On Our Selection News - 15th June 2023

Toowoomba Regional Council’s Finance and Business Strategy portfolio

leader Cr Kerry Shine (left), Mayor Paul Antonio, General Manager of

and

Strategy Ann-Marie Johnston Deputy Mayor and Finance and Business Strategy Committee chair Cr Geoff McDonald following the adoption of Council’s 2023-24 Budget.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said Council’s $651 million financial plan would maintain and upgrade existing services and facilities while planning for a brighter future for current and successive generations.

“The Budget, which is the largest adopted by Council, reflects the priorities outlined in the Operational Plan (for the 2023-24 financial year) and Council’s Corporate Plan (20192024, which is being updated),” Mayor Antonio said.

“Council remains committed to implementing a responsible and calculated financial approach in its Budget planning and delivery.

“We have a responsibility to plan for maintenance and upgrades to our existing infrastructure to guarantee the longterm viability of essential services to residents.

“Fortunately, Council’s solid financial footing has allowed us to develop a $201m capital program along with an operating Budget component of $450m.”

Mayor Antonio said a capital allocation of $109.08 million for asset renewal upholds Council’s legal and moral obligation to maintain its existing infrastructure and ability to manage its $5.6 billion asset base across 13,000km².

RATES

There is a 4 per cent increase to the general rate (net overall increase in rates and charges of 3.81 per cent for an urban residential property).

The majority of urban residential ratepayers will have an increase of $129.23 a year, or $2.49 a week, after discount, which includes all rates and charges, including water and wastewater charges.

In all four previous financial years, rates were increased by 2.5 per cent and 3 per cent in the four years beforehand.

This is the highest increase since 2014-15, when rates went up 4.06 per cent.

WATER & WASTE

Finance & Business Strategy Committee chair Cr Geoff McDonald said the average charge for residents connected to the Bulk Water Supply will rise by 3 per cent and those not connected to this system will rise by 8 per cent.

“In this budget, Council will continue its pricing path for water infrastructure and consumption fees,” Cr McDonald said.

“This has come following an independent review that identified opportunities to tidy up some inconsistencies in water pricing across our water schemes.”

For the continued roll out of Smart Water Meters across the region, $8 million has been committed.

Preliminary works for the Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline, including investigations into a Greenmount and Southern water treatment plant, have a commitment of $3 million.

GREENMOUNT TIP

The upgrade of the Greenmount Waste Management Facility continues, with $4.5m committed for 2023-24.

The design of the new facility will be a smaller version of the Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility on O’Mara Road, Wellcamp. Continued on page 3

for ratepayers

Continued from page 2

It will have similar waste management functions and opportunities to maximise diversion from landfill.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in June 2026.

PARKS

TRC Environment & Community Committee portfolio leader Tim McMahon said this year community consultation and preliminary design works will begin for Lucy Street Park in Cambooya.

Federation Park at Vale View will be among eight parks to share $1.3 million in funding for the replacement of existing buildings.

ROADS

Infrastructure Committee chair Cr Carol Taylor said $1.9 million has been allocated to Newman Road at Wyreema between Cashmore Street and Smith’s Creek for rehabilitation works, including a culvert upgrade, and Preston Boundary Road at Preston will receive rehabilitation works of $500,000.

“As part of our asset renewal, Council has committed $14.2 million to rehabilitating and resealing the sealed road network, gravel resheeting and renewing asphalt surfaces across the Toowoomba Region,” Cr Taylor said.

Barwick Street in Westbrook will get a new footpath, while design work also will be undertaken for future footpaths in Wyreema.

WHERE THE $651 MILLION GOES

•roads, footpaths, bikeways and drainage - $170.65 million

•town water - $131.35 million

•business, strategy and operations - $69.99 million

•community services and facilities - $59.19 million

•parks and recreation - $52.27 million

•wastewater - $38.29 million

•waste services - $32.13 million

•planning and development - $15.87 million.

Going into the 2023-24 financial year, Council is forecasting an operating surplus of $1.1 million.

The Queensland Treasury Corporation has maintained Council’s credit rating as Sound with a Neutral Outlook.

For full details of the Budget, visit tr.qld.gov.au/budget

ANIMAL PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, MEDICINE AND SURGERY

What’s the Voice referendum about?

It’s about whether we should change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by setting up an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. A referendum is the only way to change the Australian Constitution.

