From the Mayor’s Desk - 22nd April 2024

Wet Weather

I want to acknowledge our western residents who have been impacted by flood waters over the past fortnight, with extended periods of road closures. We recognise the impact of flooding on the lives and businesses in the region. Once again, the saturated road corridors have Council assessing conditions and developing a list of road repairs across the region. I can assure you that Council continues to advocate for state and federal governments to not just patch roads but to fund them being engineered and built to a higher standard.

The recent rain has also put pressure on the local mowing programs. Between national, state and sealed rural roads it is just over 1450km that Council is responsible for mowing. This is in addition to the many other parks, open spaces, walkways and Council assets we maintain. I assure the community that the team are diligently working to get to your area as soon as possible, and we appreciate your patience. If you have concerns about a particular area, you can also contact Council's Customer Service team to raise Council’s awareness of the location.

Carbon capture in the Great Artesian Basin is incredibly risky

Several weeks ago, I met with the Queensland Premier and other representatives to express our concerns regarding proposed carbon capture and storage in the Great Artesian Basin.

The carbon capture and storage proposal comes from a mining company seeking to inject and store hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide from a coal-fired power station into the deep Precipice Aquifer. Converting carbon gas into a liquid and storing it within an active water supply is extraordinarily risky.

More than one hundred towns rely either solely or partially on Great Artesian Basin bores for water consumption. None of the Goondiwindi Regional Council bores are drawing town water from the Precipice Aquifer, therefore they will not be directly affected. However, the Goondiwindi Region’s immediate concern are the graziers and livestock producers who have a licence to access water from this aquifer.

At its meeting this week Council will be considering a report regarding a submission to the senate enquiry into this matter.

Inglewood CBD upgrades in progress

Residents of Inglewood would have noticed pathway repairs on the main street. Council received $90,000 from the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland (W4Q) program to undertake these improvements. This W4Q funding has allowed Council to invest in necessary core upgrades in Inglewood, providing an opportunity to improve safety and aesthetics in this high-foot-traffic area. These works are complimented by fourteen replacement bins that have been installed throughout the Inglewood CBD.

Special Mayor’s Forum Attendance

Along with Goondiwindi Regional Council's CEO, Mr Carl Manton, I attended the Queensland Mayor's Forum last week. Following the recent local government elections, 44 new mayors were elected, so there were numerous new faces. I look forward to working alongside my new and returning mayoral colleagues.

This event included the Premier, Deputy Premier and numerous senior Queensland government officials and ministers.  I therefore took the opportunity to discuss matters of significant importance to our community with the Premier, Deputy Premier and others.

Communities across Queensland are facing a number of challenges, from soaring costs to community safety and access to funding for critical infrastructure. Councils need to develop and maintain working relationships across all levels of government that allow for open and honest communication focused on achieving outcomes for our communities.