BALONNE GAINS SUPPORT FROM LGAQ FOR LOBBYING AGENDA FOR THE SHIRE
Balonne Shire Council had some great success at last week’s Local Government Association Queensland’s 2023 Annual Conference with all of the motions they put forward being adopted.
In total, Balonne Shire Council put forward 8 motions that were successfully adopted by the LGAQ to advocate for changes on a range of issues from youth justice, environmental compliance for landfills and waste, regional development funding, water buybacks, gravel pits, land use classifications for carbon farming, financial sustainability frameworks for small Councils and the wild dog fence.
South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (of which Balonne is a member) also submitted 4 motions that were also successfully adopted by the LGAQ.
Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole was pleased with the outcome of getting all of Balonne’s motions onto the LGAQ’s agenda for the coming period.
“We understand people are doing it tough at the moment and we are doing everything we can to lobby State and Federal governments to achieve outcomes that are in the best interests of our Shire and its residents.
“We are committed to working towards a better future for our residents and will continue to advocate for their interests to all levels of government.
“As a Council, we also undertake a range of lobbying activities to other levels of government, but to have the combined strength of the LGAQ serves to strengthen our case and the prospect of change.
“We look forward to continuing to work together with the LGAQ and other Councils within our region to achieve the results our residents deserve.
The Local Government Association Queensland (LGAQ) is a peak body that represents and lobbies other levels of government on behalf of Councils across Queensland.
ENDS
For more information:
Josh Euler - Corporate Communications Manager
0423 786 672
josh.euler@balonne.qld.gov.au
The following motions were submitted by Balonne Shire Council calling on the LGAQ to lobby State and Federal governments:
YOUTH JUSTICE – Many Queensland communities are currently feeling the impact of juvenile crime.
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to further amend the Youth Justice Act 1992 to remove or amend Schedule 1 - Charter of Youth Justice Principles no. 18 and 19. relating to detention of a child in custody, for an offence, being only as a last resort.
WASTE STRATEGY – The increasing costs of environment compliance for landfill and waste are becoming a significant financial challenge for small Councils.
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to provide greater differentiation for rural and remote councils in meeting increasing environmental compliance costs for landfill and waste by increasing timeframes, funding and adopting a tiered level of compliance standards in recognition of smaller councils’ inability to pay and the relatively low impact per km2 of environmental impact of waste on small populations.
GROWING REGIONS FUND CO-CONTRIBUTIONS
Motion
The LGAQ calls on State and Federal governments to limit the co-contribution requirements for grant funding programs (including the Growing Regions Program) to 10 per cent or less, for local government areas classified as regional, rural or remote, which have limited capacity to raise or increase own source revenue outside current rating streams.
WATER BUY BACKS – Water is an extremely important topic in our region and we’ve all witnessed the kind of financial and social devastation water buy-backs can create in our region.
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the Federal Government to not solely use water buybacks to recover water for the Murray Darling Basin targets, noting that an equitable triple bottom line approach is important for sustainable Queensland communities.
QUARRIES/GRAVEL PITS
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to give the highest priority to expediting solutions for the renewal of quarry sales permits or the granting of new permits that comply with the Native Title Act 1993 (NTA).
These solutions to ensure that where Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs)
are required:
• There is continued access to existing quarries whilst ILUAs are being negotiated.
• The cost of negotiating ILUAs is borne by the State Government.
• The ongoing costs arising from the conditions negotiated in the ILUAs are borne by the State Government such as, royalties and employment guarantees.
The process of establishing a non-claimant application on areas where there is no Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) needs to be initiated as a priority in all relevant areas.
The LGAQ calls on a coordinated approach by all relevant government agencies including Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to ameliorate the high costs that will be imposed on Councils resulting from the loss of access to existing quarries, that will not have adequate quarries available to them or are unable to have new quarries created.
LAND USE MANAGEMENT
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to add a land use management classification for carbon farming for valuation purposes.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK FOR COUNCILS
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to provide further assistance to small, rural and remote councils to implement the Financial Sustainability Framework.
WILD DOG BARRIER FENCE
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to maintain and fully fund the Queensland Wild Dog Barrier Fence for biosecurity purposes.
The following motions were submitted by members of the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, of which Balonne Shire Council is a member. The specific motions included:
AUSTRALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the Federal Government to improve regional banking services by preventing the further closures of banks, taking immediate action to address discriminatory lending practices that unfairly target regional and remote areas based on postcode and advocating for responsible banking practices that ensure equitable access to banking services for all communities.
AMALGAMATION OF RURAL PROPERTIES
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to urgently progress amendments to the Land Valuation Act 2010 that seek to make the amalgamation of land parcels for valuation purposes, an applicant led process.
RATE ARREARS FOR RESOURCE COMPANIES
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State Government to take immediate action to address the issue of unpaid rates on mining leases within local government areas by:
1. Amending legislation to establish the mandatory payment of rates to local authorities as an obligation for all mining lease holders.
2. Directly engaging in discussions with relevant mining companies on behalf of affected councils to resolve local authority rate arrears promptly and ensure fair financial responsibility, at no cost to councils.
MOBILE BLACK SPOTS
Motion
The LGAQ calls on the State and Federal governments to ensure reliable access to telecommunications infrastructure/services and improved mobile coverage in urban, regional and rural areas, by:
• mandating all mobile phone carriers to properly address and resolve key mobile black spots within shorter timeframes;
• revising the funding approval process for the Mobile Black Spot Program to include a sign off from the local government area that the infrastructure proposed will be located in as part of the process;
• increasing funding for connectivity in regional areas, in particular narrowing black spot coverage areas;
• applying and ensuring telecommunication providers comply with a Community Service Obligation (CSO)/ Universal Service Obligation (USO) when supplying publicly-funded communications infrastructure/services, whether partially or wholly funded.