Celebrating the success of local tourism operators and their contribution to the region’s economy took centre stage at the 2023 Mackay Isaac Region Tourism Awards, held at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre (MECC).

172 people were in attendance, representing the region’s tourism businesses and industry stakeholders.

Mackay Regional Council Deputy Mayor Karen May said these awards helped to acknowledge those who had been constantly raising the bar in our tourism industry to achieve success in a very competitive industry.

“All of the winners and finalists at this year’s awards are a fantastic example of the exceptional tourism experiences offered in our region,” Cr May said.

“It is these businesses that drive investment into our communities, supporting sustainability and job creation and building on the liveability of the region,” she said.

“We know we are the best place to live and work, and these businesses, through their commitment to building and developing tourism opportunities, are showcasing our region to the world.”

Capping off a successful year for tourism, the Mackay Isaac Region saw record numbers of domestic travel and an increase in visitation for business/events tourism – a new record seen for the region.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker said the tourism awards created a point of difference and helped to boost the profile of our tourism operators as they look to attract more domestic and international travel into the region.

"The Isaac region is one of the most dynamic places for business in Australia due to our major resource, renewables and agricultural industries," Mayor Baker said.

“This record-breaking trend echoes what we see on the ground with increased investment. This is happening despite the headwinds like rising energy prices, inflation and other factors impacting consumers’ wallets and their decision to travel.”

Congratulating each of the winners was Mackay Isaac Tourism Chief Executive Officer Al Grundy.

“The Mackay Isaac Region Tourism Awards exist to recognise the commitment to tourism excellence and celebrate the exceptional achievements of tourism businesses and individuals throughout the region,” he said.

“It is the dedication of businesses and individuals like those we have recognised tonight, that has enabled tourism to firmly establish itself as a key economic pillar to The Mackay Isaac Region’s economy, contributing millions of dollars in investment and creating thousands of jobs.”

GOLD WINNERS

Wildcat Mackay

The Flackyard

Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park

Ocean International

St Lawrence Wetlands Weekend

Mt Pleasant Centre

MECC

Oh Deere Farm Tours

Moss on Wood

Comfort Resort Blue Pacific

Rydges Mackay Suites

Sarina Sugar Shed

Murray Gibbs

Friends of the MECC

Amanda Pelagalli

Shamrock Hotel

READ THE FULL MACKAY ISAAC TOURISM AWARDS FEATURE IN NEXT WEEK’S MACKAY AND WHITSUNDAY LIFE – CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND VIEW A GALLERY OF SOCIAL PICS PLUS LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BUSINESSES!

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Photos supplied: Mackay Tourism

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A range of employers flocked to the Mackay Job Fair 2023 this week, with the event hosted at CQUniversity and sponsored by IDEAL Placements, Workforce Australia and Local Jobs to offer interested job-seekers a chance at secure employment opportunities.

With over thirty businesses and employment agencies in attendance, the event gave opportunity to students from across the Mackay region, to inquire into a range of industries and career pathways.

The Transition to Work program, guided by IDEAL Placements, focuses on youths aged fifteen to twenty-four to guide them in the right direction.

Working on both short-term and long-term goals, the program assists participants to enter the workforce or commit to further study. This allows access to a skill-set that they may not have received in a typical education setting.

Denzel from IDEAL Placements is a former member of the Transition to Work program and now works as an Employment Consultant and Junior Employee Business Broker.

Denzel stated, “I work closely with Mackay businesses to help them find employment leads and I have a caseload of about thirty [job-seekers] right now, that I work with and manage. I've made about fifteen to twenty local contacts that I can use for my participants for future reference.

“Seeing the outcome of what our participants can achieve is really good to see, I have one of my participants that has three interviews next week.”

Employer Business Broker at IDEAL Placements, Scott McPherson stated, “We just want to make sure we're making a difference in people's lives. So if we can help one or two people to get a full-time job, it's going to make a big difference.”

