mayor’s message

delivering in a changing world

COUNCIL ADOPTS FRUGAL BUDGET AS COST OF LIVING RISES

Isaac Regional Council’s 2022-23 Budget is set to deliver future focused projects and essential services while managing the effects of a changing world.

Mayor Anne Baker said finding more efficient and innovative ways to deliver services and projects to 17 unique communities was top priority.

“Our focus is on securing the future of our communities, the world we live in is changing and this means the way we do business needs to change,” Mayor Baker, who delivered her 11th Budget on Wednesday, 29 June 2022, said.

“We are faced with unique and challenging economic conditions beyond the pandemic.

“We have supply chain pressures and increasing costs of delivering the services residents have come to expect.

“We know family budgets are already strained and the Council team has worked hard to ensure we keep increases well below the March Consumer Price Index of six per cent. This budget has been about balancing services with projects that will make sure our Isaac region is well positioned to embrace new opportunities.”

Water consumption charges have been kept at the same levels as 2021-22.

Utility charges for water and waste have been kept to a 2 per cent increase.

Mayor Baker said significant work has been done to keep the overall rates increases below 3 per cent.

The total average residential rates bill will go up by less than $1.90 a week for most residents,” Mayor Baker said.

“This is a great effort by our Council as we manage 19 community facilities, eight aquatic facilities, eight water treatment plants, six wastewater treatment plants, nine waste management facilities, 99 parks and playgrounds and 4,500km of sealed and unsealed roads.”

$40.1M CAPITAL WORKS BUDGET AMID GROWING SUPPLY PRESSURES

Isaac Regional Council’s $40.1 million capital works budget will focus on replacing, upgrading and maintaining core infrastructure.

The highlights from the capital works budget includes the currently estimated $10.1 million towards the Moranbah Community Centre Revitalisation Project over two years, $3.4 million Isaac Region Gravel Re-sheeting Program and the $3.2 million for the Clermont Showgrounds and Saleyards Project. The $2.8 million for the Nebo Showgrounds Masterplan Project, $2.9 million for the Pioneer Road upgrade near Clermont and $2.4 million to replace Council’s aged trucks, mini excavators, skid steers, fertiliser spreaders, slashers, aerators, grasscutters, rollers and trailers are additional keynote 2022-23 projects.

Mayor Baker said Council’s focus is delivering on its core business of maintaining roads, managing waste and securing water in a changing world. “We are investing $16.4 million in roads around the region, $1.9 million will go toward maintaining our parks and playgrounds and $7.9 million will be spent on securing our water, waste and wastewater assets for our future,” Mayor Baker said. “A total of $6.9 million towards long-term projects like multi-phase community facilities’ upgrades, hubs and compliance on our pools.”

Mayor Anne Baker said that while financial pressures are impacting industry, businesses and families, Council is not immune to those economic demands.

“For Council business, it means that the mowers we use in our parks, the graders we use on our roads, the filters and pumps for our pools, the piping for water and sewerage projects have all become dearer and harder to secure,” Mayor Baker said.

“Our community expects us to get those things right which is why we are investing in delivering for services today as we deliver in a changing world. sources such as the Australian Government and Queensland Government to meet community expectations.

“This is where Council-led advocacy plays a vital role on behalf of residents to access and secure government funding or legislation changes to provide infrastructure, facilities, and services.”

During the recent Federal Election, Council assisted in securing commitments of: • $2.8 million for the Nebo Showgrounds

Masterplan Stage 1 • $14.4 million towards the replacement of Phillips

Creek Bridge • $2 million towards enabling the Isaac Resource

Excellence Hub

• $400 million for the sealing of more than 450 kilometres of Queensland roads, upgrading key heavy vehicle corridors through our Queensland

Beef Corridor partnership

The Queensland Government announced the following for our region through the recent Budget announcements:

• A new Moranbah hospital as part of the $943.5 million funding over seven years to replace rural and remote health facilities and staff accommodation under Phase 2 of the Building

Rural and Remote Health Program. • $8 million towards the currently estimated $10.1 million Moranbah Community Centre

Revitalisation Project thanks to the Resources

Communities Infrastructure Fund. The fund was established by a voluntary partnership between coal and mineral companies through the Queensland Resources Council and the

Queensland Government.

• $2.9 million Pioneer Road upgrade is jointly funded by the Queensland Government’s

Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme and Isaac Regional Council.