Advocacy promotes collaboration

Published 9:30am 10 January 2022

Improving housing affordability, relieving traffic congestion by improving transport connectivity and environmental initiatives to address climate change are the key priorities of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s first advocacy plan.

The plan highlights key region-building projects that cannot be achieved without support from industry and all tiers of government, and focuses on economic recovery and prosperity.

It highlights strategic projects that will need government funding before 2024, including an integrated solution for the Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway upgrade, the delivery of a second bridge over the Pine River, north-facing on-ramps at Dohles Rocks Rd and projects such as the Moreton Connector and West Moreton Arterial.

Mayor Peter Flannery says it is essential to be ambitious if the region is to realise its full potential.

“The fact is we are the third largest Council in the country and already bigger than most Australian cities, but we’re missing out on critical government funding,” he says.

“With a federal election soon to be called our Advocacy Plan is a gamechanger that gives us a strategic focus around important issues like increasing housing choices to improve affordability, investigating transport connectivity options to relieve congestion, and new environmental initiatives to address climate change and invest in community wellbeing.

Community input

“These are probably the three biggest challenges for Council to address, so we’ll soon be asking for the community’s input on how we balance Environmental Sustainability with Planning and Growth, while also delivering the integrated transport options we critically need.”

Mayor Flannery describes the plan as a roadmap for collaboration and says he’s looking forward to working with the region’s partners and decision-makers to deliver projects.

“Since becoming Mayor, I have focused on building relationships with our state and federal government counterparts and brought every elected representative in our region together for the first time ever at the inaugural Moreton Bay Leaders’ Forum - where everyone put party politics aside to address the big issues head on.

Working together

“Through these partnerships we secured $60 million in state and federal government funding to fast-track the delivery of 146 local projects and create 1600 local jobs.

“This investment includes the upgrade of Youngs Crossing Rd, with the Federal Government committing $32.75 million towards constructing a new route to deliver flood immunity, with construction to commence in coming months.”

“I’m excited we will have a brand new purpose-built venue here to help host the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games - but we’re already looking at the years ahead to see how it can have an enduring legacy hosting multiple indoor sports, exhibitions, trade shows, festivals, community groups and many more for decades to come.”

Other key priorities of the 2021-24 Advocacy Plan include unlocking tourism potential by increasing investment and creating a visitor hub in Scarborough with barge access to Moreton Island, improving transport connectivity to keep pace with population growth and providing greater support for the region’s growth areas by reducing the cost of living and increasing housing choices.