General Committee Meeting - August 2023 Transcript

1 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES ¶

▶ 00:00:26

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2 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ¶

▶ 00:00:27

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3 PRESENTATIONS ¶

▶ 00:00:36

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4 DEPUTATIONS ¶

▶ 00:00:38

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5 ITEMS REFERRED FROM COMMITTEES ¶

▶ 00:00:40

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5.1 EASTERN BEACHES FORESHORE RESERVES MANAGEMENT PLAN - COMMUNITY CONSULTATION OVERVIEW AND PROPOSED CHANGES (Referred from Planning and Environment Committee dated 8 August 2023 - Item 5.1) ¶

▶ 00:00:43· Carried unanimously 5-0 · 2 divisions from council's minutes

00:01:00 I'd like to go first, if I could. I, Councillor Wilkie, inform the meeting I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter as of early 2020. I received an electoral donation of $750 from Peregian resident Susan Francis. Susan Francis is the partner of Peregian resident Barry Cotrell. Mr Cotrell is the president of the Peregian Beach Community Association. The PPCA has provided feedback on the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan. The Office of Independent Assessment and Legal Advice has indicated that the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan is not an ordinary council business because it relates to a specific geographical area and that links to groups who have made submissions to it ought to be declared. Although I nor the PPCA, which is a volunteer community group, stand against personal maturity for noting this report, I make this declaration out of an abundance of conviction and commitment. I believe I can make an impartial decision in the public interest on this matter.

00:02:00 I will respect the decision of the meeting on whether I am allowed to participate in the decision. Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, considering we're only dealing with a conflict of interest, I mean, we could defer it to the CEO and just kind of deal with this and then... Speaker 1: Yep. Mayor Stewart: Are we voting on who's the chair? Speaker 1: We can deal with it as CEO or we can deal with it as bringing in a new chair. Mayor Stewart: Do you want to deal with the CEO? Yeah, there's a number of conflicts like these. Speaker 1: Do we need a motion to defer it to you?

00:03:00 No. I don't believe so. No, I can take that forward. We just need a motion to... I'll move the motion in favour of Councillor Wickey staying in the room. Oh. Councillor Lorentson: Okay, so... Sorry, who's the chair? Speaker 1: Me. CEO. CEO. Councillor Lorentson: CEO. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll note the council... Note the declarable conflict of interest by Councillor Wilkie and determine that Councillor Wilkie participates and votes on the matter. The council believes that... Councillor Lorentson: You've got to insert the reason. Councillor Jurisevic: The same reason we've had every single time we've done this. I don't have the language in front of me. Councillor Lorentson: Sorry, it's disappeared. It was in there. Councillor Wegener: Maybe it has nothing to gain. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, that's what it is.

00:04:00 Councillor Jurisevic: We're not considered the culprit here. Councillor Lorentson: No, that's different. Sorry, that was in there. Councillor Jurisevic: All right. Councillor Wilkie: Take your time for a second. The reasons I gave was that I, nor the PBCA, stand to personally or materially benefit from this decision. Councillor Jurisevic: The council of Wilkie, nor the PBCA... Stand to gain. Stand to gain. Councillor Wilkie: Personally or materially. Personally. Councillor Jurisevic: From this decision. Speaker 1: And that, yep. That's fine. And the councillor. That's okay. Councillor Jurisevic: Do you have a view of that, councillor? No, because council believes that something, and therefore a reasonable person would trust the financial crisis wording there is, and believes that...

00:05:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I think that's where the... Speaker 4: It's supposed to be before... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The neither starts. The neither starts. Councillor Jurisevic: Determine, yeah. Determine that, councillor Wilkie. That's where that wording should become. Speaker 1: I think the person would trust the financials and the rules. I'm not a councillor Wilkie. Councillor Jurisevic: After the word determined, cap. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: There it is. Determine that, councillor. Yeah. But then neither councillor Wilkie has to be removed from there. It's in the wrong place. Councillor Wegener: It goes in the next sentence. It goes halfway through the next sentence. Okay. Or that next line. Councillor Jurisevic: So, neither councillor Wilkie nor the PBCA stand again for nursing from this decision needs to be removed. Councillor Wilkie: I like it. Councillor Jurisevic: So, cut that. All of that gets removed.

00:06:00 Gets put in after... Believes... Because... And votes on this matter. Councillor Lorentson: I don't know why you haven't cut that out. Councillor Jurisevic: No. Determine that, councillor Wilkie participates and votes on this matter because council believes that the wording there goes after that. The wording that you've cut goes after that, there. That neither councillor Wilkie... Get rid of the hat. That neither councillor Wilkie or PBCA stand again personally and materially for this decision and that a reasonable and that after decision. A reasonable personal decision. Okay. That's why I'm moving. Thank you. Okay. Councillor Wegener: I'll second it. Speaker 1: So, this... Make sure you haven't got any conflicts. Okay. I'll second this one. Speaker 10: Any new conflicts? Speaker 1: No. Councillor Jurisevic: No? Okay. No. All right. I do so on the basis of being consistent with decision making in the past on matters associated around this declaration by council. Okay.

00:07:00 Anyone else like to speak to it? All in favour? Councillor Lorentson: So, is that you? Speaker 1: You've got a conflict as well. Councillor Lorentson: Because you don't... No, I'm just saying... Speaker 1: Everybody else has conflicts. So, they can't... Consistency. That's it. Councillor Lorentson: So, I'm voting against. Speaker 1: Okay. So, four is councillor Wegener and councillor Durisuk. Councillor Lorentson: Sorry, councillor Lorentson. Councillor Jurisevic: And Lawrence? Mayor Stewart: No. She's got a conflict. Councillor Jurisevic: That's why you didn't vote on the motion. Speaker 1: Yeah. And Lawrence? So, four was councillor Wegener. Councillor Lorentson: And Durisuk. Well, but... So, is there a split vote? Yeah. Oh, sorry. I didn't realise. And Lawrence was voting... Councillor Wegener: In Durisuk. Speaker 1: And in Durisuk. And in Durisuk. In Durisuk. Good. Councillor Lorentson: Yeah. Speaker 1: And against is Stewart.

00:08:00 Councillor Lorentson: Yeah. Right. Speaker 1: Yeah. So, we did that? We did. That was it. Yeah. Councillor Lorentson: And I, councillor Morrison. Sorry. Councillor Jurisevic: On that basis... Sorry. On that basis, councillor Wilkie, can retake the... Yeah. Yeah. So, I'll pass it back to you as the chair. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Councillor Morrison. This could be a long meeting. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I, Councillor Lorentson, am here in the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter because my brother Gabriel Cherisani, who until recently was on the executive of the Eastern Beaches Protection Association, has made submissions to the Eastern Beaches Horseshoe Management Plan and owns the property at Beaches Estate, Sunrise Beach. Although I have a declarable conflict of interest, I do not believe a reasonable person could not have a perception of bias because I believe...

00:09:00 You can give me one so I can put in your last one. I asked you to. Sorry. Although I have a declarable conflict of interest on the basis of exercising abundance of coercion... I will choose to not remain in the meeting room. You're leaving? Speaker 1: Yeah, I choose to leave the meeting room. Okay. Okay. Councillor Wilkie: Next, Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes, I wish to declare a conflict of interest as a result of my written declaration in regard to an electoral donation of $500 from Susan Francis, as appears before you on the screen.

00:10:00 Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillors? Councillor Jurisevic: I move that the Council note the declarable conflict of interest of Councillor Stockwell and determine that it is in the public interest that Councillor Stockwell participates and votes on the matter, because the Council believes a reasonable person would not consider this a conflict of interest and trusts the final decision in favour of public interest. Seconded by this? Councillor Wilkie: I'll second. Councillor Jurisevic: Seconded. Mayor Stewart? I do so on the basis that this is consistent with the way we have dealt with this matter in the past. Councillor Wilkie: Anyone else wish to speak to the motion? I'll put it at the vote. All those in favour? Carried unanimously. Councillor Stockwell, Wilkie and Finzel do not vote on the matter. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I have another one. I wasn't aware of it at the last committee meeting. It's my standard one in regard to land care. It will be copy and pasted from... Councillor Lorentson: Well, I don't have some here, so can you tell me what it is?

