General News
9 April, 2025
North West mayors united in push for region
The North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils gathered in Brisbane last week.
Aviation woes, road funding, tourism, CopperString and floods were some of the major talking points as 11 councils from across the region gathered in Brisbane last week for a delegation of the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils.
Etheridge Shire mayor Barry Hughes is the chair of NWQROC and said the two-day gathering in Queensland Parliament had proven to be worthwhile.
“I think it really proves the point that can’t put your hand up in the North West of the state and expect someone in Brisbane to take notice of you,” he said.
“The only way to do it is to do exactly how it was done last week.
“The ROCs have been doing that forever, and I think last week was one of the most successful ROC delegations in Brisbane that I have been a part of.
“Whether it’s because of a new government ... that certainly played a role, but I think I’m part of a ROC that is focused on the economic benefits we need to push and get a fair share to flow back our way.
“That was one of the very strong messages that went through while we were in Brisbane.”
Councils in attendance included Flinders, Richmond, McKinlay, Cloncurry, Mount Isa, Carpentaria, Burke, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Croydon and Etheridge.
Cr Hughes said the purpose of the delegation was to push for policy and projects that would benefit all of the region, not just one individual council.
“One of the strong points of the ROC is the cohesiveness across the board with the issues that are being faced and the strategies that need to be put in place,” he said.
“That includes pushing solutions across the desk for the ministers and the director-generals and chiefs of staff.
“I think what puts us in a really good position is the fact that we’re part of the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils and, with 24 councils represented, that is a big chunk of the state and that gives us the capacity to leverage off the issues that are facing not only our ROC, but the Central West and the South West as well.”
Ironically, Etheridge Shire is the only council in the NWQROC that doesn’t have a commercial airline service, although Cr Hughes said that didn’t stop him and the ROC from asking the hard questions around Rex.
The ROC met with the Rex administrator and Rex officials on Wednesday, before talking over alternative options with Traeger MP Robbie Katter on Thursday.
“My personal opinion is that it needs to be sorted sooner rather than later,” Cr Hughes said of the Rex situation.
“The longer this drags on, the more uncertainty it creates in the market space. And when I talk about the market space, I’m mostly referring to the consumer.
“Whilst the government is propping Rex up, I think (routes) need to be opened up ASAP in regard to competition in the market space and getting a better handle on knowing what is out there in the corporate world that can be part of the solution to get continuity and security around air transport.”
Cr Hughes said the Rex administrator gave the ROC “nothing we could really hang our hat on” in terms of outcomes and timelines.
“There’s always smoke and mirrors when it comes to information sharing, especially at critical stages like the whole Rex situation,” he told North West Weekly.
“I did glean that we’re getting towards the end of the process that is taking place right now.
“I would expect that within the next six to eight months that there will be something a little bit more structurally sound in terms of what the future holds.
Cr Hughes said some meetings were understandably cancelled due to flooding in the Outback.
“There was a black cloud hanging over the whole gathering in terms of what was unfolding out west with the flood situation and the disaster that continues to evolve,” he said.
“However, I think we are in a good place and we’re working with a government that has empathy for the bush.”
