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00:00:00 Mayor Stewart: I will say a few words. I didn't know you, so I'm going to borrow the words from someone in New South Wales. Alan Rogers, always known as Fox, commenced in 2004 as director of retirement services, now in 2004 providing a 14 year debt payment service to the New South Wales community. He was a grand maverick in local government, he fought well outside the box, never afraid of ticks, he fought well outside the box and often relished in the hardest projects, he often relished in the hardest projects as they delivered, the greater the burden.
00:01:00 Oversight of the design, delivery and the bridge infrastructure and services including the development of key and the bridge infrastructure. So just the new social infrastructure in the bridge community house. Resolving very complex issues leading to a positive outcome. Resolving very complex issues leading to growing memorial homes and transforming council's approach. Growing memorial homes and transforming council's approach. More importantly it is a kind, generous, creative manner, but always for the kind and human generous, creative and managing. It was an inspirational leader who had great trust in his team. It was an inspirational leader who had great trust in his team. He would hate it if people were now defending him to pay high. He would hate laws as a badge of honour. He was adept at surrounding himself as a badge of honour to fill in the gaps. He was adept at surrounding himself with a wicked sense of humour to fill in the gaps. He had a wicked sense of humour.
00:02:00 A swaggered story. He was always ready for the mark. He was always lively to be around. He had a great capacity for leading and handling change. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you Madam Mayor, that was an excellent summary. He was a renaissance man, a very humane man, a complete man. I remember him saying always begin with the end in mind. He was a finisher. He knew how to see projects through to the end, but along the way he was very humane. He always took into account the fact that he was dealing with human beings. So he was a finisher, he was an achiever, but he was a complete man.
00:03:00 And it's often said we may forget what people say, but we don't forget how they're made. It's real. And judging by the smiles and the tears and some of the stuff, it says a lot about the man Alan Rogers was. And I'm really pleased he always said he had a norm in him. He always wanted to write a book. And it's very, very gratifying that he wrote that book and it is a good read. Thank you. And was it not premiered at the end of May? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It was premiered on March 15. Fox was the sort of person that every organisation needs. He was an extrovert and intuitive, a feeling and perceiving person. So within an executive group, he provided the human, he provided the outside of the box thinking. I first went into Fox in the Sunshine Coast era where he was heading up the community plant and I
00:04:00 was coordinating the Sunshine Coast managers network for the state government and the approach to community that he portrayed was just something that enlivened the room about how state government could engage with that process and I think that's something that Fox's as a person was able to do over and over again is to get people to join him in his passion. He was also the disaster manager for Sunshine Coast Council and I think one of the best insights to his personality is I remember a very serious issue came up just after he got out of the surf down at National Parks one morning on ABC radio and the report on the disaster issue was intertwined with the surf report which was, yeah, he could make you laugh even in the most serious of situations and that's another one. The first corporate planning workshop we did in the last term, Councillor Wilkie and Fox Rogers had a particular issue to do and we all went away
00:05:00 and did the small group work and came back. They went away and they presented a short play at the end to do their report back. They were living the experience and it was both entertaining but very insightful about the future. In fact, so insightful that one of the key concepts within that particular piece, we spent a million dollars buying the land to put there which was trying to get the cars out of the main park of Noosa by collecting people at the Noosa Business Centre. He wasn't always in the senior levels of government. Fox reminded me or told me of the story when he started in government, his job was going down the sewers to check them and so he had a diverse life. Obviously, Fox was his clowning name and he did bring that creative spirit to finding solutions to problems and always interested in you as a person as well as the task at hand.
00:06:00 So he will be missed. He was missed as soon as he left this organisation and no doubt he'll be missed in family, friends and the community that he was active in. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll play a small tribute on the table that reminds me of Fox every time I pull out the joking balls. He was very good at joking, not only in that sense but with everything he had here on council as Brian alluded to it, wasn't he? The times that I remember most about Fox was in the times of disaster when he was in this room and he was always someone to be turned to. I turned to him whenever I needed a little bit of guidance and a little bit of direction because he was the out of the box thinker, not your typical bureaucrat. More than someone that we worked with and I'll miss him deeply.
00:07:00 Mayor Stewart: I am moving a narrow minute regarding the resignation of our CEO Scott Waters. I move that council receive the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer Scott Waters as of the 12th of May 2023 and thank him for his service since February 2022 and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. B. Pursuant to section 195A of the Local Government Act 2009, appoint Larry Sengstock as the Acting Chief Executive Officer up to and including 30 June 2022.
00:08:00 C. Pursuant to section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009, delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with myself, the power to do all things necessary to finalise arrangements pertaining to the employment arrangements of the Acting Chief Executive Officer. With the resignation of our CEO Scott Waters, it is pertinent we consider a way forward to ensure stability and continuity within the organisation. Mr Waters is accepted for the CEO role at Norton Bay Regional Council and on behalf of councillors and staff, I wish him all the best and sincerely thank him for his outstanding contribution to the organisation over the past 15 months. All councillors within Queensland must appoint a Chief Executive Officer. Upon receiving the Chief Executive Officer's resignation, effective at 5pm on Friday the 12th of May, an Acting Chief Executive Officer will be appointed up to and including 30 June 2022.
00:09:00 All councillors and all members of the Executive Team have been consulted in relation to this Acting appointment and all are supported. Rather than commence an expensive and extensive recruitment campaign, particularly with Local Government elections scheduled for March next year, I would like to put forward the appointment of highly regarded Local Government Executive Larry Sengstock to the role of Acting CEO to ensure it will be business as usual for Noosa Council and the community. Larry is an experienced and well respected member. Larry started with the organisation in July 2021 and during that time has been a key member of the Executive Team to deliver our largest capital works budget ever, not to mention the extensive flood damage repair bill facing our community. It is important we move swiftly to ensure the talented Executive Team can continue to deliver the transformational program Noosa 2.0 and liaising with councillors as well as the destination management plan,
00:10:00 the 2023-24 budget, corporate plan and initiatives for the housing strategy plus more. Noosa Council is very much business as usual. In a show of unity and solidarity this afternoon, myself, our CEO Scott Waters and our soon to be Acting CEO Larry Sengstock along with all the Executive Team address managers and senior staff here in Council. The message is and was clear, it is firmly business as usual. Scott has during his time here worked closely with our Executive Team to form an integral set of core values, SPARC, to finalise and deliver the corporate plan and rebrand, and most significantly to realignment of our organisation, set us up to be an agile, customer focused and value centric organisation where the immense talent in our workforce is maximised, silos are minimised and collaboration is key. The core values implemented are our values. The core values that have been formulated by our leadership team and some of our staff.
00:11:00 We have the foundations to go forward, the drive to deliver and the ability to execute. And make no mistakes, we will execute. This Council has faced tough times before. The first ever budget we faced as we came into Council was a deficit budget, the first in 20 years. Add to that the global pandemic, a workforce that has predominantly been displaced because of such. Catastrophic weather events, record inflation and risk of a pandemic. And record interest rates. We have come through for our community. We do it time and time again. We deliver. Today is no different. As Mayor, I am proud to lead this organisation. But I am acutely aware that we are only as good as the people around us. We have great people around us. And the Councillors and I are acutely aware of that. I have worked with Larry as Acting CEO in 2021. During his four month tenure at that time, Larry worked closely with myself and all Councillors. We have the utmost confidence that he will provide the necessary leadership, the staff,
00:12:00 to ensure that we remain focused on our core services and responsibilities. I know all Councillors join me in their support of Larry. On a personal note, I want to take this opportunity to thank Scott for his guidance, his friendship and his support. He has been a wonderful addition to our Council and he will be missed. Thank you. I wish him, Scott and Tory all the best going forward. We will always have a friend at Morgan Bay. Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Anyone else like to speak to this? Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Madam Mayor. Look, this appointment was unanimous amongst the executive team and also the Councillors. It sends a strong message to the organisation and the community that this Council is in safe hands. The executive will continue to operate with continued stability. It's a very reassuring appointment.
00:13:00 Scott, we wish you all the best. It's been a very productive 12 months. We were lucky to have you for that long. What I respect about the way you operate is that you have respect for the achievements of Noosa Council over successive terms and you build on the groundwork that happened over successive Councils and you've refined that and encapsulated that in this year's corporate plan. Thank you. Larry, you've proved yourself a very capable interim CEO in the past and with every confidence that's going to continue. The appointment is to well beyond the next election, which is traditionally a period of instability. But with you at the helm, I'm sure it will be like oil on troubled waters. So thank you. I'm looking forward to this appointment. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Come on. We've no need to close. I'll put it to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you. Petitions?
00:14:00 Any petitions? No? No? No. We have no notified motions. There are no presentations. We have two deputations, but we have one deputation from Libby and Tanya Hicks, who are here in the gallery. Libby and Tanya, would you like to come up to the podium and present your deputation? Speaker 6: I'm going to read, as we are a little fragile today. My name is Libby, I'm mum and carer to an eight year old, Daisy, and we live in Noosa. Tanya is mum and carer to children and adults with disability and lives in Tewantin. We're here today to start a conversation around inclusion, access and facilities in the Noosa Shire. Importantly, please note that we speak as parents on behalf of our children, with lived experience. We do not represent all people with a disability. So what is inclusion?
