Each edition we feature the views of a Local Government Association President. The following is from Councillor Peter Taylor, Acting President, Local Governance Association of Queensland.
I am enjoying the challenge of leading the Local Government Association of Queensland and it is my intention to attend as many District Association meetings as I can over the next few months.
I congratulate newly elected and re-elected Mayors and Councillors and wish them good luck over the next four years.
The recent LGAQ Roads and Transport forum provided an opportunity to catch up with many new Mayors and Councillors.
In talking to many elected members, I am very aware
of their concerns over upcoming Natural Resource Management issues, particularly water reform, vegetation management, regional forestry agreements and the like. Rest assured, I am keeping a close eye on these matters, and making sure our concerns are heard at the highest levels within Government.
I am also very conscious of how serious things are on the road funding front. At last month’s ALGA Executive Meeting in Adelaide, on behalf of the LGAQ, I pushed for a national road funding media campaign in the run up to the next federal election. This would be along the lines of the LGAQ’s previous ‘BRAA/Fix Australia, Fix the Roads’ campaign in 1998.
While I support the recent Moree Local Roads Conference push, the LGAQ wants a two percent real terms increase in overall federal road funding to Queensland full stop; not just country or local roads.
It is very clear to me from economic efficiency, social and safety perspectives, that we have to view the state and nation’s roads network as one entity, and address all of its needs &endash; produce and goods have to move from the factory and farm gate across local roads on to state and national highways and through our busy cities, before they can get to market. Any deficiencies in the performance of any part of the network costs money, threatens lives and adds to pollution.
While I am LGAQ President, I will endeavour to ensure that the LGAQ remains firmly focused on the basic issues affecting Local Government.
Our track record as an Association is excellent, as the recent LGAQ Score Card demonstrates; that is the way I want to keep it &endash; aiming at continuous results for our Members.