00:11:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It will be... On the item for economic development grants. Okay. Give me a minute. I can probably find it. It's all right. Speaker 6: I can get it. It's the same as that. I can get it. It's okay. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes.

00:12:00 Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. I wish to declare a conflict. I'll read it out because I didn't provide it in writing. This time, inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter due to my longstanding connection with Nooster District Land Care as one of the inaugural members of the unincorporated group dating back to 1980s and a current ordinary member. Nooster District Land Care is identified as being consulted in the report. Although I have a declarable conflict of interest, I do not believe a reasonable person could have a perception of bias considering the community nature of this relationship. I believe I can make an impartial decision in the public interest in this matter and I therefore choose to remain in the meeting room however I respect the decision of the meeting or whether I can remain and participate in the decision. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll move the Council note that the declarable conflict of interest by Councillor Stockwell determines if the public interest of Councillor Stockwell participates in voting on this matter. The council believes a reasonable person would not consider this a conflict of interest and trusts the final decision made in the public interest. Councillor Wilkie: It's my second. Seconded by our Steward.

00:13:00 Councillor Jurisevic: On the basis of being consistent with how we've dealt with this matter in the past. Councillor Wilkie: All right. Well, the council is finalising that. Put that to the vote. Those in favour? Councillor Stewart. Opposed? Councillor Finzel, Wilkin, Stockwell, you're not there. Is it carried? It's carried and we just need to insert Councillor Stockwell's name up there. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, Mr Chair. I, Councillor Finzel, inform the meeting I have a declarable conflict of interest in

00:14:00 this matter, as during my 2020 future Noosa election campaign, I received an electoral donation of $1,666.66 from Mr Peter Butt, who sits on the Executive Committee of Eastern Beaches Protection Association. The end of the meeting is agreed. The Environment Strategy Update mentions the progress of the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan. The EBPA has provided feedback on the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan. The Office of the Independent Assessor and Legal Advice has indicated the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan is not ordinary Council business because it relates to a specific geographical area and given links to the groups who have made a submission, it would be declared. For consistency, I will now leave the meeting room while the matter is discussed and voted on. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just before you do, Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Yes. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Can I suggest that the sentence about the Environmental Strategy Update is not relevant

00:15:00 to the item in front of us. We might just delete that sentence from your, that was I think from your previous declaration. Yes, it was. I was going to. Councillor Finzel: Do you want to leave it in the system? That would be fine. That will be fine. Alright, thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: Alright, good pick up. Councillor Wilkie: Welcome Melissa. Welcome Kim. Can you give us an overview of the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves. Sorry, it's time to go home. Yes. Speaker 1: That's very polite. Yeah. Speaker 12: Okay, so the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan deals with our foreshore reserves along the Eastern Beaches from Sunshine right down to Peregian Beach. And as part of implementing the Coastal Hazards Adaption Plan is managing our foreshores as natural areas and using those natural processes to help manage our future climate risk and our current climate risk. So that's what this plan is focusing on.

00:16:00 So I'm going to turn it over to Kim now. We've done quite a bit of work together on developing the scope of the plan. We've done quite a bit of work together on working out what should and shouldn't be in the plan. So we've gotten to the point now where we've taken out the draft plan out to consultation and we did an extensive consultation process where the plan, complete plan itself was available on the website for a period of I think six weeks. There was also identified stakeholders were emailed and invited to attend and participate in various consultation events including community roundtables, targeted roundtables, a survey, pop-ups at various community points and at the actual foreshore itself which was a great process. And also written submissions. We received a hundred and... Nearly a hundred written submissions. We had over 200 people respond to the survey and we had about 45 people come to our roundtables

00:17:00 in various forms. So we did get a wonderful array of input. Everything from being very specific about, look, I've got concerns about this beach access right through to quite broad concerns saying we really want to see how the management objectives link better. To the management actions. So that's what we've been doing. And I guess the main overarching direction was that some people wanted to change the scope and the focus of the objectives of the plan. Specifically that all... Everything that happened on our eastern vetches was in the one document. That the consultation should have occurred earlier in the plan. Misdirected priorities of the plan. And there was an over-emphasis on encroachments and also on the environment.

00:18:00 And actions tied to objectives. What I was saying. Better measures of outcomes. And better... And increased monitoring and the need for more on-ground works and greater efforts to control weeds. So the main changes that we've made in response to that is that we've really focused on describing how... Where this document and these activities sit within the range of activities at council and other activities within the council. And now looking at what the fault factors do in the foreshore. Specifically the coastal hazards adaption plan and the on-ground activities from infrastructure services say, realigning creek mouths and things like that. And statements about the environmental values of the reserve and where we got those from have been better referenced. It's a standard process that we get state environment reports that list everything that is in the land. The condition mapping that is a standard process that's used across our conservation estates is

00:19:00 better described. How we actually incorporate those into our ecological restoration plans, which is what drives the actual on-ground weed works, and how those weed on-ground works will occur has been better described. And we've put in each theme, we have one of the management objectives, the most relevant management objective in the theme itself with a range of more detailed outcomes, which are more detailed objectives basically, and then we link those to our management actions and then we have some monitoring outcomes and measures and things like that so we can actually see whether we're gaining ground on what we're trying to achieve. And the encroachments are now dealt with specifically in a separate encroachments policy. That now covers all of our environmental reserves Shire-wide, but it also covers other

00:20:00 council managed land as well, which I think is a major change because it was specific to this in the Environment Plan and the Coastal Hazards Reduction Plan. So that's where we are at the moment. I'm really, while the consultation process was quite fraught at times, I actually think that we got what we needed out of the process. Which was a really broad and wide range of input from a really wide range of the community to better, to inform the review of the plan and I really feel that we got that, so yeah. Councillor Wilkie: So next steps, what happens next? Afterwards documents ratified this week? Speaker 12: I'm looking at sitting down with the internal stakeholders and working out exactly what we need to focus on primarily. It seems there's been a lot of really firm discussion about the way that we need to start working on community education, about why we're wanting to work

00:21:00 in these reserves, what the values are of these reserves, how they contribute to things like our future climate change management and that kind of thing, and how you can help contribute to those outcomes. And we're not just talking about residents, we're talking about visitors as well. In some places the nature of the outcome is that we want to work I think it could also be part of what Noosa does which is they get a better idea of how they can help the environment and then they can take it back to their where they come So, it could be part of Noosa's brand. Councillor Wilkie: Questions, councillors?

00:22:00 If someone can't move the recommendation. Councillor Wegener: Yeah, I'll move the recommendation. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Tom. I'll second it. Seconded by Councillor Jarusevic. Councillor Wegener, you're free to speak to the motion. Councillor Wegener: I would just like to congratulate you for your hard work because the consultation process was extensive. I can't imagine anybody saying I wasn't consulted. I'm a little bit surprised or perturbed that 75% of the respondents were living in the eastern beaches because the hinterland enjoys their beaches just as much as everybody else. But perhaps they, you know, just subcontracted out or, you know, give it. Yeah, so I think it's a big step forward and thank you for your efforts. Speaker 12: No worries. We did consult, we did do consultation events in the hinterland, in Pomona, Cooroy and Kin. Kin Kin. So we have recognised how important it is for the whole community. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Smith, motion? I'll second. Councillor Jurisevic: John?