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00:15:00 It's to be a part and not stand apart. It's to belong and not fall apart. It's to not be isolated. It's to have friends and not just companions. It's to feel needed and not be a person with needs. It's to be a participant and not just a spectator. It's to have responsibilities and not just enjoy rights. It's to have opportunities and not just favours. That's to be included. My daughter Daisy is active and funny. She loves swimming, she loves the beach, she loves knickers. She loves ice cream and burgers. She loves sports and school. She's also genetically rare. She uses a wheelchair, she's neurodivergent, she's non-verbal. She faces challenges daily to access and to feel included in our community. As I mentioned, she loves ice cream, but she can't get into Masamo's on Hastings Street. She loves burgers, but she can't get into Grilled. She loves the river and Gympie Terrace, but she can't get into the shops along there.
00:16:00 She loves sport, but she can't participate, aside from nippers. She loves school, but her school's not in our community. It's 90 minutes away. It's 50 minutes away, sorry. It's 90 minutes up and back, thereabouts. These are not all Council's responsibilities, but I think it's a community responsibility, supported by Council, to lay the foundations for an inclusive future. I'm personally passionate about ensuring access and inclusion at our community events, including those produced by Council, as well as those supported and sponsored by Council. Daisy and Remy participated in the special try this year. Last year, actually. We almost missed the start because we couldn't get access to the site. At the kids' try, all the kids doing the try, they ride their bikes there. We've got a walker, a wheelchair, and an adapted tricycle.
00:17:00 But all roads in the vicinity were closed. Not closed for the event, just closed to manage pedestrians. There was no arrangements for equipment drop-off. There was no arrangements for disability parking. There was no arrangements for access. This is for a special try. And it's just one example. There's really a lot of work to be done to make sure events in the Shire are more accessible, and particularly those that can be leveraged by Council or Tourism Nurses Sponsorship. We shop at the farmers' market, and we love it, but the surface makes it almost impossible to get around. I can just push Daisy over the stones and all the cable traps. There's no way she can self-propel, and this takes away her independence. We love the pool, but the aquatic centre's not set up for disability. We love the beach, but the surf club facilities are really lacking. We want to see Council assets with proper facilities, and not just the bare minimum for a building permit. Tanya's going to talk more about access and facilities in a moment.
00:18:00 I also wanted to talk about, as we're talking about things that are missing or that are barriers for us, I did also want to mention some of the great things that have happened. The beach mat. We've all seen how everyone loves it. The hinterland playground and seahorse nippers. They're things that this community can be really proud of. The dune is fabulous. There's a disability toilet, but there's no change table. So if you're slightly mobility impaired, you can use the toilet. But if you're someone like Daisy, or Remy, you can't. Not having these facilities just isolates all of us further. And as a community, we can't keep talking about what we need. Speaker 5: We are exhausted by advocating 24-7. We want action before it's too late for our beautiful kids.
00:19:00 The teens and the adults, sorry, that are living with disability in this community. We really need your help. Thanks. Thank you. If it opens. If it opens. My name's Tanya. I have had a beautiful young boy in my care for five years who has become a part of our life. He has many challenges. He's non-verbal. He does not walk. He has been through a peg in his stomach. And he also has epilepsy. So we've got to choose where we go. The pool. He loves the water. And it's one of his favourite places. There's a quote. But I think every council, every person should actually adhere to, to make us realise that these children are a part of our lives and adults.
00:20:00 And we need to stop making it difficult for them. And for me. When you guys take your children to the pool, you hand over your money, you say to your children, go play. Go have fun. Do what you want. But for me, and for Rem, first we have to ask for a wheelchair to access the pool. Which should be out on display. No one else has to ask to walk to the pool. Which I think is really, really putting that barrier as soon as we walk in that door. That, hey, I don't know if we really, really are catering for you. But we'll see how far we go. Then we wait for the wheelchair. Then we manoeuvre the wheelchair, but it probably needs to be upgraded, because I don't think it's had a service in the life it's been now. To the change area.
00:21:00 Hence, the door is an out-opening door. When you're in a wheelchair, you cannot access a door. It should be a sliding door for starters. Then you get into the disability change room. Oh, where am I going to change my son? The only place to change him is on the floor. Where everyone else does whatever they do after they've had a shower in that shower room. Or the other option is on the baby change area. Where everybody can see him. He has just lost his dignity. He is 10 years old. We have people staring. He has numerous tubes attached to him to help him live. So that's another thing. Then, to get into the pool. I can take the wheelchair to the edge of the pool. I could take the wheelchair into the pool. But I can't leave my son alone,
00:22:00 because he has epilepsy, to take that chair out of the pool. So I actually have to carry him in. And that's the same coming out. I actually have to carry him out. While we're in there, we need to be aware of where the lifeguards are in case he does have a seizure. Because it will, you know, it's serious. So, and then we have to do all this. And this is, you know, we should not have to do this for our children. We should be able to go somewhere and have support in so many ways, considering where we live. The people who are coming to our area to live because of the lifestyle. And it's breaking my heart that our children are getting neglected because it's not in the budget or it's not something that we've really had to look at
00:23:00 because no one's actually complained about it. Why do you need to wait for someone to stand up and start complaining to get things done? We should be getting them done before so people realise that they are a part of our community. The next one. This is Rem trying to open the door, which is, as you can see, is impossible. Daisy would not be able to open that door either. This is us in the change room. And this is the last bit. It's just another saying. On Wednesday night, my little boy had a seizure and passed away in his sleep. And we are still going to fight picking at every other child who needs our support. So we're going to be here every month having something to say about what we need in our community
00:24:00 for our family. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 5: Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Olivia and Tanya, thank you for your bravery. If you're able to sit. Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, ladies. Mayor Stewart: . Councillor Finzel: Yeah. . Yeah, I think so. . Yeah, I think so. . Mayor Stewart: . . Thank you.
00:28:00 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 1: Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
00:29:00 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Item 3 was referred to the General Committee. Item 4 was referred to the General Committee. Item 5, planning applications started by delegated authority, January 2023. In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I make the following declarable and prescribed conflict of interest declarations. I, Councillor Stewart, inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in relation to number 10 in the list of applications in the delegated authority report as my husband and I have a deferential to Robin Yates, who is associated with the applicant Pomona Distilling Co. I also have a prescribed conflict of interest in relation to number 15 in the list of applications in the report as I'm a board director of Young Care, which is associated with the applicant Deluca Charitable Foundation Limited. As a result of my conflict of interest, I will now leave the meeting room while matters are considered available. Thank you, Councillor Lougheed. Thank you. Yes, sure.
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00:30:00 Okay. Councillor Wilkie: Can we have someone move the motion, please? Councillor Finzel: I'm happy to move. Councillor Wilkie: Move, Councillor Finzel. Yes. Seconded, Councillor Lorentson. Do you wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Finzel: No. Councillor Wilkie: None. Anybody else? All in favour? That's carried. And Councillor Stewart may return, please. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Can I have a mover, please, for adoption of the Planning Environment Committee Recommendations? Councillor Lougheed. Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Second, Councillor Lorentson. All in favour? Carried unanimously. Thank you. Thanks, Kath. We are now up to the Services and Organisation Committee Recommendations, which start on
00:31:00 page 8 of the agenda. Item 1, Revised Community Engagement Policy 2023. Item 2, Council of Mayors, South East Queensland Waste Concepts. Item 3, Contract Number T000072, Design, Supply, Install and Service a Digital Two-Way Radius System of GPS Location Services Contract Award. Councillor Lougheed. Councillor Wegener: Aye, Councillor Finzel. Aye, Councillor Widenhut is from the meeting, but I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter, as Telstra is a contractor for the use of an NBN Tower located on my property, of which I receive income from NBN via a lease agreement. I do not a reasonable person to believe I have a perception of bias, as I will gain no benefit from councils entering into this contract with Telstra. I will choose to remain in the meeting room. However, I will respect the decision of the meeting and whether I can remain and participate in the discussion. Councillor Jurisevic: I move that Council note the declarable conflict of interest by Councillor Wegener and determine that it is in the public interest that Councillor Wegener participates in votes on this matter,
00:32:00 because Council believes that Councillor Wegener does not stand to receive a personal benefit or loss in life, and therefore a reasonable personal trust in the filing decision is made in the public interest. Councillor Wilkie: Just a question of Councillor Wegener. Are any towers associated with this project going on your property? Councillor Wegener: No. I believe there are none. There's that one up in Black Mountain that was spoken of, but I have not. There's nothing to do with the pool on my property, I believe. No, I don't think so. Okay. Just a second. Councillor Lorentson: Okay. Mayor Stewart: All in favour? Yes. Councillor Wegener stands for room. Thank you. Good. Councillor Wegener. Councillor Wegener. Please note, Councillor Wegener will not vote on that case. I'm for. I'm in favour. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We need to move the order to the end of motion. Oh, there we are.
