South Burnett Mayor Challenges all Candidates for Wide Bay, Flynn and Maranoa on Election Commitments
All candidates for the seats of Maranoa, Wide Bay and Flynn have been called on to say what they will deliver for the South Burnett region by the South Burnett Regional Council Mayor, Brett Otto.
“In the federal election campaign so far, we have not heard a single commitment about upgrading services and infrastructure in the South Burnett,” said Mayor Otto.
“I’m here today to challenge candidates to front up and tell us what they will do for the families and businesses of the South Burnett.”
“Our votes count as much as those in the leafy city suburbs, but the campaign trail hardly ever reaches us.
“Promising a ‘better future’ or a ‘stronger future’ or ‘freedom’ is very nice but what does it mean here on the ground in the South Burnett?
“The South Burnett needs federal funds for transport and water infrastructure, medical specialists and mental health programs. We deserve equal telecommunications services to that available in cities.”
Mayor Otto said that the South Burnett was a low socio-economic region with great potential for agricultural production and value-adding.
“We’re looking for candidates with practical vision who are prepared to make commitments to projects like those outlined in Council’s Advocacy Action Plan,” said the Mayor.
Key priorities of the South Burnett Action Plan include: -
- Improved community and mental health services
- Increase in agricultural water supply and reliability
- Continued Commonwealth investment in major connecting freight routes to enable product to reach export markets via Bundaberg Port, Wellcamp Airport or Brisbane
- Increase funding by 10% from Roads to Recovery and the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Programmes
- Support for renewable energy projects, investment in the food manufacturing and processing sector and improve the usage of the Kingaroy Airport
- Transform Kingaroy as a 'Smart Country Hub' with investment in QCN fibre, a purpose sited ABC rebroadcast tower, and a minimum of two new mobile phone towers in the South Burnett as part of the Mobile Blackspot Program.
“Since 1996, local government costs have increased over 400% while the value of the Financial Assistance Grant from the Federal Government has fallen from 1% of Commonwealth tax revenue to just 0.55%. Our ratepayers have lower incomes but the demand for both infrastructure and operational spending is higher per person.”
Mayor Otto said that the rural people of the South Burnett are all too often forgotten by government and deserve a “fair go” in providing for the future.
