New councils map their own destinies

Noosa, Livingstone, Mareeba and Douglas Councils will put their challenges directly to the Government when Local Government Minister David Crisafulli visits this week.

Mr Crisafulli said the Councils were all tackling the big issues of their communities and it was important for him to learn of them firsthand.

“To wind back the destruction of Labor’s forced amalgamations, wherever viable, was one of this government’s major election commitments and the transition of these councils is proof we’ve delivered,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“The challenge for these councils now is to build on the strong community support and create organisations that are both responsible and viable.”

Mr Crisafulli listed possible boundary changes, planning decisions such as height restrictions, and infrastructure upgrades as some of the pressing issues that councils would have to prioritise.

“Councils will map their communities’ futures and we will continue to support them as they choose the best direction,” he said.

Mr Crisafulli said the councils led by Noosa’s Noel Playford,  Livingstone’s Bill Ludwig, Mareeba’s Tom Gilmore and Douglas’s Julia Leu had all brought down their budgets in the first month as required by legislation.

“The State has made it clear our vision is to grow a strong economy while preserving the things that make individual communities special,” he said.

“We will work at a grassroots level to ensure this occurs.”

The visits come less than two years after Mr Crisafulli met each of Queensland’s then-73 councils on their home turf.

[ENDS] 18 February 2014

Media Contact: Andrew Longmire 0418 216 627