What is the Voice?

The Voice would be a permanent body that gives independent advice to the Australian Parliament and Government on matters that affect First Nations people.

The Voice aims to help the Parliament and Government to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes for First Nations people.

How will the Voice be set up?

How it’s set up would be determined after the referendum with input from First Nations people, the broader public and the Government. The Parliament would then make a law to set up the Voice.

The intention is that its members will be chosen by and representative of, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across Australia.

Be ready for the conversation, get informed at Voice.gov.au

Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra

Crash at Felton South

The intersection of Toowoomba Karara Road and Clifton Pittsworth Road at Felton South saw yet another crash on Monday afternoon, which involved two vehicles.

Sergeant Bruce Willett of Clifton Police said the incident involved a Winnebago travelling east on Clifton Pittsworth Road and a Mazda BT-50 utility driving north on Toowoomba Karara Road.

Sergeant Willett said from the initial investigation it appears the Winnebago, driven by a 79-years-old Allora woman, failed to adequately stop which led to it colliding with the ute.

The Allora woman, suffering cuts and abrasions, was taken to hospital via ambulance.

The driver of the ute, a 19-years-old Lockyer Valley man, sustained an arm injury and his sole passenger, a 20-years-old Lockyer Valley man, had cuts and abrasions.

Power prices to surge

A report released by the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) last week shows Ergon customers can expect significant price rises on their electricity bills.

The QCA report shows a typical family is facing, from 1 July, an increase of $429 or 28.7 per cent on its household electricity bill and a typical small business is facing another increase of $511 or 26.8 per cent on its electricity bill.

Contributing to the $429 increase for a typical family is a $395 increase in energy costs, a $63 rise in retail costs, a $37 rise in network costs and a $65 decrease in other costs.

The QCA report says the energy cost rise has been caused by higher gas and coal prices and uncertainties around the availability and reliability of coal-fired power plants and their impacts on the supply–demand balance in Queensland.

Despite the rise in general cost, the blow will be softened for those with solar panels.

From Saturday, 1 July, the solar feed-in tariff in regional Queensland will increase by 44.5 per cent to 13.441 cents per kilowatt an hour for power exported to the grid from eligible solar systems.

The two vehicles came to a stop on the roadside.

Winter crops to fall

The ABARES Australian Crop Report forecasts total Australian winter crop production to fall by 34 per cent to 44.9 million tonnes in 2023–24 following three consecutive record production years.

ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said early autumn rainfall in some major cropping regions including in southern Queensland replenished soil moisture levels and provided favourable planting conditions.

However, autumn rainfall in many places was lower than average and soil moisture levels have remained low.

“Winter crop production is expected to decline to 3 per cent below the 10-year average to 2022–23 of 46.4 million tonnes and yield prospects are forecast to be below average due to the expectation of below average rainfall for winter and spring.”

Dr Greenville said positively, high crop prices, good seasons and record farm cash incomes over the last three years mean many growers will stay in a strong financial position despite the fall in production.

“This will incentivise farmers to plant a crop this season while also allowing some growers to fallow a higher proportion of paddocks in dry areas,” he said.

“For the major winter crops, area planted to wheat is forecast to fall by 2 per cent to 12.8 million hectares and area planted to barley is forecast to increase by 4 per cent to 4.3 million hectares, largely because of the crop’s ability to withstand drier conditions compared to wheat and canola

“Looking ahead, a significant downside risk to the 2023–24 winter cropping season is the potential for an El Niño event and positive Indian Ocean Dipole to both eventuate this year.

“The development of an El Niño event is likely to result in below average rainfall across eastern Australia during the Winter cropping season.

“We are also expected to see a positive Indian Ocean Dipole which may suppress winter and spring rainfall over much of Australia and potentially exacerbate the drying effect of an El Niño.”

Ramping times at Hospital pass 7 hours

Data from the Queensland Government shows a patient in January this year spent 7 hours and 31 minutes ramped in an ambulance at Toowoomba Hospital.

Toowoomba R.L. results

Round 9 of the Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba Rugby League competition was played last weekend.

On Saturday, the Goondiwindi Boars and the Southern Suburbs Tigers had a 20-all draw, Wattles Warriors defeated the Oakey Bears 46 to 10 and the Gatton Hawks defeated Warwick Cowboys 44 to 22.

