Peregian Springs News May 2017

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Peregian Springs News Inform know grow Volume 2. Issue 8

May 2017

BRING IT ON: Simon Barrett will open his newsagency at Peregian Springs this month.

New tenants spice up local life PEREGIAN Springs residents have only a few weeks to wait before the first of two new tenants opens its doors at Peregian Springs Shopping Centre adding extra flavour to the local retail offer. A new newsagency and modern Mexican food specialists Burrito Bar are confirmed to be opening at the Shopping Centre in the coming weeks, and Peregian Golf has told subscribers to its newsletter that plans are progressing well to re-open a restaurant at the Club House in the not to distant future. The first to open will be the newsagency. Coolum Park News Extra owner Simon Barrett is expanding his business and opening a new newsagency in the site vacated by the Commonwealth Bank recently.

Mr Barrett expects to open the doors before the end of May. He said he is excited at the opportunity and had been looking for the right place to come up in the Centre for about four years. When the former CBA tenancy became vacant he jumped at the chance and “can’t wait” to open the doors. Mr Barrett, who has 10 years’ experience at Coolum and 14 years in the business, said the Peregian Springs business “won’t be an old school newsagency”. He said the business will carry new lines such as gifts and inkjet cartridges and more - as well as more traditional lines such as stamps, lotto, stationery, cards, magazines and newspapers. Continued page 2

Peregian Springs News, May 2017


From the Ed’s desk Wow! What a busy month May has turned out to be. Exciting times for Peregian Springs residents with news of new retail and food offerings on the way at our local shopping centre and confirmation a restaurant will be opening at some stage in the near future at the Golf Club. It was great to chat to Jack from Burrito Bar and local newsagent Simon Barrett about their plans for adding something fresh to our growing suburb. Readers have also been in touch with me about the tree thinning that has occurred recently around the bus stop side of the shopping centre and to seek clarification on whether there are more new shops and services on the way. I’ve put the questions to Council and also the Shopping Centre reps. The reps have responded to say they have “no further response ... at this stage”. From the Peregian Springs News perspective we’re celebrating our 20th, and biggest ever, edition this month. Between the stories and the advertisers it’s pretty clear we have a great mix of residents living in and working for and from our suburb. Whether it’s finding the agent that best suits your needs to help sell your house, haircuts in your own home, a travel consultation, a chat about your mortgage or wealth creation, setting the kids up with tuition in golf, soccer or sewing, blinds, flooring, pest control, or a tradesperson to help you around the house, you’ll find the local you need in this edition. You’ll also find some great family, health, legal and mortgage advice from our regular columnists and be able to catch up on the latest news on the Ridges body corporate story - including expectations the rescheduled Principal Body Corporate AGM will take place on June 23. Don’t forget the St Andrew’s Fair, May 27. Until next time — Rebecca peregianspringsnews@gmail.com 2

FROM PAGE 1 Mr Barrett says it’ll be a “learning curve” but he’ll listen to the community and “see what people want.” Burrito Bar’s Jack Ferguson said he expects the doors to open on the Sunshine Coast’s first Burrito Bar franchise in mid to late June. Described as Mexican with an American influence Mr Ferguson said Burrito Bar aimed to be fresh and fun with a huge menu to cater for all ages and tastes from the lighter tapas style offerings and wraps, to larger meals like burritos and ribs, as well as sides including mexi-fries with the Burrito Bar’s special seasoning. He said the Burrito Bar franchise had grown in popularity over the last two years expanding from 2 stores to 25 in that time. Mr Ferguson said the restaurant would offer a large cocktail menu and a range of special deals including “Wings Wednesday” where saucy wings are 25 cents each and lunchtime specials starting from $9.95 for a Burrito, chips or salad and a drink. The Store will open 11am to 9pm on weekdays, and until 10pm on weekends. Mr Ferguson said some of the Franchisees plan to move to Peregian Springs, and they’ll hire locals. At the golf course, their e-newsletter communications said: “Despite what we thought was a well guarded secret, word is out that our new restaurant will be up and running at some stage in the near future. “We're delighted to confirm that this is true and we're in the process of wading through some finer details — so make sure you keep and eye out for details to be conveyed through our Facebook page and Latest News section of the website.”

