There’s a lot to be said about passion. For one thing, it can’t be faked.
Whether in sport, the community, business or politics – passion is the ignition that burns within to get things done.
The late Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple once said “You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”
I’m a passionate advocate for Logan and our community and I don’t make any apology for that.
Sometimes this doesn’t make me too popular with our state and federal politicians.
But I won’t take a backward step when it comes to the big issues that impact our city and our way of life.
Recently I was invited to speak at a public hearing for the Senate Inquiry into the ‘Management of the Inland Rail project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth Government’.
In no uncertain terms, I let them know that this inland rail project is a rubbish deal for our city and the 38,000 residents living within 1km of the line, who will be impacted.
As I have mentioned previously in this column, a large part of the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton section would run through our city.
It would track through the densely populated suburbs of Hillcrest, Forestdale, Greenbank, Boronia Heights, Kagaru, Greater Flagstone and North Maclean.
Since being elected Mayor in March last year I have spent considerable time in the community understanding people’s views on this issue.
These hard-working people have spent years tirelessly chipping away at their mortgage.
Their homes are their most valued and treasured asset, only to have them devalued overnight with no recourse.
I have also met with ARTC representatives on multiple occasions. Many of my questions to these officers, from a government owned entity, have gone unanswered or responses have been completely unsatisfactory.
We demand accountability from ARTC and the State and Federal Governments in managing the environmental impacts that have the potential to degrade people’s quality of life along the corridor.
This project is being touted as a silver bullet for rebuilding the economy post COVID, but the reality is, it’s just a dud deal for our city.
I can’t see any tangible economic benefit that will flow to Logan, yet the negative impacts will be jarring.
I have urged the Government to consider giving back to the community by at least providing passenger rail from Salisbury to Beaudesert in line with community expectations.
There is a report to be handed down by this senate committee next month – it is my hope that it will take our concerns seriously.
The community expects better.