00:33:00 Mayor Stewart: Councillor Stockwell. I'll give a second. Councillor Fitzgerald. Councillor Fitzgerald, speak to this. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, yeah. The notes go to 20 minutes. Mayor Stewart: All right. Okay. All in favour? Carried unanimously. Proposed new lease, shop seven, Sunrise Shops, is the last one we've had in that regard. Can I? I'll move the adoption of service and organisation. Oh, second. Thank you, Councillor Jurisevic. All in favour? Carried unanimously. Thank you, Councillor. Are we now up to the general committee meeting, which starts on page 10 of the agenda? Oh, one short stay, betting or home personal information, or for a month review? Councillor Lorentson: I, Councillor Lorentson, inform the meeting that I have a prescribed conflict of interest in this matter. My husband and I own a property at Noosa Paray, Noosa Heads. Since November 2020, this property has been used for short-term accommodation rental. As a result of my conflict of interest, I will leave the meeting room while the matter is considered in voting order. Mayor Stewart: Thank you, Councillor Lorentson.
00:34:00 I'll move this up. I'll move it. Second. I'll move this up. Thank you, Councillor. All in favour? Carried unanimously. Thanks, let's go. Item 2 is Noosa Council's Threatened Fauna Recovery Roadmap. This item is later to be taken to the general committee meetings of our councils to discuss budget implications. I move the procedural motion that the item be taken from the table. Can I have a seconder? Speaker 1: I'm having a seconder. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: All in favour? Carried unanimously. So the matter is like before us. We'll take that where we left off, the general committee meeting on Monday. I believe it's shown on the screen and we're looking at amendment 2.
00:35:00 Councillor Wilkie: Yes. Look, I have a question of staff, probably Kim Rawlings. The reason why the procedural motion was moved was that so that we could get a full understanding of what we're actually asking of staff and of other agencies outside of council if this, we want to push ahead to implement this amendment. I believe you provided information to council. Could you go through it please for the benefit of those who are listening? Speaker 1: Yeah, happy to do that. So compliance of the Noosa North Shore for four drive vehicles is, in the domain of the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, not council. PGWS does the enforcement of vehicles using the beach in partnership with the Queensland Police Service.
00:36:00 They patrol Teewah Beach and the dunes over these periods. As I said, it's not within the jurisdiction of our local laws offices to stop vehicles and nor can they issue infringements. Local laws don't provide compliance support on, they can provide support on Noosa North Shore, but the only instance they have done that to date is through COVID lockdown where council assisted with the COVID compliance. Yeah, but if there was a campaign where council could support these agencies, it would need to be in a cooperative way. It would require some agreement and resourcing alongside QPWS and Queensland Police, as well as partnerships with Gympie Council and Kooloola Coastcare and Kooloola Coastwork Care.
00:37:00 It needs to be a collaborative approach and we need time to be able to resource that, prepare for that. There has been some initial discussions with these organisations. And they are interested in building an education campaign around how vehicles impact upon the dunes and as well. But we need a reasonable timeframe to be able to prepare for that and do that consultation. Councillor Wilkie: So just to clarify, it will actually be up to other agencies to enforce much of this? That's right. Okay. And this amendment essentially is asking council to engage with these other agencies to achieve these outcomes with council in support. Speaker 1: Yeah, that's right. And those conversations are happening and are really positive.
00:38:00 And we see QPWS already working in this space and we can continue to build an education campaign around that to apply that. And for council to provide support around enforcement, it does require a level of resources. So they're not currently available within our budget. So that would have to be capping into that increased involvement. Councillor Wilkie: So how would council assist with enforcement? Would that involve the use of council's local laws team? Yes, sir. And if so, what duties would that take them away from during this period? Speaker 1: So local law staff would need to be brought in over the Easter period. They would be removed from their normal duties such as illegal campings within the beachfront areas and dogs off leash, for example. And they would need to be resourced with cameras.
00:39:00 There would need to be two staff. There would be overtime rates applying to that. And they would need to be resourced with cameras. And they would need to reschedule their current arrangements to be able to attend to that compliance on Hoosier North Shore. Okay. Councillor Wilkie: So would they have to be deputised or something? Because I know in your advice it is not within the jurisdiction of local laws to stop vehicles, nor can they issue infringements. So what constructive role could they play in an enforcement sense on the North Shore? Speaker 1: Yeah. They aren't able to issue tickets. They would be there in support to those other agencies. Speaker 2: So it would rely on QPWS and QPS to take the lead. If they were looking for additional person power, then that could be what local laws does to support. Similar to what we did during the COVID compliance. There was some presence of our local laws team over there to support QPWS and QPS.
00:40:00 But they don't have... Councillor Wilkie: They don't have... They don't have... In the sense of just adding bodies and having a presence that they can't actually issue That's correct. That's the council looking. Okay. It's good to understand that capacity. Yes. Speaker 7: Thank you, councillors. Through the chair. Often we are called on to support our other agencies. And what it enables is that where an agency can only provide one officer, it's obviously unsafe for one officer to be involved in that. So it's very similar to what we are in, that we can then provide a local laws officer, which is very similar to what we do on the river. So while they might not have the full powers, they're used to working within that regulatory framework and support that officer in undertaking compliance duties that they need to. So they're there to, I guess, be able to enable a resource or an activity to occur
00:41:00 that might not be able to occur otherwise. Because they don't have the staff to do so. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Just in your advice, can you reference the Waratuma Reserve Line Fox wrist as a priority action for the local laws officer? Would this be collateral if we did allocate our local laws officers to the North Shore? Speaker 2: Through the chair. In the correspondence I've provided you this afternoon, I think it's very clear that as part of the resourcing requirements for, if we were to get involved in the SD14 campaign, environmental services staff would need to do the coordination, the overseeing, the logistics. So it was the environmental services staff that are currently very focused on the Waratuma Line Fox issue. That's our priority. As you councilors know, there's lots of issues, complex issues out there for the community.
00:42:00 There's lots of community concern. And we've got at least three staff, actually more, maybe five, dedicated in that space at the moment. And my strong advice as the director is that's what needs to be the priority at the moment. It's an immediate issue in having impact on residents. So yes, that would be impacted if there was a shift to this. Councillor Wilkie: And if this amendment was to be approved, which it's basically committing us to working with negotiations with these other agencies. Yes. So it doesn't necessarily mean that local laws will end up doing this work, but the outcomes could still be achieved principally through the other agencies. Would council support it where and when it can? Speaker 2: Potentially, because this can't happen without the other agencies. It's not something council can do on its own right. So it is very much subject to QPWS and Queensland Police saying, yes, we will do this campaign, but we need your support.
00:43:00 If they don't have the resources, or it's not within a timeframe, then we can't go and lock up council. Councillor Wilkie: It doesn't lock council into providing offices, which may be to the detriment of some priorities that council officers are dealing with currently. Speaker 2: Well, in some ways it potentially does, because part of this motion also says a community education campaign. So that would be something that we can do. It's not something that council would take on, and there would be signage, flyers, media, all those sorts of things. So we would need environmental services staff to be involved in that. There's only a very short timeframe to get all that collateral and things together. So that aspect would have some resourcing implications. Okay. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. And I guess it's a procedural question, CEO, or the Chair, that if this amendment was to be approved, would it be approved?
00:44:00 It could be, and it becomes part of the motion, it could be amended further to strike out, say, clause three, for example, which commits council, may see council staff being taken away from other issues in the short term. Mayor Stewart: Are you talking about two number three? Councillor Wilkie: Two number three. Yes. Mayor Stewart: So the principal for those offices during peak periods? Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Speaker 4: Thank you. Councillor Wegener: The jurisdictional issue, where does the jurisdiction of Newstead Council end and UPN
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00:45:00 begin on the shore, because is it possible that the turtles wind up within our jurisdiction when they lay the eggs and then go back to the other jurisdiction? Speaker 1: The Newstead North Shore is designated as a road reserve, the beach that follows up alongside the shoreline, and it's National Park in behind that road reserve, so QBWS has jurisdiction across that whole area. Mayor Stewart: Councilor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm going to speak to the whole of the amendment. The primary purpose of the amendment is stated in one. The most effect that will have is in item C. We're communicating to the state government that we want them to adopt a zero tolerance approach. We want to get our local member on board with that. They're about to make decisions based on the survey of users and others. We want to send a very clear message.
00:46:00 We've got a zero tolerance approach to dragon. If it wasn't a threatened species, we could have included numbers, we could have included a whole lot of things. Number two is only committed against two negotiations and gives examples of things to be discussed in those negotiations. If, for example, as has occurred in the past, that QBWS do elect to try and close the beach either side of the high tide, and they did do that. Then we could, for example, use some of our roadside signs instead of directing people to car parks that are 10% full over some periods, to communicate to people way back on this side of the river. Did you know between this hour and this hour the beach is closed, suggest you go shopping and come back at six o'clock tonight. We could do this with very little expense. Clear communication. With appropriate signage.