A substantial factor in getting the event running, was to ensure it was not a costly expenditure for businesses to attend. Scott commented, “With the housing crisis at the moment, the more people we can get working, it’s going to be better for businesses.”

Local Jobs Employment Facilitator, Jodie Ahwang, commented, “A lot of new employees have received at least five or more resumes, and we've had a couple of employers conducting interviews, it's been a really successful day.”

Scott and his team at IDEAL Placements would like to thank CQUniversity for being generous hosts of the Mackay Jobs Fair 2023, and encourages anyone who is interested in a career opportunity to reach out, so IDEAL Placements can further help to make a difference.

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Operations Team Member, Arabella Jordan and Employer Business Broker, Scott McPherson at Mackay Job Fair 2023

From Transition to Work to Junior Employee Business Broker, Denzel Bobongie

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The Queensland Resources Dust Disease Support Group attended the Seniors Expo this week, with an important message to retired mine workers regarding their lung health.

QRDDSG is a not-for-profit charity providing retired, former and current Queensland mine and quarry workers and their families with guidance, support, and friendship during the health assessment process and in the event of a diagnosis.

It is a long road ahead for the volunteers of this organisation, with a goal to test 25,000 former mine workers. The charity started back in February 2022, and slowly but surely, they have achieved 780 individual tests out of their mammoth goal.

QRDDSG provide assessment forms to check eligibility of their applicants before testing commences. By completing the form, QRDDSG can contact you via your preferred details and help to begin the application process for your free lung check.

Applications are for former coal mine workers only, as existing workers receive periodic health assessments from their employers.

From there, if something is wrong, you will be financially covered to travel to Brisbane for further assessment and treatment.

The charity encourages those who are eligible to receive their free lung check on the HEART5 Mobile Health Unit in November. A thorough lung check detects mine dust lung disease early, so you can get support sooner rather than later.

Eligibility requirements:

- You were a coal mine, mineral mine or quarry worker for at least three years in total over your lifetime, with at least 6 months of your mining experience in Queensland. (Note: You may be asked to supply evidence of your work history, such as pay slips or tax returns)

- You have now permanently stopped being a coal mine, mineral mine or quarry worker

- It has been five years since your most recent assessment

HEART5 Mobile Health Unit is coming to Proserpine on 8th November, and Mackay 9th-10th November.  

8 November – Proserpine

9-10 November – Mackay

For more information about Queensland Resources Dust Disease Support Group, contact 0419 646 856 or admin@qrddsg.org.

Mine Dust Health Support Service can be contacted  at 1300 445 715 or info@minedusthealthsupport.com

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Volunteers of Queensland Resources Dust Disease Support Group at the Seniors Expo

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Exodas Pty Ltd commenced their operations in 2001 with just two prime movers. Since then, the fleet has grown enormously, now consisting of approximately 120 prime movers and 260 trailers, with a mixture of both fridge vans and tautliners.

Exodas services the east coast of Australia, running from Brisbane to Mackay and Whitsundays, Townsville, Cairns, Sydney and Melbourne, daily and return.

Specialising in the transportation of produce, refrigerated products, general freight and green life with depots located in Mareeba, Tully, Townsville, Bowen, Yatala and Warnervale.

With a diversified customer base ranging from food wholesalers, tourism operators and produce farmers to carpet wholesalers and more, Exodas believe that customer service and reliability are the key to operating a successful transport and logistics company.

Satisfied customers return to Exodas knowing the business offers a great service at competitive rates, with clients regularly referring the business to those who require the top-of-the-line services. The Exodas team are passionate about safety, reliability and service, striving to live by the company motto – ‘Excellence through perseverance and diligence.’

With such a diverse fleet, the business is allowed to service a variety of customer needs, along with the ability to utilise different combinations for different load requirements.

Exodas can operate with single trailer, B’Double, B’Triple or road train configurations, having just recently completed a delivery of their first 10x40 pallet B’Doubles. These combinations allows them to be flexible and meet varying volumes for their customers.

