Greetings all to 2022, the year of the TIGER! I hope we have seen the worst of our virus fall-out and this year brings a re-building of confidence to the business sector and a restoration of normality to our everyday lives. We are very lucky to live in the best place in Australia, which has to be the best country in the world.
With State and international borders opening up, hopefully our tourism and educational sectors will regain their mantle as our most profitable economic drivers to re-invigorate our flagging Gold Coast economy. The real estate and construction industries have been going gang-busters during the pandemic and to a certain degree, because of the pandemic, which has economically saved our businesses from a complete melt down. However, with interest rates about to rise and the share-market having a wobble, it will be good to see our number one industry of tourism back at the top of our economic table.
Still a major issue for all Gold Coasters is the continued escalation of juvenile crime, particularly car theft and the ongoing problem of outlaw bikie-gang crime. They don’t wear leather jackets and intimidating club colours anymore, preferring Versace and white joggers but they are still there, knee deep in organised drug criminality without fear of prosecution from a government soft on criminal punishment. Until the recidivist juvenile offenders are locked away from society until their behavioural standards are mended, decent law-abiding Gold Coasters will remain in fear of their car’s being stolen.
Unfortunately, the Palaszczuk Government has been exposed as having serious integrity issues through the resignation of the chairman of the Crime and Corruption Commission, the resignation of the Integrity Commissioner and the resignation or termination of the State Archivist, highlighting the need for the former crime-busting judge Mr Tony Fitzgerald to be re-called in his 80’s to fix the Governments failing integrity standards. It is an appalling indictment of a government steeped in secrecy that it is necessary to call in an outside consultant to fix what is obviously a cover-up mantra within the government and the next 2 years and 7 months until the next election can’t come quickly enough.
Until next time, all the very best.
Should you have any State issues you would like to discuss please feel free to contact my office on:
Tel: 5600 0100 / Email: Mermaid.Beach@parliament.qld.gov.au
You can also find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RayStevensMP.
Best wishes
Ray Stevens MP
State Member for Mermaid Beach
