From the Mayor’s Desk – 13 May 2025

Published on 13 May 2025

Investment confidence in the Goondiwindi Region continues to grow

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with several individuals and groups who recognise the region’s potential for business expansion and the establishment of new enterprises. Their enthusiasm underscores the confidence in our local economy and the numerous advantages our region has to offer.

One such visit was from former Queensland Chief Entrepreneur Steve Baxter who, as well as Council, met with a number of local investors this past Monday. He also spoke with the Goondiwindi Young Guns group and was clearly impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit thriving in our community, particularly among our young people. It was a great opportunity to showcase our region’s strengths and explore future opportunities for the kinds of growth and innovation our region is becoming known for.

Goondiwindi Show shows we are Regional Australia at Its Best

It was a pleasure to attend the Goondiwindi Show this fortnight and see firsthand the excellent range of exhibits and competitions on offer, as well as outstanding trade displays. The quality of entries across all categories truly reflects the hard work, dedication, and talent of our local community. Congratulations to all competitors and exhibitors on putting together such an impressive showcase. A special congratulations, too, to the Goondiwindi P&A Show Society. Organising an event of this scale is no small feat, and their tireless effort behind the scenes is what makes the Show such a success.

I’d also like to acknowledge the Aspects Art Show Committee for delivering what I understand was a packed and vibrant opening night ahead of the main Show. These events are a real credit to our region, and we now look forward to the Texas Show on the 26 and 27 July - another opportunity to celebrate local talent and community spirit.

Red Tape Reduction Taskforce to help ease state regulation on local councils

Over the past fortnight, I had the opportunity to contribute to the Queensland Government’s new Local Government Red Tape Reduction Taskforce, which gives councils the opportunity to recommend areas where unnecessary state regulation and administrative burden can be reduced. The goal is to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and better serve our communities.

While regulations may be introduced with good intentions, in practice, they can often impose costs that outweigh their benefits, particularly for smaller councils. The Taskforce is due to deliver a report on its findings to the state government in June, and I look forward to seeing practical outcomes that will help councils like ours focus on what matters most: delivering for our communities.

Goondiwindi Region visitor season kicks off – can you lend a hand?

You may have noticed the increase of caravans and intrastate vehicles traversing our region in the past few weeks, as our region’s main visitor season gets underway. The visitor economy is a key industry in our region, generating over $51 million in sales in 2022-23. Council is proud to continue to support local tourism by promoting the Goondiwindi Region as a must-visit destination, as well as supporting local tourism businesses, operating local Visitor Information Centres, developing promotional material and funding events and activities across the region.

I’d like to give a shout-out to the small team of volunteers who generously give their time and knowledge at the Goondiwindi Visitor Information Centre (VIC). Their role ensures the nearly 8,000 visitors who stop in the Goondiwindi VIC each year feel welcome and informed, which in turn supports many local businesses across the tourism, hospitality and related sectors. If you’re interested in supporting your community by volunteering at the VIC, please contact Council at visit@grc.qld.gov.au.

2025–26 Budget Preparation is well under way

Council officers, my fellow Councillors, and I are currently in the final stages of preparing the 2025–26 Budget, which will be finalised and adopted at the end of June. As ever, our priority will remain the efficient and cost-effective delivery of Council’s core service and responsibilities, while aiming to keep rates as low as possible. This is against a background of significant cost increases, as well as the continuing challenge of ageing infrastructure such as water mains – the replacement and upgrade of the McLean Street water main in Goondiwindi is one such project that we know needs to be prioritised, and will likely be a complex, multi-year undertaking. There are also more than $4 million in Texas sewerage infrastructure improvements planned in the coming few years. This will be a tremendous investment in Texas sewerage infrastructure, and certainly the biggest spend I’ve seen in my five years as Mayor.

Renewing ageing infrastructure is essential to ensuring the long-term delivery of high-quality services for our residents – but these projects come with substantial costs. It’s more important than ever to plan responsibly, invest strategically, and ensure every dollar we spend delivers genuine value to our communities, both now and into the future.