00:47:00 As I said, if it is that we do have a significant issue over Easter, it may be appropriate to have urgent use of bylaws officers, local laws officers to support the other emergency services. I'm not saying we will. What I'm saying is we're going to go into the next Tewa working group where QPWS, QPSR with the council position because we've been going for four years without a council position. This is one thing we can do. This is one thing we can adopt a position on and these are some of the management actions. It doesn't say that we'll do the fixed and drone mounted surveillance cameras. It says they're things we think are appropriate. We use them to catch illegal dumpers all the time, very effective to have fixed surveillance cameras. They could be a small investment, key parts of our shore. Perhaps the only thing I would say in response to what staff have brought forward to us is it would be great if Gympie Council does come along. There's nothing in the amendment that says in association with Gympie Council and that
00:48:00 is delivered. Mayor Stewart: We'll put the amendment to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you. All in favour? So moved. Seconded. Seconded. Seconded. Seconded. Councillor Jurisevic: Brian alluded to the commitment there. I mean, we use VMS boards all the time with regard to traffic issues and we also have situations where we direct people to the appropriate parking areas with our current transport strategy.
00:49:00 A VMS site could easily be placed at the ferry to advise people that, you know, please don't drive on the dunes when, because turtle nesting suits could easily be placed at the ferry. I mean, some of this stuff could be quite simplistic and quite easily affected without a huge expense for council. But I do support the elements here of starting to implement a roadmap going forward. I know the timeframe of EAST that may limit the elements that we can deliver in the short term. But certainly the message and the advocacy through a letter by the Mayor and or the CEO to the appropriate departments saying that these are there. If they need support, they can reach out. We can see what we could deliver. Those may be challenges for this Easter period, but certainly something we can think about for other holiday periods, Christmas and the like going forward.
00:50:00 So I'm happy to support the elements here. Again, I'll go back to the... And I'm just wondering whether I did speak at this, seeing as I'm the mover of the original motion. You did, Joe. I did. So I shouldn't be speaking at this time. I should be closing it. Well, mistakes happen. It's all right. I just realised. You just got a free kick. I think you should have spoken, but I forgot. That's the mover. I know. I think I was standing on it. That means I'm missing a phrase. Sorry. I'll move the amendment. Councillor Wilkie: Item E. Item E to be added. To read. Consider amending the Fauna Recovery Roadmap to include reference to the Noosa 9 and Co.
00:51:00 The... Get my glasses on. We'll start. Consider amending the Fauna Recovery Roadmap to include reference to the Noosa 9 and Co. Speaker 3: Oh, I'm happy to. Speaker 5: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Councillors, I do... This takes on board the feedback from the community and the emails that we've received about how this roadmap has regard for a wider cohort of species that are threatened and endangered without limiting it to the 9. It does acknowledge that we do have a mindset that encompasses the other 29 species and doesn't limit ourselves or give the impression that we're only focused on the 9.
00:52:00 And while we do have to channel our resources carefully, we've chosen to go with the turtle in this case and also some of the focus on the North Shore to help achieve that focus on protecting the turtles. It just indicates that we do have a broader focus and we do acknowledge that there are 29 species involved and more. And also, it was an idea that actually, I believe, came from a young environmental advocate who's present tonight. That's the trust of the Councillors. Mayor Stewart: May I also speak to the amendment number 3? Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, I'll speak to it. Look, I see this as a minor change that implements a little bit of common sense with regard to where this roadmap is heading anyway.
00:53:00 It's not just about 9 species. It's about the 29 species that are threatened within our current environment and any others that may arise. But also, understanding that the work undertaken to rehabilitate the habitat for one species doesn't only target one species. It targets a multitude of species. It takes them along that route. It takes them along that route. And it takes them along with the opportunity to facilitate habitat that is far greater than the one species in those 9 that are targeted. And that was clearly articulated by staff the other day. But this, I believe, this minor change helps articulate that to the community that it's not just about 9 species. It's about the 29 species that are threatened and any future threats that may occur. Mayor Stewart: I have a question. I'm happy to answer this too. I'm from the North Shore. And we've all received emails in support of this and how important it is to our community.
00:54:00 And I thank all of those who advocated and those here in the audience tonight for their advocacy as well. And on this important issue. So I'm very happy to support this amendment. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Brian. It's interesting that the community has come at a time like this. It's interesting that the community has come at a time like this. It's interesting that the community has come at a time like this. And supported Spencer's call to say, no, we need to be more inclusive. I'll call this the Blinkybill and Friends amendment. And Blinkybill had a Paradoxus, wrong Latin name, but he had a In the picture. Now, fire horses aren't mentioned yet. There's a lot of research saying they're becoming threatened very quickly. It took a long time for koalas to get on the list. And now we know Blinkybill's been to the plate, of course, in a lot of areas is becoming threatened. But their habitat will be restored if we restore it to the mirror of the cotton.
00:55:00 So the bigger picture is when we look at this, you know, I'm a landscape ecologist rather than a species ecologist. So you look at how you restore the landscape for lots of species, but you do, you know, no government, no council has enough resources to have active programs on every species that is at threat. What we do have is a set of conditions currently in this world that we're seeing extinctions at a rate that we've never seen before since the dinosaurs broke our land. So we have a huge problem and the only way we're going to do that is at all levels of government focus on those key species that will engage people, engage funders, engage the community to help in that restoration effort and engage governments to come on board and assist with that recovery effort. It's a challenge that is just as big as the challenge of climate change and just as complicated. So it's one that, yes, it'd be nice if we could say, yeah, we fixed the world for these nine species,
00:56:00 and everything could be fine with one thing. We do have to look at all those processes that are leading to the threats to the species in these ecosystems. And that's the serious part of it, is that if we're serious about Noosa being different by nature, we can't just rely on the sort of actions we're used to. So for many years, we could restore nature by protecting land tenure, by avoiding development. But with the way that the world's changing, increased fire, increased drought, increased temperatures, we have to do a whole lot more. We have to put a whole lot more back into the recovery effort. So the goal, I believe it is, in the draft corporate plan talks about a new term. And it talks about the term of being, Noosa being nature positive. And that's about having a goal of being better than we are now. Not just of stopping the rot, but having a goal of improving the biodiversity of this Shire.
00:57:00 And I think that's where the target should be. Councillor Lorentson: I just want to take the opportunity to thank Spencer in the room as well. Great addition and great tag. And it's not just a great tag, because it's come from you, it tells us that we have a real responsibility to future generations, to our kids, and you're inspirational, Spencer. So thank you. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I just want to reiterate everything that was said around the table. I think any step forward where we focus on habitat, protecting ecosystems, and moving
00:58:00 forward to protecting what we have for a sustainable future is well worth our support. So I think everybody who's contributed, and thank you, Spencer, and the community has approached us and sent emails and taken the time to reach out to us to voice what matters to them. We really value that. So thank you. Mayor Stewart: All right, we'll put the amendment number three for vote all in favour. That is unanimous. All right, back to the stand of motion. Councillor Jurisevic, Councillor Stockwell, and Councillor Walton first vote. Anyone else like to talk to us? Okay. Councillor Walton first vote. Councillor Jurisevic: Can I finish my closing speech? I started earlier. I apologise, I should not recognise the fact that I had merged it the other day. Look, I think most of what's been said around the table is quite true.
00:59:00 I'm quite pleased to see this straight and forward recovery roadmap taking shape and moving forward. I can see that this gives staff a great direction and purpose. Whilst we have identified the turtles as the first, we have identified the turtles as the first. We have identified the turtles as the first species we want to do. None of the others are left behind and works, ongoing works of council continue to deliver in this space and will continue to deliver in this space. And there are other passes of land that have been identified for other projects that may even be able to obtain funding in the next financial year. Hopefully coming forward with that with regards to other species that may benefit. So I credit staff with all the time and effort that they have put into making this fauna recovery road map possible. Mayor Stewart: Thank you Councillor Rusich. We'll put the matter to a vote all in favour. That is unanimous. Thank you very much. Thanks Kat. Councillor Finzel: Thank you staff. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you.
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01:00:00 That brings us up to item number two, sorry pardon, item number three, which is Headlines. Pay parking, extension of parking for the 1st of May 2024. I'd like to pull this out and deal with this island separately. Councillor Wilkie: I'll move it, Madam Mayor. For the purpose of the debate. Mayor Stewart: Have a second. Councillor Rusich your counsel would be further to air. No, I'll move it out. Anyone would like to add anything to this Councillor Rusich? No I'm well. I pulled it out because just to have it on record that there was a lot of debate around this issue all of Monday and I just want an on record that I support the start. We all support green space. That's a non-issue, but I certainly support following the staff's process and their recommendation, which is contrary to this one. Mayor Stewart: I understand and appreciate and respect the values of the majority of the table, but I just wanted to have that on record that I think it's very important that we do return to green space, but I believe the staff's recommendation and the process outlined then was the right way to go.
