2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT TO LEAD, PROVIDE AND FACILITATE A SUSTAINABLE, SAFE & CULTURALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY. Disclaimer: Torres Shire Council advises that this publication may contain images of information of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. TORRES SHIRE COUNCIL – TO LEAD, PROVIDE & FACILITATE A SUSTAINABLE, SAFE & CULTURALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY INDEX 04 Introduction 20 Executive Management Team 05 Strategic Direction 21 Organisation Chart 06 Report from the Mayor 22 Corporate Governance Message from the Contacting the Council 08 Chief Executive Officer 25 Torres Shire Council The Torres Strait 10 Multicultural Festival 2017 26 12 Friendship City Agreement 28 History 14 Our Councillors 29 Torres Shire in Brief 16 Our Councillors 32 Partnerships 17 Advisory Committees 33 Statistics & Other Information 18 Councillors’ Remuneration 34 Community Snapshots Council Meetings Attendances Community Financial Report 19 by Mayor and Councillors 37 APPENDICES 49 Financial Statements 84 Independent Auditor’s Report. 2017 - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT INTRODUCTION This Torres Shire Council Annual Report provides an account of the organisation’s performance, activities and other information for the financial year from1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. The Annual Report shows transparency in accountability for all financial and operational performances throughout the year and contains important information for Residents and Ratepayers, Councillors and Staff, community groups, government, developers / investors and other interested parties, on operations, achievements, challenges, culture, purposes and plans for the future. Torres Shire Council is strongly committed to serving the community and provides this Annual Report in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009. LEGISLATION Under the Local Government Act 2009, a local government must prepare an Annual Report for each financial year which is from 1st July to 30th June. COPIES Objectives and strategies addressed in this Annual Torres Shire Council Report are contained in the Torres Shire Council 68 Douglas Street, Thursday Island Corporate Plan. Copies of both the Corporate Plan Postal Address and this Annual Report are available from: PO Box 171, Thursday Island Qld 4875 Email [email protected] Website www.torres.qld.gov.au FEEDBACK Feedback and suggestions for any improvement to this Annual Report are welcomed and maybe emailed to [email protected] or by phone call to the Chief Executive Officer on Telephone (07) 4069 1336. Council Administration Staff 4 TORRES SHIRE COUNCIL – TO LEAD, PROVIDE & FACILITATE A SUSTAINABLE, SAFE & CULTURALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY Strategic Direction To Lead, Provide & Facilitate a Sustainable, Safe and Culturally Vision Vibrant Community Mission Torres Shire Council through community consultation will focus on the Statement promotion of community values together with the improvement of the quality of lifestyle whilst ensuring efficiency of servicing and protection of the environment. Goals are identifiable long-term end results or outcomes which enable Goals Council to achieve its Mission. Council has adopted the following goals: • To develop an organisational environment that fosters fairness and honesty, high productivity and continual improvement in management and workplace practices. • To give optimum value for money. • To promote Council universally as being a professional and committed organisation dedicated to fulfilling the needs and expectations of the community. • To maintain excellent teamwork between the Community, Council and Staff. • To develop communication and consultation strategies to ensure a meaningful working partnership with all stakeholders. Our Council aims to generate an organisational environment based on openness, honesty and respect which will improve the management of Values people, systems and resources available to Council. Cr. Gabriel Bani, Cr. John Abednego, Mayor Vonda Malone, Deputy Mayor Yen Loban and Cr. Thomas Loban. 