Cr Cheryl Gaedtke – Ordinary Meeting 22 July 2020

Agenda Item # 5 Matters of Public Interest

A news article has provided information around the fact that fewer Queensland businesses are collapsing into liquidation or administration despite the economy facing its greatest shock in almost 100 years. Australian companies that have been impacted from April to June was significantly lower than the same time last year. It is suggested that the government’s JobKeeper program, changes to insolvency laws and banks’ repayment deferrals have allowed businesses to stay open. The lift in confidence and conditions has provided an increase in trading, profitability and employment over the period. However, business is nowhere near back to normal as survey indicators in level terms reveal. There is still some way to go. Two tiers of JobKeeper payments will be created to keep the $70bn program pumping money into the economy until the end of March, as new data revealed up to 240,000 businesses were at “high risk” of collapsing when the support ends.

It was reported yesterday that the multibillion-dollar deal to transform Brisbane and the southeast has been kicked into limbo despite other cities being on track to get their cash. The SEQ CityDeal was supposed to take the politics out of major infrastructure planning and funding but has instead fallen victim to a combination of COVID-19 and the electoral cycle, stakeholders say. The southeast’s mayors through the Council of Mayors developed the priorities for infrastructure funding and was expected this month but that timeline has been abandoned. It has been described as a “cruel blow” for economic hopes.

Agenda Item # 24 Councillors’ Report
08 July Council Ordinary Meeting
08 July Council Workshop Meeting
09 July Plantings at Yowie Park Kilcoy – Brisbane Valley Kilcoy Landcare Group & SRC
Many thanks go to our NRM Officer, Darren McPherson, Cr Jason Wendt, Nicholas Wendt, Reg Pease, Tony Robinson and Nancy Murton for spending a damp Thursday morning planting various native variety at our beautiful Yowie Park.
09 July Retake of Storytime @ Home video
17 July Rasmussen Road, Mt Archer – Inspection
20 July Seniors Movement to Music Classes – Toogoolawah
A terrific class of around fifty seniors moving to music such as the Nutbush City Limits and some laughing their way through being uncoordinated.
20 July Toogoolawah Condensery Advisory Committee Meeting – Esk
20 July Kilcoy District Progress Alliance Meeting
21 July Meeting with local business – Mayor, CEO, Director Operations – Esk
21 July Kilcoy Swimming Club AGM

The driver of the garbage truck was spotted picking up every bit of rubbish which was lying on the street and put it back in the bin, before lifting the bin with his machine to empty it into the truck. Many residents praised the effort of the employee which falls well beyond his job description. The community acknowledged their appreciation of this extraordinary effort.

A supply shortage and demand boom has led to six-month delays on push bike shipments, meaning empty shelves could be a common sight until the end of this year. And as for the number of people using the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, I can definitely notice the increase in patronage in every town in our region. From personal experience individual cyclists and families are enjoying their adventure. At a recent ride from Blackbutt to Yarraman, I passed many families and push bike riders having a really great ride. There are around 19 gates between the two towns, and as a horse rider it was very appreciated when cyclists offered to open and close gates. I certainly welcomed the comradery.