General News
29 May, 2024
North West mayors heading to Canberra armed with masterplan for region
What began as a consultation has grown into an unprecedented collaboration between North West mayors.
More than $300 million worth of shovel-ready project funding will be sought from federal government ministers next week when a delegation of North West mayors unveil a long-awaited and unprecedented “back to basics” strategy.
The Enabling Infrastructure Masterplan, which is available from today, is the result of more than nine months of collaboration between all 11 member councils of the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) and economic consultants, AEC Group Research.
With the Albanese and Miles governments promoting policy platforms reliant on significant growth across the critical minerals and renewable sectors in our region, North West mayors believe the time is right to highlight the need for increased funding for the fundamental services, such as roads, housing, water storage and telecommunications, which will be required to support future economic planning.
NWQROC members call this the “back to basics” campaign and it is the first-time local government in the North West has created a collective document to lobby for whole of region change.
The report details the status of 34 priority shovel-ready projects across the North West, requiring $300 million in funding shortfalls, as well as more than 170 other infrastructure proposals that councils believe will lay the foundation to meet government “big ticket” policy aspirations.
Armed with the masterplan fresh off the printers, a delegation of nine councillors and NWQROC staff will journey to the corridors of federal parliament on June 5 and 6 to meet with a host of key decision-makers, including the offices of Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King, Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland, Minister for Regional Development Kristy McBain and Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt.
The masterplan was devised after it was identified during consultation on the state government’s renewable energy zones last year that new industries and increased workforce population could only be achieved in the North West if there was adequate basic community services in place that was attractive to families and private investment.
It was through these discussions that NWQROC members saw a window of opportunity to investigate and detail how the long-held infrastructure needs of North West councils aligned with the “big ticket” policy aspirations of the Miles and Albanese Governments
NWQROC executive director Greg Hoffman said the masterplan aimed to highlight the importance basic local infrastructure needs in any nationwide future planning.
He said with state and federal elections to be held in the next 12 months, the North West was in a unique position to lobby for long held infrastructure priorities.
“Now the state and federal government are ramping up their support of renewables as well as the critical minerals industry and supporting the business opportunities that will flow on from this, there is no doubt there is a huge amount of infrastructure development that will take place over the next 10 to 20 years,” Mr Hoffman said.
“But we have to ask ourselves – what is going to be done about maintaining and improving the fundamental services required at the community level to support this expected growth?
“Through this report, councils are saying they support the direction of the state and federal governments and recognise the opportunities for the region but what can’t be ignored is the impacts this will have on the communities that are already here in the North West.
“We need to ensure there is the enabling infrastructure for not only the current population but also any expanded population.
“We need to take a step back and go back to basics to consider the infrastructure that will be required to support the welcomed expansion in the region.”
Authors of the masterplan have identified five “big picture” policy issues that are a priority for the current Queensland and Australian governments.
The report states the North West will be “ground zero” in state and federal delivery of renewable energy transition, critical mineral development, natural disaster resilience, economic diversification and Closing the Gap.
According to the report, North West Queensland is primed to gain significantly from these policy aspirations, with our region often discussed as being the breeding ground for new mineral extraction, new irrigation projects and increased economic participation for indigenous populations.
However, the report authors state the ability of the North West to fully deliver on its potential in these policy areas will require all tiers of government to collaborate on a strategy that ensures the basic underpinning infrastructure of the community, such as access to transport, housing, bulk water, energy transmission and telecommunications, will be maintained and upgraded over the coming decades.
NWQROC will use the Canberra delegation and planned trip to Queensland Parliament later in the year to lobby for the establishment of a formal partnership between federal, state and local governments.
Mr Hoffman said NWQROC would lobby for such a partnership to include the creation of a program of works for North West infrastructure development over the next decade.
“It is about time that governments look to how they approach planning and investment decisions,” he said.
“We want to have a discussion about pursuing a collaborative approach where all tiers of government sit at the table to see what work has already been done and then decide on a path forward.
“We want to work with the state and federal governments on providing solutions.
“We think we are taking a very mature approach. Let’s be smarter about how planning decisions are made.”
NWQROC chair and Carpentaria Shire mayor Jack Bawden said the masterplan presented a united front for the North West.
“For the past 20 or so years everyone has sat around saying ‘we need this’ or ‘we need that’ and nothing concrete ever came of it,” he told North West Weekly.
“We have to change the style of thinking in government departments – they like to boast about developing northern Australia but it’s just a word game at the moment – are they serious about it? If they are, they need to encourage growth and support the industries that are already in the north.
“We want Canberra to listen. We need them to listen to our views and acknowledge the North West is a pretty important spoke in the wheel for Australia – not just Queensland, but for all of Australia.
“But we can’t reach the full potential without a leg up.
“The councils are all united as a group. We all have our silos of different wants and needs but with the big picture stuff, like this document covers, we are one voice and that won’t change. We firmly believe that what we have come up with is right and correct – and no one will change our mind on that.
“It is now just a matter of convincing state and federal government that we are correct.”