Woody Point jetty looking south across Moreton Bay towards Brisbane City. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
An advocacy plan to lobby governments for funding has earned Moreton Bay City Council $800 million for road and other city projects.
Peter Flannery, who is mayor of the south-east Queensland council, says the funding comes largely from state and federal government grants.
“Councils only receive 3% of tax revenue, and rates simply cannot cover the cost of what it takes to deliver and maintain infrastructure and services,” he says.
“Since we adopted our first advocacy plan in 2021, almost $800 million in additional funding has been secured.”
He says the need for more funding is growing as their population does.
“Our rapid population growth means we have to work harder to alleviate the burden on residents paying for much-needed assets.”
Council is Australia’s third largest local government area with a population nearing 500,000.
Projects that are expected to benefit from the public funding include upgrades to Youngs Crossing Road, a TAFE Centre of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing, Caboolture River Road Upgrade and a Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital.
But council didn’t just rely on lobbying governments, Flannery says.
“As deputy chairman of the Council of Mayors SEQ, I helped negotiate the SEQ City Deal which (allocated) over $45m for the city and $71m for Caboolture River Road.”
He also pointed to other projects like a new homeless health outreach team, a parliamentary inquiry into copper and other metals theft, and funding from the Growth Acceleration Fund for Unitywater infrastructure at Waraba.
“Council worked with the Redcliffe Dolphins to secure the 17th NRL licence, commissioned a Bay Cats demand study and, thanks to sustained advocacy, saw the introduction of legislation to strengthen animal management laws,” Flannery says.
Sutton Beach pavilion at Redcliffe. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
PROJECTS TO BENEFIT
- State support for a new Bribie Island Bridge and $1.5m for the Sylvan Beach foreshore renewal.
- Upgrading Mazlin Park in Beachmere with lighting upgrade and CCTV for the Burpengary Sports Complex.
- $71m for the Caboolture River Road upgrade with funding for refurbishment of the former PCYC building in Toovey Street and Caboolture PCYC.
- A ‘no cash for scrap’ scheme to stop metal and copper theft and $450,000 from the state to upgrade North Lake’s Kinsella’s Sports Complex.
- An upgraded Deception Bay Skate Park and $3.75m for a new Deception Bay SES Depot.
- $12.13m to take the Suttons Beach Pavilion redevelopment from design to construction.
- Council land at Dakabin and state funding of $15m to go to a Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital with funding for an intersection upgrade at Alma and Marsden roads at Dakabin.
- State and federal funding to upgrade the Youngs Crossing Road.
- $1.6 million from Canberra to go towards new facilities for Kumbartcho Sanctuary and Nursery in Eatons Hill with help for a women’s Centre of Excellence and Youth Academy at South Pine Sports Complex.
- Upgrade for the Gordon Road and Ferny Way intersection.
- Young Rd/Oakey Flat Rd and Sovereign Drive intersection and Samford Parklands Village Green to be upgraded.
- Completion of Lindsay Road Sports Complex and Wamuran Irrigation Scheme.
