$40.1M capital works budget amid growing supply pressures

Isaac Regional Council’s $40.1 million capital works budget will focus on replacing, upgrading and maintaining core infrastructure.

The highlights from the capital works budget includes the currently estimated $10.1 million towards the Moranbah Community Centre Revitalisation Project, $3.4 million Isaac Region Gravel Re-sheeting Program over two years and the $3.2 million for the Clermont Showgrounds and Saleyards Project.

The $2.8 million for the Nebo Showgrounds Masterplan Project, $2.9 million for the Pioneer Road upgrade near Clermont and $2.4 million to replace Council’s aged trucks, mini excavators, skid steers, fertiliser spreaders, slashers, aerators, grasscutters, rollers and trailers are additional keynote 2022-23 projects.

Mayor Baker said Council’s focus is delivering on its core business of maintaining roads, managing waste and securing water in a changing world.

“We are investing $16.4 million in roads around the region, $1.9 million will go toward maintaining our parks and playgrounds and $7.9 million will be spent on securing our water, waste and wastewater assets for our future,” Mayor Baker said.

“A total of $6.9 million towards long-term projects like multi-phase community facilities’ upgrades, hubs and compliance on our pools.”

Mayor Anne Baker said that while financial pressures are impacting industry, businesses and families, Council is not immune to those economic demands.

“For Council business, it means that the mowers we use in our parks, the graders we use on our roads, the filters and pumps for our pools, the piping for water and sewerage projects have all become dearer and harder to secure,” Mayor Baker said.

“Our community expects us to get those things right which is why we are investing in delivering for services today as we deliver in a changing world.

“We seek help from funding programs from external sources such as the Australian Government and Queensland Government to meet community expectations.

“This is where Council-led advocacy plays a vital role on behalf of residents to access and secure government funding or legislation changes to provide infrastructure, facilities, and services.”

During the recent Federal Election, Council assisted in securing commitments of:

$2.8 million for the Nebo Showgrounds Masterplan Stage 1 $14.4 million towards the replacement of Phillips Creek Bridge $2 million towards enabling the Isaac Resource Excellence Hub $400 million for the sealing of more than 450 kilometres of Queensland roads, upgrading key heavy vehicle corridors through our Queensland Beef Corridor partnership

The Queensland Government announced the following for our region through the recent Budget announcements:  

A new Moranbah hospital as part of the $943.5 million funding over seven years to replace rural and remote health facilities and staff accommodation under Phase 2 of the Building Rural and Remote Health Program. $8 million towards the currently estimated $10.1 million Moranbah Community Centre Revitalisation Project thanks to the Resources Communities Infrastructure Fund. The fund was established by a voluntary partnership between coal and mineral companies through the Queensland Resources Council and the Queensland Government. $2.9 million Pioneer Road upgrade is jointly funded by the Queensland Government’s Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme and Isaac Regional Council

Visit https://www.isaac.qld.gov.au/annual-budget for more information on Isaac Regional Council’s 2022-23 Budget.