00:23:00 Yes, likewise. I'd like to thank staff for their time and efforts in finally achieving the eastern beaches forage oil and preserve management plan. Thank you. A robust discussion with the community certainly helped. I think that the objectives, the management objectives in point three have been, have been addressed through the discussion. In particular, the objective to contribute to improve resilience and stability of coastal landforms for current and future generations using nature-based methods, protecting and improving native vegetation and managing and enhancing public access. I think the overarching elements that are provided here give us an opportunity to do all of that, acknowledging the value of recreational activities as well as the importance of that. Under improving the, probably the things that we haven't done well in the past, which is fire management, which is weed management, which is

00:24:00 stabilisation, regardless of whether or not you agree with climate change and the fact that there's a question of sand there. Stabilising that journal foreshore is something better, you know, a much improved outcome for this community for the future to ensure that that stability remains. If that sand is there, to hold it there for us in the most natural form that we can. The opportunities this presents to address all those other elements are great. I said, I've seen examples of other councils that have done this well, in particular, most recently in Adelaide, where the signage and their vegetative protection and the elements of delivering on journal stability is probably one of the best I've seen for a long, long time. And respected and admired by their community. So, you know, we should look to examples that have been done well around the country to emulate. The elements dealing with acknowledging the shortcomings in what's currently being undertaken

00:25:00 and what methods to improve with regard to bushfire, flooding access, and all of those are well and truly undertaken here. Including identifying Kabi Kabi and Indigenous cultural heritage sites, and increasing and improving the social environment values and opportunities on the eastern beaches. So I'd like to thank staff for what I think is a comprehensive document that deals with all the challenges that have been presented to us all day. Councillor Wilkie: Yes, Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I have two items I'm going to do in separate amendments. The first amendment, I haven't given this one to you, Cathy, sorry. And it's item, let's make it a dot point under C, authorise the Chief Executive Officer

00:26:00 to make minor changes or amendments to the document prior to publishing on Council's website. Including reinstating the words taking a zero tolerance. In action item 16.1, so that it reads, so that it reads, taking a zero tolerance and

00:27:00 timely enforcement approach to any new encroachments. Timely enforcement approach to any new encroachments. So, when the draft went to General Committee, we agreed to improve that, and we agreed to

00:28:00 improve that. And you'll see that in the version that's got track changes on in 11.1, the dot point reads a zero tolerance and timely enforcement approach to any new encroachments. In the amended version after consultation, the current proposal is to take out the words zero tolerance. I think that's something that the community has asked us to do, very loudly and clearly, and I think there's a cogent case to make that very clear, hence why I suggest it's important to put back in there. Councillor Jurisevic: Sorry, Mr Chair, can I just clarify something here? Yeah. Councillor, in doing that, Councillor Stockwell, you, I think, pointed out an anomaly to me, and I just want to clarify with staff whether it's correct. That's item 15. Yet the dot points are listed 16.1 onwards. The next one is 16, and the dot points are 17 onwards.

00:29:00 Have we got a misnumbering system going on in the final document? Speaker 4: Oh, I'm not sure. I've done a check. Which is why item C is crucial. Councillor Jurisevic: 16.1. I went to 16. The 16 was about management. Yeah. 15 is actually about encroachments. Speaker 12: Yeah, you're right. There is a misnumbering there. What page is it, Brian? Councillor Finzel: Page 79. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: I've just noticed that was Brian pointed out where he's missed it when I was reading the document. I'm looking at the first. Speaker 4: We will obviously fix that. Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: So under seven partnerships, the dot points are at least at eight point. I'm going ... I'm just trying to work out where it starts. Speaker 12: The whole thing was reordered, so we do actually probably need to ... Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah. Six is consultation. It starts at seven. Seven is the title of the subject matter, which is ... I've lost it again. Partnerships. Yet the dot points start at eight.

00:30:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: They'd be covered by ... Yeah. ... the existing ... Councillor Jurisevic: Just a clerical ... Yeah. Correct. If we could correct that, that'd be great. Councillor Wilkie: And that's dot one too that's specifically related to that. Yes. Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: Have you ... one second. Yeah. All right. Councillor Stockwell. You spoke ... I did. Councillor Wilkie: You spoke ... Mayor Stewart: I've got a couple questions. Yes, Jo. So 16.1, whereabouts has it been specifically ... it's been taken out, and why would you take it out? Speaker 12: That was during the review process. It wasn't just me doing the review process, it was also peer reviewed, so I guess there was quite a bit of concern about the zero tolerance wording, so it was in response to that. Councillor Jurisevic: In that regard, has this been moved across to the encroachments policy? Because what we did have is a resolve of council, in my understanding, to have a ... with the

00:31:00 community's intent, to have a zero tolerance of any new encroachments. The old encroachments were to be managed, but new encroachments were to be dealt with immediately, as I understood it. Yep. And I believe that's covered in the encroachments policy as well. Is that why it was removed from this? Speaker 12: No, I don't think it was. I think it was just in response to that community concern, through the consultation process for the eastern beaches. Councillor Jurisevic: With regard to encroachments, the element of encroachments and the strength of encroachments for this? Speaker 12: Yeah, we did actually get quite a bit of input for encroachments through the eastern beaches forshore reserves management plan consultation. So it's just in response to that. Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it would be consistent with the decisions you've made around the encroachments policy. I don't think it's a problem putting that back in, because that has been council's position on the new encroachments. Councillor Jurisevic: And that's what I'm trying to clarify here, whether it's in the encroachments policy, we don't need it here, or because it's in the encroachments policy, it could also sit here in the same vein, just to reinforce all those concerns.

00:32:00 Mayor Stewart: Yeah. What's the definition of zero tolerance? What does that actually mean, Melissa? Speaker 12: It means if it gets reported to us, that we do actually do something about it. We do the risk assessment process and we follow the enforcement, or you know, the community education and enforcement process that's recommended as per the risk assessment. Speaker 4: So it means that we take the necessary actions. Yeah. Now the actions are across the spectrum. Yeah. They might just be education. This can't actually be done. We need to rectify it. It might then be, clearly this encroachment's been blatant. You've got an opportunity to rectify it at your cost. It could then be, if there's not compliance, we may then move to compliance, enforcement and fine. So there's a spectrum across the actions we take. I guess zero tolerance means that we will be immediately moving to action, any new encroachments. Councillor Wilkie: Well, there's a dot point above this one that says targeted educated compliance as

00:33:00 a first measure. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. That's my question. Mayor Stewart: This whole thing is, we just talked about education being key to this document. Yeah. That's exactly right. So zero tolerance seems to me that it's just, we're shutting down the gauntlet and we're going straight, but then in the next breath you're saying there is education as part of zero tolerance. Yeah. Speaker 12: And the first step is always going to be education. And I've found in other areas that that has had a fantastic success rate. So I think it's very, and I think it's also, it gives everybody an opportunity to do the right thing and to make a positive contribution. Speaker 4: As well as self compliance and opportunity. Yeah. Self compliance. Councillor Jurisevic: It just means whatever the appropriate action required is. And I think it's very important that we have that in a speedy manner after the incident occurs.

00:34:00 Speaker 4: That's one aspect. Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: That's my understanding. Councillor Wilkie: The council speak to the amendment? Councillor Jurisevic: I'll have my two cents. Yeah, go ahead. Look, I'm happy to support it because I do believe that's the intent in the encroachments policy that's been created. I think this is reiterating the element of the encroachments policy. And it doesn't mean that council will come down with a tonne of bricks. It means the appropriate level of enforcement requirement will be undertaken in a timely fashion in the event that anything occurs. Councillor Wilkie: Just close. Put the amendment to vote. Those in favour? That's unanimous. That's carried. It becomes part of the motion. We have another amendment passed. I do. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And it's that council demonstrate its commitment to dune protection by erecting a large sign in the cleared area in front of 70, Lora Creek Drive for dune breach, and further erect

00:35:00 wind erosion protection fencing for the full frontage. Councillor Jurisevic: Question to staff. We were only hoping for a seconder. Councillor Wegener: Look, did you need a seconder? Councillor Jurisevic: Well, it was a question first. Councillor Wegener: Okay. Councillor Jurisevic: In our encroachment policy. Excuse me, guys. Yes. Our encroachment policy was recently approved, was it not? Yeah. In our encroachment policy, for an incident like what has occurred with regards to anything cleared, what would be the appropriate action? Speaker 12: I haven't been involved with the enforcement for that process. What my understanding is that they've undertaken a risk assessment. I'm not 100 per cent sure of what is happening now. And it's a matter for our enforcement. Well, we have . Councillor Wilkie: Welcome, everyone.

