July 2021

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR

“Promoting and Developing South West Queensland as the Cornerstone of Opportunities”

Welcome to the latest e-news update from the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils. As Chair, it is with a sense of pride that I look back on all we have collectively achieved as a new organisation over the last six months.

Having a united voice for the region is proving successful in enhancing our core focus, supporting our advocacy efforts and providing a single point of contact for our valued stakeholders and partners, as we collectively strive to showcase how South West Queensland really is the “Cornerstone of Opportunities”!

As you read through this newsletter you will see it has been a busy and productive time for the ROC Members and Executive team alike progressing matters associated with carbon farming, Financial Assistance Grants, regional investment attraction, tourism promotion, barriers to housing and digital connectivity, development of key infrastructure assets such as roads and water, as well as undertaking our inaugural deputation to State Parliament to discuss our region’s priorities with Ministers, the Opposition, Senior Department Executives and other key stakeholders.

In amongst all of our own activities, SWQROC collaborates closely with our neighbouring regions to the east through the Darling Downs South West Queensland Council of Mayors (DDSWQCoM), and also the North through the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils (WQAC). The WQAC partnership has been formed to push and promote the challenges and opportunities faced in communities west of the Great Divide and importantly, to highlight the contribution these communities make to the wealth of Queensland and the nation.

As part of this partnership approach, myself and many of my colleagues in South West Queensland headed to Richmond in May to attend the WQAC Assembly and participate in discussions on housing, digital connectivity, airline contract reviews and roads (amongst others) with Federal and State Ministers, Senators, senior industry representatives and government officials. Thanks to all that attended and the great discussion about working together to create jobs and progress rural and remote Queensland.

As you will note, the last six months has very much been focussed on setting the agenda and gathering credible data to present our case and to represent our region. The next six months will be focussed on putting these plans and strategies into action and engaging outwardly to progress the growth and development of South West Queensland.

Before I sign off, I’d like to take an opportunity to thank our respective Council teams for their contribution and dedication to the SWQROC agenda. It is clear we have a strong cohort of professionals that are passionate about making South West Queensland a great place to live, work and play!

I look forward to seeing what the next few months will bring and I hope you find value in this newsletter and understanding our regional priorities and future focus.

Cr Samantha O’Toole
Chair SWQROC

Amongst the many Ministerial Meetings, the SWQROC Leadership Group spent time with the Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for Trade whilst in Brisbane and presented her a copy of the SWQROC Draft Strategic Plan.

SWQROC Advocacy

Given its new structure and Strategic Plan, a key advocacy priority for the SWQROC is to build relationships with Government, including the Opposition – at both State and Federal levels. 

In May, the SWQROC visited State Parliament during sitting week and a comprehensive program of meetings took place with the Premier, senior Cabinet Ministers, Assistant Ministers, the Opposition and senior Departmental Executives.

View the SWQROC Inaugural Deputation Program here.

Read the Media Release here.

Ms Ann Leahy MP, Shadow Minister for Local Government, Shadow Minister for Disaster Recovery and Shadow Minister for Volunteers and Ms Fiona Simpson, Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Shadow Minister for Integrity with SWQROC Leadership Group.

Promotion of regional priorities also occurred with Mr David Crisafulli, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Tourism, as well as key Shadow Ministers, Ms Ann Leahy and Ms Fiona Simpson.

In addition to a range of Ministerial meetings, SWQROC also took this opportunity to host a Stakeholder Networking event, with the Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Hon Dr Steven Miles MP, Assistant Minister for Local Government Ms Nikki Boyd MP, as well as a range of Brisbane based stakeholders.

Further, time in Brisbane was spent meeting with LGIA Super on Housing, the Department of Environment and Science on Carbon Farming, Agforce and the LGAQ on a range of rural and Local Government matters, Translink about the Airlines Contract Review and the Department of Transport and Main Roads about roads funding for the region, including the priority to seal the Warri Gate Road.

Georgie Somerset, AgForce President and SWQROC Leadership Group.

Hon Dr Steven Miles MP, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Ms Nikki Boyd MP, Assistant Minister for Local Government with the SWQROC Leadership Group during the Stakeholder Networking Event in May at Parliament House.

SWQROC Priorities

In line with its Strategic Plan, the SWQROC has been actively progressing initiatives associated with the following key priorities (amongst others):

Water

As a first step to understanding the regional challenges and gaps in providing safe and secure urban water supplies, the SWQROC has recently agreed to form a SWQ Water and Sewerage Alliance under the state-based Queensland Water Regional Alliance Program (QWRAP). The Alliance is currently finalising its works program for the year ahead, which will include matters such as an overarching governance review, a water and sewerage skills and training needs audit, alignment of Drinking Water Quality Management Plans, as well as other regional procurement initiatives.

Carbon Farming

As carbon farming is emerging as a significant activity in some parts of South West Queensland, the SWQROC has recognised the need to better understand the positive and unintended impacts from carbon farming on local communities. To progress this matter, the SWQROC has been working closely with both the Commonwealth and State Governments with the aim to undertake a comprehensive study into the impacts of carbon farming in South West Queensland.  A Terms of Reference for this study is currently being finalised, with the study to be jointly funded between the Commonwealth Government, State Government, the SWQROC and individual ROC members.