01:01:00 So that's why I'm not supportive of this and why I was supportive of staff. Councillor Lorentson: At Monday's general meeting, I moved an amendment that was supported unanimously to F, offer assistance to transition to the Tewantin News Alliance Club in sourcing future fundraising opportunities as they become available. After Monday's meeting, I spoke with the Alliance Club and to no surprise they were upset. At the decision made by the majority of councillors to go against the staff recommendation, the impact on the Alliance Club by this decision will be significant. In fact, they've given me some estimates and their numbers are that they'll lose approximately $65,000 through the gate and approximately $30,000 in profits to the club with the reduction of the mid-term and September school holidays.
01:02:00 Said another way, it's the community that's going to lose these schools. It's the community that's going to lose these funds because every dollar raised by the Alliance Club goes directly back into the community projects. Last year, the club gave back into the community approximately $60,000. They've already donated that amount back this year and estimate that over $80,000 will be donated back again into the community when the club finishes their financial year in June 2023. The volunteers fundraise to help their community. There are various line organisations like Hearing Dogs, Need for Feed and various National Alliance projects. But as an organisation, this direction is limited to 20% of the funds raised. That means 80% of what the Noosa Alliance Club raises goes directly into the local community.
01:03:00 Without some major changes to the structure of the current arrangements, they're not going to be able to recoup the lost revenue. Today, I'm asking that the amendment that I put forward on Monday to assist the Tewantin Noosa Alliance Club includes at a minimum consideration of the following. One, a review of the car parking rate. Discussion on Monday was for the pricing to go to $25. Maybe we should be looking at more. For example, $30 should better reflect the cost on community green space in the Hastings Street precinct. Maybe it should be a little bit more. But that should be done in discussion with the Lions Club. Number two, review of the allocation of funding to the Tewantin Noosa Club. They do all the lifting and the money that they raise goes directly back into local community. Maybe we should be giving them more than the 50% allocation.
01:04:00 And finally, I'd just like to add that I too am disappointed that the staff recommendation has not been supported. The staff recommendation was a good plan that would have enabled Council to have made a considered decision about the future use of the park or car parking during peak periods. This is a green space and it should be returned to green space. But you can't do that without a plan. What I am concerned about is that the unintended consequences of this motion, the alternate motion, not the staff recommendation, the overflow of car parking will be falling into residential streets. And there will be more traffic and more congestion. And to reiterate what the Mayor stated, we should be following the process. Councillor Finzel: I would like to let it be known that I support the staff recommendation. I won't be supporting this amendment.
01:05:00 I support the recommendation from the staff. Because the focus on that was community consultation. Which I think is really important. That this community deserves the opportunity to have a speak. The staff recommended that we approve the use of the Noosehead Lions Park reserve for paid parking on a temporary basis for a further 12 months. With a delegation to the CEA to reduce the days subject to weather. And it goes on. But the idea is to give the 12 month extension was to allow for community engagement on the use of the car parking through the proposed destination management plan. And I think it is green space. We value green space in this community. But I believe we need to go out to community to engage with community to hear their voice and what matters to them.
01:06:00 Councillor Jurisevic: If you could raise it up to see H there Captain Place. What got here. What both councillors have said. But I see that we actually have in this motion. Undertaken to delegate the CEO to work with the Tewasin on Lions Club in Point H. To determine new paid car park pricing for Lions Club that offsets the reduction in revenue. And better reflects the cost of car park on community green space and hosting street pricing. I think we've addressed the potential shortfall. The potential shortfall to the Lions Club in that. And the opportunity there to review the cost of parking in what is a green space in the short term. I don't think this precludes us from doing, Mr CEO, any additional consultation with the community on the elements there. And I understand the staff have tried to implement some of the measures with regard to other areas around there. But have been challenged with regard to changing time parking. In some of those residential areas.
01:07:00 Which I do believe requires an element of community consultation and understanding before recommendation. So I think the matters raised by the councillors there have been addressed within this motion. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And I have ultimate respect for the staff in our transport area. They have done a lot of great stuff and we probably under-resourced them. But the recommendation that three councillors said they support did not qualify due process unfortunately. I outlined that under the Land Act we as trustee have certain things we are allowed to do and certain things that we have to ask for approval to do.
01:08:00 One of the things we have to ask for approval to do is the secondary use of a reserve for purposes that are inconsistent with the designation of that reserve. This is not a reserve for car parking. It's a reserve for recreation I believe. That is the due process and that's what this amendment does do. It changes it to request that for the approval to use it for a short period longer for a purpose that is inconsistent with the purpose of the reserve. And there's ample time. Within this motion to undertake the necessary community consultation. There may be more time if the unexpected result is that most of the community say no we don't want a park, we want to park more cars and funnel more cars into Hating Street so we can have more congestion.
01:09:00 That might be the outcome. But it would be a surprise to me. What due process is, is asking. Is restating what Council's policy is about cars rather than people. Of going, putting a timeline to say at this point we would like to see Council's long held strategy within the transport strategy implemented more fully. It's quite simple. It is the appropriate way to go under law. And it has ample time to conduct the necessary consultation to get to where we need to be in terms of managing what is damaging the brand of Noosa. And that is the excess of cars, the informal parking.
01:10:00 And as Councillor Warren said, one of the unintended consequences is the Lions Park. As this parking arrangement has progressively increased over the years with COVID. That there is going to be a downturn in their ability to fundraise off this particular use. And her amendment on Monday allowed us to try and look at ways where that can be at least partially offset. So it is due process to follow this motion. Mayor Stewart: Just a quick clarification Mr CEO. Interesting words appropriate under law. The request to the State by Council officers who were following June process. The request in this document was exactly the same request, same wording to the State since 2018. Is that correct? Speaker 4: Madam Mayor, thank you for your question and the request for clarification. I can advise that all resolutions in relation to the Lions Park and the utilisation thereof, the Council has been advised to me by the staff involved that this is the exact same recommendation
01:11:00 that they made to the Council which has been in motion in resolutions since 2018. There is a point that is put forward there to request approval from the Minister. Absolutely. That is it. The Council at the time has had within their resolutions to inform the Minister. Either way, it is the State Government's land and it is reserved. And the State Government therefore will be the ones that ultimately make the decision around the utilisation of this. But Madam Mayor, you are correct in the advice that I had prior to my time here in Council, but since 2018 that is in the exact same wording that this Council has been advised to make. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. And I think we have got our Director of Infrastructure nodding who is head of this department nodding in agreement. Thank you. So due process since 2018 has been the same as being followed. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Sorry. I would have to challenge that. Just because the wording of the motion is the same does not mean due process.
01:12:00 Is it true that we do have to seek approval or can we just inform? The department has previously told us that they do not support this use. Speaker 4: Madam Mayor, and all of this has happened before my time as Chief Executive Officer, but looking with you we are going to inform the Council to request the Minister. We do know though that is not a Ministerial decision. It is delegated to a Planning Officer within the Department. And whether the words inform or request the Minister there, the process will ultimately be the same. So Council Stockwell, I absolutely take on what you are saying and the amendments that have been made are true and correct. However, the process is out of the hands of the Council. It is for the State Government to make a decision as to how their land will be utilised and how they will advise the Council as Trustee as to how that will be utilised in the future. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: I just have a question. Councillor Wilkie: It is quite possible that the State Government may or may not request the Commission to
01:13:00 use it for Easter or Christmas. Speaker 4: Just to say, through the Deputy Mayor, I would believe that it would not be unreasonably withheld given that the utilisation has continued over time. And if that Planning Officer within the Lands Department or what is now the Natural Resources and Mines Department made that decision, there may be an escalation point. But yes, it is a matter of time. That could be an outcome. Mayor Stewart: I guess it might be a question for someone who has been here a very long time. I believe for the last 20 years the Lions Park has been used for holiday parking in some aspects. Is that correct? Councillor Wilkie: The Mayor says that in the report. Mayor Stewart: Yes, thank you. And during that time, has there ever been any concerns around, has the State ever seen that? In that time? That's right. Thank you. Thank you. I have a question. Councillor Finzel: Yes, on page 8 of the report under Key Principles Policy, Department of Resources,
01:14:00 it says that the recommendation to conduct community consultation to determine the community outcomes was the recommendation of the Department of Resources to through the Chair to the CEO. In the report, it tells us that the intention is that there will be an extension of the recommendation that will be a community consultation undertaken as part of the future Noosa Council's Destination Management Plan. Is that consultation out to the community, is the intention that that will be part of this recommendation back to the Department of Resources to support the community use of the park? Speaker 4: Through the Mayor. Councillor Finzel, thanks for your question. No, I won't. So, that is the recommendation. It is a separate process that's being undertaken. So, the requirements that are in place from the State Government, and when we do request
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01:15:00 the utilisation of reserves and how that will then be utilised in that particular way, that is a separate process to what will be undertaken as part of the Destination Management Plan. Councillor Finzel: And a question through the Chair to the CEO. Will the correspondence back to the Department of Resources trigger a process that will, advise us how we follow the process to conduct that community consultation and engagement about the use of the park? Speaker 4: To the Mayor, Councillor Finzel, and without speaking on behalf of the State Government, it may. It has in the past, but however, given the extreme circumstances of what the most recent request has been, being as part of the pandemic, there was a different view that was undertaken, and that was very much in line with what the State Government has been doing. So, we are very much about wanting to be able to provide all opportunities for business to be able to thrive and utilise any assets that the State had to assist.