00:36:00 You're across this. Yes. This map. Could you give us a briefing on that? Yeah. And whether you're comfortable with this approach? Speaker 8: Look, absolutely. Absolutely. And it is a big focus for us around taking swift action. I think that's the important comment made here today around investigations where there is a legal clearing occurring. We need to take swift action to investigate and leave no stone unturned in terms of how we're looking at those issues when they do happen. The longer those matters are protracted, the harder it can become to resolve some of those disputes in terms of taking action. So really, it's about a strong, swift action investigating those initial issues so we can take the appropriate action to get those issues resolved. Obtaining evidence early on is really important, including witness statements and gaining a lot of intel from local residents. It does get difficult, and I understand in this particular case the initial clearing occurred back in 2015, according to staff records, which is a significant period of

00:37:00 time ago. So it makes it incredibly difficult to try and obtain statements going that far back in time. Councillor Wilkie: That's if you were pursuing a prosecution? Correct. Speaker 8: Yes. Yes. Speaker 4: Can you get that wording back? Speaker 8: I think the other important thing to highlight too, and I'm just hearing, is the proactive education piece. So I guess the education compliance comes in two steps. The education should always be proactive to ensure that we get voluntary compliance. I guess we don't want to be out there in a reactive state. We want to be ahead of the game, and that's where we need to make sure the residents are engaged and aware around these things that may be happening. That's our preference to get to that stage, and then we follow through if we do get signs, and the community is well aware of the repercussions if we do identify some of those breaches, and we can take swift, strong action to address those, and send a powerful message out there to the broader community around our stance. Councillor Jurisevic: Just to clarify, has any clearing occurred in recent time, within the last 12 months? Speaker 8: I'm not aware. There was a statement, I understand, that there may have been a limb cut on the side

00:38:00 of a branch in the existing cleared area. Staff did try and investigate that, however, they were unable to identify any witness statements or any evidence of who may have done that particular work. Councillor Wilkie: A large sign doesn't necessarily apportion blame. Speaker 8: No, no. Councillor Wilkie: It just advises that the legal unauthorised clearing has taken place. Correct. And there'll be some advice to be made. There'll be some advice to report the legal clearing. Yep. And the sign's intended to be a deterrent as well, and have it occurring again. Speaker 8: Absolutely, yeah. Councillor Wilkie: And is this consistent with the sort of measures you were considering to apply in this particular case? Speaker 8: Absolutely. So we're in the mechanisms or in the throes at the moment of looking at appropriate signage to install there. We've looked at other local governments across Australia that have implemented similar signage, and we're looking at creating some to fulfil that need for us, to promote the messaging around the importance of making the community aware of these offences as serious, and we'll

00:39:00 take swift action. It also ensures that we, yeah, are sending a clear message to other people thinking about things like this in the future, that we'll be monitoring and following up these issues swiftly. Councillor Jurisevic: My understanding and recollection, in the past, Council has undertaken signage of this nature, in clearing incidents like this. And I'm assuming from the environment staff, they're looking at a re-vegetation, a re-habilitation of that part of the land. So if that's the appropriate action that would be undertaken in this instance, I'm happy to second the motion. You can't change it. Councillor Wilkie: It's seconded. Councillor Jurisevic: I seconded the original. I seconded the original. Councillor Wilkie: So I thought I could only not move, only if I move the original, but anyway. Can I just second the motion? So I'll second it. Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes, I think the Director's given a good explanation of why this is a good first

00:40:00 step to, you know, there's lots of really good other stuff in the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan. There is, you know, some, you know, the response on a whole range of issues is good, but it's also clear to make sure that this is clear to everyone, that the line of the sand occurs in the adoption of the plan. And this is one way to tell people that we're taking it seriously. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Stockwell. I have a question. Speak to the amendment. Councillor Wegener: A quick question. Councillor Wilkie: Yes, Tom. Councillor Wegener: Is this a normal process for the councillors, council table, to be able to put this sort of action in? To report like this? When is anything normal, Tom? No. Councillor Finzel: No. Councillor Wegener: No, it's not. Speaker 1: No. I mean, some of this stuff is, we're getting into the minutiae of operational elements.

00:41:00 So it's a matter for the council to make that call. But my personal opinion is, these are the things that, obviously, we're already making We're already making headway. We're already addressing. So whether we want to put them into a motion, or whether we just assume that that's part of the operational plan and works that we would undertake, that's your call. Councillor Jurisevic: So to follow on from the question I asked, I'm assuming that, yeah, as you've alluded to, signage being undertaken, an action plan to revegetate and rehabilitate the area is in process. So this is an unnecessary element and probably not related to the Eastern Beaches foreshore plan. I mean, as an overarching document. Speaker 1: The risk is we go into one. Well, we do one. Yeah, we do one. What about the next one? The next one? That's not in there. So I get it that the Council of Stockwell is making a point of this one and using it as a specific point. I like him. They can.

00:42:00 But that's, yeah, I think the risk is we pick one. Why are we picking one? Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it also overly focuses on one aspect of the plan. Yeah. And encroachments are one aspect. But as Melissa outlined, we've now got an encroachments policy and a very clear process which would lead us to this outcome, is actually leading us to this outcome as the Director said anyway. This plan is so much more than encroachments. And I think there's a risk of this overly focusing on that aspect. Councillor Wilkie: I'd like to speak to the amendment now. Everything that's been said at this table is true. I'm supporting this because this is the most egregious case of illegal, unauthorised, call it what you will, clearing of general vegetation that I've ever seen on the eastern beaches, regardless of when it occurred. It is a huge slave. The whole frontage of this property has been cleared of the native vegetation.

00:43:00 It's like a war zone. Yes, the encroachments policy handles this sort of thing. Encroachments was a big issue that came up through the consultation period of the eastern beaches foreshore resource management plan. And this is a live issue in the eastern beaches community at the moment. We want to know whether this document is going to lead to anything, or is it going to be another case of consultation, a great case of consultation, or is it going to be another case of consultation? We don't do that, but I think this is the right time and the place to make a statement. It is unusual, and in answer to the CEO's question, what happens, do we bring up other operational issues, well then they can be handled on a case by case basis. But I do believe in this instance, to send a clear message to the community what we

00:44:00 are doing about this, it's consistent with what our professional staff are already working on. So I think it elevates the work that they're doing, and signals that we do mean what we say. So for that reason, in this particular instance, even though it is a Stockwell amendment, I will be supporting it in this instance. Tom. Councillor Wegener: I would like to note that as the results of the public consultation, it was found that 90% or six on page 20, encroachments, 90% of the responses said, is that what, am I reading Speaker 7: that correctly actually? Speaker 8: Number six. Yeah, 90 responses. Councillor Wegener: 90 responses, yeah. 90 responses, yeah. The highest number. The highest number. The highest number of responses, anyway, was concerns with encroachment.