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Local News

Volunteers celebrated at Arcare ARCARE Peregian Springs celebrated Volunteer Week with a special thank-you lunch for its community helpers last Thursday. The group of around 26 dedicated volunteers, both men and women, assist with art and craft, music, knitting, crosswords, reading, board games and conversation and more. Lifestyle coordinator Di Tyler gave an emotional thanks to volunteers saying their contribution helps build reationships and give continuity, security and belonging to residents. Many of the volunteers have been with Peregian Springs Arcare for more than 3 years which Di attributes to having the volunteers

choose how they’d like to contribute. “I ask them what they want to do-people need to be made to feel comfortable and be respected, “ she said. If you'd like to volunteer and help brighten someone's day contact Di on 5351 2500

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Local News—

Play space for youth steps closer THE Youth Play Space is one step closer with the location decided — now the design begins. A council spokesperson said: “Council has analysed the feedback received from community engagement on the proposed active play space at Peregian Springs. “There was strong support for the development of an active play space at Peregian Springs, with 92% of respondents supporting the proposed project. “Of the four possible sites identified for this active play space,

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the Ridges Sports Complex was the community’s preferred location with 57% support.” The site preference results were:  The Ridges Sports Complex – 57 %  The Avenue Park – 28 %  Nottingham Lane Park – 8 %  Brindabella Avenue Park – 7% The spokesperson said Council was now progressing with detailed site investigations for the Ridges Sports Complex to establish the best approach and would soon start to develop a design for the future active play space at this location. “Council will distribute draft designs to the community for further consultation once they are developed, later this year,” they said.

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Local News

Residents left guessing on levy as AGM cancelled at late notice EARLY indications are Ridges residents will have to wait until June 23 to see how the body controlling Ridges will balance the books after a deficit of over $250,000 was reported in the budget for 2017/18. An AGM of the Ridges Principal Body Corporate was set for April 21, before the legislated time to hold an AGM for the Scheme expired on 30 April, but was postponed late the day before when the Principal Body Corporate committee, the committee that controls Ridges, had it’s application to extend the time for the

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AGM accepted by the Body Corporate and Community Management Commission in Brisbane. According to the decision of the Body Corporate regulator, which was not widely circulated to owners before the AGM, the application by the Principal Committee was brought by these members because they discovered around 12 April through an “administrative error and oversight” that 5 of the 13 lot owners in Ridges had not been served with nomination forms for the principal body corporate committee and nominations for those

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Local News lots had not been received. The Principal Body Corporate Committee is a seven member committee currently consisting of mainly developer and professional members with only one resident owner. Four of the seven subsidiary Bodies corporate that sit under the Principal body corporate in the Ridges multi layered body corporate scheme, have resident Chairpersons for each Village which include The Ridge, East Village Ridges, South East Village & The Pavilions . Before the Adjudicator’s decision was given on 20 April the Chairs sent a letter dated 16 April to the Commission opposing the delay on several grounds including the Principal Body Corporate committee alleging the notices were not served is

ALT AGM: Residents met informally on the AGM day

‘completely untrue’ and ‘could be construed as deliberate deception’ given that, they said, two of the 5 lots the PBC said were not served with committee notices in December are represented not by real resident owners but by developer and professional representatives “with both men already having nominated for committee positions before the application”. Continued page 8

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Local News—PBC AGM cancellation ... From page 7 The Chairs also said one of the Lots quoted in the application as not being served apparently does not exist. The Chairs received notice from the Commission that their letter had been received, however, when Peregian Springs News asked whether the letter was in front of the decision maker in time for possible consideration in the postponement decision the BCCM Commissioner said: “The adjudicator informs me that no correspondence of the type you describe was received in this matter.” The next AGM is set to be a controversial one with a special levy on owners possible on current budget figures according to The Ridge Chair Brett Sanders, and a vote set to take place on who should represent Ridges on the controlling principal body