01:16:00 This is somewhat different now. We're past the pandemic, which is why we have this before Council for your consideration to be able to look at what next steps are. We want to ensure that we have a current resolution in place and not to continue without having a resolved position of the Council that we can put forward through to the State. So, my advice would be is that, yes, if you can make it, that there will be other processes for you. Councillor Jurisevic: There's one more question that comes out of that. I look at point K in this resolution. Seeks for any feedback on the use of this as part of the proposed Destination Management Plan. Is there any time restriction that says we have to wait until the Destination Management Plan is in full flight, or could a public consultation on that be taken at any stage? To fulfil the Destination Management Plan element. Speaker 4: To the Mayor, Councillor Jurisevic, it's somewhat prescriptive. What we have before us is a motion that is very much specific to the Destination Management
01:17:00 Plan. However, though, from an administrative perspective, there would be nothing holding us back from undertaking a consultation at any time around this. It doesn't have to be specifically for that. But that particular part of the motion before you is prescriptive and there is no need to do anything in that nature. That will need to be enacted and fulfilled in that manner. But that doesn't stop us from doing something about it. Councillor Jurisevic: I guess I'll ask the other question. When is the proposed Destination Management Plan proposed to continue this? Speaker 4: To the Mayor, Councillor Jurisevic. I know that the team within the Department of Environment and Sustainable Development here at Noosa Council are working on that. We do have a meeting of the PCG. Within the coming weeks. I really want to be able to see if there's some momentum around that at that point in time. So I can't give you that exact timing. I will take that element on notice.
01:18:00 But what I can say, it is progressing. There's two staff that are engaged. They're working on delivering that. We need to get it to the PCG and get that in a strategic direction as to the next steps. But it needs to go out to the community. And as quickly as we possibly can. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Tom, would you like to say anything? Councillor Wegener: I might just . It's a beautiful green park right near Haston Street, a very busy area. Y is covered with cars in the first place at the busiest time of the year, when it would be used the most, beyond me. It's been used at that, but now we have a transport policy. We have a free bus. We have a parking lot over the AFL grounds that is actually a very large parking lot Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm just going to move a small amendment. I thought we did it, but maybe it was part of my unsuccessful amendment on Monday.
01:19:00 To change condition K with a full stop after the words parking. So seek community feedback on the use of message lines park for car parking. Full stop. Just briefly, we didn't talk about this. The destination manager plan probably takes more strategic view, may take place view, but this is probably a level of detail that wasn't envisaged in my dealings in the working group of PCG. So I think it is better to be a stand-alone consultation than a particular issue.
01:20:00 Councillor Finzel: Just a question through the Chair to Councillor Stockwell. I'm just seeking a little bit more clarification. As to why you wish to see the removal of the destination management plan. I just didn't quite fully get that. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The destination management plan will consult the community on destination and how we look after the place from a visitor economy perspective across all parts of the Shire. It probably won't facilitate the detailed investigation of a particular park. It will probably talk about options for the Noosa heads there. So to me, it can be done more effectively and probably more timely if it's done separate to that. It's not saying that it can't be part of that destination management plan. It's just taking away the prescription that it should be done as part of it. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I just have a question then through the Chair and I know we've got staff in the gallery, but it may not be appropriate.
01:21:00 I'm just interested then to a little bit more clarification. And from staff around the destination management plan, it figures significantly in the report, and I know that it's not generally supported, but I just need some clarification around the staff obviously feel there's something in that plan that supported this report. I'm just trying to seek some clarification as to as of what that is. Speaker 4: Yeah, excuse me, Councillor Finzel. I'll take that question, and if I've made a mistake or any gaps there, I'm very happy for the Director to look after it for me from there. Thank you. What I would say is what the staff are referring to within this report, particularly around the destination management plan, is that we have to manage Noosa. It's being loved to death. We know that. Yeah, yeah. And having a car park within the location that Councillor Wegener described has its difficulties, and we're very much torn between providing a service for those that are visiting our community and those that have businesses within our community and not-for-profit organisations within our community, and then at the same time wanting to be able to have some fantastic green space in a beautiful location and an amazing part of our local Melbourne area.
01:22:00 Thank you. So what this is doing right now for us is saying, look, let's continue to utilise that for a period of time, but we do need to talk to our community about it, and this isn't a community car park as such. It is facilitating those that are visiting our local government area to come and enjoy the amazing amenity that we have here. That's why the destination management plan is important, and that's why it's being referenced within this report, because there are questions that need to be answered, and the best way to answer that is through data. And having as much data as we possibly can to be able to understand who's moving in and who's moving out, and what's more appropriate for the future.
01:23:00 How does it inform future and better transport and the way that we move people? Does our transport strategy become a movement strategy where it is focused on the movement of people as opposed to vehicles moving around the local government area? So there's a lot to work through there, but that's why the destination management plan is referenced heavily within the report, because it really is coming down. It really is coming down to managing the destination. We would, if it was a locals only area, for example, I don't think we need this additional car parking. So during those peak times that this park is being utilised for that purpose, because of the amount of vehicles that we're having moving around, we need to be able to have some sort of a way that we work through the process to return the park back to what it should be. Mm-hmm. And then also manage the overflow of vehicles and people and how our destination is working overall. I hope that answers the question for everyone there.
01:24:00 Councillor Finzel: Yeah, good job. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Yeah, so just in summary then, that would support us in good governance and the objective of council to bring balance for visitors and residents in the Shire alike. Do you think this process... The destination management plan is helping us with governance in towards looking at the broader Shire and the benefits to open spaces and parking in general? Speaker 4: Through the Mayor, Councillor Finzel, destination management plans are delivered all over the world. And they are important to be able to ensure that those that live within areas of natural beauty and significance can continue to enjoy what they have without having to worry about the fact that they're not going to be able to go back to where they used to be. We see so many destinations in the world that have either been destroyed or are not there at the level that everybody said they were when they first went and enjoy it.
01:25:00 We don't want that to happen. That's why the destination management plan is so important. We can't take tourism away. It's the number one economic driver for us and our community. But we need to be able to manage it better. And how do we utilise that? Well, we have a policy and a planning process in place. That helps us understand what is the carrying capacity. First and foremost, how many humans can we get that are going to visit our area that's going to not only keep up with our infrastructure but is also going to keep our amenity, keep our environment, our natural beauty in a pristine state as we possibly can. That's why the DMP is important. And that's why it's taken a little while. It's been a touch clunky. We've got one shot to get this right. And we need to make sure that we do that. Yeah, thank you. Mayor Stewart: I have a question for Kim. Kim, do you see any difference between sea community feedback on the Noosaheads Alliance car parking and the sea community feedback as part of the process destination management plan?
01:26:00 In your opinion, stakeholders, the engagement process, is that any different? Or does this just make it, I guess, as Councillor Stockwell said, just is it wider breadth? Speaker 2: Yeah, look. In my opinion, I don't think it makes much difference about who would be engaged. You know, the relevant stakeholders would be. This probably provides a bit more flexibility because it doesn't tie it to the destination management plan timeframe. And the destination management plan is Shire-wide. So it could take a little bit longer. This potentially enables Councillor to do it either via that process or separately quicker. Yeah, it passes through the process. Yes. Okay, thank you. I'd like to speak to you, Madam. Councillor Jurisevic: I support it because, feeling simply, it doesn't restrict the feedback from the community on the use of the Noosaheads Alliance car parking having to wait until the destination management plan is underway. Can the information obtained from this community consultation be part of or feed into the destination management plan?
01:27:00 Absolutely. It's as simple as that. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Can I just have a question? Do we have to undertake community consultation for the, as recommended by the Department of Resources, to determine the community intentions around the use of the space? Speaker 4: Without talking on behalf of the state government and what their actual requirements are going to be in the future, it really is a discussion for a council to have with the state. Yeah. This is temporary in nature. Having a land use management plan for this particular reserve for a temporary use can be a little over-descriptive. However, they may demand it. The state may say, look, we're not going to approve your utilisation, your change from the extent of what the reserve has been put there for until you have a land use management plan in place.
01:28:00 So I can't speak on behalf of what the state will do. But in the past, it has been spoken about, not required to be enacted, but noting, and I very much note that this did occur during the pandemic, with the pandemic provisions that were in place and flexibility and less red tape, et cetera, from government. So what I want to say to that is that there is a possibility, and that's a matter for after the resolution that Council makes. And officers will take that guidance from that resolution and contact the state and see what they come back with. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. And another question through the chair. You're very experienced, Scott, in the CEO role and working with local government. Are you able to tell me how long does it normally take to do a land management plan in local council? And does that need budget allocation for that process?
