‘island change’ would be a good thing to do. It happened to many rural and coastal places around the country, with city residents leaving the metropolis in droves. This phenomena also happened to our islands. The positive result saw nearly every available house at the time sold, and all rentals ’skyrocket’. House prices escalated and rentals increased accordingly. The result: many of those who came here causing trouble, have since moved on, and the change in the island demographic has been positive. However, not all the bad applies have left. Recently, we saw an example when an island couple who had a house to rent, decided to help someone down on their luck who told a ‘good story’. Four months later, after contravention of the lease, the renters finally vacated. And, oh what a mess that was left behind. It took six trips to the refuse depot on the islands to finally clear the home and grounds of the rubbish they had accumulated. You wonder how people live in such a manner. Apparently some people have little semblance of ‘normal, clean living’. They also can’t work out why they can’t afford the rent, but pay $60 for a packet of cigarettes ( X six packs per week) for both husband and wife (also having a baby). Our island property owner has learnt their lesson and will adhere to their property agents pleading and background checks in future! SOME STILL BEATING THE SYSTEM Some other renters and property owners are living in unbelievable conditions on our islands. Whilst Redland City Council is strict with building approvals and regulation in relation to septic use and planning, there are some on the islands who are living in hovels, some of them with no plumbing and toilet systems whatsoever. How is this allowed to happen with little or no jurisdiction or control. One place we observed recently is literally like a wrecking yard with junk literally everywhere. There is a small building on the block, and an unregistered car in the front yard, with someone living in the small building. It is a sight you would expect to see in some of the most disadvantaged areas in the world, not the islands that we happen to love and enjoy. We have forwarded this on to Redland City Council to see if anything can be done about situations like this. And if you know of any other places like this that are literally a ‘junk yard’ and are being lived on and in, we recommend you report it to council as well. We will be watching for an outcome with interest! SEALINK MONOPOLY YOU CAN DO ANYTHING Received a shock the other day when we needed to cancel a Sealink barge trip to the mainland. Not only were we told we can’t have a refund (it is kept in credit until ‘next time’) but we were advised that we will also be charged a further $20 cancellation fee’. We are sure these facts are somewhere in the paraphernalia of conditions somewhere on the Sealink website, and of course we are supposed to have read them diligently (who does?). Doesn’t stop leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Sealink have a monopoly on services to our islands. No competition means there is no unofficial restraint on conditions and behaviour. Competition makes you think twice about costs, penalties and charges. Not happy Jan! REDLANDS RECIPIENTS OF KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS Seven Redlands Coast residents who received King’s Birthday Honours this year were recognised at a special event at Redland City Council today, Wednesday 19 July 2023. Mayor Karen Williams hosted a morning tea with Redland City Councillors and senior Council officers to congratulate the recipients on behalf of the city. Cr Williams also formally recognised their achievements during the monthly General Meeting that followed the event. “It is a privilege to acknowledge Dr Tony Badrick AM, Dr Donald Gilmore OAM, Graeme Roberts-Thomson OAM, Raymond Sandford OAM, Cody Schaeffer OAM, Dr Robyn Thompson OAM and Michael Shearer PSM,” Cr Williams said. “Our local King’s Birthday Honours recipients join a prestigious list of people whose actions have set them apart and enriched our community across a broad range of professional, public and community service sectors. “These outstanding individuals have delivered exceptional results in the areas of diagnostic pathology, midwifery, forestry, public administration, and service to veterans, families and youth,” the Mayor added.