Brand new home in a prestige estate

WANT a new home but don’t want to wait? then this home is perfect for you.

Secure a brand new 3 bedroom quality built home, built by a renowned local builder without the wait.

This beautiful home is the best option for those that simply will not compromise on style, low maintenance living and a superb location. With a long list of features, you will come to love everything that this home has to offer.

Features Include;

• Brand new rendered block home

• Air-conditioned open plan living

• Modern kitchen with electric appliances, pantry, and a breakfast bar

• Master bedroom features a generous ensuite, walk-in robe & air-conditioning

• Bedrooms (2) & (3) with built-in robes

• Tiled main bathroom with a walk-in shower & vanity. Separate toilet

• Ceiling fans, quality fixtures & fittings and vinyl plank flooring throughout home

• Aluminium screens to all windows & sliding glass door

• Large entertainment patio overlooking the green junior rugby field

• Low maintenance 613m2 fully turfed allotment

• Fenced on 2 sides of home

• Coloured concrete foot- paths & drive-way

• Walking distance to the Atherton Golf Course

Whether you are looking to downsize, looking for a low maintenance investment, looking for your first home or for a new home and don’t want to wait for the build process, place this property on your inspection list- you will not be disappointed!

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Address: 12 Driver Close, ATHERTON

Price: $525,000

Agent: EXCLUSIVE to Raquel Cunzolo Sommerset Realty

Contact: 0408 983 879

Link Australia Day to constitution changes

THERE is a case to change the date of Australia Day celebration from 26 January to 10 August each year.

The results of one (of two, the other failing) part of the National Referendum of 27 May 1967 was a landmark achievement for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (herewith referred to as “First Australians”) that resulted in formal changes to the Australian Constitution.

These changes were enacted by Parliament on 10 August 1967.

When 90.77 per cent of those eligibly voted “Yes” to these Constitutional changes in this May 1967 Referendum, it was – and still is – the highest percentage “Yes” vote ever recorded in a Federal referendum.

These changes proposed alterations to Section 51 (xxvi) and Section 27 of the Constitution and were referred to as the “Constitutional Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967”.

Put simply, these alterations removed references in the Constitution discriminating against First Australians, allowed the Federal Parliament to “make laws for peace, order and good government” for ALL Australians (where previously First Australian peoples had been specifically excluded) and to include First Australian people in the national census confirming that finally all First Australians were now members of, and counted as part of, the official Australian population.

So 10 August 1967, more than 50 years ago, was the first official day when, regardless of race, gender or ethnic background, all those eligible were formally acknowledged as Australian citizens and, thus, Australia became a true and fairer nation in its own right.

This is surely an occasion worthy of national celebrations by all citizens. I firmly believe that 10 August would be a very popular and widely accepted date to celebrate Australia Day annually by all Australians.

Once accepted, this date would shift a public holiday from the over-subscribed first half of the year to the less gazetted public holidays in the second half of the year and to a relatively quiet month. August is when the northern tropical areas are often experiencing their best weather and the more temperate southern areas their most difficult weather.

As a 75-year-old residing in Cooktown, where approximately 25 per cent of the local population is described as indigenous, I am most passionate about this logical date and am so embarrassed about the current extremely controversial date of 26 January that I neither acknowledge, or feel sufficiently comfortable with, to join in on any celebrations.

With limited experience, knowledge and funds, I plan to distribute this “common sense” suggestion to the appropriate State and Federal politicians and to the general media as the current date, which can bring on violent demonstrations and references to “Invasion Day” makes us Australians a global laughing stock!

Perhaps, we should vote on various dates on which to celebrate Australia Day at the upcoming referendum on the “Voice?

I welcome others’ response to this “winwin” proposition – a date that would provide a strong cause for all Australians to celebrate with zest. Think about it please.

John Stretton COOKTOWN

Fake climate science part of UN agenda

The modern warm period has offered some of the best weather of the current interglacial period.

Civilisations have thrived and millions have been lifted from poverty and slavery.