00:45:00 So I will be supporting this. Mayor Stewart: Minister. I appreciate Councillor Stockwell's intentions, but I won't be supporting this for all the reasons that our staff have outlined. It's a slippery slope. It's operational. This is a matter that is specifically pertained to staff and the measures that they are putting in place. It's also something that we're already doing. And that will be a message. Once all that proper and due process in accordance with the correct channels has gone through, there will be a clear message to our community. So it's not like that message won't be heard loud and clear. And it is unusual, as we've all recognised and appreciated. And it does set a potential precedent. As our CEO said, it's a slippery slope. So as I said, I appreciate Councillor Stockwell's intentions, but I think it will be addressed in the right channels at the right time by staff. And we will still see that same result. So I won't be supporting this.

00:46:00 Thank you. Thank you very much, Chair. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Russel. Councillor Jurisevic: Yes, I will. Whilst I appreciate where Councillor Stockwell is coming from, and the intent to highlight a matter that's been brought to Councillor's attention, particularly in recent... While this consultation has been ongoing, I do think that the... The process is already being undertaken. I acknowledge the declaration of it here being undertaken as a stand is a significant gesture with regard to the elements of what has occurred. But seeing as the matter is already in hand, I don't think it actually relates directly to this element. I think it's more appropriate to the encroachments policy, which we've already dealt with. And as that's been approved, it's already in action. And the actions staff have advised are already underway. I won't be supporting that. Because I just don't think it's relevant specifically to the overarching document. It's a course of action within that document.

00:47:00 Councillor Stockwell used to close. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yes. I'm going to start with the same thing that Councillor Wilkie said, and that everything that's been said is true. But there's been one major omission. One major omission, and that is the first few words. This is about a council willing to stand up and say, we're not going to do this. We're going to say, we are committed to protecting dunes, and we're going to start taking action. And that is not just to the community. Certainly, it's a big one to the community. But it's also telling staff, yeah, we're serious. Because we haven't put up a sign since we've de-amalgamated. So it's also an indication to staff, yes, we want this seriously, and we do want it. And I raised this as a potential amendment before I actually got the advice from the director that they were on this path anyway. I think it's really important to make that public stance saying, is, as you said, probably

00:48:00 the worst case of vegetation clearing along the eastern beaches, where straight in front of a property, every tree, shrub, I won't say blade of glass, because that's all that's remaining. It was cleared between there and the beach. It is a matter of interest to the whole council that this be used to demonstrate our commitment. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. We'll put the amendment to the vote. Those in favour? Oh, you swayed me. Councillor Wegener. He never sways me. Stockwell, Jarusevic, and Wilkie. All right. Those against? Councillor Stewart. Aye. The amendment is carried. And we go back to the original motion, all those years ago. And to which only Councillor Wegener and Councillor Jarusevic have spoken. I have some questions.

00:49:00 There's a lot of interest in the work that council may do to improve beach accesses, furniture, and also viewing platforms and signs. Can you explain how those wishes of the community are captured in the work that you've done? Yeah, sure. And how do you move forward? Speaker 12: I guess the first thing that we do need to talk about is, we don't have any standards for our beach accesses. We haven't had any new beach accesses for a while, and that's one of the first caps off the rack. We're actually working on developing some beach access standards. And I guess the other thing that we've done is, while the original document did reiterate the importance of public access and maintaining public access through our reserves and onto our beaches and into our waters, I think this does more so. And it makes explicit that we are focusing on improving our beach accesses, but also

00:50:00 improving those interfaces with our broader public land. So when you go to a beach access, if you look at some of them, they're quite a hodgepodge of bits and pieces, and somebody jams in a bin, and somebody else jams in a shower, and things like that. They're actually quite cluttered. So we're looking at reviewing all of our beach accesses to make them more inviting, to make them a pleasant part of people's day-to-day lives, to make them a pleasant part of people's visit to Noosa. And that's what we're primarily focusing on. And I guess another one of our big drivers is that we do actually have quite a bit of what I call trampling issues around the ends of our beach accesses. And we've actually, yeah, so we're looking at how we're going to manage those highly mobile seaward ends of our beach accesses. What we've got at the moment is that we are going through a period of accretion, and we've extended well past the constructed elements. And we're looking at the best ways to manage that public access onto the dunes next to

00:51:00 the beach access in a way that is attractive, but also helps preserve those environments, and to keep the vast majority of the people who go through these areas onto the actual beach access itself. And I guess the other thing that we're looking at is developing a package of communication products. Which will include signage, and leaflets, and what's on the, it's online as well. We don't actually have much information about how to go to the beach on Noosa. Which is fine for the vast majority of people, but if you've got access issues, if you've got mobility considerations, if there's something that you need in particular, there's not much information. So we're looking at that as well. Councillor Wilkie: There's also interest in community members working with council staff to help design bespoke beach furniture at certain accesses.

00:52:00 Is that? Speaker 12: There's a lot of room for that. And I guess one of the things that we do need to identify is those back of beach uses where the surfers are going to have a look to see what the surf is doing. Where they're, I call them ad hoc community hubs, where we do have a bit of quite interesting social community constructed beach furniture. Actually looking at how we can reach out to them. And we're looking at that. And we're looking at how we can maintain that hub and maybe manage the impact a little bit more. But there's definitely a lot of space for site specific community driven elements of that. Councillor Wilkie: And also, even though not strictly Eastern Beaches Horseshoe Reserves management plan focus, dogs came up as a hot topic. Yes. How are you going to be handling and actioning the concerns about dogs? Councillor Jurisevic: Dog owners code of conduct in off leash areas? Or? That might be a real issue. That's a pretty rigid question. Speaker 12: Yeah. Yeah, it is. And I'm going to say that that has been identified.

00:53:00 That we actually work with local laws to review, to look at where dogs can and can't go. We did have a lot of direction. People really value going to the beach with their dogs. It's really important for a lot of people. Also, some people felt that they wanted to be able to go to the beach to the areas where dogs weren't allowed and felt safe from dogs. We had one bloke who explained that he got scratched by a dog, a really old papery skin kind of thing. And it's just bled and bled and bled. And we're talking to people who don't go to the beach anymore because they didn't feel comfortable that they wouldn't be able to stay away from dogs. So our focus is that we still encourage and we still facilitate and we still recognise how important that dog will be. And that's what we're looking is. But we actually make it work for both the environment and the broader community. And we're looking, we've identified working with local laws to review that process and

00:54:00 get some more information around how to go to the beach with your dog and working with everybody else. Councillor Jurisevic: Yes. And again, the signage, signage is a huge one. I mean, at the moment, the proliferation of information that's, that's, that's, you know, has to be put in that signage means any more signage, like some sort of understanding, like a dog code conduct or dogs this way only and no dogs that way. And, you know, you don't want to have to continue to increase. So, so that, that'll be a review process by, with local laws as to some sort of a, a new standard of signage for beach going and possibly a second, second element with regard to dog behaviour. Speaker 12: And it might be that we also find other ways of delivering the information. Like it might be that we work with our short term, because a lot of people bring their dogs when they go on holidays, short term accommodation, that there is actually information

00:55:00 about where they can take their dog and, and, you know, actually in the accommodation area. And then also our residents. Councillor Jurisevic: One would, one would suspect that we hand out dog registration renewals, that that's an appropriate place to. Education. To educate and put information with regard to the type of behaviours that's expected. Speaker 8: And I think the signage being simple and clear provides residents and tourists with certainty on, on the experience they're going to get when they go to the beach. It's very clear that there may be dogs on leash or off leash at those particular beaches. People can make that choice around the beaches that they go to because they know what sort of experience they're going to get. So I think it's really important to have a look at the, the review on some of that signage to make sure we've got it right and we'll be working closely with them. Councillor Jurisevic: And remind dog owners to, the expectation to take, take a bag with them and not have the expectation to find one on the beach when, just when they get to the beach. That, that's not one in, up their sleeve perhaps. Councillor Wilkie: Councilors, you're, Tom you've opened a mess here.

