THE ROADS AND TRANSPORT Progress Report 2014-15 THE ROADS AND TRANSPORT The Alliance acknowledges the assistance provided by the Queensland 194 Department of Transport and Main Roads and Regional Roads and Transport Number of projects Groups in compiling this report. supported this year through Roads and Transport Alliance Transport Infrastructure Development 17 Scheme funding. Regional Roads and Transport Groups across Queensland 85 representing Number of Regional Roads and Transport 65 Group meetings local councils. attended by Roads and Transport Alliance representatives. 22 Number of capability initiatives funded through the State-wide Capability Development Fund. 35,337kms Length of Local Roads of Regional Significance in Queensland. 3 years of 100% Roads and Transport Alliance Contents Transport Infrastructure Foreword 4 Development 1. Message from the Chair 5 Scheme 2. Who we are and what we do 6 expenditure. Number of media mentions of Roads3 Delivering and Transport in the community Alliance , Transport and/or Transport InfrastructureInfrastructure Development Development Scheme. Scheme projects 9 4 Supporting state-wide capability improvements 18 5 State-wide financial reports 24 110 6 Regional Roads and Transport Group profiles 28 Far North Queensland RRTG 30 North Queensland RRTG 31 North West Queensland RRTG 32 Whitsunday RRTG 33 Rockhampton RRTG 34 Bowen Basin RRTG 3536 Outback RRTG 36 Wide Bay Burnett RRTG 38 Gladstone RRTG 40 Brisbane Metro Alliance RRTG 41 Northern SEQ RRTG 42 Eastern Downs RRTG 43 Western Downs RRTG 44 Southern RRTG 45 Scenic Valleys RRTG 46 Southern Border RRTG 47 South West RRTG 48 7 Glossary 49 THE ROADS AND TRANSPORT Foreword allocative distribution to RRTGs to efficiencies and can deliver best- support effective forward planning, value outcomes. Support for a key tenet of the Alliance model. RRTGs seeking to build their capability is continued through Councils have also demonstrated the allocation of $600,000 per their commitment by matching year to the State-wide Capability the funding allocations ‘dollar for Development Fund. dollar’ while continuing to deliver a broad range of other infrastructure The Roads and Transport Alliance and services to their communities depends on the continuing efforts of We are proud to present the 2014- - often during periods of natural councils and the Department across 15 Annual Progress Report of the disaster reconstruction. Despite the all regions. Your active participation Roads and Transport Alliance. difficult circumstances and major in the Alliance through RRTGs The Alliance is the primary constraints placed on councils is vital to delivering a safer and mechanism for the State and during recent times, RRTGs have more efficient transport network for local governments to collaborate continued to deliver in the spirit of communities across Queensland in managing Queensland’s the Alliance. now and into the future. vast network of Local Roads of Regional Significance. Whilst our roads serve to We sincerely thank everybody who connect communities and has participated in, or contributed As the State continues to grow, transport people, goods and to the Alliance over the last 12 industry and the community expect services, the construction and months. We present this report to higher standards of safety, reliability, maintenance of our road network you in recognition of your efforts and efficiency from our roads and is also an important source of and ongoing commitment to the transport networks. Recognising local employment in many rural Alliance partnership. this, and acknowledging direct communities. This is why the requests from the Local Government State Government has committed Association of Queensland, to a $40 million Western Roads the State Government has Upgrade Program as part of its 4 Councillor Margaret de Wit demonstrated its strong support 2015 State Budget initiatives. for the Alliance by delivering President, Local Government Association of Queensland on a major election promise to The past year has seen a number increase Transport Infrastructure of Indigenous Councils participating The Honourable Mark Bailey MP Development Scheme (TIDS) more actively in the Alliance and Minister for Main Roads, Road funding by $60 million a year over we encourage the closer working Safety and Ports and Minister for two years. arrangements between Indigenous Energy and Water Supply Councils and RRTGs that have The State Government exceeded developed. For its part, the State October 2015. this commitment, bringing funding Government has confirmed its forward to 2015-2016 to provide continuing support for Indigenous support for local infrastructure and Councils with funding of $8.2 million jobs, at a time when jobs and job per year through Aboriginal and security