Council
28 August, 2024
SEQ mayors’ parliament plea
Moreton Bay and Somerset mayors, Peter Flannery and Jason Wendt, descended on Australian Parliament House on August 21, seeking stronger partnerships for one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions.
Council of Mayors - South East Queensland (CoMSEQ) Chair and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said SEQ Mayors would speak with all sides of politics to strengthen the response to SEQ’s growth pressures and national housing crisis.
“South East Queensland (SEQ) is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions and we want to seek genuine partnerships with our federal colleagues to help keep our region moving,” Cr Schrinner said.
This plea comes due to local governments “doing increasingly more” for their communities, while getting ever smaller shares of the “funding pie”, receiving only three cents of every tax dollar paid, while the Federal Government collects 80 cents.
SEQ councils are also the largest financial contributors to the SEQ City Deal, while being the smallest level of government.
“South East Queensland residents deserve a fair share of funding from all levels of government and it’s something the mayors of our region continue to seek,” Cr Schrinner said.
“The lack of support from other levels of government is putting the brakes on important projects.
“That’s why we’re asking our federal colleagues to back SEQ and help ensure our region continues to be a great place to live, work and relax.”
By 2031 traffic congestion will cost more than $6 billion in lost productivity, with an additional two million residents expected to call SEQ home by 2046.
CoMSEQ Deputy Chair and City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said SEQ Councils were the perfect delivery partner for the Federal Government.
“The $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal partnership is a great example of what can be done when three levels of governments work together, and invest together,” Cr Flannery said.
“But four years of funding does not fi x decades of growth pressures.
“We’re keen to hear a strengthened long-term commitment from the Federal Government to growing the successful foundation partnerships already underway across SEQ.”
Mayor Flannery said ongoing investment by all levels of government in the region’s lifestyle was essential to support a great Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