00:56:00 Just a short, short motion. Joe, while you're spoken. Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. So firstly it's now thanks to a, a rigorous consultation process and no doubt quite timing, timely and time consuming analysis of the various positions which are now really clearly articulated in the plan which makes the rationale and the logic for what action we have proposed much clearer. So I think that's a really good job in that, between the draft and the, and the, the one before us today to adopt. I think we've looked at, you know, the, obviously the, the majority of people see the beach as a primary recreational resource and we know when we did the, the Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan is that the alternative to not protecting these dunes and using engineering infrastructure

00:57:00 ran, ran, would run into a lot of trouble. So we have to take this body of work as one of the most serious responsibilities of Council for the coming decades, because while we don't know how soon or how large the changes are, we are certain that the changes in the weather and the changes in the sea level are coming. We are certain that we will have bigger storms in the future, and the more resilient our dunes are, the greater the protection they'll afford, both to the recreational resource, to the built resource behind it of the personal infrastructure and the Council infrastructure, but also of the many values, environmental values within that strip. And just one of those changes was a nice addition to the discussion on turtles, and how we're working with the Kulinma North Shore Coast Care on that issue. Coincidentally, there's a current grant opportunity in terms of green turtles, which this plan,

00:58:00 if perhaps with our threatened species plan, the Noosa 9 and Co, it may be that we do look at going for one of these federal government saving native species grants, because it talks about grants could be looking at managing light pollution on nesting beaches through implementing the best practices. Light management guidelines prevent predation by feral pigs and foxes through the control programs and nests up on the North Shore, not on here, but protect habitat through removal of nets, educate fishes, recreational boaters, et cetera. So I think this plan not only gives us guidance, but it also demonstrates a way forward that will put Council and the community in a better position to get what grants are available to assist us to achieve the long-term outcomes of it. Councillor Wilkie: It is one of the few places in southeast Queensland, this 11-kilometre stretch of beach, where you

00:59:00 can walk along it and in parts not see a building because of the values placed on the foreshore reserves. It is not only one of the Shire's most significant natural assets, it has millions of individual visits each year, not just from Shire residents, but from visitors from all over the country. Across the region and Australia. And this coastal reserves management plan is a demonstration of the Council's commitment to valuing these reserves and preserving the eastern beaches, though a significant asset like these beautiful beaches ought to be treated. So thank you staff, especially you Melissa and your team. It's been a lot of work. I saw you there at the public consultation. Welcome back. And they were very early, and you were very patient, and you captured all the views, and it's helped make this document as well-rounded as it is, and very well-worked, so thank you.

01:00:00 Thank you. Councillor Wegener: This morning I was down at the beach, and appreciating the path coming down, and then I noticed that there was grass on top of some areas that actually came down, and one of them was almost like a grass tree, where you had the grass on the top, natural grass, and then below it, it had all been stomped away. So I really get what you're saying about the entrance from the water side of the beach into the foreshore reserve is a really big deal. But I, you know, to be honest, out of all the years that I've been walking, you know, doing that trek, I never really noticed it. So I'm really realizing that something that, a theme that's coming about with several of our different issues, or reports, is we're looking at behavior change, especially in the waste strategy. But behavior change comes with an evolving understanding and appreciation, and in this case, the foreshore, and I really felt that this morning.

01:01:00 And so, a big part of this is our education, working across the board with tourism, Noosa, all the different departments, in order to, so that we can evolve, so that even Brian Freddie, like myself, can stand there, being the environmentalist that I claim to be, and for the first time, really, really see how that walking back and forth has affected the path and the foreshore. So, I really support this, and thank you again for your efforts. Thank you, Stockwell, for your amendments, which I think really put a strong gust of wind behind the enforcement policy. And, yeah, so thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you, Melissa. Thank you.

5.2 MCU22/0039 – APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE - RELOCATABLE HOME PARK (COMMUNITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING - 32 DWELLINGS) AT 55 AND 70 CARPENTERS RD, COOROY (Referred from Planning and Environment Committee dated 8 August 2023 - Item 5.2) ¶

▶ 01:01:42· Carried 5-2 · 2 divisions from council's minutes

01:02:00 Councillor Wegener: The next one will be quick. Councillor Wilkie: Hello Patrick, Richard and Nadine. Welcome. Good afternoon. We're now up to item 5.2, application for material change of use, relocatable home park, community and affordable housing,

01:03:00 three or two dwellings at 55 and 70 Carpenters Road, Cooroy, and the item is being referred to the significance of the issue. Okay. Councillor Jurisevic: Can I just clarify the address of the property as being Carpenters Road or Carpenters Lane? My understanding is that the use of Carpenters Road is completely incorrect in the report and in all documentation. Speaker 13: Our council's mapping system and record system has these sites listed as Carpenters Road. Even the state mapping includes it as Carpenters Road. However, Councillor Stockwell has pointed out at the last meeting that it is the incorrect term. And he is... It is correct. It is not a road. It is an access handle to the council land and it's got an easement on it which provides access. So we have looked into that. We don't know when it was changed.

01:04:00 However, the director is looking into further action. Speaker 8: Making some... Investigating it further and looking at it. Councillor Jurisevic: Thank you for clarifying that because I've never known it as Carpenters Road. Speaker 13: It is interesting. Even the state has it as Carpenters Road. Okay, pleasure. Councillor Lorentson: Through the chair, I want you to... Alternate motion, please. Sure. Okay. I'd like to move the alternate motion that council note the report by the acting coordinator planning to the Planning and Environment Committee dated 8th of August 2023 regarding application for non-returns in year 2022 for a development permit for material change of use relocatable in the entire community and affordable housing situated at 55 and... New South Wales, New South Wales. Carpenters Road, Cooroy. A, recognise that the development application raises non-compliances with the New South Plan 2020, particularly in relation to the Rural Residential Zone Code.

01:05:00 B, find that there are sufficient other relevant matters pursuant to Section 45 of the Planning Act 2016 to warrant approval of the development application in the basis of this project. There is a community and town planning need for the development on the basis that a. There is a recognised housing affordability crisis occurring within the Shire, as confirmed by documents produced by Noosa Council, including the draft Noosa Housing Strategy 2022 and the Housing Needs Assessment 2021. b. The development would provide community and affordable housing opportunities for disadvantaged and low-income groups within the community, including essential income workers, families, individuals suffering from domestic violence, and single women over 50. c. The proposed development has strong support from local, not-for-profit community housing providers, Coast to Bay and St Euston to Port, who are in need of adding to their housing supply initiatives.

01:06:00 d. Three of the dwellings will be gifted to St Vincent de Paul upon completion should add to their housing supply, and the remaining units would be sold strictly and only to not-for-profit community housing providers, such as St Vincent de Paul Society and Coast to Bay, which will ensure that a bona fide, affordable and community housing product is delivered. 2. The development is consistent with Council's Housing Needs Assessment 2021. a. It would add to the limited stock of community housing available within the Shire, which is currently far below other areas in SE Queensland. b. It would increase supply of housing for key worker-affordable housing solutions.

01:07:00 c. It would provide affordable housing opportunities that would meet the needs of all generations and be inclusive to low-income earning groups. d. The development will provide high-quality, sustainable, manufactured dwellings that are responsive to Noosa's subtropical climate. d. The dwellings are manufactured from sustainably sourced Australian cypress timber, which is an abundant natural and renewable resource, and of which there is no supply chain issues in attaining. d. Each dwelling will have no step access, with 870mm wide sliding entry doors and 870mm wide sliding doors. With nature at floor level, so they are suitable to all demographics, the dwellings can be readily modified for increased levels of disability, such as low kitchen benchtops, low cooking and washing facilities, cabinetry, and storage cupboard doors with adjustable shelving. Bathrooms can also be modified for disability and social needs.