Is it crucial for customers’ to consider the timeframe for their delivery, as well as the weight, size and temperature required for their freight. Exodas ensure to cover these aspects with their diverse fleet, to ensure quality standards are met and customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

With a new installment of 7 Volvos to the ever-growing fleet and an increasing workload demand, Exodas are seeking drivers for both local and linehaul work. The business strongly believes in providing opportunity and training to willing individuals within the transport industry.

Current job vacancies can be found via Seek or by contacting the employment team by phone on 07 3382 7507 or by email at employment@exodas.com.au

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One of many from Exodas’ diverse fleet

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Don't Miss Out on the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award

Time is running out to apply for the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award, a program celebrating and empowering the inclusive and courageous leadership of women in Australia's rural and emerging industries, businesses, and communities.

Applications will close on Wednesday, 25 October 2023, at 11.59 pm AEDT.

The Award acts as a springboard, inspiring and nurturing Australian women to harness their skills for the betterment of their industries and communities, while simultaneously unlocking doors to crucial funding opportunities for existing projects and businesses.

Beyond recognition, the Award also provides a pathway for personal and professional growth, offering not only access to vital funding but also a doorway to extensive professional development opportunities and a cherished Alumni network.

State and territory winners are awarded a $15,000 grant generously sponsored by Westpac. Importantly, the program welcomes applications from women across Australia, irrespective of their location.

AgriFutures Australia, Managing Director, John Harvey said AgriFutures are committed to the future growth and advancement of the Award as a means of identifying, celebrating and empowering women.

“If you are passionate about creating impact, innovating, and making a difference in rural and regional Australia, we want to hear from you,” Mr Harvey said.

“By participating in this program, you will become part of a dynamic network of over 350 accomplished women who have been acknowledged for their exceptional contributions to rural industries and rural and regional Australia.”

2023 Queensland Winner

Emma-Louise Gibbons, the founder of Huds and Toke, is a trailblazing entrepreneur who is passionate about sustainability and reducing carbon emissions by utilising produce grown on farms which can’t be sold and insect protein in her pet treats.

Her dedication to sustainability and innovation has earned her global recognition, including a recent partnership with Krispy Kreme to offer dog-friendly doughnuts in their UK and US stores.

Thanks to the QLD AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award grant, Emma-Louise will be able to purchase highly specialised equipment that can process alternative proteins and ensure all production remains on site at her facilities.

AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant

AgriFutures also runs a program called the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration grant. While this runs separately, it compliments the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

The aim is to provide a leadership and development opportunity to women who are not quite ready to apply for the Award.

Each year, seven Australian women will be granted with a learning and development bursary of up to $7,000 for professional development to enable them to bring their idea, cause, or vision to life.

The Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant is one of many AgriFutures Australia initiatives ensuring our rural industries prosper now, and into the future.

For more information and to apply for the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award, visit our website at https://agrifutures.com.au/opportunities/rural-womens-award/.

For more information on the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant visit http://agrifutures.com.au/opportunities/acceleration-grant/

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2022 Queensland winner Rebecca Bradshaw

Emma-Louise Gibbons

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Alison Richardson, the Artistic Director/CEO of Crossroad Arts, has made the decision to leave her role at the prominent inclusive arts organisation. She stepped down from her position on October 13th to return to her hometown of Sydney for personal and family reasons.

The organisation, board and community acknowledge Alison's artistic vibrancy and

advocacy for a more inclusive community through her commitment to the Crossroad

Arts vision of Arts for All. Her work over the years on the many projects and productions established unique relationships and connections within the community and uncovered many untold stories. Alison's dedication to developing meaningful access initiatives was instrumental in raising the profile of Crossroad Arts as a leader of inclusive arts practice.

Some notable highlights of Alison’s time at Crossroad Arts include collaborating with

Brenden Borellini and Georgia Cranko on the recent major production Breathe In, which pioneered multilingual storytelling and new embedded access initiatives. During her time with the company she developed partnerships with Dancenorth (Townsville) and La Boite Theatre (Brisbane) resulting in the annual national contemporary dance and theatre making intensive C.R.U.S.H .

