Mayor Keith Campbell - Economic Development Portfolio Report - 14 June 2017

Regional Innovation Hub

The State Government recently announced the Regional Innovation Program which is only available to 12 Queensland Regional Areas one of which is the Wide Bay Burnett.

This program presents the opportunity to build upon innovation in the South Burnett by working with Red Earth Foundation and in conjunction with other Wide Bay Burnett Councils through Wide Bay Regional Organisation of Councils (WBBROC).

Senior Economic Development Officer

Craig Tunley, Council's new Senior Economic Development Officer commenced on 29 May 2017.  Since commencement, Craig has not been pinned down to his office, rather out making introductions to economic development and tourism staff members (and volunteers), meeting business and community leaders across the South Burnett region and attending presentations, including Disaster Recovery Training, Wide Bay Burnett Regional Jobs & Investment Package and potential investors.

Craig has met with business leaders in Kingaroy, Nanango, Proston, Murgon, Wondai and Blackbutt and attended the Murgon Business Development Association (MBDA) Breakfast.

Economic Development Strategy

South Burnett Directions and Councillors attended a workshop earlier in the year to review the Economic Development Strategy.  Results from this workshop have been collated and are being considered by Craig Tunley in development of a new Economic Development Strategy.

Wide Bay Burnett Regional Jobs & Investment Package

Deborah Mead, Regional Manager at AusIndustry completed a presentation for the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Jobs & Investment Package in Kingaroy on Tuesday 6 June 2017.  The presentation provided an overview of the program, including eligibility criteria, three (3) streams for applications and process for the funding decisions.

This program is a tremendous opportunity for regional Economic Development in South Burnett and businesses/NFPs are encouraged to make application.  For proposals seeking formal Council approvals or financial assistance, please contact Council's Senior Economic Development Officer, Craig Tunley for economic data and assistance with project business cases.

Wide Bay Regional Organisation of Councils (WBBROC)

The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Council of Mayors, Deputy Mayors and CEO’s met at Parliament House in Brisbane on 25 May to conduct its quarterly meeting.  The May and November Meetings are now held in Brisbane to coincide with  Parliamentary Sittings to enable regional Mayors to hold update briefings with relevant Ministers responsible for some of the initiatives that have been selected by WBBROC.  Sitting top of the agenda in these discussions is the development of a strong economic focus.  Relative to the South Burnett, heavy emphasis was made of the need for water to grow the economic performance of our agricultural industries as well as secure water for urban usage.  This is also a prime need for North Burnett and Bundaberg as well.  A long term solution to water proof the entire Wide Bay Region is the aim, however, in order to achieve this a well-developed proposal needs to be presented in order to attract State Government and Federal Government funding support. 

Other issues of regional significance spoken about to Ministers are ongoing support for telecommunication Blackspot funding; Regional Innovation initiatives; support for Dengue Mosquito Surveillance and Eradication; fast-tracking of funding for section D of the Bruce Highway; and decentralisation of Government into the regions to occupy unused Council owned or privately owned buildings.  Briefing interviews were conducted with Mark Furner Minister for Local Government, Mark Bailey Minister for Main Road, Road Safety and Ports and Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply; Anthony Lynham Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines and Dr Jeanette Young in the absence of Cameron Dick Minister for Health and Ambulance Services.  The next meeting of WBBROC will be held in Maryborough in August, followed by the November meeting which will be held in Brisbane to coincide with the Parliamentary sitting.

The WBBROC consists of six local governments – South Burnett, North Burnett, Cherbourg, Gympie, Bundaberg and Fraser Coast.  It occupies 48,600 sq kms and is home to 284,000 people.  Of the land mass 80% is rural and accommodates 20% of the population.  The 80% of the population is concentrated in five major centres of Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Gympie and Kingaroy.