01:08:00 The site offers locational benefits for the proposed development, in that it is located within the urban footprint under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, and consists of three areas. It is consistent with the intent of the urban footprint designation. The board is the urban boundary under the Noosa Plan 2020 to the north and east. The site is located in reasonable proximity to the township and essential services, being 845 metres from Landrug in the district centre zone, 900 metres from Cooroy IGA, 650 metres from the Cooroy Primary School, 480 metres from the Cooroy Sports Ground,

01:09:00 and 925 metres from the Cooroy Library. It will be appropriately serviced by transport infrastructure, including 1. Connected to a continuous pedestrian pathway network to town. 2. Connected by a pedestrian pathway and bridge to the Cooroy Industrial Park, which is a major employment node. 3. Serviced by a two-way sealed road. 4. Being located in reasonable proximity to a future bus stop located at Marywood. The site is located approximately 50 metres east of the Mary River Road Sports Ground Parade Jarrah Street intersection, and 1.12 kilometres from the Cooroy train station, which provides public transport opportunities to Nambour and Brisbane. 5. The development would appropriately maintain the amenity of the area and protect a large area of native vegetation on the eastern portion of the site, and appropriate landscape setbacks to the boundaries.

01:10:00 6. The modular dwellings are a zero-net energy product manufactured by Eco Cottages in their zero-net emission factory at Jarrah Street, Cooroy. Consequently, the development will complement Noosa Council's zero-net emissions organisational strategy and the planning scheme's intent that the Noosa community is carbon neutral as a result of adopting low-emission production and land-use practices. 7. The development will be powered by a solar-powered microgrid, which will ensure that all of the energy needs from the development will be obtained from renewable sources. In this regard, all the dwellings will have solar panels installed and the energy produced will be stored within a large battery station on the site. Consequently, the development will complement Noosa Council's zero-emissions organisational strategy and the planning scheme's intent that the Noosa community is carbon neutral as a result of adopting

01:11:00 low-emission productions and land-use practices. 8. The dwellings are affordable by design, as they are small, lightweight timber cottages. They would also result in minimal energy costs for the future residents being connected to a solar microgrid, which will supply the development's energy needs. For these reasons, they will remain an affordable housing product, in perpetuity. 9. The development will provide several school-based apprenticeships and trainingships for students from the Noosa District State High School that cover apprenticeships and training in design, rivets, sketch-up, detailing, carpentry, cabinet-making, joinery, plumbing, painting, waste management, recycling and furniture manufacturing from Cyprus off-cuts. Eco Cottages has a collaborative relationship with the Noosaville District State High School since 2007.

01:12:00 10. The development will support local manufacturing and jobs within the region, including for a Eco Cottages, which is a successful local business that are leading new and sustainable building technologies in the development of small modular homes and employ 30 staff. And B. Nopt Solutions, which is a green energy company based out of Coolum Beach, that have developed a battery energy storage system used in the installation of homes and commercial developments. 11. There is significant public support for the application, with 332 properly made submissions being received on which there were overwhelmingly in support of the development application.

01:13:00 And C. Requests that the CEO should prepare a further report to a future meeting, which includes an infrastructure agreement, a deed of agreement, covenant and conditions and grounds for approval. Councillor Jurisevic: Can we get rid of a word or two in that one too, please? Requests the CEO for a few questions about, sir? Councillor Finzel: Yes, through the Chair. Would I be able to just get a review from the staff, please? Even though I was absent from the meeting. Sure. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, we probably circumvented the staff giving a chance to speak. That's all right. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, thank you. Yep. Yeah. That's right. Thank you. Speaker 13: Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. This is an application for a material change of use for a relocatable home park for community and affordable housing for 32 dwellings out at properties known as 55 and 70 Carpenters

01:14:00 Road slash Lane. The applicant indicates that the accommodation is to provide for accommodation for workers and for vulnerable people and has indicated that there are several options available for tenure. And I will say some limited information has been provided about those tenure options. But basically, one might be sale to a community group or some sort of subdivision and development and then future sale or renting by a community group. The lots involve a private lot, which is off Carpenters Lane. And it also involves the use of an access handle, which is owned by council. And that's 70 Carpenters Lane as such. There are significant conflicts with the Noosa plan with this proposal and basic planning principles. It does not comply with the planning scheme.

01:15:00 It is not well located. And, yeah, it's just, it's an inconsistent use in the zone. It is also outside the Noosa plan. It is not well located. It is within the Noosa plan urban boundaries, though we do acknowledge that it is within the urban footprint as detailed by the SEQ plan. And it is indicated in the planning report. There's a plan of where the Noosa plan urban boundaries are and also the SEQ. The zoning is rural residential. This type of housing is not at all envisaged for the rural residential zone. Rural residential zone talks about a house on a large lot. It doesn't talk about 32 dwellings. There are major concerns with the location of the site on the outskirts of town and the potential impacts of access of these vulnerable people in this community, in this location and its remoteness. The site is also constrained by bushfire. And there are concerns in terms of the access, especially the access from the roundabout.

01:16:00 Our traffic consultant has significant concerns about the roundabout accessing to and from and using Carpenters Lane. Also, the site is prepared, the applicant will require, through development of the Carpenters Lane, vegetation removal of koala habitat, which is on council land, which actually removes the ability of council to use our own sort of credit in terms of removal of vegetation. In terms of the objections, many of them, and in the report there is a table, many of them were actually in support. But those people were outside of the Noosa area. It isn't consistent with the housing strategy. There's a section in the report there that talks about, we're talking about increasing our workers' accommodation and housing in our residential areas, our residential medium

01:17:00 density and high density areas and centre zones, not in the rural residential zone. The housing strategy specifically says that. The 10-year arrangements, as I touched on briefly. The 10-year arrangements, as I touched on briefly. And when we got our ground, they really aren't clear, in terms of how this is is to be maintained. The applicant has just indicated that they would like some conditions included. There is a typo, which has been pointed out, on page 16, it should, we were doing a comparison on page 16, down the bottom of the page, the last paragraph, It was also just—in their second last sentence. It should read — if each room is occupied with only one person this would result in All of these residents are located in the western half of the site which is approximately one hectare in area. As I said, for comparison purposes, it is noted that in nearby Straker Drive, which is down to the south, approximately ten dwellings are located in a one hectare area.

01:18:00 So for those reasons staff do not support the application. Councillor Jurisevic: In terms of density, if this was developed within a centre zone, with that number of dwellings within that space of time, would this constitute low, medium or high density? Speaker 13: I'd say it's more medium. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll get a further line on whether it's low, medium or high density. They are small units. I understand that, but so are one bedroom units. Yes, that's correct. I'm trying to get the comparison within a centre zone of a one bedroom, a two bedroom, a three bedroom apart and being placed in there as to the density. Speaker 13: Can you go back to the denouement? No. Councillor Jurisevic: Sorry, it's a question without notice. It would be. It's a question without notice. Steering that, I just thought that question just came to mind. Councillor Wilkie: Yes. There seem to be different distances proposed there in terms of proximity. Speaker 13: I must say I haven't checked those, the applicant's calculations for those specific sites.