Alison leaves a legacy in the numerous productions and programs developed in collaboration with artists with disability from the Mackay region and beyond. These programs enacted social change and celebrated the wider impact of the Crossroad Arts vision of Arts for All.

Alison reflects on her time with Crossroad Arts and shares a message of farewell to the community;

“Being involved in an organisation such as Crossroad Arts you can’t help but get swept up in the community’s enthusiasm, humour, creativity and genuineness. So to lead such an organisation and play some part in creating that culture has been a real privilege and one that I never took for granted.

“My time has now come to return to my hometown of Sydney but I will always look back fondly at the new connections made, the untold stories shared and the assumptions challenged during my time at Crossroad Arts.

“It has been extremely rewarding and satisfying to see such significant growth, stability, vibrancy and impact the company has enjoyed and I will always live the vision of the company and will be cheering everyone on from the sidelines for a long time to come.”

Brian Tucker, Chair of Crossroad Arts Board expressed the board’s gratitude.

“We will miss her inspiring presence and leadership, but understand and support her need to relocate back to Sydney and the personal nature of her decision.

“The organisation is working through a recruitment process to ensure an exciting and prosperous future for Crossroad Arts”

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Crossroad Arts Artistic Director and CEO Alison Richardson

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Residents are once again being asked to think about the value of water as we celebrate National Water Week this week (October 16 to 22).

This year’s theme is “United by Water” which encourages everyone to think about the vital role water plays in connecting us all.

Water touches every aspect of development. It drives economic growth, supports healthy ecosystems, and is essential and fundamental for life.

Council’s Director of Engineering and Commercial Infrastructure, Jason Devitt, said council was committed to supplying the Mackay region with some of the best water and water services in Australia.

“This year our water from Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was victorious over NSW’s Shoalhaven, in the WIOA Water of Origin taste test, making it two years in a row of holding the title,” Mr Devitt said.

“This win adds to our winning streak, with water from Marian WTP taking the crown in 2019 and 2021 and Nebo Road claiming the title in 2018 and 2022,” he said.

“We have previously taken out the National Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water competition in 2019 and 2020 and even won silver at the 2020 International Water Tasting Competition in Berkely Springs USA.

“These achievements are a testament to our highly professional team as well as the beautiful river we have right on our doorstep. Council couldn’t get that great tasting water to homes without the fantastic water network and infrastructure that supplies it.

“We all need to ensure we are doing everything we can to conserve this precious resource.

“As always, we strongly encourage residents to sign up to myh2o (myh2o.qld.gov.au), to help keep track of how much water they are using each day, how much it’s costing them and how they can better improve their behaviours around water usage.”

National Water Week is the perfect opportunity for everyone to monitor their water use and think of ways to save.

Some simple water saving tips include keeping showers to four minutes or less, turn off taps when washing your hands, fix dripping taps and only water outdoors every second day before 10am after 4pm.

Mr Devitt said we are also reminded daily of the significant role water plays in uniting us as a community.

“We are lucky enough to be surrounded by beautiful natural waterways - the iconic Pioneer River running through our city and the beautiful beaches that allow access to so many amazing water activities such as swimming, fishing and boating,” he said.

For more water saving tips visit council’s website mackay.qld.gov.au/water.

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Alexander Blanch and Brian Woods oversee the day to day operations of the Nebo

Road Water Treatment Plant

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The 75th Anniversary Service for the Walkerston- Pleystowe RSL Sub-Branch Inc will be held on Saturday 18th November 2023 in ANZAC Memorial Park, Walkerston.

The Walkerston-Pleystowe RSL sub-branch invites all members of the Walkerston-Pleystowe community to the 75th anniversary of the formation of the sub-branch in 1948.

A commemorative service will commence at 5.00pm, at ANZAC Park in Walkerston.

Dress is jacket and tie, with medals for veterans.

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Walkerston’s Mirani High Graduates of 1993.

Last weekend there was a great reunion held at Walkerston’s Duke Hotel.