On Sunday, Toowoomba Valleys Roosters defeated Dalby Diehards 28 to 26, Highfields Eagles defeated Brothers Leprechauns 34 to 18 and the Pittsworth Danes defeated Newtown Lions 56 to 12.

Valleys and Gatton sit atop the ladder with 8 wins, followed by Warwick and Wattles.

Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman said the most recent quarterly performance data shows 72 per cent of patients in Queensland are seen in the recommended time frame.

“The rise in the urgency of cases, and the reduction in the availability and affordability of primary care, means that people who would have otherwise sought care in the community are now coming to our emergency departments,” Ms Fentiman said.

“Some of these patients will be less urgent and may need to wait for some time before receiving care from an emergency doctor.”

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the Opposition has put solutions on the table including better resources, improving triaging, real time data monitoring and giving power back to local doctors and nurses.

THE

OF THE

Every parent’s worst nightmare is losing their child. Linda Barton tragically lost her son Nick to suicide in 2016.

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We believe every human has the inherent right to live a ‘normal’ and empowered life; to have ability and opportunity to make one’s own choices. We aim to empower people with mental health or with disability

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Hoping to make sure as few parents and families go through the same trauma her and her husband Jim had, they founded the charity Hike to Heal Australia.

Hike to Heal aims to destigmatise suicide, raise community awareness and promote connection.

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It is Winter which means athletics season is upon us.

That usually means cold and windy weather, but last week, Cambooya State School held its annual athletics carnival and we were gifted with a beautiful day.

Everyone had to make sure they had hats and lots of sunscreen rather than ski jackets and beanies.

A fantastic day was had by all with some great competition and results.

Congratulations to our winning house Cunningham and our age champions, Chad, Quinn, Mila, Max, Peyton, Alex, Alyssa, William and Siena.

The 2023 athletics age champions (above) and a sprint to the finish line (below).

Last week we were lucky enough to have the Queensland Police Service out for a visit to Ramsay State School. Constables Stu and Jason spoke to both of the classes about

behaviour and consequences.

They talked about some of the highlights of their job and the equipment and training needed to be a police officer.

Our students were surprised to hear that taking notes and typing were big parts of the job and that a simple biro was one of the most used pieces of equipment.

Our P-2 students got to try on the police vest and thought it was very heavy.

They also got to go through the police car and hear the siren.

It was a fantastic visit and we thank Stu and Jason for coming out.

ABOVE: Our police friends Constable Stu and Jason talking to some of the Ramsay younger students.

RIGHT: Ramsay students, including Xavier and Tom, enjoyed our Footy Colours Day for State of Origin. Lots of fun and a change from our normal School uniform.

SPECIAL POLICE VISIT

Year 5 and Year 4/5 had a visit from Senior Sergeant Doyle on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior Sergeant Doyle spoke to students about their safety network and how to identify people in the community who can help them.

Students got their fingerprints taken and they spent some time working out what type of fingerprints they have.

Then, some students helped Senior Sergeant Doyle pull some fingerprints from some household items using the forensic dusting technique.

To end the session, students took part in some police dress ups and asked Senior Sergeant Doyle some police-related questions.

Thank you, Senior Sergeant Doyle for your time and expertise!

Sergeant Doyle talks to the year 5s (top), finger printing (above) and trying on police vest and cap (below).

Senior

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Bunker’s Hill State School

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL AGE CHAMPIONS

Bunker’s Hill State School recently held its Athletics carnival over two days.

On Wednesday afternoon we held the field events and 800m for the students aged 9 to 12 years.

Then on Friday the whole school came out to participate in sprints, relays and ballgames.

The weather was perfect for both days and lots of fun was had by all the competitors.

We had a large number of parents, grandparents and supporters cheering on our students.

The sausage sizzle tempted us all day with it amazing

smells and fed our hungry competitors and their supporters.

During the carnival, seven records were broken, with one discus record finally being broken after 22 years.

Selected students will now compete at the Cambooya District Carnival to be held at Bunker’s Hill State School on Wednesday 21st June.

Age Champions on the day were: Angus, Lulu, Rigby, Ciara, Roman, Hannah, Jed and Amelia.

- HOT

GALV MESH - HOT DIPPED

Rural Steel Supplies

The Bunker’s Hill State School’s Athletics Carnival age champions should be very proud of their efforts.