5 2017 - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT Report from the Mayor I wish to express my TSC has also secured much needed funding of acknowledgement and approximately $2.2m towards roads maintenance/ respect to the traditional upgrade and this will be delivered in 2019. owners of the Kaiwalagal area, the Kaurareg people Ministerial Deputations and traditional owners Council has hosted a constructive year of of Zenadth Kes. The deputations with a stream of State Ministers and Torres Shire Council (TSC) senior Government officials visiting our region. It embraces both the Aboriginal and the Torres was a privilege to have direct engagement with Strait Islander cultures and is proud of its vibrant the Premier, the Hon. Anastacia Palaszczuk, Hon. multicultural community. Stirling Hinchliffe, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Hon. Mark In the past year Torres Shire Council (TSC) Bailey, Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety has proactively represented our community and Ports and Minister for Energy, Biofuels and advocating at all levels of Local, State and Water Supply, Hon. Shannon Fentimen, Torres Federal governments to improve the livability of Strait Ministerial Champion and Minister for our island communities of Prince of Wales Island, Employment and Small Business and Minister for Horn Island and Thursday Island. Training and Skills Development and Member for Cook, Cynthia Lui MP. Council took these It is with privilege that I present the 2017-2018 opportunities to discuss our focus and challenges Torres Shire Council Annual Report. The annual such as water security, support for essential report provides a report card to our community infrastructure upgrade, tourism and business and to other Government bodies on Council’s development and the impact of government financial position, focus and achievements over-representation impeding on sustainability over the past year. I am pleased to inform and basic human rights to adequate housing, the community that TSC’s financial position is employment and economic participation. tracking well and we are in a better position to the previous year maintaining our ability to Housing provide essential services.. Council has worked extensively and as a Council’s commitment to delivering improved collective with respective Mayors of discrete services in the 2017-2018 financial year is reflected Indigenous communities across Queensland to in its achievements:. advocate with State and Federal governments for the continuation of the National Partnership $36million Capital Works Projects on Remote Indigenous Housing to address the Council has committed $36m towards capital Shire’s critical housing needs. As a result TSC has works projects for the Shire with funds sourced been earmarked for any future housing rollout from State and Federal Governments. This year under both State and Federal housing allocations. a number of major capital works projects have been delivered by Council including the Pilot TSC was successful in being gifted by the Minister Street drainage, Victoria Parade, Blackall Street for Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) the drainage Blackall Street footpath, Cycle Network unallocated state land (USL) on Horn Island for Pathway (Stage 2) and the James Cook University the purpose of community development for a (JCU) link road, which is part of stage 1 of the Ken new housing development known as the Horn Brown Oval Redevelopment Project. Stage 3 of Island Affordable Housing Project. This project the Cycle Network Pathway is now partly funded is due to commence development in 2019 and matching funding is being sought to allow offering home ownership opportunities for local completion as well as actively bidding for stages indigenous people. 4 and 5. The Cycle way provides walking paths for our community members to enjoy and be active Council also continues to work with the allowing children to safely walk/ride to school. Department of Housing and Public Works 6 TORRES SHIRE COUNCIL – TO LEAD, PROVIDE & FACILITATE A SUSTAINABLE, SAFE & CULTURALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY (DHPW) and the Department of Aboriginal and All projects delivered within the region require Torres Strait Islander Partnership (DATSIP) to an Indigenous Employment Opportunity Plan undertake a place-based housing strategy to gain (IEOP) to be attached to the works. The IEOP is a a true understanding of current housing needs means of committing contractors to employ local and forecasting for future housing requirements. people and spend locally. All IEOP’s are exceeding In addition Council is progressing land tenure employment outcomes and related goods and matters for TRAWQ communities to support services signifying that TSC is maximizing and residents with homeownership initiatives. supporting real local employment outcomes boosting our local economy. Employment and Business Development TSC through the Technical Working Group Conclusion Meeting (TWG) is enabling increased employment I wish to express my thanks to Torres Shire opportunities and business development arising Councillors, CEO, Executive Management from government’s capital investment in our and staff for their continued support and Shire. collaboration. Your commitment to achieving greater outcomes for our communities is reflected The TWG provides direct governance for TSC and in our achievements. the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) to prioritise and monitor projects and programs Cr Vonda Malone delivered within the Torres Strait region to MAYOR maximize local employment/business outcome.