From the Mayor's Desk - 1 September 2026
Published on 01 September 2026
Community Cabinet visit a success
It’s been an incredibly busy few days with Community Cabinet in our region, and we thank Premier David Crisafulli and his Ministers for their commitment to listening to regional Queenslanders and hearing directly about the issues that matter to our communities.
I lost count of the number of times over the visit that I received positive comments about the clean, tidy and welcoming nature of the community. This isn’t by accident, and the Council team, in partnership with locals, all do their bit. We should be proud of what we have created together and take every opportunity to celebrate how exceptional this community is.
Community Cabinet provides an important opportunity for residents, businesses, community organisations and local government to have direct conversations with decision-makers about the challenges and opportunities facing our region. We were pleased to see a number of important local issues discussed during the visit, and we expect the conversations held over the past few days will lead to further announcements and ongoing engagement in the months ahead.
Advocacy continues around renewable energy impacts on local communities
Last Monday, my fellow Councillors and I welcomed the CEO of the Clean Energy Council (and former Deputy Premier of Queensland) Jackie Trad on a visit to our region. Following a meeting in Goondiwindi, Ms Trad toured parts of our region to gain a firsthand understanding of how proposed renewable energy developments impact local communities.
As the peak body for Australia’s renewable energy industry, the Clean Energy Council plays an influential role in shaping industry standards and engaging directly with project proponents. The visit therefore provided an important opportunity to reinforce Council’s advocacy for stronger community outcomes, including ensuring host communities receive meaningful economic benefits from the projects they host.
It bears repeating that I, like many in our region, share concerns around the policy direction of renewables. That said, it is critical that we advocate for the communities impacted to receive the long-term and ongoing economic uplift they deserve, when and if a project proceeds. I also want to reiterate that local governments do not approve large scale renewable projects, this is the role of the Queensland government.
Inglewood hosts Council’s August Ordinary Meeting
I’d like to thank the community members who came by and joined us for the Council meeting and morning tea at the Inglewood Civic Centre last Wednesday for Council’s August Ordinary Meeting. We were joined by school leaders and students from Inglewood State School and St Maria Goretti School. It was fabulous to have them sit alongside and learn more about how council operates and the types of discussion and decision making that occurs within local government. We also had an opportunity post the official duties, to open the floor to the students where there was strong interest about the upcoming investment in a local bike track and the new gym facilities at the Inglewood Macintyre Sports Complex. It is always heartening to engage with the next generation and explore what is important to them.
It was also a pleasure to welcome representatives from the Australian Large Scale Model Inc to present an appreciation acknowledgement to Council in recognition of its willingness to work alongside the organisers and welcome the event to the community. The group has been bringing its events to Inglewood for around five years and continues to go from strength to strength, with participant numbers growing and the organisers committed to making Inglewood the long-term home of the event. The event provides a valuable boost to the local community, attracting visitors to the region and generating significant local spending across accommodation, supplies, cafes and other businesses. It is a great example of the benefits that can come from Council and community organisations working together to attract and support events in our region.
A reminder that Council has committed to hosting Ordinary Meetings outside of Goondiwindi every six months, alternating between Inglewood and Texas. As such, the next Ordinary Meeting outside of Goondiwindi will likely be in March next year in Texas – more information will be shared closer to the time.
Congratulations to Goondiwindi Emus Men’s A Grade and Goondiwindi Hawk teams
Congratulations to the Goondiwindi Emus Men’s A Grade team on winning the 2026 RDO Risdon Cup, defeating the Roma Echidnas 38–20 to secure a record-breaking 17th premiership.
The Men’s B Grade side narrowly went down to St George 29–26 in a thrilling game. While the result wasn’t the one you were hoping for, you should still all be very proud of the season you’ve had, and representing our region on the Darling Downs stage is a fantastic achievement.
I was fortunate to present medals on the day to members of the Darling Downs Rugby Referees Association, without whom there simply is no competition.
I’d also like to wish the three Goondiwindi Hawks, Australian Football League (AFL) teams the best of the luck for their grand finals this coming weekend. To have three of the four teams make the finals is an exceptional achievement and showcases the talent, but also commitment from all involved.
Not your average fairy tale – Shrek Jr gets the green light
Congratulations to the cast, crew and families of St Mary’s School on their outstanding production of Shrek Jr. the Musical. The team put on a hugely impressive four performances from Thursday through Saturday, an enormous undertaking and a huge achievement. The dedication and talent on display made it a resounding success, bringing beloved characters like Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Dragon to life with incredible costumes, big laughs and strong community support.
The team did a wonderful job promoting and getting the community involved in the lead-up, too - a real job well-done.
Council is proud to support this event through the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Program, a Queensland Government and local government partnership to support arts and cultural activities across the state. For more information on this program, visit: http://www.grc.qld.gov.au/News.../Donations-and-Grants/RADF
The sky’s the limit in Texas – Up, Up & Away!
Over in Texas, the sky was the limit for residents and young theatregoers, with a high-energy cabaret performance of Up, Up and Away! on Saturday, and a terrific opportunity for young people to work directly with the professional performers in a fun workshop ahead of the show.
The show and workshop were presented by Candy Shop Show Australia Entertainment, a fully independent touring entertainment company from Brisbane on their regional tour. The Friday workshop gave local young performers the rare opportunity to hone their skills with the professionals, learning dance, singing and drama skills in a supportive and creative environment that gave a very valuable insight into what goes on behind the scenes.
I am very grateful that Council is able to support this event through the RADF. For more information, visit: http://www.grc.qld.gov.au/News.../Donations-and-Grants/RADF