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corporate committee for the next 12 months to steer security, caretaking, landscaping and community liaison agreements and Rec Club access and owner levy setting and spending. It’s not the first time the controlling committee has applied to the Body Corporate regulator to postpone an AGM. In 2013 the committee in control at that time, realised the forecasted budget was based on incorrect formulas and it needed more time to work on the budget to ensure levies did not double and adversely affect all owners in the subsidiary schemes Residents who turned out for the originally planned AGM, pictured on page 7, met afterwards at the Rec Club to talk about their concerns. More on the informal meeting that took place on 21 April at peregianspringsnews.com.au. We’ll keep it updated with any AGM news.

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Local News—Guest columnist Greg Smith

A first hand encounter with the NBN... After last month’s Telecomms Q and A at the Pool Café hosted and organised by our local federal member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien, some of the 40 or so participants who asked questions of the Telstra Reps present on the day have received some good follow up contact from Telstra. We’ll continue to follow their progress. Ted also indicated he may hold further Q and As in Peregian Springs for Telecommunications issues if residents seem to want one, perhaps next time with an NBN rep. All eyes are on the NBN now to see if it’s the answer to what many viewed as below par ADSL coverage regarding speed and congestion issues. One resident, Greg Smith who is also the PSRA Secretary , wrote about his experience with the NBN switch and we thought it full of great info for you. Thanks to Greg for sharing....read on...

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PEREGIAN Springs residents will be moving to the NBN in the next few months and I thought it might be useful to make a few points about this process based on my experience. You have about 17 months to make the transition and if you have not done anything about it by then you will find yourself without a landline, Internet, or landline based alarms or medical alerts after the close date. You should have been contacted by your ISP by now telling you what you have to do. If not, check out their website or give then a call to register with them to move to the NBN. Select a plan based on your budget and needs. In my case I chose a plan with the same monthly cost as my existing ADSL/home telephone plan. It has

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Local News unlimited data and better speed – 25 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload. Your ISP will probably offer you a modem, possibly at no cost, if you are going onto a new plan. Whether they do or not, I would strongly recommend you get a modem from your ISP. This will avoid the “buck-passing” that often occurs when seeking support from an ISP when you using a modem not supplied/supported by the ISP. Some modems are compatible with Fibre To The Premise (FTTP) but not Fibre To The Node (FTTN) or vice versa. Once I had registered with my ISP and chosen my plan they were good at providing updates on the progress of my order. If you have an existing relationship with an ISP and have been happy with their service I would strongly recommend you stick with them. From what I can see most ISPs are offering fairly similar plan options

and at similar cost. NBN staff do not need to attend your home to turn the NBN on – the technical work is done at your Node which will be somewhere in your area. Once advised that you are “live” and to do this you will need a mobile that you have advised your ISP as your contact number as at this stage your old services are no more - (no email, no landline!) - you can set up and configure your modem and/or telephone using the instructions your ISP will have provided you. Remember, you will need to allow for a loss of internet (unless you have a 4G data device or similar) and telephone for a period of time – for me it was only a day and a half but we have all heard stories of individuals and business being off-line for days or even weeks. Continued, page 14

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Local News—NBN firsthand—Greg Smith From page 13...Unless you have been able to use you existing modem it is likely that you will then need to “point” all your household devices to the new wireless network you have set up – ie computers, iPads, mobiles, Smart TVs – in fact anything that operates wirelessly in your home. If you use a Wi-Fi Extender to increase the signal in parts of your home that are away from the modem, it will need to be reconfigured. Keep in mind that while an Extender will increase signal strength, it will slow performance so if you can avoid using one you should do so. WAS IT WORTH IT? For me a big YES. I had used the web based SpeedTest tool from Ookla (www.speedtest.net) to record speeds prior to connection to the NBN and then after; on the computer we have

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next to the modem we appear to be getting speeds close to what is promised by NBN. On my laptop which is on my desk in another room of the house the speeds are considerably less – but still better than with ADSL. Keep in mind that speeds will vary considerably depending your computer or tablet itself, what applications you are running, whether the kids might be downloading a movie or streaming music etc! While it is too early to be sure, it also seems more reliable. It will be interesting to see what happens as more people are connected to each Node and to the NBN overall. NOTE: As already reported in the Peregian Springs News, Telstra Velocity customers in Ridges will not get the NBN until 2020 and you can only use Telstra as your ISP.

