Council to urge Premier to rethink Back to Work boundaries
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Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has passed a motion that the Mayor urgently contact the Premier requesting Toowoomba Region businesses be made eligible for State Government support under the ‘Back to Work’ initiatives.
Deputy Mayor Cr McDonald said there is an inconsistency with the program, and Toowoomba Region residents are missing out because of a stroke of a pen.
“The Queensland Government usually classifies Toowoomba Region as “regional,” and as part of the Darling Downs and rarely part of South East Queensland,” Cr McDonald said.
“Employer Support Payments of up to $15,000 are available to eligible employers who hire an eligible unemployed Queenslander in regional or South East Queensland.
“Apprentice and Trainee Boost payments of up to $20,000 are available to employers who hire an unemployed Queenslander as an apprentice or trainee in regional Queensland or eligible areas of South East Queensland.
“Toowoomba Region is excluded from these support programs despite other regional and South East Queensland local governments’ being eligible.
“The anomaly of being in both the South East Queensland and Darling Downs Regional Plans from a Toowoomba Regional Council perspective relates to issues such as grant funding applications.
“However, being in both regions does have benefits for Council. It reflects the importance of Toowoomba Region as ‘gateway’ to the Darling Downs South West and South East Queensland, which puts us in a unique position in Queensland.
“As a Council, it is vital that we advocate for our Region and the business community within it.
“This decision disadvantages our local businesses, and I question its fairness.”
Cr Carol Taylor in seconding the motion said, the list of those eligible include local governments’ in South East Queensland area and some that are classed as regional.
“It doesn’t make sense that Ipswich City Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council and Logan City are eligible whereas Toowoomba Regional Council isn’t.
“Our eligibility for support is not considered consistently.
“We aren’t eligible for ‘Works For Queensland’ because we are assessed as being in South East Queensland. Yet in the South East Queensland plan only the City and statistical areas around it - are in the plan for SEQ.
“It’s just not equitable. Our community deserves access to these programs to assist in the recovery from this global pandemic.
“We have been hit hard by COVID-19, and this decision is unfair on our local businesses.”
That the Mayor urgently contact and write to the Premier, Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk requesting that businesses in the Toowoomba Regional Council area be eligible for the following Back to Work initiatives recently announced by the State Government:-(A) Employer Support - https://backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/for-employers/employer-support-payment/
(B) Apprentice/Trainee Support Boost - https://backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/for-employers/apprentice-and-trainee-boost/
That the Mayor make representation to the Premier, Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk seeking assurance that policy decisions including regional Queensland include the Toowoomba Regional Council Area.The motion was carried.