Capricorn Coast Regional Council & Rockhampton Regional Council
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Capricorn Coast Regional Council & Rockhampton Regional Council a Partnership Approach for Sound Regional Governance Unity and strength with community of interest representation De-amalgamation Submission to the Queensland Boundary Commissioner August 2012 Contents CCIM Message 2 Preface . 3 Response to Boundary Commission Questions 6 Bernard Salt - A Precis 11 Capricorn Coast - A Regional Growth Centre . .13 Financial Viability Analysis 14 Livingstone/Capricorn Coast Regional Council Profile in the Regional Context 19 Economic Development 21 Optimum Service Delivery 30 Optimum Governance Model 35 Communities of Interest 37 Amalgamation Impacts on Community Services . .44 Capricorn Coast Independence Movement Environmental Management 47 PO Box 309 Yeppoon Qld 4703 Contact: Paul Lancaster, Chairman Appendices . .54 Phone: 07 4939 7840 Email: [email protected] Contact: Cr Bill Ludwig Phone: 0428 791 792 Email: [email protected] 1 CCIM Message The two primary objectives that will be achieved by restoring an independent Capricorn Coast Regional Council are as follows. The first is to restore the fundamental and basic democratic rights of every community to make their own decisions about determining their future, and setting their own priorities while considering the broader Regional context. The second, and equally important, is delivering a better model of Local Government to provide for sound decision making, while empowering our business, industry and primary producers with a better focussed and a more inclusive ‘grassroots’ foundation from which to promote and enhance regional economic growth and prosperity. These combined objectives will ensure the proposed Capricorn Coast Regional Council area can realise and optimise its full potential in partnership with the greater Rockhampton area. Importantly this will also allow our community and the region to play a more pro-active role in assisting the new LNP State Government deliver its ‘four pillar’ policy for growing and revitalising the overall Queensland economy. 2 Preface The two primary objectives that will be achieved by A Better Model for Regional Governance restoring an independent Capricorn Coast Regional Council are as follows. Having two Councils working in partnership, Livingstone/ Capricorn Regional Council and Rockhampton Regional The first is to restore the fundamental and basic Council, is by far the ‘better’ model for Regional democratic rights of every community to make their Governance and future well-being and economic own decisions about determining their future, and prosperity in Central Queensland. setting their own priorities while considering the broader Regional context. In regions such as ours where there are common regional communities of interest as well differing The second, and equally important, is delivering a and diverse local communities of interest, it has been better model of Local Government to provide for sound internationally recognised that having two Councils decision making, while empowering our business, (Twin Cities Model) working collaboratively provides for industry and primary producers with a better focussed sound ‘regional’ decision-making in areas of economic and a more inclusive ‘grassroots’ foundation from which development and strategic infrastructure planning and to promote and enhance regional economic growth and provision, while promoting regional cultural diversity and prosperity. defining unique communities. These combined objectives will ensure the proposed A classic example of this on a larger scale in the South- Capricorn Coast Regional Council area can realise and East Corner of Queensland would be the City of Brisbane optimise its full potential in partnership with the greater and the City of the Gold Coast. Each supports the Rockhampton area. Importantly this will also allow our other economically while maintaining strongly defined community and the region to play a more pro-active role economic, social and cultural independence. in assisting the new LNP State Government deliver its ‘four pillar’ policy for growing and revitalising the overall Queensland economy. 3 The Regional Growth Centre De-amalgamation will ensure this downward trend does not continue, and Livingstone/Capricorn Coast is Prior to the forced amalgamations Livingstone Shire put back on-track where it needs to be to support and (Capricorn Coast) was recognised nationally as a vibrant contribute to the health of the wider regional economy. rapidly growing ‘sea-change’ community with solid and consistent growth well above the State statistical Currently the Livingstone/Capricorn Coast Region average. population is estimated at approximately 35,400 people. On these figures it is both sustainable and has the As anticipated, the forced amalgamation has resulted potential to meet the forecast growth targets of 59,000 in a Rockhampton Regional Council dominated by by 2031. Rockhampton Councillors. This has seen the new Council either scrap, sideline or delay many of the This solid and consistent growth has always defined critical social infrastructure and economic development Livingstone/Capricorn Coast as the population and projects previously in train under LSC. The effect of lifestyle growth centre of the region. As a major urban these actions has not only impacted negatively on the hub the Capricorn Coast also meets all the criteria for current community, but will also limit the Capricorn ‘city status’ in its own right, and has for many years been Coast’s ability to realise its full economic and growth the subject of National and International attention being potential into the future, thereby impacting negatively consistently rated as one of the top ten national ‘sea on the overall economic growth of the wider region. change’ destinations and investment ‘hot-spots’. This status must be pro-actively protected and maintained. This already noticeable downward trend in Livingstone’s forecast growth has been evidenced by recent OESR Livingstone/Capricorn Coast’s strategic economic growth statistics showing a marked decline in growth importance to the region’s economy is evidenced not from 3.2% and 3.8% in 2006 and 2007, to 1.7% and only by its historic strong growth, but just as importantly 1.5% in 2010 and 2011 respectively. While some of this by solid development investment. These developments decline may be attributed to an over-arching downward have encompassed a diverse mix of residential, trend in growth state-wide, this is the first time in more commercial, major integrated tourist facilities, and over than two decades the Livingstone Shire area has actually the past decade a significant expansion of light and fallen below the State average. medium industry. 4 Business, Tourism, General Industry Case and on community issues and ‘local area’ town planning Community of Interest Community Support matters. Importantly it will maintain the flexibility and innovative approaches to local service delivery for which Possibly the most important key element of this The business case for managing the exceptional Livingstone Shire had previously received both State and submission is the importance of preserving and development and investment growth on the Capricorn Federal recognition and awards. enhancing our social fabric, unique communities of Coast through Livingstone being independent remains interest and sense of place. This is best encapsulated in compelling. Regional Leadership the following comment provided by the Livingstone Youth Council in 2007. The business and economic case is further reinforced Livingstone/ Capricorn Coast has previously played a by a recognition of the importance of also retaining the pro-active role in local government reform within the “As a Youth Council and the future leaders of tomorrow Capricorn Coast’s established identity as the tourist and Central Queensland region. Those reforms involved we strongly contest the suggestion that LSC should recreation hub for the region. sweeping reviews of Council processes, procedures and amalgamate with Rockhampton and surrounding policies. They included structural reforms in the areas shires. Not only are we avid supporters of the sense of The support of the broader community for remaining of economic development, community development community but also the direction that the LSC is heading. independent was also clearly demonstrated by the and engagement, and a lead role in initiating ‘joined- Youth Council’s motto is ‘dedication to our generation’ overwhelming results of a shire-wide poll conducted by up government’ projects, with State and other Local and we believe that LSC gives us the support for this Council’s electoral returning officer prior to amalgamation Governments. motto to be a reality.” showing less than 16% support for amalgamation and strong support for remaining independent. This was Livingstone Shire was the first Local Government to take Sadly the Livingstone Youth Council and National again reinforced last year with a petition requesting de- a seat on the Regional Development Board, and also Award winning youth library were early casualties of the amalgamation which over a four month period attracted championed the joint membership of our Local Tourist amalgamation process. more than 10,500 signatures. Organisation/Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Tourist Authority which was subsequently adopted as a Creating Opportunities for Regional Business Units, regional model. Shared Services, and Innovation Livingstone Shire played a defining