By: Darlene Irvine, Executive Officer...

Let me be one of the first to say “Merry Christmas!”  I hope the season is safe, enjoyable and relaxing for all (with no cyclones!).

In my update this month:

• We held our last FNQROC Board Meeting for the year on 10 December 2012.  This meeting focussed on NDRRA issues, water reform and asset management.  A copy of the agenda can be found here.  The minutes will be posted shortly so check our website.

• TIDS - road funding.  We have lost a significant amount of LRRS road funding through the state budget cuts in the 2012/2013 financial year.  It is acknowledged that the State as a whole has felt the budget pinch, however it is believed the methodology applied in working out the budget cuts has disadvantaged this region and communication outlining this has been sent to the Roads Alliance Board.  In saying this, we do need to acknowledge the support and funding received for capability development in this region (different bucket of funding but from the same department).  See Gerard Read's update for further information.

• A draft terms of reference for the Regional Mountain Bike Strategy has been prepared and I was delighted to be part of the Cassowary Coast Mountain Bike Cluster's first meeting on 29 November 2012 at the El Arish Tavern.  I must say a big thank you to Tablelands Integrated Mountain Bike Association (TIMBA) for sharing your knowledge and expertise with Cassowary Coast to help develop this region.  (PS. it isn’t every day you start a meeting with a one hour mountain bike ride – my first one by the way!).

• Our procurement project is progressing.  As I hope you will all understand, there is little we can write about this within a public forum but if there are any queries, please do not hesitate to contact myself or Steven Cosatto.

• The new Local Government Amendment Act came into force on 22 November 2012.  The LGMA Governance Village held a forum on the new Act and Matthew Hyde (GM at TRC), the only attendee from the region, generously provided an update for Councils.  The full transcript can be found in the 'read more' section below but he covers:

  • The "Strong Mayor" model;
  • Restoration of the body corporate;
  • Challenges Councils now face;
  • Governance team actions in light of the new Act and proposed new regulations;
  • Draft regulations:
    • Return of the previous wording for special rates and charges to cover legal loopholes;
    • Budget adoption must be by 1 August each year;
    • Reduction in reporting financial sustainability ratios from 6 to 3;
    • Raise in value of large procurement to $200,000 (from $150,000) and the same for advising of contracts on the website;
    • Broadening section 185 so there is no need to go to public process if re-leasing to the same lessee, or low risk leases such as at aerodromes, telecommunication towers etc
    • Suggestion the remuneration tribunal might only meet every four years and have an annual indexing provision for Councillors' remuneration; and,
    • Removal of the requirement to destroy staff disciplinary records after two years.

By: Frederick Marchant, Regional Sustainability Coordinator 

The FNQROC Regional Sustainability Group held its final meeting for the year via teleconference (very sustainable indeed!) in November 2012.

It's the little things that count

We all get to hear about the big projects when it comes to sustainability, but it was great to hear during our last meeting from individual Council representatives reporting on various in-house programs being run to create more sustainable workplaces. We heard about smart programs to monitor and reduce printer use, improved recycling of office waste at each desk, and other ventures.  Even Council meetings have joined the effort and its now commonplace to see electronic tablets and laptops replacing the usual overburden of printed meeting papers.  Every little bit helps and the overall results are showing significant improvements in workplace sustainability.

CEEP Funding, Round 2

The group discussed opportunities and barriers facing our region in being able to submit applications for streetlight replacement projects, following the recent launch of the Australian Government's Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) Funding (Round 2).

During the last CEEP round, projects which replace existing streetlights with more energy efficient units were successful in many parts of Australia, and no doubt we will see similar projects being put forward in this new round.  However, Councils in our region are not be able to readily submit major streetlight replacement projects due to current legislation governing electricity supply.  The vast majority of streetlights in our region are owned and maintained by Ergon Energy.  Changes are required to Federal legislation to allow the power supply company to enter into arrangements to replace current units which still have a residual working life.  The good news is that sorting out these issues is being progressed at both State and Federal levels and hopefully will be resolved soon.  Meanwhile, Councils which own and operate street and amenity lighting, such as sport and recreation facilities, will have an opportunity to submit a CEEP application for light upgrades.

By: Gerard Read, Regional Infrastructure Project Coordinator...

Both the RRG Technical Committee and the Board has met since my last newsletter update, and many issues have been discussed and resolved.  In this month's newsletter (in the 'read more' section below) I will discuss:

• Roads Alliance TIDS Cuts to 12/13 and 13/14
• SafeST TIDS Cuts to 12/13 and 13/14
• RRG Boundary Review
• TIDS Funding Model
• Kirrama Range Road
• Cape Tribulation to Bloomfield Link
• National Heavy Vehicle Regulator – Workshop
• Bridge Asset Management Software
• Alternative Timber Bridge Inspection & Maintenance Manual
• Roads Alliance Board
• Roads Alliance – 10 Year Review
• TMR Technical Standards Review

By: Travis Sydes, Regional Natural Assets Management Coordinator ...

National Weeds of National Significance coordination may cease next year

Word on the street is the Federal Government has determined to cease resourcing national coordination of Weeds of National Significance sometime next year (the current communication is that the Commonwealth has confirmed it cannot confirm the continued national resourcing of the coordinators). This year, 12 new species came onto the national WoNS list and stakeholders have been engaged in the development of the National Management Strategies for each candidate weed over the past six months. This announcement comes as a bit of shock given that the national strategic plans for some of the new WoNS weeds have not been completed yet, and many of the updated strategies for the existing 20 species have not seen the light of day since we participated in their review some 18 months ago.

Siam weed national containment strategy development

The Tropical Weeds Operational Committee met recently to workshop the shape and form of a national containment strategy approach for the transition of the national cost shared siam weed eradication program. A second workshop is being held in the Townsville region and from there we should begin to get an idea of what future prospects look like. Paramount to this is that we will have no idea of what role the Queensland Government and other jurisdictions will play in an ongoing program until the team (working under some extraordinarily compact timelines) comes up with a strategy for their consideration.  This is all new ground and we are lobbying for the best outcomes for the region given the considerable investment Local Government and others have made to date, but time will tell.

Northern Biodioversity Fund call for expressions of interest

There has a been a rush of activity as a result of the Northern Australian call for expressions of interest for the next round of the National Biodiversity Fund.  There are a wide range of projects on the table across the gulf, cape and coast. FNQROC member councils are both supporting and submitting bids on a range of biodiversity and pest/weed management projects.  What is welcomed is the first round of submissons require an EOI rather than a full application which is direct way to reduce stakeholder investment in slim chance project submissions which draw an innordinate amount of our time.  It is nice to see the Federal Government has taken the overwhelming feedback from stakeholders on board.

Projects underway

It has been a busy month on the project front with development of the Cairns Regional Council biodiversity overlays and code for CRC's revised planning scheme.  The Bloomfield Link Study is out for consultation, the Hinchinbrook Pest Management Plan has been released for comment, and by no means least the first relocation of horses from Wujal Wujal to Normanby Station in the Bloomfield Valley Horse Management Plan has taken place.

Cape York Peninsula Pest Advisory Group

The Cape York Peninsula Pest Advisory Group and Forum was hosted in Coen in November 2012.  Delegates from right across the cape and the Far North joined in the six monthly meeting to discuss the business end of weeds and pest animals, and to share updates on projects from across the region.  Following the forum, FNQROC co-hosted a workshop to progress the operational plan for the FNQ/Cape York Peninsula gamba grass project.