By Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart
Tough times call for tough decisions. These were the words that echoed through Councillors heads as we debated whether or not the iconic Noosa Triathlon should proceed. But our decision went deeper than an iconic event. It went to the very heart of what we must hold sacred above all else, what me must protect at all costs. Paramount consideration had to be given to the safety and well being of our residents. And it was. We heard the business community, the associations and the chambers and acknowledge their vital importance to our Shire. But the decision before us wasn’t a business decision. It was a health decision.
My thoughts turned throughout the weekend to a series of ‘what ifs?’ What if we did allow the tri to proceed? What if, despite the Covid safe event plans, the Covid safe practices that have been put in place, and the strict guidelines that both the organisers and Council had implemented, what if it wasn’t enough? We can’t guarantee the outcome. We can’t guarantee the safety of the event. No one can. What if an event results in a cluster of cases? What does that mean? What does it mean for our businesses, for our tourism sector and our community coming into Christmas. How will our businesses recover or sustain if we have to shut down, our community survive and our people fare. We are an ageing community and we are at high risk. Leadership isn’t easy. Decisions aren’t always popular but in this case all Councillors unanimously held fast to the line: ‘Not on our watch’ to ensure the safety and security of our residents.
As I put pen to paper my thoughts turn to the one-year anniversary of the devastating Peregian Fires. The 9 September 2019 will be a date etched in many of our memories for years to come. This first year anniversary marks a time for us to reflect and remind. It is a time for us to come together as a community, like many things in life; it is the hard times that test us the most. The resilience, the support and the immeasurable acts of kindness and unwavering bravery of our firemen and women and our police, saw our community overcome the incredible challenges that the fires presented.
One year on, our community will come together on 12 September 2020 for a morning tea at Peregian Beach Community House to celebrate all that the community has endured and overcome. It is coming into fire season also a timely reminder that we must be ‘fire ready’. Council have doubled their budget on fire trails and added 71% to their budget for cool fire burns, but each of us must take responsibility and do our bit to ensure we are ‘fire ready’. As that old saying goes: ‘Lets hope for the best but prepare for the worst’.
Finally on a brighter note, a month or so ago, after listening to feedback about the toll that Covid -19 is taking on the mental health of many young people in our community, I approached Council staff about doing a ‘resilience and overcoming adversity’ tour of some of the high schools in our areas with some well known athletes. Strongly supported by The University Of The Sunshine Coast, I was at our first school joined by a stellar line-up of USC athletes, which included our local superstar Jordan Mercer, Elliott Brown a Skeleton athlete and student Hannah Dodd, a paralympian. All were incredibly inspiring and it was an honour to be the ‘warm up’ act for them. As we move forward and face the silent challenges and repercussions that Covid-19 present, we must do all we can to empower and encourage our community, none more so than our youth.