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Local News

Eat, listen and give to a great cause CAN having a cuppa and some delicious home baked goodies help local terminally ill people and their families? It sure can! A group of generous Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club residents have organised a special morning tea to raise funds for the Katie Rose Cottage at Doonan which provides hospice care to terminally ill people and assistance for families. Guest speaker Sue Story, original co-founder of the Hospice, will talk on the topic: “Palliative Care does not discriminate — It affects Men and Women” and be on hand to answer any questions. The morning tea is on Friday 26 May at 10am, at Aveo Peregian

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Springs Country Club Gracemere Blvd. The cost is $5 and all are welcome. The event is also proudly supported by Aveo. Please contact Jackie on 5448 3361 for more information.

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Local News

Swinging into a golfing future KIDS at the Course are well catered for with fun weekly golf programs now in full swing at Peregian Golf. More than just a hit and giggle, though much giggling goes on, the weekly classes are part of term time kids programs—one for Peewees (ages 4-5) and another for Juniors (6-15 years) with a focus on hand eye coordination, balance and fine motor skills and skills development in the older kids - all delivered by Peregian Golf’s Head of Golf, Craig Goodall. Craig has over 20 years’ experience in the golf industry, with Australian PGA circuit ranking and later earning British PGA Membership with his Australian PGA Membership. He has a passion for teaching and has delivered similar programs for around 11 years to junior school kids. “The focus within these is to ensure kids can enjoy their golf through fun, engaging and immersive learning. There are typically drills within this, but also a variety of games that enable kids to put into practice the skills they’d just developed,” Craig said. No experience is needed (except for advanced Juniors), numbers are capped to provide personal attention and kids don’t need their own clubs as all equipment can be provided in the cost of the term. For a 10 week program the cost is $140 - with either

Juniors, Pee Wees and Advanced Juniors to choose from. Junior Clinics are on every Thursday (3.30pm or 4.15pm) and Saturday (3.45pm) and Pee Wee Golf runs every Saturday at 3pm. Rain is no worries either, an indoor alternative is available to keep the fun going. Some spots are still available for all junior classes which will run throughout the school term. Contact Craig on emailcgoodall@peregiangolf.com.au, or the Peregian website for more information http://www.peregiangolf.com.au/cms/ driving-range/coaching/ Kids don’t get Craig all to themselves. There’s also a range of adult classes — beginner clinics, introductory golf clinics which also hone in on specialised aspects of the game, and Craig is available for private coaching if you’d like one-onone help improving your game. For extra pics from the photo shoot above: peregianspringsnews.com.au

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Local Heart— * STORIES OF HOPE: Society tells us to be strong, self-sufficient, but we all need connection. “Where connection is lost, that’s the underlying reason why people lose hope,” says Kerrie Atherton who works in mental health and addictions counselling and has made her life’s work helping locals find hope and connecting with others. Kerrie, who was a presenter at last year’s Coolum Police “Aggression is the Wrong Expression” series which came to Peregian Springs, says high suicide rates and too many young people lost pushed her to create “Stories of HOPE”. “Stories of HOPE” is a regular monthly event where anyone needing encouragement or experiencing trauma, grief or loss of hope can come and listen to stories of pre-selected speakers from all walks of life who have gone through similar circumstances and come out the

