Noosa Council has released a federal government wish list for local candidates and their parties ahead of the upcoming election.
Investment in housing, key road infrastructure, environmental reforms and support to help improve climate change resilience are among the priorities.
“We’re urging our local candidates to commit to these key priorities – they support the strategic goals detailed in Council’s corporate plan and ultimately they’ll help better our shire for those who live, work and visit here,” Mayor Frank Wilkie said.
Council wants urgent Housing Australia Future Fund investment in new affordable housing, plus local government representation on the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council.
“We’re working with community housing provider Coast2Bay to deliver homes, but we need stronger investment by the federal government to make major in-roads into our housing crisis.
“The lack of housing is impacting essential workers such as police, nurses and teachers along with aged care, hospitality and retail industry staff.”
Funding to deliver the remaining stages of the Beckmans Road upgrade in partnership with the state ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games is high on the wish list.
“Duplication of Beckmans Road is the final, missing link in Noosa’s arterial road network. The time is now.”
“This is a state-funded project, but as Beckmans Road is already one of the most congested arterial roads in southeast Queensland at peak times, federal funding could make all the difference to finally get it over the line,” the Mayor said.
“More than a million people visit Noosa Shire every year, and that number is likely to rise exponentially in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
The Council wants an ongoing commitment to a national resilience fund and to continue to commit to and increase the federal Disaster Ready Fund to help regions tackle increasing major weather events as predicted by climate change science, and ensure that we build back better rather than like for like, so that infrastructure is resilient, plus environment reforms to safeguard habitat for threatened species.
“Australia’s environmental laws have not been reformed for 25 years. Council supports the Biodiversity Council’s calls for the strengthening of Australia’s environmental laws including the establishment of a federal environmental protection agency.”
At a glance – Council’s federal government wish list:
• Funding support for Beckmans Road duplication.
• Fast-tracked funding to build more affordable housing.
• Boost in value of local government financial assistance grants to equivalent of 1 per cent of total Australian taxation revenue.
• Increased commitment to Disaster Ready Fund to assist with coastal hazard protection and resilience-building initiatives.
• Additional resourcing and better funding for UNESCO Biospheres such as Noosa to deliver biosphere programs.
• Environmental law reforms, including establishment of a national environmental protection agency.
• Development of a national wastewater recycling policy and strategy.