People came from the north, the south and the west of the country to meet up with each other where they grew up some 30-plus years ago.

The small township of Walkerston welcomed these ‘Scrubby’ kids who graduated from High School in 1993!

Even though many of them, somewhat sporadically, keep in touch with each other via social media; there were lots of ‘Remember when…’ occasions.

Indeed, some reminiscing moments came from right back in pre-school days where many of the long friendships  were first formed – carrying through primary school, then onto high school. Some of the young people even went on to attend university together.

Enduring special connections and friendships were formed when these young  people from ‘Scrubby’ were small children. This group kept in touch and checked up on each other wherever they may have ended up in this big world…and here they were - back in the familiar, but ever-changing surroundings of years ago - catching up for a few hours face-to-face joined by other school friends.

Reunions rekindle the best of friendships.

Contributed by Bente McDonald

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Graduates from Mirani High, class of 1993. Photo supplied

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As we lead up to the warmer part of the year, many are left wondering how to prepare their gardens to beat the summer heat. Have no fear, native plants are here!

Bush flowers, wildflowers, natives - whatever you call them, these plants are adaptable, hardy and a perfect choice to create a majestic and authentic Australian garden.

Not only do native plants attract and provide shelter for local wildlife, they stand up to challenging climates and they look beautiful too!

Establishing a native garden starts with considering your site. You will need to check the soil fertility, structure and drainage systems around your property, as well as the climate conditions (sun, wind and shade) of the chosen area.

It is suitable to group plants with similar requirements and study their root systems. Keep in mind that plants growing too large for their location can damage plumbing and sewerage pipes and be costly to remove.

Establishing layers of vegetation in your garden will not only look great, but each layer will provide habitat for different animals.

Leaf litter and mulch are important as habitat for wildlife and to help retain moisture in the soil.

Plants that are local to an area are well-equipped to handle the conditions (soil, rainfall, temperature) and will generally require less attention and perform better.

The following list encompasses non-invasive plants that are best-suited to Mackay’s tropical climate:

Lily varieties, Fig varieties, Mt. Morgan Wattle, Northern Banksia, Australian Wax Plant, Bird’s Nest Fern, Lillie Pillies, Bottlebrush, Golden Penda, Grevillea, Kangaroo Grass, Mat Rushes.

When planted in the right environment, there is minimal need for watering or fertilisation, making natives an easy choice for beginner gardeners or those who prefer the distinctive characteristics of local flora.

Now you are well on your way to creating your authentic Aussie garden!

To find out more about native plants to the Mackay region, visit: mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au to find a comprehensive list of our local gardening clubs.

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Walkerston Hockey Premiers A3 1965.

B/R Barry Richards, Mark Kelly, Jimmy Evetts, Stephen Renton, Terry Dee, Alan Jorgensen, Johnny Jarrott.

F/R Alwyn North, Kenny Sturdy, Manix Creedy (Coach), John Belden, David Lake.

Photo supplied on the Facebook page ‘I grew up in Mackay’ by Rob Richards

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Head to Walkerston’s track cycling velodrome next weekend for FREE, fun, family entertainment.

Mackay Cycling Club’s annual track cycling carnival will be held on Saturday, 28th October, attracting top riders of all ages from across Queensland.

Witness the need for speed across a variety of track cycling disciplines, from the endurance scratch and points races to the fast and furious keirin racing.

Grab a bite to eat from the canteen and enjoy a day of entertainment in Walkerston.

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Photo supplied: Mackay Cycling Club

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At last week's meeting of the Rotary Club of Walkerston, representatives from the Early Childhood Learning establishments in Walkerston – the town’s Schools, Kindergarten and Day Care Centres – were invited to join club members for dinner followed by each being presented with a bundle of colourful children’s books.

It is a proven fact that early literacy helps young children develop and comprehend a significant vocabulary, confident self-expression, and general reading comprehension - tools needed to become thriving readers and constant learners.

