Gallery: Nambour funding, social issues and safety on the agenda at Nambour Chamber of Commerce August Coffee Catch Up
The Nambour Chamber of Commerce's monthly Coffee Catch Up was held on Thursday, August 7 and was hosted by Nambour Grown Community Garden.
Attended by just over 60 local business people, the event provided an opportunity for representatives from three levels of government to address the group about issues ranging from Sunshine Coast Council funding for Nambour, to the Draft Planning Scheme, and Nambour CBD social and safety issues.
Division 10 Councillor, David Law spoke about the recent disappointing postponement of funding for the town and Sunshine Coast Council Principal Development Planner Mark Cornell urged attendees to actively engage with Council as they develop a future plan for the area.
On the issue of Council funding allocation, Nambour Chamber President, Mark Bray and I Am Nambour spokeswoman, Rhonda Billett shared their thoughts about the budget shortfall and their optimism for the town, moving forward.
Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien praised Nambour’s strengths and called for continued cooperation across all levels of government to address rising community safety and homelessness concerns.
Mr O’Brien said there was “no silver bullet” to address safety, break-ins and the perception that the area was being “inundated with people coming from elsewhere”.
“I think there is a need for immediate action and I’ll be working with Marty and others on a particular meeting … to ensure that each of the three tiers of government are doing their bit working with the community,” he said.
Nicklin MP Marty Hunt described homelessness and community safety as the most pressing issues facing Nambour and pledged to work with all levels of government to address them.
“The biggest issue in town at the moment is the influx of homelessness,” he said. “Even our community services are contacting my office… they are being overwhelmed.”
In response, Mr Hunt said there had been an “escalation of police patrols” and an urgent meeting of key stakeholders was being convened by the council CEO.
Mr Hunt also pointed to projects already funded or underway, including the new police beat in the centre of town, CCTV upgrades with live feeds to the police station, and the Everyday Foundation Supermarket’s move to Currie Street – a $1 million state-funded relocation.
Nambour Chamber member, eating disorder support organisation EndED, was represented by founder, Mark Forbes, who shared his family’s deeply personal journey and the community projects that have grown from it.
Event host, Racheal Pasco shared the journey of the Nambour Grown Community Garden, which has seen the site at the Nambour Showgrounds go from near closure to a thriving community hub.
The garden now offers a space for people to grow food, connect with others and share produce. “We’ve got people who are renters who can’t have a garden bed where they are, so they come here. At the end of the session we do a little harvest and we share our bounty,” she said.
A barter table allows surplus produce to be swapped. “If you have 16 cabbages and 22 pumpkins you can bring them in and then take something different home.”
Mrs Pasco urged the group to find ways to get involved with the community, and participate in community life.
“There are a whole bunch of keyboard warriors out there … ready to have a shot at you … but those are the people you don’t see getting involved in community groups,” she said.
“I can only make small change in this little green patch here … but if everyone in town got a little bit more involved, found that little bit of extra time … you don’t necessarily have to be the president, just go and find a group.”
The next Nambour Chamber of Commerce Coffee Catch Up will be held at the Nambour Historical Museum on Thursday, September 4. To find out more about the Nambour Chamber of Commerce, go to www.nambourchamber.com.au