01:29:00 Speaker 4: Through the mayor, council, Finzel? Look, it does depend on the state. There's quite a whole range of factors when we're doing this type of work. But look, I would say at the absolute highest. It depends on the resources you put in as well, too. So it should be desktop by the officer. They should be able to put that plan in place. So that land management plan will have a set criteria that we need to deliver against for it. Four to 12 weeks would be what I would say is the timeframe to have something like that delivered. Noting, though, that we already have scheduled workload pressures, et cetera. So depending on what happens, I would say four to 12. Setting a set criteria. Going back to the state. Having the state approve that. But this is a reserve. So it is quite a lower level piece of work on there. It's not something that will require a lot of input or an involved stakeholder. Councillor Finzel: And one more question then. Just in relation to Councillor Stockwell alluded to the fact that we hadn't followed the
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01:30:00 due process. In your opinion, are you able to advise us that we can be assured. Councillor Jurisevic: We're not actually speaking to the amendment and any of the questions that the council is raising. It's not directly related to the issue that is before us at this point in time. Councillor Finzel: I'll just try to make sure we find the right process. Any other questions regarding this amendment? No. It is in relation to that. But I'll just ignore it. Mayor Stewart: Thank you, Madam Mayor. Councillor Wilkie: Look, as we heard on Monday, you go to the community to see a consultation for a land use management plan. If you want to change the designation of the park from community green space to permanent
01:31:00 to car parking for some other use other than community green space. I don't know if that's what people are wanting to do. But this amendment here leaves it open to find the most appropriate form of consultation. It may be part of it may end up being wrapped up in the community. This is a destination management plan. It may be another process which happens sooner and wrapped up in a suite of the other transport initiatives that we're also offering to improve the way people get around in Noosa. It just gives council more options as to the form of consultation that's undertaken. The whole thrust of this motion involves consultation. There's been some what I believe to be misleading comments made about this motion that suggests that consultation is not going to take place. Consultation is part and parcel of this entire motion as well as this amendment.
01:32:00 So, it's really, as we heard from staff, gives them more options to seek the most appropriate form of consultation. Of course, I support it. Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to support the recommendation in front of us. I sit on the destination management plan and I think it's a body of work and it possibly needs to be changed. We will take 18 months. It could even take two. I think the report estimates 12 to 18 months, but we are still in its infancy stage. So, I love the idea that we're just seeking community feedback and we're committing to community feedback on the future use of Noosa Heights Lions Park. Thank you. Councillor Wegener: Question for the CEO. This is a pretty minor issue. Car parking on a beautiful property. It's a beautiful property. It's on a green space right at the dead center of the Hastings Street area. Do we really need to do...
01:33:00 In your pocket, it would have been normal to go out to a community consultation on such a small little issue concerning a few days of the year. Speaker 4: Through the Mayor, Council, it's contentious. We would look at it as, yes, it is a relatively small issue. It's a state government reserve. That has a particular purpose. We're asking the state to use it for something else for a defined period of time. So, from a process perspective, it's not that minor. But for Noosa and what it means for our community to be able to have cars parked on beautiful open green space and what that means for Noosa, it is something that I think that the community does have a say on and we've got to be able to be part of whatever decisions are made into the future. So, if you look at it from a pure process, bureaucracy perspective, it's actually a pretty
01:34:00 simple straight line. However, our community is overly engaged in a whole range of matters. This is one where for Council to make a full decision moving into the future, I'd recommend that consultation is taken. We know the views then of Hastings Street Traders, the business community, the community overall, the Lions Club, everybody that's involved in this particular piece of work. So, I think it is prudent for our Council to understand what our community wants to hear. Councillor Wegener: Sorry, sorry. I'm just thinking about that. Mayor Stewart: Can we speak to this, Councillor Whitton? Councillor Wegener: No. Mayor Stewart: Anyone else? Councillor Stuckell, would you like to close? I'll leave it closed. All in favour? That is Councillor Jurisevic, Councillor Lorentson, Councillor Stockwell, Councillor Finzel, Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Stewart. Yes. Yes, Councillor Whitton.
01:35:00 Yes. That's a motion carried. That's an abstanded motion. Councillor Lorentson: All right. So, Councillor Stuckell, Councillor Wilkie have spoken to this. Mayor Stewart: No. Anyone else spoken to this? No. Sorry, sorry. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Abstained motion. Mayor Stewart: Abstained motion. Can we see that? Yes. Councillor Wilkie: I didn't speak to it. Councillor Finzel: I think it's up to council. Councillor Wilkie: I think it's up to council whether they want to ask a question. No, I appreciate that, but she was potentially... Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I had to withdraw a question previously, yeah. Mayor Stewart: Yeah, alright. Council worker, would you like to speak? Councillor Wegener: This is a standard motion. Mayor Stewart: This is a standard motion. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah, thank you very much, Mayor.
01:36:00 We heard reasons earlier about why three councillors around the table chose not to support this motion, so I guess it falls to me to explain why the majority of councillors did support it. I guess they did because this motion, this motion maintains the trust with the Noosa community, the Noosa residents, the agreement we had with the Lions Club, the Hastings Street Association about, stems back to the resolution we made in September 2020 that said that temporary parking in the Lions Park would take place during school holidays and weekends, only during the course of the COVID-19 health declaration, which ended in October 2022. We're well past that date, so everyone knows that once that occurred, this council would no longer allow car parking in that much-loved community green space on those holidays.
01:37:00 It maintains the trust, it builds trust. Any voting against this motion, if that had got up, it would have broken trust with the community. I also guess that given that we've all had ample advice from experts about how the provision of extra parking in a precinct is actually an incentive to motorists and actually contributes to congestion, it doesn't alleviate it. So the councillors that supported this motion were also supporting, were taking away incentives that will add to congestion. So the majority of councillors around this table support less congestion. Down on Hastings Street Precinct. And this is one way of achieving that. The other reason is, I think we have a different understanding of what temporary means. We could keep approving car parking in this much-loved green space for another 10 years and still say it's temporary.
01:38:00 Because eventually, we will get around to stopping it. But your words mean nothing until you put an end to something that's temporary. And honouring the resolution of this council is that. This also gets the staff to execute a resolution that this council made. It gives them very clear advice. It doesn't put them in any, it doesn't confuse them about what we may, as a council group, may or may not want to do with a resolution that we've passed. If we make a resolution, it's the job of the executive to execute. And that helps them enormously. As I said before, there was some suggestion that we need to, they didn't support it because they support consultation. Consultation is, lays at the heart of this motion.
01:39:00 The ongoing use of the park is going to be subject to consultation. The community will be consulted on that. So to suggest that it's not going to happen is misleading. It's also a pity. That the, this item, knowing full well that, can we have a look at item H? That this motion takes into account the concerns of the Noosa Lions Club, who we all value their work. And it says to work with the Tewantin Noosa Lions Club to determine new paid car parking pricing that offsets the reduction in revenue. And better reflects the cost of car parking on community green space in the Hastings Street precinct. Saying how the good works of the Lions Club do is you're preaching to the converted here. That's why this clause is in there, to ensure that any reduction in revenue is offset.
01:40:00 We also know the stress and the congestion that's caused, that's facing this community, caused by the day trip. We know that during COVID, as tourism moves have pivoted, to attract the drive market because international and interstate borders were closed. We know that this Noosa as a destination to the drive market is well and truly discovered. So we no longer need to encourage the day tripper by saying you've got extra parks on a beautiful park for you to park on. We don't need to do that anymore. We don't need to add to that sort of congestion. But we do invite them to make use of the extra free buses that have been added to weekends to provide an alternative. We do invite them to take, make use of the free buses that happen every Christmas and Easter holidays. Every weekend now. We do invite them to make use of the paid public transport which runs very frequently from the Noosa Junction to Hastings Street every 15 minutes.
01:41:00 We do also invite them to make use of the hundreds of car parks. Properly designated car parks that exist down in Hastings Street already. So, in a nutshell, if I wanted to encapsulate why the majority of councillors support this motion, is because they support building trust with the community, they support reducing congestion, they support consultation with the community. We don't need to encourage the day tripper anymore. And it places proper value on our much loved green space. It makes, it puts into practice the things that we say a lot. We value our green space. We value our environment. But to vote against something like this is to actually do the opposite. So this is about making our words actually equal our deeds. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: I put you to a vote. I'll leave the vote up. Councillor William Hedger of Spich Stockwell will be against.
