David French | 21/07/2010 11:02:54 AM

This article was first published in The Morning Bulletin under the heading Cold Comfort on 17 July 2010.

Last column contended that Rockhampton could be the Melbourne of the North, and Thursday’s weather is yet another vindication of its prescience! Unfortunately, the weather is the least of our problems. Once mooted as the capital of Northern Australia, CQ has since bunkered down in the trenches. That attitude has a long history and is largely behind increasing Council rates and charges, and the mind numbing crimes regularly reported in this newspaper. Like cancer, it is sapping the life-blood from our community. The fact is residents are responsible for the region’s future. To date much of their input has been lacking. Free advice is a major problem.

Old Harry Hindsight (not his real name), sits with one hand on a beer and another down his trousers, and says you’d be better off in a term deposit. Compared to what? Would the income (not capital gain) of a term deposit earn as much as other investments? Not over the last 5 years, according to the RBA. And in my experience never, for more than a short period.

Sages say Rockhampton is not a tourist town, but that’s semantics. Take our busy airport. Travel is travel, and CQ gets plenty. Travel provides service based entry level jobs – something we desperately need. But the Gurus chase RV’s away. They say CQ can’t support a big annual event. What about Beef Week? How did Dire Straits attract a crowd of 15,000 in 1986?

Politically, Mr. Big (who does know his stuff), whispers that Labor candidates should not campaign on their own ideals and aspirations, but instead pander to the lowbrow attitude of many potential voters. “A walk down East Street will do the trick”, he says. Are these lowbrow aspirations driving our community?

Successfully integrating the indigenous community would help put the region on he map. Let’s acknowledge that the whites routed the blacks and that “sorry” is nice but pathetic. Preserving culture is important, but more important is that whites truly open their hearts and minds, and blacks say “OK”, and become mainstream, proud and proactive.

CQ’s future lies in dispensing with wrongheaded ideas and embracing a positive social attitude. Let’s recognise that we are a service town, and regain excellence in that. I say those holding us back have had their turn. Once on our way and not before, we can launch a new slogan – “CQ. It’s Hot!”

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