Councillor Report – Meeting 7 December 2016

Cr Cheryl Gaedtke – Ordinary Meeting 7 December 2016

Agenda Item # 5 Matters of Public Interest
09 December Condensery 1st Birthday Celebrations & Tourism Brochure Launch
10 December Kilcoy @ the Hall (Children’s Christmas Celebration)
13 December Somerset Tourism Volunteers Day – Kilcoy
14 December Launch Lowood Hub Service
17 December Esk Races
18 December Mt Beppo Hall Committee Christmas Party

Agenda Item # 34 Councillor Report Meetings/Functions attended
23 November Somerset Region Business Alliance – Business After Hours “Focus on Tourism” – Cormorant Bay
24 November Linville & Moore Mobile Hub
24 November On-site meeting at Linville – BVRT infrastructure
24 November Kilcoy Showground Overall Reserve Management Committee Meeting
24 November Kilcoy Chamber of Commerce & Community Inc. Meeting
25 November Welcome to members of the Blackbutt & District Tourism & Historical Assn to Kilcoy
25 November Council of Mayors Economic Development Meeting – Brisbane
25 November Stanley River Environmental Education Centre “Friends of the Stanley River BBQ”
30 November Esk State School Special Music Parade
01 December BVHT Christmas Lunch & Annual General Meeting – Yarraman
01 December Meeting with non-profit event organiser – Kilcoy
01 December Meeting with community member – Shaping SEQ – Draft SEQ Regional Plan (October 2016)
03 December Kilcoy Community Carols (Unable to attend due to weather event)
04 December St John’s Lutheran Church Coolana 125th Anniversary of Congregation (Late apologies given due to storm cleaning demands)
06 December Lowood-Fernvale Community Bank Christmas Celebration

Somerset Region Business Alliance – Business After Hours “Focus on Tourism”
Congratulations to another very informative and collaborative networking evening organised by the Somerset Region Business Alliance. I strongly advocate that the newly formed Somerset Regional Council’s Economic Development Advisory Committee embrace this initiative and organise similar events on a regional basis. A wonderful opportunity exists to network with the two regional business orientated committees (KCCCI & SRBA) to achieve successful outcomes. Through this process, local businesses should be encouraged to build strong alliances and develop important networking qualities. I also envisage that Council’s Tourism Advisory Committee could collaborate further, and provide support and depth regarding this initiative.

Council of Mayors Economic Development Meeting
Conversation included recognition of “SEQ” as a broader branded area, without the expectation to distinguish Council boundaries. Piggy backing on major events in SEQ was discussed, and discussions took place around pre and post event strategies. The progress of the following projects was updated – Trade & Investment Events, Regional Tourist Trail, SEQ Invest Website and Smart Region Projects. A report based on Smart Street Lighting Feasibility (Executive Report November 2016) was tabled. A presentation was provided based around the Queensland Local Government Grants Commission. The Commission’s Annual Report 2015/2016 was also tabled at the meeting. The meeting discussed the methodology used by the Commission to distribute the Queensland Local Government Financial Assistance Grants. Grant allocation principles and processes used to develop the general purpose grant and identified road grant, including minimum grant allocations were included. The committee will seek direction from each member Council about a particular section of the methodology. Discussion took place about the need for Councils to complete the ECQ’s survey regarding the 2016 Local Government Elections. It is felt that a review of current procedures is urgently needed.

Esk State School Special Music Parade
I attended a very well-rehearsed production along with Crs. Lehmann, Hall, Brieschke, Choat and Whalley. The Esk State School music teacher, Mr Adam Smith must be congratulated on the standard of this musical presentation. Well done to every student and to all those involved with providing such an endearing experience.

Meeting with community member – Shaping SEQ – Draft SEQ Regional Plan (October 2016)
I met with Mr David Matthews to discuss the information he obtained by attending a community conversation session of the draft regional plan, Shaping SEQ. Mr Matthews advised that there is very little in the document that relates specifically to the Somerset region. He is concerned of obvious oversights with future planning for the next twenty-five years in our region. It was agreed that the Kilcoy Chamber of Commerce & Community Inc. be requested to consult with the Somerset Region Business Alliance to evaluate the contents of the draft regional plan and to make associated comments that may need attention. It was also agreed that once this action has been achieved, that representatives from the groups meet with Council to address their findings. After attending a session on this subject at the Local Government Association of Queensland’s Conference in October 2016, I am aware that advice given to Council delegates was to ensure that this draft regional plan was understood and if considered necessary provide a properly made submission during the statutory public notification period, which concludes at midnight on Friday 3rd March, 2017.

State Government News of Interest
• Early in the morning of Friday 2nd December 2016, the Queensland Government passed the Industrial Relations Bill 2016, which LGAQ offered amendments to. Disappointing to learn that the requests by local government were rejected. The Bill introduces a new Industrial Relations Act to commence in March 2017, and which contains changes including the introduction of conditions and entitlements for workers at a cost to councils, a significant strengthening of the role of trade unions in local government, and the return to a system of multiple complicated awards covering local government employees.
• A $2.5 million investment in regional rail has seen the first cattle train in two decades roll into Oakey from either Quilpie, Charleville, Morven, Roma and Mitchell with the potential for a rural jobs bonanza. One train load of livestock is the equivalent of up to 44 decks of cattle delivered by B Double. Meat processing is estimated to employ 18,000 Queenslanders.

Federal Government News of Interest
• Queensland Councils have welcomed the decision to reimburse the $1 billion (2014-15 cyclones) in disaster funding owed, but have vowed to continue fighting for more than $8 million (2013-14 floods and storms) to 38 Queensland councils in unpaid plant and equipment costs.
• The eighteen month long backpacker tax sage has finally been resolved with the compromise 15% tax rate passing both houses of the Australian Parliament Sunday night, 4th December 2016. Queensland Farmers’ Federation is satisfied that the 15% tax rate restores Australia’s competitiveness as a destination for backpackers.