These skills also inspire a love of books and an eagerness to learn.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr Seuss

Contributed by Bente McDonald

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Walkerston Rotary's donation of books displayed in Walkerston School's library

Book presentation at Rotary meeting. Photos supplied

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OPINION PIECE

As you get older, everything starts to hurt, I don’t know why, but everything hurts.

Even the simplest of injuries or soreness can lead to another bit of you being sore, and before you know it there’s a chiro leaning over you twisting your body back to where it should be.

It’s a discussion I was having with my near teenage son a few weeks ago, why does everything go wrong with you Dad? My only answer was that when you’re younger like he is, everything in your body is “rubbery”, things go back into place much easier. When you’re a kid you can fall over and you just jump back up and continue on. When you’re over 45, you can sneeze and then your neck’s stuffed for a fortnight.

You also start groaning even just bending over to pick something up, that’s the first sign of the pending age of pain and hurt.

I’ve even thought maybe I should do yoga or something like that to help with flexibility and stretching, but I’m worried I’ll get down for an exercise and not be able to get back up. That’s what happened the other day when my daughter asked me to play a new card game Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza … two rounds in I was in agony needing help to get off the carpet. How embarrassing to “get injured” playing a card game.

Back pain is the worst of it though, lower back pain. It hurts to stand for a long period of time, so you sit, but you have to find the perfect angle so it doesn’t hurt. Then you sit for 10-15 minutes and need to get back up, it hurts to get back up and you walk hunched over for a bit. After a minute or two it feels really good. Five minutes after that you need to sit down again, and the cycle just continues.

In Australia, as you get older, we hear more about breast screening, prostate checks, bowel cancer screening kits sent. Each of those pamphlets sent out or packages for tests should be accompanied by a wheat pack.

Scotty

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OPINION PIECE

I don’t like the whole “nanny state” thing. You know, governments, councils, agencies, faceless bureaucrats and the like putting their noses into our lives and creating endless rules and regulations that are usually none of their business.

Whether it’s the economy, public policy or just everyday life, I am in the camp of less is best when it comes to government interference and bureaucratic meddling.

I love the scene in the movie Wild at Heart when Nicolas Cage passionately describes his snakeskin jacket as a “symbol of my individuality and my belief in personal freedom”. Yeah baby!

Personal freedom, freedom of speech, free economies … the less government involvement, the better. A pretentious column would make reference to a “laissez-faire” philosophy, but not this one mate.

What about road rules? Some years ago I was in Argentina in a vehicle heading south on a six-lane freeway and I could not believe the apparent lack of road rules.

There probably were road rules but no one was paying any attention to them, with cars changing lanes without indicating, swerving around traffic at absurd speeds. It was dodgem cars at 100km/h.

I had been on the roads in Nepal and Thailand as well but somehow I expected Argentina to be less chaotic and I remember thinking that it was a good thing people aren’t allowed to drive like that in Australia. We pay attention to the road rules.

Argentina’s annual road death toll is 13.9 per 100,000 people, compared to Australia’s rate of 4.4 per 100,000.

So, sometimes rules can be a good thing ... there are plenty of rules when selling real estate as well and I can tell you that this is also a good thing.

Rules keep it simple, leave little room for interpretation and guide us on what is the correct thing to do. There is an ethical and moral side to it as well, but it is a lot simpler when you have rules that will be enforced.

Take the situation with multiple offers on a property. There was a time, some years ago, when an agent who had several offers on a property would play one buyer off against the other to push the price up.

These days the rules are simple: When there are multiple offers on a property the agent must inform the buyers of that fact and suggest to them that they put in their best and final offer because they may not get a chance to make another offer.

It is illegal to tell one buyer what another buyer has offered. Submit your best and final offer. That’s it. What happens after that is up to the seller but the agent has done his or her job by enforcing a rule that, while not popular among buyers, is equally unfair to everyone.

So, on reflection, there are times when having rules and enforcing them is important and in real estate it keeps things fair, equitable and predictable when there is a lot on the line.

Of course, you can still turn up to an open house in a convertible wearing your snakeskin jacket.

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