Council to advocate strongly at LGAQ Conference

Redland City Council will fly the Redlands Coast flag at next week’s Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) conference to advocate for a number of key projects and initiatives on behalf of the community.

Mayor Karen Williams said in addition to a number of resolutions Council was putting to the conference she would also be speaking with fellow Queensland Mayors about key projects included in Council’s 2020 State Election Advocacy Plan.

“Key amongst our state election advocacy priorities are better transport infrastructure and clearer planning laws and I will be looking to discuss these opportunities at next week’s conference with my fellow Mayors and State MPs in attendance,” she said.

“We have also asked candidates in the seats of Capalaba, Redlands, Oodgeroo and Springwood to provide comment on their level of support for each project and initiative included in our advocacy plan so we can let the community know where they stand.

“So far the responses have been slow coming back so Council has again reminded candidates that we will be making their responses public so the community is across their priorities ahead of the election.”

Cr Williams said among the items to be raised by Council at the annual conference was the need for clearer planning framework.

“We will again be advocating for a State Government planning system that is easier for the community to understand and meets their expectations,” she said.

“Council has long argued that the State’s current, performance-based planning system allows too much flexibility in how the overall outcomes of relevant codes are achieved, creating uncertainty within the community.

“To provide the certainty the community seeks, and in response to concerns about small lot sizes, Council previously tried to cap minimum lot sizes through the 2018 city plan, but were advised by the State Government that we couldn’t under the current planning regime.

“Residents need some surety of what may be built in their neighbourhoods and we are calling on the State Government to provide clearer planning framework.”

Cr Williams said Council would also present a case to the LGAQ Conference for better recognition of, and financial support for, regional challenges.

“We are a city of islands and have one of the largest, un-bridged island populations in the country,” she said.

“In recognition of our island communities’ unique social, economic and isolation issues compared with the rest of the city, we have long advocated for our islands to be considered regional under State Government funding allocations.

“Despite the rates of unemployment and disability being higher than on the mainland, along with transport challenges similar to those of other regional areas, our islands are excluded from the State Government’s regional funding programs designed to support regional Local Government Areas.”

Other items to be tabled at the LGAQ’s 124th annual conference on the Gold Coast from October 19-21, 2020 are: • Local Governments’ Powers to Conduct Elections • Regulated Dog Management Review • More Respectful Debate in Parliament • Asset Sustainability Ratio

Cr Williams and Division 7 Councillor Rowanne McKenzie will be Council’s official delegates at the LGAQ 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 will be able to attend as observers.

To read Council’s 2020 State Election Advocacy Plan, visit Council’s website.