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other side. “Stories of HOPE” launched in January and with five days to organise, Kerrie only expected 6 people for her launch however around 30 people came. Kerrie, a survivor of addiction and sexual abuse, hosts and presents the events. She is also joined by a team of empathetic community minded people such as last month’s speaker Stuart Rawlins, a former local Detective with the Qld police whose own journey with PTSD and mental health led him to become a passionate educator in the community helping others find their way to recovery. The aim of these events is to let people know they are “not alone”. ”They can come out the other side,” says Kerrie. “It is for those who have a desire for community, those who need some inspiration and for those who have a passion to see others live their best lives possible.. It’s a place where there are no

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Community Notes walls , no pretense and no judgment”, with a “no business, political or religious” agenda. The free event is sponsored by The Sands Tavern at Maroochydore and is held on the last week of the month. The next event is on Thursday 25 May at 7pm. If people need further assistance Kerrie can also help link people to other services to help them get the right support. “If I’ve helped one person then it’s all worth it,” Kerrie says. Kerrie is the founder of EMPOWER Life Solutions however says Stories of HOPE is something she is undertaking in a personal capacity and is not for profit. Search: Stories on HOPE on facebook. * PEREGIAN LIONS LAST GOOD DEED.. The Lions Club didn’t just fade away when it wound up last month - true to form, it generously spread it’s sparkle to benefit lots of local groups when it made a final

distribution of its funds and assets as follows: $600 - Australian Lions Childrens Cancer Research Foundation; $500 OzHarvest - T-shirts; $720 - Education Builds Bridges; $5000 - Sunshine Butterflies; $3,500 - Australian Lions Children’s Medical Foundation; $1000 Noosa Flexible Learning. The BBQ trailer and associated catering equipment went to Coolum Lions Club, 20 foot container and generator to Peregian Beach College, box trailer to Sunshine Butterflies and generator and other safety equipment to Tewantin-Noosa Lions Club. * HAVANA NIGHT MARKETS are on at the Rec Club car park on the 2nd and 4th Saturday each month from 4-8pm. The next Markets, with street food and live music, will be on May 27 and June 10. Follow them at www.facebook.com/ havananightsperegianspringsmarkets

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Local Heart— * QUIET DAY EVENT— IF the constant chatter and noise of today’s society is leaving you out of breath in life’s often uphill journey then a “Quiet Day” might be for you. “Anyone who has gone on a long hike with others knows the value of silence. Walking up a long steep hill is not the time to chat! But having companions with you helps, even though they have no energy to spare to say anything along the way,” says The Revd Dr Cathy Laufer, Priest in Charge of Holy Spirit Anglican Church at Coolum Beach, which is where Quiet Day is being held on June 3. Facilitator of the event, Melbourne’s Revd John Stewart, pictured right, says “the day invites us to reflect on the journey we have made and the gentle action of God who has accompanied us with every step”. Quiet Day comes just before Pentecost Sunday which signals the end of the Easter journey from Ash Wednesday to Jesus’ final days and the resurrection of Easter Sunday. Quiet Day is on Saturday 3 June at Holy Spirit Anglican Church at the corner of Perry St and Beach Rd Coolum Beach. All are welcome, you don’t have to be a

Peregian Springs News ADVERTISING DEADLINES FOR NEXT EDITION: Copy and advertising art is due by NOON, June 12. Email peregianspringsnews@gmail.com.

church goer. The cost is $20. Contact Revd Dr Cathy Laufer on 5351 1215 or at ang.coolum@gmail.com * BOOK CLUB at The Pool Cafe hosted by Tish Sullivan. Ph 0466 595 572 for details. * PLAYGROUPS A PLENTY - Parents and carers with young kids have Wednesday to Friday all sorted with some local fun playgroups to choose from featuring stories, craft, music and movement to facilitate literacy all in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Wednesday- Peregian Storytime (9.30am – 11am Rec Club Peregian Springs - see www. Facebook.com/ groups/841394885961335 (an initiative of Noosa Anglican Church) Thursday— ABCD Scramble (10 am11.30am Holy Spirit Anglican Church Hall, Cnr Perry St and Beach Rd Coolum Beach– Contact Carol Roth on 5446 5334 (an initiative of Holy Spirit Anglican Church Coolum Beach) Friday – Playgroup— 10 am to 11.30am at Coolum Beach Baptist Hall David Low Way (next to the Coolum Soccer Fields). Contact Shauna on 0414 864 714 (an initiative of Coolum Beach Baptist Church). Some groups only run term time. Call the contacts for more information for times and cost and if morning tea is provided.

