TIME N TIDE DECEMBER
SCAM ALERT - FAKE COUNCIL SURVEY CALLS Redland City Council has been made aware that some residents have received phone calls from people pretending to be surveying on behalf of Council. Council has told The Friendly Bay Islander it is not currently conducting any phone surveys. Residents are reminded to be cautious about unsolicited calls, stay aware of current and emerging threats and not share or confirm personal information or bank account details with anyone unless you can confirm their identity. The safest way to verify the call is legitimate is to call the company or organisation on the contact number listed on its official website. Do not use the contact details provided in the message sent to you. To report a scam, visit scamwatch.gov.au. To learn more about scams and how to identify one, request a copy of The Little Black Book of Scams via the ACCC website. JOURNALISTS LOSE WALKLEY AWARD OVER LAMING Nine News journalists have been stripped of the prestigious Walkley journalism award after the network settled high-profile defamation proceedings with former federal MP for Bowman, Andrew Laming, earlier this year. Peter Fegan and Rebeka Powell won the 2021 Walkley Award in the Television/News Reporting category for a series of three reports titled The Investigation of Andrew Laming. Dr Laming launched defamation action in the Federal Court of Australia against Nine over one of the reports, which aired on March 27 last year, alleging he had taken a lewd photo of a woman in her workplace without her knowledge or consent. He was never charged by police. The defamation case was settled earlier this year under confidential terms. Nine was also ordered by the court to issue an apology to Dr Laming. The apology in part, said; “"9News unreservedly withdraws those allegations about Dr Laming and apologises to him and his family for the hurt and harm caused by the report.” As a result, the directors of the Walkley Foundation have now decided to withdraw the award. Nine has said the decision as ‘extremely disappointing and Dr Laming said he welcomed the decision by the Walkley Foundation. CAPALABA TO GET $250m TOWN CENTRE Redland City Council has partnered with global powerhouse Shayher Group to deliver an exciting community precinct in Capalaba Town Centre. Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council had signed a development agreement with Redland Investment Corporation (RIC) and Shayher Group to revitalise the principal activity centre to be the commercial, entertainment, cultural and civic heart of Capalaba. The agreement will see delivery of a $250 million project that incorporates exemplar public spaces including community assets such as a new library, customer service centre, arts centre and community hall. This will be complemented with a renewed public realm that is activated and innovative, using best practice architecture and sub-tropical design. There will also be a diverse mix of dining, retail and entertainment uses to create a day/night economy, whilst also delivering improved pedestrian and vehicular connectivity in the urban heart. Cr Williams said Shayher Group had extensive experience in delivering mixed-use developments such as the Brisbane Quarter precinct, redeveloping the former CSIRO site in Indooroopilly and developing the former Government landholdings in Northshore Hamilton. Redland City Council engaged Redlands Investment Corporation to implement Council’s vision for the vibrant new Capalaba Town Centre. The next stages of the Capalaba Town Centre Revitalisation Project will include the detailed design and development applications in 2023. The draft masterplan for the Capalaba Town Centre Revitalisation Project can be found on Council’s website at redland.qld.gov.au/CapalabaProject MORE THAN $30,000 RAISED AT 20TH BREAKFAST Redland City Council’s 20th annual Mayoral Prayer Breakfast has raised a record amount of more than $30,000 for State School chaplaincy programs across the city. Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the funds would go toward enhancing the wellbeing of Redlands Coast school communities and optimise educational outcomes. Almost 15,000 Redlands Coast students benefit from the programs every year by receiving mentoring, role modelling and pastoral care to improve their welfare and reach their aspirations in learning and in life. IVY SAYS ’THANK YOU’ The response to a small classified in our November edition of the The Friendly Bay Islander has been nothing short of ‘remarkable’. We ran the advertisement last month to find a home for Ivy the Labrador, who was prevented from moving with her family to a new rental address on the mainland. The advert sent out a plea for a new home for Ivy and the response was stunning. More than 20 calls were received from Island readers by Elissa, Ivy’s owner. One of the first calls received took Ivy to a lovely new home. The new owner has a lovely residence where Ivy is being well looked after, because the lady is a former Pet Shop owner. The home also has a lovely swimming pool that Ivy gets to enjoy on a daily basis as part of her new ‘exercise’ routine. A long daily walk is also on the schedule. Elissa said she wanted to express her thanks to all the wonderful Bay Islands residents who responded to the classified advertisement. “Thank you all so much. Your support for Ivy has been amazing, and so were your many comments of support. It was just wonderful. “I am happy with where Ivy is now homed with a lovely lady, and we are able to visit as often as we like to see how our big beautiful girl is going. And ‘thank you you fantastic island people too for your supportive and caring calls,” Elissa added. ELDERLY CONCERNS RE MACLEAY PARKING The Macleay Island car park clearly does not have enough car parking spaces for people with difficulties. There are only a handful of disability car park spaces allocated. An 81-year-old reader contacted us the other day to advise that she was ‘fined’ by council traffic controllers parked in another area, all because there were no disability car spaces available. “It was either park elsewhere or up the hill, which I find I cannot climb.” She was forced to park in a general car park space and was then ‘fined’ by council traffic controllers. She went to the island police with her concerns, but was told the fine was not instigated by them. “And the council fine is so much more than a police parking fine,” our reader says. She described the act by the council parking officers as ‘heartless’, and I can’t afford to pay the fine”. Seems there should be some middle ground here? WHAT A GREAT GIRL! The other day we visited a small coffee shop in an arcade in Cleveland, run by a ‘Spirited’ group. The young lady making the coffee made a lovely comment on the ‘brightness’ of our shirt, and handed over the coffer with a hand-written message on the lid (written by her). It said” Smile! It’s a Beautiful Day! With a love heart attached. Lovely message, lovely girl; there should be more of it! BIMSARA AGM IN FEBRUARY The Bay islands Multi Sport and Recreation Assoc (Inc) invites all residents to consider nominations for a new executive committee for 2023. Elections will be held on Wednesday, February 15 at 1pm at the Sports Hub, Union Street, Russell Island. The BIMSARA executive committee currently meets weekly on Wednesdays during office hours at the Sports Hub , Russell Island. Then monthly general meetings with the full committee. Positions to be declared vacant for the first time in 5 years are: President: Experience in Office 365 is essential. Vice President : Experience in Office 365 essential. Secretary: Experience in Office 365 essential. Treasurer: Experience in Office 365 essential. MYOB experience. Please contact Leigha Mackenzie president@bimsara.org.au for any or all job descriptions. Or phone the treasurer Glynis Enright 0402280463 for any inquiry. February 15th 2023 1.00pm Location: Sports Hub Union Street Russell Island