I want to clear something up.

I am not writing what is about to follow just because it is likely to get a reaction.

The subject is over a week old and would be at the bottom of most peoples’ bird cages by now.

Coincidentally, my wife always puts my face upright in the line of fire in our cage but that is another story.

Of course, the subject is Kevin Rudd calling those north of the Pine River a bunch of banjo playing hillbillies, according to the opposition.

I am lucky enough to spend just over an hour at 90.3 ABC Coast FM on Monday and Friday mornings with my old mate John Stokes.

Now this time last week I did a poor imitation of a banjo and said, tongue firmly in cheek, how shocked I was that an old “Namba” boy like Kevin reckoned we were all hillbillies.

But I then went on to say that surely the opposition had more to do than worry about that. We know we do.

The first surprise for the day came when an irate listener rang in and accused me and poor old Johnnie of Labor bashing and then promptly hung up.

I was taken aback as my comments were targeted at the opposition, who really should have something better to do.

But my surprise didn’t end there.

That night when I logged on to www.thedaily.com.au and looked at the story I was absolutely amazed at the number of bloggers that agreed that we are hillbillies, especially in Nambour.

The thing that really got me was the venom of some of the comments.

There were some harsh descriptions which took the fun out of the whole day for me and I really wondered whether the people writing the blogs came from Mars.

I have been to plenty of places around Australia that have their fair share of flannel shirts, hotted-up Valiants, ugg boots and rubber thongs – sometimes worn in the same outfit.

My initial thought was that I couldn’t sit by and let this happen as Nambour and the Sunshine Coast have been good to me.

Sadly, I had a week to wait which gave me more time to take a rational approach which you may or may not be interested in.

I have calmed down since then and once again see the funny side but the whole thing made me think of Forrest Gump.

Not local towns full of them but more the famous saying: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get”.

In fact, it made me think of the exact opposite.

Growing up in Nambour and Eudlo, where – just like in any other regional town – with people you came across, you knew exactly what you were going to get.

In my opinion these days are far different with the changing demographic, from the south in particular.

And if I would have added my blog to the many others last week I might have said a lot of people I come across these days are more like show bags than chocolates – all glitter but no go.

But I could subscribe to that club myself. “No good being poor and looking poor” is a motto I have lived by for many a year.

In reality, the Sunshine Coast is a diverse mix of people.

Sure, it is a bit light on culture but it has some great art galleries, libraries and live theatre.

Sure, it is a bit light on in regard to large venues, i.e. an entertainment centre, but surely that can’t be too far away unless one of the too many tiers of government decides it may be affected by climate change or finds some other reason not to build it.

In reality I think most of us lucky enough to live here are pretty happy that we do. If not, the road south is always open.

As for the culture, sure we could do with a bit more like our southern counterparts but I suggest if you are on the cusp of living here or moving to somewhere more cultured with supposedly a better class of people, take a drive to Mary Cairncross Park, Point Cartwright or Noosa National Park and take in what really is on offer.

You can’t build that and I reckon it should help you decide, banjo music or not.