Council to speak up at 123rd LGAQ Conference

Redland City Council will use October’s Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) conference to join with Queensland councils to lobby the State Government on several key issues:

Allowing Councils to raise more infrastructure funding by reviewing the existing State imposed infrastructure cap. Delivering better managed and coordinated State Providing greater certainty for the community in the Queensland planning framework. Reinvesting the State Government Waste Levy back into the Queensland environment. Transport hub infrastructure. Assistance for drought affected Queensland areas.

Mayor Karen Williams said the motions, which were supported unanimously at today’s general meeting, would now be tabled at the LGAQ’s 123rd annual conference in Cairns, 14 – 16 October 2019.

“Our residents tell us they want infrastructure to keep up with growth and so we will be tabling two motions asking for the State to do just that,” she said.

“The first motion will call on the LGAQ to lobby the State Government to implement longer term infrastructure plans that provide greater certainty for our community.

“Currently the State Infrastructure Plan uses a two tier timeline of 1-4 year projects and 5-15 year opportunities, which aren’t long enough, meaning they don’t align with State Government growth targets nor the State’s  South East Queensland Regional Plan, which spans a 25 year period.

“Our community wants certainty, so it makes sense for the State’s Infrastructure Plan to be longer term so Councils can use them to plan local infrastructure and to give the community certainty in regards to what will be delivered.”

Cr Williams said a second motion would call on the State Government to review their infrastructure caps and introduce their own mechanism to collect infrastructure charges from developers.

“Currently the State Government caps what infrastructure charges Councils can collect from developers, resulting in a funding gap that our community ends up funding.

“If the State Government listens to our motion by removing these caps it will allow Councils to collect infrastructure charges based on the impacts the development will have on local infrastructure, meaning the infrastructure is then funded by the private development industry rather than the community.”

Cr Williams said Council would also ask the State to commit to developing a more prescriptive planning framework to give the community certainty about what will be built.

“The current ‘performance based’ system allows too much flexibility for the development industry, creating confusion for the community,” she said.

“This motion calls on the State to create a black and white system that makes it clear to residents what can and can’t be built in their neighbourhoods.

“Continuing the infrastructure trend, a motion will also be put forward asking the State Government for increased infrastructure, including car parking, at Queensland railway stations.

“We need to encourage people to use public transport, so there must be an increase in infrastructure, such as car parking and station amenities, to encourage people to use trains more and to get parked cars away from what were once quiet, suburban streets.”

Cr Williams said Council would also ask the State to commit to reinvesting the State Government Waste Levy back into the Queensland environment.

“Currently the State expects 70 per cent of the funds raised through the levy will benefit industry programs, environmental initiatives and advanced payments to councils to help offset the costs for Queensland households,” she said.

“This should be 100 per cent.

“There is currently no commitment beyond 2022 and we are asking that local communities be given long term assurance that the environment will continue to benefit from the funds raised and that people will not be left out of pocket by this levy.”

Council will also put forward a motion calling for more assistance for drought affected Queensland areas.

Cr Williams and Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell will be Council’s official delegates at the conference, which will bring together delegates from all tiers of government, external stakeholders and the media to consider the challenges facing local governments and their communities.

Other Councillors are able to attend as observers.