From the Mayor’s Desk – 10 June 2025

Published on 10 June 2025

From the Mayor’s Desk – 10 June 2025

Time to have your say - Inland Rail revised draft EIS

After many delays and much anticipation, I’m pleased to see the Queensland Government finally progressing the Inland Rail Border to Gowrie project. Works on the North Star to Border section are already under way, and as the project continues to progress north, our region is poised to see increased activity and opportunity across our communities.

I am urging residents to ensure their voices are heard by taking part in the public consultation process that is open now. This is our chance to shape how this project impacts our community, our region and our future, and I strongly encourage all residents to take part and share their views.

Submissions on the revised draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Border to Gowrie section are open until Monday 7 July 2025. You can view the documents and have your say at https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/inlandrail-b2g

Council has also been pushing the government to enter the process of voluntary negotiations with landowners regarding any necessary partial acquisitions of properties, ahead of the compulsory process commencing. The government needs to ensure that landowners are at the centre of negotiations, and that dedicated support is available to any residents affected during this process.

• For more information, visit: https://inlandrail.com.au/qld-border-to-gowrie-section-update-may-2025/

   

  Community consultation, confidence needed ahead of 2026 Basin Plan Review

  My fellow Councillors, Council officers and I also recently met with representatives from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) as part of the lead-up to the 2026 Basin Plan Review.

  The meeting included key stakeholders from Border Rivers Food and Fibre (BRFF) and senior officials from the MDBA, and served as a preliminary step in preparing for the rollout of broader consultation for the statutory 10-year review.

  Council took this opportunity to highlight that water – and therefore the Basin Plan - is of immense importance to the Goondiwindi Region, given the significant role it plays in our local economy and community wellbeing. Adaptive management of the Murray-Darling Basin is of course important, ensuring opportunity to reflect on lessons learned, what’s working and what might need to change.

  However, over the past three decades, our region has experienced ongoing disruption and uncertainty due to continuing changes in water policy. These fluctuations have significantly affected both community and investor confidence.

  I made it very clear that any proposed changes to the Basin Plan must be grounded in science and driven by genuine community need, not by political drivers or arbitrary targets. BRFF Executive Officer John Shannon also shared and emphasised this view: people's lives, livelihoods, and the future sustainability of our communities are directly impacted by these decisions, and that human element must remain central to the conversation.

  One encouraging takeaway from the meeting was the assurance from the MDBA that the Basin Plan Review will not feature change for the sake of change - they made it clear that there is no default position to revise existing settings unless justified, and any modifications must be supported by evidence.

  From Council’s perspective, this is ultimately about the future of our region - protecting jobs and ensuring sustainable communities.

• For more information, visit: https://www.mdba.gov.au/publications-and-data/publications/roadmap-2026-basin-plan-review-0

Goondiwindi Customs House Museum celebrates 50 years

Congratulations to the Customs House Museum on 50 years of preserving and celebrating our region’s heritage. Celebrations over the weekend included displays of traditional trades like leatherwork, blacksmithing, quilting and coopering, as well as the fantastic new Army Memorabilia display in the old caretaker’s cottage. I understand more than 400 people attended. Well done to all those who helped make the day such a success, with live music, stalls and great food bringing all that history to life.