Inform know grow Copies are delivered to letterboxes in Peregian Springs* and Peregian Breeze without no junk mail signs, and bulk dropped at the Pool Café, and the shopping centre.

Peregian Springs News is independently produced and published by Rebecca J Crockett T/As Peregian Springs News (ABN 49865205676). Those who make advertising placement and/or supply copy material or editorial submissions to the publication undertake to ensure that all such material does not infringe the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 Cth as amended from time to time or other laws, regulations or statutes. Further to this, these persons agree to indemnify the publisher and/or its agents against any investigations, costs, claims and/or judgments. *Pavilions and Sentosa - no hand delivery occurs

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Local News

ANZAC’S remembered AROUND 130 residents, families and guests gathered at Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club’s Manor Memorial for it’s ANZAC Day Commemoration Service on 25 April. Village resident, RAN Commander Steve Hill (Rtd), who led the service, said it was a “solemn but homely Service” held “in sparkling Autumn sunshine”. “Splendid support was given by Principal Chris Ivey and Senior Students from St Andrew’s Anglican College,” Cmdr Hill said. Maeve Shaw and Lucie Tolhoek presented moving “Commemoration Reflections” and Rana Dickson played “faultless” trumpet renditions of “Last Post and Reveille”. Padre Ian Dredge led the assembly in prayer.

“The ANZAC spirit certainly pervaded the Service on this 102nd Anniversary of Gallipoli and in fellowship on conclusion, attendees were able to talk about/swap their own and their relatives’ many and varied war and Defence service memories and experiences. The legendary ANZACs were well remembered this Day,” Cmdr Hill said Picture courtesy of Brian Hammond, Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club resident

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Chappy’s Column—Family Focus

Tips for connecting with your teen ONE of the biggest challenges I hear from parents is the feeling that their teenager is pulling away and distancing themselves from them. While this is part of them becoming their own person it can be extremely hard for parents. So what can you do to foster and encourage a relationship with your teen? Actively listen Teens appreciate being listened to and understood. Most of the time they won’t be wanting your advice. Instead help them discover their own path. Understand what they are saying and thinking even if you don’t agree. They will use comments to catch you off guard but try not to react. Ask nonjudgmental questions to go deeper into their comments. Be very aware of your tone. If you get angry, judgmental or critical then they are very likely to just tune out and withdraw even more. Talk about yourself Many parents don’t discuss their own thoughts, concerns or problems with their children. Your teenager watches the world around them so model how to have good relationships, deal with challenges, resolve conflict, problem solve etc. Be open with them and let them see how you do life. Have fun Find activities you both enjoy and do them lots. Make time in the business of life to do activities with your teen. You will be surprised by the conversations you get to have with

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them while having fun. I have a pool table at school and 90% of my deep conversations are over a game of pool. If you have multiple kids, then have one-on-one time to offset sibling rivalry. Positively encourage them Sincere positive praise, compliments and commendations will go a long way to reinforcing your relationship with your teen. Your positive reinforcement should be five times greater than your negative comments. Give feedback on what they did right or well rather than just on how wonderful they are. Even if your teen has pulled away from you and is being challenging, try to focus on and encourage their positive behavior, attitudes and actions. It’s not easy to put these in action but with some effort and work you can enjoy the teenage years. Next month I will cover what not to do. Until next month, enjoy your time with your family.

