Forty-five rural and remote councils have entered into a renewed agreement with the Queensland Government to support stronger partnership when addressing issues facing the their communities.
The updated Rural and Remote Councils Compact was formally signed in Blackall on 14 August.
The Compact supports better alignment between state and local government decision-making, with a focus on improved engagement, greater transparency, funding certainty and support to build council capability.
Queensland Minister for Local Government and Water, Ann Leahy, said that the agreement recognised the unique challenges of rural and remote communities, and strengthened the partnership between the State Government and Queensland’s councils.
“The State Government acknowledges the vital work of Queensland’s councils in every corner of the state, especially in rural and remote communities,” Leahy said.
“The renewed agreement is about listening to these councils and working with them so they can deliver the fresh start their communities deserve.”
Compact Guardians chair Blackall-Tambo Mayor, Andrew ‘Marto’ Martin, said that the signing recognised the importance of rural and remote areas having a voice to Queensland Government.
“The Rural and Remote Councils Compact benefits both rural and remote communities and the State Government because it means there is a clear voice directly on the ground working hand in glove with the government on their plans and decisions that could impact our communities,” Mayor Martin said.
“The people of Queensland’s rural and remote regions are a sensible lot and giving them a voice directly to decision makers means we all end up with better outcomes.
“An issue that may not appear on the radar in William Street could be standing out as plain as day from Cameron Corner to the Cape, but unless you have a safeguard in place like the Rural and Remote Compact, it might not get raised in time to head off an unintended consequence.”
Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) President, Mayor Matt Burnett, said that the agreement reinforced the voice of rural and remote Queensland communities, critical in Queensland, Australia’s most decentralised mainland state.
“The Guardians have an incredible track record of making sure rural and remote voices are heard by government and acted upon to improve liveability in communities across a vast part of our state,” Mayor Burnett said.
LGAQ Chief Executive Officer, Alison Smith, said that the compact provided a vital voice for Queensland communities.
“We are pleased to see this initiative renewed, as its work to date has frequently focused on recognising that not every part of our state is the same, and that often a more bespoke response is needed for rural and remote communities in order to prevent unintended consequences.”