are more important than Torres Strait Island (ATSI) TIDS. ever. The ongoing efforts of That means a total of $70 million in RRTGs to build capability state funding available through the and capacity are also to be program, in both 2015–2016 and commended. Many groups 2016–2017, with the component continue to demonstrate provided to Regional Roads that collaboration and and Transport Groups (RRTGs) resource-sharing bring increased to $61.2 million. Importantly, the State Government has also maintained the reliability of TIDS funding by continuing the Progress Report 2014-15 1. Message from the Chair The 2014-15 year is one of continued success for the Following the previously commissioned review into Roads and Transport Alliance partnership. For the third Indigenous council participation in the Roads and year running, Regional Roads and Transport Groups Transport Alliance, the Board was very pleased to (RRTGs) have responded to the call and fully expended welcome the participation of five Indigenous councils their Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme in the Roads and Transport Alliance as full members of (TIDS) funding allocations. On behalf of the Roads and their respective RRTGs as follows: Transport Alliance Board, I’d like to congratulate RRTGs on their collaborative and at times innovative, program • Doomadgee and Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire management and delivery of projects. Councils – North West Qld RRTG. Achieving full expenditure for the third year running • Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council – Bowen Basin played a significant role in the Palaszczuk Government RRTG. confirming its election commitment to increase TIDS • Wujal Wujal and Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Councils – funding to RRTGs by $30 million a year for the next Far North Qld RRTG. two financial years. This not only demonstrates a commitment to the Alliance, but also recognises the vital Looking back over the year a number of collaborative role TIDS plays in assisting RRTGs to deliver improved projects (some of which are profiled in this Progress transport infrastructure for their communities. Report) have been delivered by RRTGs. Notable examples include the completion of a Regional Road We all know the regard for which the Roads and Safety Strategy by the Wide Bay Burnett RRTG, the Transport Alliance is held as a best practice cooperative First and Last Mile Pilot Project by the Eastern Downs governance model. We’ve long been envied from afar, and Western Downs RRTGs, a Freight Strategy by the however as the equivalent of our RRTGs or other Outback RRTG, a Joint Bitumen Reseal Project by the regional roads and transport planning forums are Bowen Basin RRTG, the Diploma of Local Government developing in southern states, we can’t afford to sit back (Asset Management) course undertaken by the Far and take the view that the hard work has been done. North Queensland RRTG and a number of training initiatives across the State, including joint training 5 In last year’s Message from the Chair, my colleague and opportunities undertaken by three Central Queensland fellow Board member, Mr Neil Scales, Director-General, RRTGs. These projects highlight the benefits of what Department of Transport and Main Roads, urged us to can be achieved through collaboration across a number take the model to the next level – beyond funding and of state and local government stakeholders. delivery – to incorporate transport and regional planning and economic development activities. This has largely I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Roads set the agenda for the Board over the last year as we and Transport Alliance Board members for their continue the task of reviewing the Alliance’s Operational contributions throughout the year and in particular Framework. While we have been at the forefront for acknowledge the leadership of Mr Scales as Chair of more than a decade, we must continue to evolve the the Board from February 2014 to May 2015. Roads and Transport Alliance model and strive to remain out in front for the next decade and beyond. On behalf of my fellow Roads and Transport Alliance As the Chair of the Board, I look forward to seeing this Board members, it is my pleasure to present this important work come to fruition during 2014–15 Progress Report. the 2015-16 year. During the year we’ve also seen an increase in the number of councils participating in the Greg Hallam Roads and Transport Alliance. Chair, Roads and Transport Alliance Board October 2015. THE ROADS AND TRANSPORT 2. Who we are and what we do 2.1 The Roads and Transport Alliance The Roads and Transport Alliance is a cooperative governance arrangement between the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)