Housing

As is evident across all of Queensland and especially Western Queensland, the chronic housing shortage is acting as a significant barrier to future economic development and growth.  As a consequence, the SWQROC has been working with the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) and Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD) under the banner of the WQAC to progress a Housing Study to understand the supply and demand side gaps related to this matter. 

The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) has been engaged to undertake this study, which is being fully funded by the three participating ROCs.  The RAI team have been out in region speaking with individual Councils and key stakeholders and are currently finalising their Field Work Report, which will inform the more comprehensive study. A copy of the latest presentation to the SWQROC on this matter can be found here.

Digital Connectivity

Utilising a similar approach to the Housing issue, the SWQROC is collaborating with NWQROC and RAPAD to better understand the gaps and contributing factors to deficits in digital connectivity infrastructure and policy priorities for Western Queensland. A Terms of Reference is currently being developed with funding assistance from the National Recovery and Resilience Agency (NRRA).

The outcomes from the above three studies are expected to be made public towards the end of the year and will be available for viewing on the respective websites of SWQROC and WQAC.

Review of Financial Assistance Grants to Local Government

To assist the financial capacity of local governments across the country, and to ensure the capacity of local governments to provide residents with an equitable level of service, the Commonwealth Government provides each State and Territory an allocation of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs), which each State and Territory in turn distributes to individual Councils via a formula administered by respective State/Territory based Local Government Grants Commissions.

Given South West Queensland Councils are challenged by limited revenue capacity, escalating operational costs and the pressure of providing more community services with less, the issue of Financial Assistance Grants is a top priority.

As a consequence, the SWQROC is actively participating in the current review of the Financial Assistance Grants, as announced by the Queensland Local Government Grants Commission in mid-May.

To achieve the best possible outcome for South West Queensland, and also for Western Queensland as a whole, the SWQROC has once again collaborated with RAPAD and NWQROC to engage the AEC Group to develop a comprehensive submission to the Review, which is due to deliver its findings at the end of October 2021.

Paul Bell AM, Chair of the Queensland Local Government Grants Commission discusses the current Review with members of SWQROC at their meeting in St George on Friday 2nd July.

SWQROC Committee Updates

SWQROC has a number of Committees designed to drive specific priorities. Outlined below is a snapshot of the key activities currently underway in the areas of Tourism and Economic Development.

Tourism Development

“Queensland’s South West – Be our Guest”

Capturing the surge in domestic tourism the SWQROC Tourism Steering Committee continues to drive our regional tourism marketing campaign “Queensland’s South West - Be our Guest”.

Starting with the OQTA’s Outback Muster in Brisbane in February, the campaign takes a regional focus on promoting the many events, diverse experiences and drive itineraries on offer in South West Queensland. As part of the winter tourism migration out west, the SWQROC’s campaign will ramp up its activities over the coming months via the SWQROC’s tourism website, as well as dedicated social media channels.

So “Be our Guest” and visit South West Queensland soon!

Tourism Steering Committee Members, Danielle Tuite (Bulloo Shire Council) and Kim Wildman (Balonne Shire Council), promoting South West Queensland’s tourism experiences at the OQTA’s Outback Muster in Brisbane in February.

Cr Samantha O’Toole, Mayor, Balonne Shire Council & Chair of SWQROC formally launching “Queensland’s South West – Be our Guest” Campaign at ‘Easter in the Vines’ at St George in April, alongside David Blacket, Owner, Riversands Wines.

We thank the State Government for its continued support of this project under the Year of the Outback Tourism Events Program (YOOTEP) funding, along with support from OQTA and TEQ under the “Good to Go” Recovery Fund.

Economic Development

“Regional Investment Attraction”

Furthering the promotion of South West Queensland as the “Cornerstone of Opportunities”, the SWQROC Economic Development Advisory Group (EDAC) has led the development of a comprehensive suite of documents showcasing the “Boundless Opportunities” that exist in individual councils, specific industry sectors and the region as a whole.

These resources can be found on the SWQROC website (Invest SW) and investment leads will be pursued as part of an active engagement strategy.  

We thank the State Government for its continued support of this project under Remote Area Board (RAB) Funding and the ongoing collaboration from the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (DSDILGP).

Cr Samantha O’Toole, Mayor, Balonne Shire Council & Chair of SWQROC, Garnet Radford, Economic Development Officer, Balonne Shire Council and Michael Campbell, Director, Lucid Economics promoting South West Queensland’s ‘Boundless Opportunities’ at TSBE’s 400M Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowoomba in early June.

WQAC Assembly 2021

The annual WQAC Assembly was held in Richmond (17-19 May) with over 180 attendees including council delegates, Ministers (State and Federal), departmental personnel, industry representatives and sponsors.

The Assembly provided a platform to continue to raise the profile and core activities of the WQAC and has already resulted in a number of follow up meetings being held with or sought from departmental and industry representatives.

The WQAC Leadership Group (consisting of the Chairs, Deputy Chairs and Executive Officers of each ROC) will continue its joint advocacy on the top priorities of housing, digital connectivity and roads, and begin preliminary planning for the WQAC Assembly 2022 to be held in Charleville.

The following are links to the Assembly Communique, and Publications, including the updated WQAC Economic Profile. 

SWQROC members along with colleagues from NWQROC and RAPAD as part of the WQAC Assembly 2021 held in Richmond in May.

Out and About with SWQROC

SWQROC represents the six Shires of Balonne, Bulloo, Maranoa, Murweh, Paroo and Quilpie.