2015/2016 Annual Report 2 Acknowledgement of Country Sunshine Coast Council acknowledges the traditional © Sunshine Coast Regional Council 2009-current. Country of the Kabi Kabi Peoples and the Jinibara Sunshine Coast Council™ is a registered trademark of Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Peoples of the coastal plains and hinterlands of the www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au Sunshine Coast and recognise that these have always [email protected] been places of cultural, spiritual, social and economic T 07 5475 7272 F 07 5475 7277 significance. We wish to pay respect to their Elders – Locked Bag 72 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Qld 4560 past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Acknowledgements Islander people continue to play within Council wishes to thank all contributors and stakeholders involved in the development of this document. the Sunshine Coast community. Disclaimer Information contained in this document is based on available information at the time of writing. All figures and diagrams are indicative only and should be referred to as such. While the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. Council or its officers accept no responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon any material contained in this document. Sunshine Coast Council 2015/2016 Annual Report Contents Welcome 4 Section 3: Annual disclosures 38 Corporate governance 39 Section 1: Introduction 5 Councillor remuneration 40 Message from the Mayor 6 Councillor expenses and facilities 41 Message from the Chief Executive Officer 8 Councillor meeting attendance 42 About our region - Key statistics 10 Conduct and performance of councillors 43 Sunshine Coast local government area divisions 10 Remuneration packages to senior contract Sunshine Coast local government region 11 employees 43 Councillors 12 3 Public sector ethics 44 Leadership team 13 Registers 44 Our organisation 14 Beneficial enterprises 44 National competition policy Section 2: Implementation of corporate and 45 operational plans 16 Administrative action complaints 45 A new economy 18 Service, facility, activity supplied by another Local Government A strong community 22 45 Service, facility, activity for which special An enviable lifestyle and environment 26 rates/charges levied 45 Service excellence 30 Summary of concessions for rates and charges 46 A public sector leader 34 Changes to tenders 48 Overseas travel 49 Grants to community organisations 51 Glossary 60 Section 4: Financial Information 62 Sunshine Coast Council 2015/2016 Annual Report Welcome Welcome to Sunshine Coast Council’s Annual Report 2015/2016. This report describes council’s achievements in delivering services to the Sunshine Coast region and shows council’s progress in delivering the actions from the Corporate Plan 2014-2019 and Operational Plan 2015-2016. The annual report is one of the ways council connects with our community and is the 4 culmination of regular reporting. It shows: • Council’s commitment to achieve its vision for our region • The results of actioning the corporate and operational plans • Details of council’s achievements • Details of the services that have been provided to our region • Transparency and accountability of council Sunshine Coast Council 2015/2016 Annual Report 5 Section 1 Introduction Sunshine Coast Council 2015/2016 Annual Report Message from the Mayor This is an exciting time to be on the Sunshine Coast and 2015- The Sunshine Coast also attracted interest from across the 2016 has been a historic marker in time, as a number of our globe when we commenced construction of the Sunshine region’s transformative projects have moved from planning to Coast Solar Farm at Valdora in April 2016. Delivering a utility implementation. scale, grid-connected 15 megawatt solar farm is a strong and very tangible demonstration of council’s sustainability Council’s plan for the region was affirmed by the community at credentials. Once operational in 2017, council will be offsetting the March 2016 local government election, providing a clear 100% of its electricity consumption with electricity generated impetus to continue the journey we commenced in 2012. from a renewable source. Once again, we are leading the Our council has been entrusted by the residents of the way nationally in an area of importance to our community and Sunshine Coast to shape a prosperous future – one which indeed, many other Australians. offers enduring employment opportunities, better access Our leadership in charting a smart, healthy and creative to facilities and services, greater connectivity between region was also reflected in council’s endeavours to secure communities and an outstanding natural environment. This is the infrastructure that will underpin our region’s participation not something we take lightly and it drives the approach our (and that of Queensland) in the digital economy. In July 2015, 6 council takes as an organisation in everything that we do. council made application to the Australian Communications Our region is evolving as a leading city region, with new and Media Authority for the declaration of a submarine cable precincts, projects and developments helping to shape protection zone off-shore from the Sunshine Coast. The a future for the Sunshine Coast that is smart, healthy and delivery of an international broadband submarine cable would creative – a region that has a strong identity of its own, but is potentially enable the region, and south east Queensland, intimately connected with the world. to attract an entirely new calibre of business investment, as well as provide the eastern seaboard of Australia with In the last financial year, council’s region-making initiatives that an alternative point of connection to global broadband will help build a more prosperous future for our community, communication networks. Work is progressing on this initiative achieved some important milestones. which also has strong bi-partisan support from other tiers of government, given the broader State and national benefits it After several years of intensive work, council secured the would deliver. approvals required from the State and Federal Governments of the Environmental Impact Statement for the expansion of During the year council also initiated a new campaign to the Sunshine Coast Airport. This will now enable council to promote the Sunshine Coast as the major events capital proceed to implement its financing strategy for this project, of regional Australia. “The World is Coming” campaign, which will deliver an economic benefit to the region of some showcased the extensive portfolio of major sporting, music $4.1 billion through to 2040. and lifestyle events being hosted on the Sunshine Coast in 2016, which are estimated to contribute about $100 million to Australia’s only greenfield central business district at the region. A centrepiece of this program of events was the Maroochydore is also out of the starting blocks. On 9 February hosting of the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships in 2016, I had the honour of assisting Premier Annastacia April, returning to the Sunshine Coast after 36 years. Palaszczuk turn the first sod to mark commencement of work on the Maroochydore City Centre – a project that will deliver At the heart of our agenda however, is the community we more than 30,000 jobs by 2040 and a $4.4 billion contribution serve and the important charge that rests with council to to the Sunshine Coast economy. Our development company, preserve the region’s outstanding natural assets for current SunCentral Maroochydore Pty Ltd, also commenced marketing and future generations. Through the facilities that we deliver of the initial commercial precincts and there has been a and maintain for our community – from sporting fields to strong level of interest from the private sector in wanting to community halls to libraries – to the important work we do with play a part in developing what will become Australia’s first our residents in protecting our foreshores, maintaining our truly smart city. public parks and gardens and working to improve the health Sunshine Coast Council 2015/2016 Annual Report I doubt you’ll find another region in Australia that has a future as exciting as the one we have here on the Sunshine Coast. and quality of our waterways. This is the day to day work of council that often goes unnoticed, but is a crucial part of ensuring the richness and vitality of our community and way of life remains second to none. Council’s partnerships across the community in many of these services and initiatives are 7 testament not only to the dedication and commitment of our staff but also the personal investment that our community is making in its own future. Something that I am particularly proud of is council’s commitment to expanding the region’s conservation estate through the use of our Environment Levy. Over the last four years, our council has acquired more land to add to the conservation estate than any of our predecessors and we are deeply committed to continuing this expansion further. Our natural assets are an intrinsic part of who we are and what we value as a community. Council’s work with the Queensland Government throughout the year to shape the next iteration of the South East Queensland Regional Plan is not only about As I travel the length and breadth of this region, I continue to accommodating growth and new employment nodes, but encounter people who are optimistic about their future and also about ensuring that our commitment to our natural assets that of their families. I also detect that confidence is continuing and landscape values, like preservation in perpetuity of the to grow and I doubt you’ll find another region in Australia regional inter-urban break, is well recognised in this important that has a future as exciting as the one we have here on the policy and planning document for our region.