Four motions put forward by council for LGAQ Conference
02 August 2024
Ipswich City Council has put forward four motions for 77 councils to debate at the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Conference in Brisbane from 21-23 October 2024.
Finance and Governance Committee Chairperson and council’s LGAQ representative Councillor Paul Tully said each year local governments had the option of submitting motions on matters of concern to the LGAQ Conference for debate and follow up.
“Council has an obligation to contribute towards the continual improvement of local government. These motions put forward issues that are both important to Ipswich and other local governments in Queensland,” Cr Tully said.
“Council’s motions have received overwhelming support at the previous four annual conferences.”
The motions, which were unanimously endorsed by councillors last week, are:
- That the LGAQ request the State Government to amend the Local Government Regulation 2012 to make clear the ability of councils to levy a separate rate or a separate charge using the rateable value of land in the local government area.
- The LGAQ calls on the State Government to provide funding to cover appropriate equipment and resources, estimated to be $300,000 annually, to each council that supports the shift of red imported fire ant suppression, management and treatment costs under the Queensland Government’s Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce Plan 2022-2023 to 2025-2026.
Further, local governments within the suppression area should be provided with an exemption to the current duplicated administrative reporting requirements for nests that it identifies and treats.
- That the LGAQ call on the State Government to:
- Expedite the work outlined in Recommendations 11 and 12 of the Qld Heritage Advisory Panel in relation to revising Heritage Act provisions relating to essential repair and maintenance work to meaningfully and effectively allow for the protection of at-risk local heritage places by local governments; and
- As part of the work being carried out in (1) above, grant Local Governments power when assessing development applications involving local heritage places to decline demolition if the local government forms the view that structural inadequacy is a result of the place not being properly maintained.
- The LGAQ calls on the State and Federal governments to initiate an extension of funding for the Voluntary Home Buy-Back Program.
“The buy-back has been an exceptional scheme pioneered by the State and Federal governments. It has enabled us to buy back properties, but there are many more, not just in Ipswich, that need to be bought back,” Cr Tully said.
“I am confident we get the support we usually receive at the conference for our four motions.”