By Chappy Mark (Mark Horsfall - Chaplain, Coolum High)

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Local News

Fashionable day out at Club THE Catwalk was in full colour and motion complete with resident models last month with a fashion parade held at the Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club. Pret a Porter fashions from South Brisbane label Portofino were featured with an emphasis on colour, style and comfort for all occasions and tastes with Portofino’s owner on hand to talk about each garment, it’s material, how to wear it and accessorising. Organiser resident Karen Wright said the aim of the event was to bring a variety of great quality fashion to the residents. “Shopping can be intimidating,” Karen said “There’s

something to suit everyone here”. Pictures: Jackie, Mary, Bronwyn, Megan and Di show off the fashions. Pics: Courtesy of Brian Hammond, Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club Resident

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Legal Matters with ...

Establishing “capacity” when Wills are made... LEGAL MATTERS with Fiona Allen BCom, LLB, LLM, TEP Phone: 5302 7933 LAST month’s article raised some issues with do-it-yourself will kits and even before you pick up a pen to fill in one of these, the Will might be open to challenge on grounds you lacked “capacity” to make the Will. To have a valid Will, the will-maker must have ‘capacity’. What then is ‘capacity’? Believe it or not, the test originates from a UK decision from 1870 and still applies today. A will-maker must be of sound mind, memory and understanding to make a will. To have a sound mind, the willmaker must: 1. understand the nature and effect of a will; 2. understand the nature and extent of their property; 3. comprehend and appreciate the claims to which they ought to give effect; and 4. not be suffering from a disorder of the mind or insane delusion. Some people have complex financial structures – including assets which are managed by professional advisors. The Courts understand this and make allowances if the will- maker doesn’t understand the precise ins and outs of their finances. Some people wish to exclude some beneficiaries from their Will 28

bearing in mind that some of these disgruntled beneficiaries may be able to ‘challenge’ a Will. Each will-maker has “testamentary freedom” to make the Will they want so can exclude beneficiaries if they wish, however the will-maker must appreciate they are potentially excluding a person who may have a claim at law to benefit from the Will. As you would expect, society has evolved a more nuanced understanding of disorders of the mind and/or insane delusions over the last 100 years. The severity of any illness, especially one which impairs insight, judgment and decision-making skills will however impact on capacity. Courts are also aware that people who may otherwise be suffering from a mental illness may have a ‘lucid interval’ and have capacity to make a valid will. So the ‘capacity’ test is a relatively low threshold, but it is a legal concept and ultimately where there’s an argument whether a will-maker had the required capacity, the Supreme Court decides. That said, medical evidence of capacity or otherwise is of great assistance to the Court. In addition, evidence from an experienced solicitor can assist the Court in determining if a will-maker had capacity. Fiona is a Senior Associate with Connolly Dore Lawyers. The information in this article is general and for specific advice on your Wills and Estate situation call Fiona on 5302 7933.

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Strategies to take you from renting to buying MORTGAGE MATTERS with Trevor Ryan Aussie Coolum Phone: 0411 211 401 WHILE there are benefits to renting a home, for many of us, having ownership over the place we live offers greater peace of mind. Buying your first home is an achievable goal, but in order to get there, prospective buyers have some important things to consider, in particular cost, budget and location. Save money while you are renting If you rent, you’re saving money on some of the ongoing expenses of running a property, such as council rates, repairs and other costs associated with buying a home like stamp duty and monthly interest on your repayments. So use these savings to start building your deposit.

you’ve been making regular rental payments can prove to them your financial responsibility and ability to pay off a future home loan – so make sure you pay on time every month! Getting a loan Perhaps you’ve got some deposit saved, but you want to strengthen your loan application. Having a guarantor can be helpful in reducing the deposit needed and saving you money with costly Lender’s Mortgage Insurance. You still have to be able to afford to pay off your mortgage in the long term so looking after your deposit is only the first thing.

If you haven’t been able to save enough for a deposit – one option is to purchase with a family member, partner or friend so that the financial responsibility doesn’t rest solely on you. The benefits of this can be long-lasting, as you will be sharing the cost of repaying your loan for Putting aside the amount of money you’d its duration. otherwise be paying on these expenses each month can help you get into the Our brokers at Aussie Coolum can help habit of saving. It will also give you time you set realistic expectations about what to investigate the costs and other you will be able to afford when you take financial implications of home ownership. the buyer’s leap. So drop in and have a chat – you might be surprised what you Finally, being able to show a lender that can actually do!

