Investigations and reviews are being undertaken in relation to the unique position that Tweed Shire Council and the Gold Coast City Council face as a result of the two growing regions being split by a state border.
Investigations and reviews are being undertaken in relation to the unique position that Tweed Shire Council and the Gold Coast City Council face as a result of the two growing regions being split by a state border.
Council officers from Tweed Shire and Gold Coast City have identified a number of cross border issues affecting the region.
A recent meeting of the chief executives and senior officers from both councils identified 10 main issues that will form the basis for future advocacy.
The issues include public transport, servicing the Cobaki development (a 606 hectare development that impinges on both local government areas), child protection, and access to health and social services and community safety.
Other issues identified were sport and recreational facilities, disaster and emergency management, pest animal and plant management, companion animal management and management of the environment and water cycle.
Tweed Shire Council General Manager David Keenan said the area is a geographically undivided urban area with a population of 612,000 and cooperation is essential at the local and state government levels.
“This is intended as a proactive response to long term concerns of the Gold Coast and Tweed communities about cross border anomalies,” Mr. Keenan said.
“The initiative is intended to capitalise on the opportunities provided by the interest of the states in addressing some of these current concerns. The risk of doing nothing is that the current problems will continue and may worsen.”
The NSW Government is examining the economic and social issues that result from this demarcation through its Cross Border Commissioner, Steve Toms.
Different road rules and transport legislation between states, such as learner driver regulations and truck transport weight legislation, the impact of daylight saving time differences on businesses and schools, state tax anomalies and legislative differences, health, education and law enforcement service differences, are just some of the areas of interest for the Cross Border Commissioner.
In addition, the NSW Government has initiated an inquiry to be conducted by the Economic Development Committee to examine the potential to establish special economic development zones.
The Committee will inquire into and report on the establishment of special economic zones providing state tax and financial incentives to promote economic growth, employment and investment in regional and rural NSW.
The outcome of this Committee’s investigation will be particularly relevant to the economic issues faced by Tweed Shire Council in relation to the cost of conducting business in New South Wales compared to Queensland.