However, we’re constantly told that western civilisation, but not China’s, is “destroying the climate”.

If CO2 “trapped heat” as UN climate science claims, many alarmist predictions would now be reality.

Ice would’ve melted and seas would’ve risen.

Large sections of the world’s coastal communities would be waist-deep each high tide.

But seas haven’t risen. No predictions have eventuated. The science is not “settled”, it’s fake.

Your power bills are skyrocketing because of renewables imposed to fight a fake climate problem.

The UN wants world government. Fake climate science is the fear campaign they’re using to get it.

As their mates at the WEF have often told us, “You’ll own nothing and you’ll be happy”.

Nobody in any democratic country has been asked if they want world government.

The climate fear campaign is intended to trick you into demanding it.

All Greens, Teals, and Labor politicians, most Liberals, and some Nationals support the fake science.

If they’re done their expected due diligence, then by extension they support world government.

What does that say about their view of you?

Peter Campion TOLGA

Love your newspaper!

I AM an 89-year-old mother whose daughter lives in Mareeba.

When she sends my ration of your refreshingly newsy Express newspaper, I am delighted.

I see why she is happy living there.

Keep up the good work, I especially like “Vocal Local”.

What a shame my area in Melbourne hasn’t a paper like yours,

Valerie McLoghlin EDITHVALE, MELBOURNE

This makes me angry for people who are good renters, makes it harder for the honest people. – Janet Beetson. Similar thing happened to me with my property on the tablelands a few years ago. They stopped paying rent, had to through courts etc. I would never rent it again. – Carly Starr.

Sold ours for the same reason could not do this anymore. – Dawn Teece.

And people wonder and whinge that landlords are selling their properties and renters have nowhere to live. I know there are mostly good people out there needing somewhere to live but the head and heartache isn't worth it. – Andrea Duffy.

That's so appalling. – Ros Serginson.

This is why landlords put rent prices up, not greed like the media would like everyone to believe. – David Norton. The reason we sold our rental properties. It’s soul destroying. – Simone Morse.

Been there, still fighting our insurance, sold the property as it was too hard to keep going through this. – HeidiMaree Blake.

People should learn to have some gratitude. – Trudie

Anne

The Express posts news stories on our Facebook page every week. We appreciate your comments which may be used in this column.

EXCESSIVE noise from amplified music, motors, generators and guests is the number one reason why police are called to an address where excess noise is being made.

It is your responsibility to keep noise levels to a minimum. The below information sets out what you need to know about noise abatement directions and some handy hints.

Noise abatement direction

Excessive noise can be reported to police, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and once reported will be investigated by police.

Do not confuse this with council bylaws related to noise.

If the police are reasonably satisfied the noise is excessive in the circumstances police have the power to enter the premises and give the person responsible for the noise a noise abatement direction.

The noise abatement direction will direct the person to immediately stop the excessive noise and to cease making ‘any’ excessive noise for 96 hours after the direction is given.

What if the excessive noise continues?

If police have been called to your property because of excessive noise and issued you with a noise abatement direction.

And excessive noise continues within the noise abatement period. Police may, issue the person responsible for the excessive noise an on-the-spot fine or a notice to appear in court.

The property that is being used to produce the noise maybe remove, lock away or render inoperable.

The seized property can be collected from police once the noise abatement period has expired.

It does not matter that the noise being made is not at the same level or of the same nature as the excessive noise for which the original noise abatement direction was originally given. Handy hints to avoid getting a noise abatement direction

• Let your neighbours know about your party in advance, as this may reduce concerns about parking or noise later.

• Keep music indoors and move guests inside as the night gets late.

• Make sure that your sound system speakers are not facing directly towards a neighbour.

• Turning down bass controls or turning off subwoofers can help to control noise levels.

The chosen theme for the weekly challenge was “Summer Garden” and therefore this image of two Brown Honeyeaters enjoying the nectar produced by this beautiful tropical flower. It is a Strelitzia and commonly known as the bird of paradise flower – Photo by Joan Baker