CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
THE countdown has begun until Christmas Day and while I do love this time of year, I am saddened when reminded of all the young kids who will be alone without anyone to care for them this Christmas.
Many kids spend Christmas Day on the streets. They don’t have a home to go to let alone presents or a hot meal. If you ask the kids Youth Off The Streets work with what they want for Christmas, it won’t be a new bike or the latest game. They will ask for somewhere safe to sleep. Someone to talk to. A hot meal. A shower. The little things that make you feel loved and wanted.
This year, I’ll be handing out hundreds of hampers and presents across Australia to families. Our Koch Centre for Youth and Learning is also holding a community dinner on Christmas Eve to show our support to people we work with. Just the simple act of giving a Christmas meal can drastically change the holidays for families in need. Having a meal and someone to talk to gives them the opportunity to connect with others which is what this time of year is all about.
This year, when you are opening presents or having a nice meal with loved ones, I hope you can spare a thought for those who will not have a Christmas like yours.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and New Year and that 2019 brings you joy and happiness.
- Father Chris Riley, Youth Off The Streets CEO and founder.
INLAND RAIL: FIRST SOD TURNING
TRAINS will be offloading onto trucks at Bromelton and Acacia Ridge in order to deliver to warehouses. Long haul trucks maybe, but farmers do not want triple handling of their produce. They will not use rail for that reason. Most supermarkets already use rail to Bromelton and then trucks to warehouses. Brisbane and Logan will be more congested, the Lockyer will not have access to it so trucks will still be needed. Loss of long haul trucks will have a devastating affect on small towns which depend on them for custom. Heard of truckie stops? Do not believe everything ARTC is saying. Nation building? I think not, more farm destroying and the destruction of lifestyle and years of hard work for them and residents of Logan and Brisbane. I hope you are listening MP Scott Buccholz.
- L. Robinson, via Facebook
JUST think of all the big trucks that will be off the roads.
- C. Castles, via Facebook
DAILY commuters on Mount Lindesay Highway will have noticed all the extra trucks coming to and from the Bromelton freight hub. This will increase. Freight trains do not deliver direct to retail outlets, nor do they pick up from the farm gate.
- A. Vuu to C. Castles, via Facebook
I KEEP seeing this figure of '64 double stacked freight trains' quoted everywhere. Can someone please tell me the source of this figure? ARTC rep at the CCC meeting said 45. This was copied from the minutes of the meeting. A CCC member asked what contracts have been let to identify what sort of freight is going to come through that line in the future? ARTC advised the 2015 business case projected the freight levels. ARTC is looking at a mix of customers. The business case says there will be about 45 trains per day, at a peak in 2040. It is all dependent on demand; with an expected 12 coal trains per day in 2040.
- P. Ryle, via Facebook