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An Overview of the Australian Share Market THE Australian share market is one of the world’s largest, and is PATERSONS MODEL PORTFOLIOS currently ranked 15th with a * Patersons QVR Portfolio: A long only portfolio of market capitalisation of A$1.6 companies in the S&P/ASX200 Index selected on trillion (US$1.3 trillion). This is quality, value, and financial strength factors. largely in line with the size of The portfolio moves systematically to cash during the Australian economy, as bear markets to preserve capital. QVR stands for measured by Gross Domestic quality, value at risk. Product (GDP). * Patersons Income Portfolio: Suitable for investors However, much like the size looking for high quality ASX200 stocks with differential between the sustainable high dividend yields. American and the Australian economies, the size of the ASX is Performance: The Portfolios have outperformed dwarfed by that of the New York the market significantly over the long term on a risk Stock Exchange (NYSE) which is adjusted basis. more than 12 times larger in terms of market capitalisation. Today, the ASX has an average daily turnover of A$5.6 billion and facilitates an average of 1.3 million trades a day. The ASX is currently trading on a 20.2 times Price Earnings (PE) multiple, compared to the long term average 17.6 times PE multiple and listed on the Australian market, most of compared to the current 17.8 times PE the value is made up of the top 200 multiple of the NYSE. It also trades at a stocks by market capitalisation. Thus the 4.2% Dividend yield, one of the highest of market barometer is largely viewed as all global exchanges. Investors also the ASX200 index (XJO) and it is seen as benefit from franking credits which the most important Australian share increases the attractiveness of dividends. market index because it serves as the While there are about 2185 stocks benchmark for fund managers.

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Tom Wigzell (07) 5409 6120

Aaron Cross (07) 5409 6100

Patersons Peregian Springs, Suite 4, 2 Balgownie Drive, Peregian Springs 4573

www.psl.com.au

Patersons Securities Limited ABN 69 008 896 311 AFSL No. 239 052

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“Safe, Inclusive and Connected Neighbourhoods and Online Communities” May 2017 update

Don’t Get Scammed

If you follow our facebook page you may have seen a recent post about the “can you hear me” scam reaching Queensland. Victims receive an unsolicited phone call (business or home number) … after you answer, the scammer will simply say “Can you hear me?” several times. Most people say “yes”. The scammer then ends the call. It is believed that the scammer is recording your “yes” response and that this recording is being used to authorise payments or charges – in your name. Scams aren’t new in Australia, in fact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch website lists hundreds of scams as they are discovered. The ACCC recently warned online shoppers to be wary of scammers masquerading as legitimate online retailers, often selling well-known brands at too-good-to-be-true prices. “Australians love shopping online and scammers take advantage of this by setting up fake websites that look like genuine online stores Here are some tips straight from the Scamwatch website on how to avoid online shopping scams: * Do some independent research on a website you’re thinking of buying a product from and check out reviews from other consumers. * Avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer, 36

COOLUM 10 COMMITTEE Area Coordinators: Paula Lyall, Leigh Boggis Treasurer: Bob Joubert Secretary: Vivienne Collins You can contact us at: PSNHW@hotmail.com or at https://www.facebook.com/PSNHW/ For immediate police assistance Phone Police on 131 444 or in an Emergency call 000 international funds transfer, pre-loaded card or electronic currency. * When making online payments, only pay for items using a secure payment service — look for a URL starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol, or a payment provider such as PayPal. * When using retail websites, find out exactly who you are dealing with. If it is an Australian company, you are in a much better position to sort out the problem if something goes wrong. You can check ABNs at: http:// abr.business.gov.au * Check if the website site has a refund or returns policy, and that their policies sound fair. The better online shopping sites have detailed complaints policies. Until next time...Leigh .....

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