01:42:00 Lyons to McKinsey Stewart. Motion is carried. Item 4, Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. I've got a conflict of interest, a prescribed conflict of interest in this matter as I have a long standing business relationship with Healthy Land and Water Limited. I subcontract this organisation as part of my sole trader consultancy, Trading is Watershed Australia. Healthy Land and Water provide me with geographical information systems, support and mapping services. This business arrangement commenced in 2017 with invoice work currently totaling a value of $57,700. As a result of my conflict of interest, I will now leave the meeting room while the matter is considered and voted on. Mayor Stewart: Thank you very much. Councillor Wegener: Madam Chair, I would like to move this item and ask that this letter be tabled. I'll second it. I'll second it. Yes. May I read it?
01:43:00 Yes. This is from Noosa Boating and Fishing Alliance. I would like to move this item and ask that this letter be tabled. The Noosa River is arguably Noosa's most revered asset for locals and tourists alike. Its water quality is pressured by urbanization surrounding the lower estuary, along with sediment and agrichemical loads from upstream. In 2022, the Noosa River water quality was rated as a B, down from an A- in 2021, where reports pointed to very high summer rainfall washing, high sediment and pollutant loads into the river during the rainy season. Others argue that the heavy silt was due to old-fashioned land management, not the heavy rains. A visit to the upper Noosa River shows a stark difference in water color and quality between Kin Kin and the Everglade Arms,
01:44:00 which supports this argument. Realistic and proven projects like regenerative agriculture and riparian vegetation repair aimed at improving the river's water quality are critical for the future health of the river. They will affect our continued ability to enjoy a feed of fish and use the river recreationally. Regular, transparent, independent reporting of the water quality is essential to ensure our progress to a cleaner river. In conclusion, as we are the stewards of the Noosa River, we are responsible for managing the river's water quality and leaving it in a better condition for the future. Remembering an old maxim, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. Faithfully yours, Andrew McCarthy, Noosa Boating and Fishing Alliance.
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01:45:00 All right, we'll put it to a vote. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you, sir. All right, thank you. Number five, financial performance report March 2023. Number six, Miss Council brand refresh. Number seven, confidential not public ability stolen. All in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you, Kath. That leaves us two. There are no confidential
01:46:00 items, and we have one submission to public question time from Mr, and you'll have to excuse my pronunciation. You can do it. Yeah, take that. Mr Joachimus Kiribikas. Thank you, Mr Kiribikas. Please correct me if I Speaker 3: pronounce that super hard last name, sorry. I struggled with it. Mayor Stewart: JK, we've got our Director of Environment and Sustainable Development. Councillor Jurisevic: That was really simple to make. Mayor Stewart: JK, we have our Director of Environment and Sustainable Development here to answer your questions. So thank you and welcome. Speaker 3: Hi, everyone. So am I just supposed to read this, or I can rephrase this a little bit as well? Mayor Stewart: You've got two minutes to talk, and then the question falls on top of that, if you'd like to leave an outline. Okay. Speaker 3: I don't know. So I think I'll just probably read the background part, because everyone can see the question.
01:47:00 So, okay, I also just want to firstly say that we have gotten some of those answers already, so I appreciate the effort, but I think there's still some things that could be clarified. All right, so, with the residents of the aforementioned communities have currently been provided with, no, that's the second question. All right, with the Residence Award for Columbus Maple Avenue Hibiscus Retirement have been dealing with the flying fox situation at crisis level since October 2022. That's half a year now, six months. The methods that the Council have now decided to implement are currently to do trimmings of the vegetation area and cleanup activities of fallen trees when the bats are supposedly leaving the area. We the residents feel that these measures are, for the time being, insufficient, and they will not be addressing the main issue at hand, which is noise, droppings, and smell. The communities moving forward are happy for the Council to do significant work in the area, as it's been somewhat abandoned for the past two decades, and we do have people living there for 20 years, so first-hand experience, and we happily allow significant work to be done to ensure the bats do not come back home. Otherwise, we cannot live here anymore, and selling the house in a bad colony is going
01:48:00 to financially ruin us. So the question is, and again, we have gotten somewhat of an answer already, has a management plan finally been created for our current situation and future situations? And if so, we'd like to know what it is, what measures it's going to guarantee, and that's the key word here, guarantee, and if it's going to absolutely ensure that the flying foxes are now going to establish their colony again next year. Because we're talking about a very slim area of vegetation, it's not an actual huge park or reserve. And if not, we'd like to hear the timeline. I don't think this has already been shared, but we are going to be happy to hear it again. Speaker 2: Thank you very much for your question, you know, and just want to acknowledge the difficult situation that the residents are experiencing out there at the moment. You have been provided some of this, but hopefully there's a little bit more information in this. So the flying fox risk management plans take a number of months to develop, up to four months, if we follow the proper process, which we intend to follow the proper process. And we do rely on some expert advice and a consultant to be appointed.
01:49:00 So that's subject to the availability of the consultant. They include consultation with the residents and technical experts to identify suitable management options available for specific sites. So it's not a generic thing, it looks at very specific sites. And discouraging flying foxes returning. And this may include filling or removal of vegetation, buffer and assistance, including sprinkles. Importantly, the roost management plan must consider the flying fox roost management guideline from the Department of Environment and Science 2020. Implementation of significant management measures, some of which you've talked about the residents being comfortable with, cannot be considered by Council without a flying fox roost management plan in place. Council is currently limited in terms of what it can do in terms of management measures permitted under regulation and codes. And the two codes that we're bound to are the Codes of Practice, Ecological Sustainable
01:50:00 Management of Flying Fox Roost and the Nature Conservation Act 1992, and the Code of Practice for Low Impact Activities Affecting Flying Fox Roost, Nature Conservation Act 1992. However, we are looking to advance the management plan immediately. So the current proposed timeline for the development of the roost management plan is for it to be undertaken immediately and to be complete by August. Speaker 3: Thank you. Okay, thank you for that. Okay, so the answer actually does transition very nicely to my second question. So background material, alright, so basically what we're hearing from this answer is that it's taken quite a bit of time to develop a management plan and we appreciate that. Having that said, that leaves us in a situation where effectively nothing actually tangible
01:51:00 and physical has been done since October 2022 and we're only going to get a plan of what might be done in August, so that's almost an entire year. A year living in these conditions can be pretty brutal. I'm not going to go into details because you've all been involved in the same email threads. So we'd like to address what we can do now before we get to that stage. So we, the residents, we're not going to go into details because you've all been involved in this, in your communities, have currently been provided with an emergency assistance, medical cooling, annuity water schemes and the $300 subsidy program which is appreciated. Although appreciated, only in the $300 subsidy program actually has a real impact to our movie and it doesn't really cover, unfortunately it doesn't really cover the damage and financial losses of the residents whose houses stand right on the quote unquote firing lines. So just for reference, just to repeat it, a roof it's around eight thousand dollars and that's just the start of all of our financial crisis. So we are aware that the subsidy program is being offered to roughly 100 affected households, basically in the three streets.
01:52:00 However, on the firing lines we have roughly 10 houses which are experiencing the biggest financial losses. So we're just trying to ask you if you could potentially entertain the idea of distributing the funds of the subsidy program in proportion to the damage actually done, and not just offer a flat rate regardless of how affected the houses are. Speaker 2: That's different to the question that I was provided. Speaker 3: Oh sorry, well I can ask you, we'd like to request that the council lodge an investigation to the houses that have been affected the most and allocate relief funds for these houses. These expenses are of great significance and we feel as if the council needs to take care of them. Would you mind me doing this? Speaker 2: So there is some initial action that the council is taking. So vegetation trimming under the low impact code is currently contracted and due to start. Next week, so it's not that council isn't doing anything, council is doing what it can do within its current powers to do.
01:53:00 And the residents have been advised of that and there's a communication bulletin that's been delivered out to the residents tomorrow, today. It's been dropped to all the residents. So the current influx is with the red flying foxes and they seasonally migrate. In South East Queensland, coinciding with the annual blossoming of blackbirds and other eucalyptus species. Influxes can occur at any location and we've got evidence of that happening across the Shire and anywhere within the Shire. They form overnight and they leave as quickly as they arrive. Council assures the residents that the influxes of the little reds are temporary and residents will experience relief during the winter cold and blunders. Council acknowledges the challenges the residents are currently facing living near the flora and fauna. Council is one of the only governments in South East Queensland that does offer a flying fox subsidy program.
01:54:00 The intent of the subsidy program is to help mitigate, reduce some of the impacts, noting your concerns. And in addition to the subsidy program, council is investing significant funds into the immediate management actions that we can do. Including the trimming of vegetables. Including the vegetation that I mentioned. And the development of the management plan. And both of those are within the tens of thousands of dollars to develop. As I mentioned previously, we can't do any other actions where there's an existing roost until we have a management plan in place. So we have to follow the due process. The management plan will absolutely make recommendations for further actions and further investment. Speaker 3: Great. Thank you for your answers. I will respect the fact that this is just a Q&A session. Your work is really appreciated.
01:55:00 And we look forward to having a productive session next month. Hopefully we lodge a deputation. We can actually present some more findings. And until next time. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. That brings us to the end of the meeting. Our next board meeting will be held on the 20th of April, 2023. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.