01:19:00 I haven't looked at them. My initial calculations are, you know, there we go. Yes. It's outside the town centre. Whether he's taken it to the edge of the centre to town, I was taking my calculations more into the main street. So I get it about 1.6 k's from the Cooroy Library and 2.9 to the Cooroy Primary School. Speaker 7: Have you done yours as the Cooroy Flyers or as you walk out? Speaker 13: I did it as a walking, as you would go down the road. Across. Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: And mainly. I checked it last night. Those figures relate to Crows Flyers. Crows Flyers. Yeah. Not as how long it would take you to get there. Yeah. What is the normal accepted? Is it commute distance? Speaker 13: Well, in terms of our walking distance, we talk about the 400. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah. No. But I'm saying the normal protocol is to do it by the commute distance rather than by Yes. Yes. Yes. Speaker 10: Yes. Yes. Councillor Jurisevic: And then by the TransLink distance from a bus stop, what's the ideal that TransLink

01:20:00 have? Is it 400 or 800? Speaker 13: 400. 400. 400. Speaker 7: And a housing strategy talks about being within 400 metres of public transport. Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: That wouldn't apply across the entire trial. That wouldn't be a situation where everybody's within 400 metres of public transport. Speaker 13: Again, that's our housing strategy. Mayor Stewart: Can I ask a question to the mover? Are you asking for a further report, Amelia? Councillor Lorentson: I am. I am asking that subject to agreements of an infrastructure agreement, a deed of covenant, just to address issues that are still up in the air in terms of infrastructure and land tenure. It just needs some sort of assurance who's maintaining what. And in terms of land tenure, just some confidence that the dwellings will be kept in perpetuity for affordable and social housing.

01:21:00 And subject to that, grounds for, if you can start the opportunity to put together grounds for improvement. Thank you. And is that looking to go to the next round? Next round of meetings or Thursday night? Speaker 7: Next round of meetings. At the earliest, I would say. It could take some time to organise an infrastructure agreement, a deed of agreement, with the flood parties being in agreement too. Thank you. Jan? Councillor Jurisevic: Is this area subject to flooding? Speaker 13: If you have a look at... Flood overlay? Yeah, there's a flood overlay in the report. The road floods. We had a consultant look at the road and the flooding aspect. And he has agreed with the... The information provided that the proposed road and culverts will provide an appropriate level of immunity.

01:22:00 His biggest concern was actually blockage of the culverts. Councillor Jurisevic: That's my question. And I don't know whether I need to direct it to planning staff or the infrastructure team. But with regard to if you make significant changes to a road which is in an already flooded zone, what are the implications for where flood waters would go from there? Yes. Has any study been done to... Yes. To look at what the implications of... Speaker 13: Yes. That's what our consultant did. Okay. And as I said, initially he wasn't happy with it. But he went back and he actually walked the site with the applicant's consultants. And in the end was happy with the works proposed. So there are some big culverts to go in. Councillor Jurisevic: So it could overcome the issues of flooding in the area? Yes. If a road was to be put in there. Yes. Councillor Wilkie: What did the fire consultant have to say about the risk here and how it could be managed? Could it be managed? Speaker 13: Is he happy to sign on for it? We had an internal... Our internal environment office had a look at it. He's very experienced in bushfires. And he raised concerns in terms of the access going past a bushfire hazard area.

01:23:00 So that was raised. They're proposing to shelter on site, which is not one of our accepted outcomes. Also it's in terms of our code, it's at the end of a dead end road. There are limited access points to evacuate. So it's either a shelter on site or evacuate past hazardous vegetation communities. Speaker 7: So there's a high potential risk associated with this. There's a risk associated with that. And it's proposed that if they were to evacuate from the site, they would have to go through that standard vegetation. And that would also require any emergency services also to go through that standard vegetation. So there's a risk associated with that. And there's only one way in and out of this site. And that is through that vegetation. Councillor Jurisevic: Is that the standard vegetation on the site? That is correct. That's correct. You're talking about...

01:24:00 Yes. Because I'm looking at the map and I can't see... The only vegetation they'd be crossing, the passing would be on private land holdings. On page... One of them being their private land holdings. Speaker 13: That's correct. On page 14. Councillor Jurisevic: Figure one locality. I don't know what page number... Page two of 26... Oh, figure 10. Page 264 in the report. Oh, sorry. I'm looking at the... Speaker 13: Have you got figure 10 there? Councillor Jurisevic: I've got figure one. It's called figure one locality. Speaker 13: Okay. Oh. If you can keep going on to... Figure 10, which should be bushfire management. Councillor Jurisevic: Five. Two, 71, six, four, 10. Bushfire management overlay. Yep. Okay. Speaker 13: So you can see there. So it's the one at the end, that blob of vegetation. That's to be retained. There's an existing access track that comes along from the southeast corner and then it goes up around. Councillor Wilkie: What did the traffic consultant have to say about the intersection on Marywell Road?

01:25:00 Speaker 13: He was concerned. He didn't think that the information provided satisfactorily addressed his concerns with the conflicts of getting in and out of the site. Exactly. Exactly. He had major concerns. Councillor Jurisevic: It's already a four-way roundabout with Carpenter's Lane being the fifth... Yes. ...off it. Speaker 7: Yes. And 92 properties coming through Carpenter's Lane at the moment. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, 92. So you'd add another how many? 38? 32. Well, 32 on site. 32 on site. Speaker 13: 32 on site and the adjoining property to the south. That's also a rural residential zone land. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah. But in addition to what's already there. That's correct. That property's already there. That's a 32 additional onto it. Speaker 13: And they haven't... At the moment, there's the only two lots that actually have a lawful point of access along Carpenter's Lane are those two rural residential lots. At the moment, there are a number of informal access points off Jarrah Street as well. So if it is upgraded, Council will have to make a decision in terms of is it to remain

01:26:00 as a easement, which is not probably desirable from our property. We've said they wouldn't want it to remain as an easement, which means it would have to be converted to a road. And our infrastructure department has said they don't support it going to a road. Councillor Wilkie: Could you explain why placing it next to an industrial estate was an issue? Speaker 13: It's not good planning principles to place, I think, these small dwellings right next to an industrial estate, which can be developed for light to medium industry, which has potential impacts in terms of... Noise, emissions, but it also has reverse amenity. It might affect the scale of industry that can occur in Carpenter's Road. So normally, we would have, as in this instance, we have a buffer to residential properties to the industrial estate. Councillor Wilkie: And housing strategy talks about... We're dealing with a high-spiralling of members of the community.

01:27:00 It's not explicit in the report, but the housing strategy talks about... Ensuring crime prevention through environmental design principles. Yes. Once we adhere to in the delivery of housing, including social and affordable housing. Could you talk about some of the key principles of... The SEPTEC? The SEPTEC. SEPTEC, yes. And whether there's any regard to that with this particular development? Speaker 13: My initial assessment would be no. I mean, looking at... There are seven main principles of SEPTEC. SEPTEC. And the first is activation. There's activation, surveillance, ownership, stakeholder management, legibility, territoriality, and vulnerability. So if we just look at a couple of them. Activation. There's going to be very limited activation. We have a... And what do you mean by activation? Activation is things like a street front.

01:28:00 People moving about. Things are visible. People coming and going on premises. To a main road, for example. To a main road. Councillor Wilkie: Visibility surveillance. Speaker 13: That's correct. Yes. So you have shops, people moving about. They're there parking. They're traveling. We're at the rear of industrial sheds on Jarrah Street. And then we are at the rear of rural residential properties on the other side. There is a large... Is it the Jehovah's Witnesses on the corner as well? So there's limited overlooking there. And then we have a lot of vegetation at the back of the properties on Bangalow Court. So there's limited people moving there. So that's what I look at. Activation. And that to me also relates to surveillance of that area as well. It's quite remote. And then you've driven up there. It's a long way out. There's not many people who will be able to sort of keep note of that. Ownership. It's a back of a... It's behind an industrial area. Who's managing it? Who's looking after it? So if these principles aren't adhered to, it can lead to social...

01:29:00 Correct. Yes. I think... Problems. Problems. We talk about safety and security. And I think that's leading us down to the severe issues with that. Councillor Wilkie: Is it your view this is a good concept but just in the wrong location? Speaker 13: Absolutely. We've indicated from the very beginning, the pre-lodgement meetings held with the applicant that we did not support the use of the site for this type of use. Councillor Wilkie: So the applicant was informed that there would be difficulties getting approval of this site because of the... Speaker 13: Absolutely. They were met with strategic initially. And I understand there was some dealing with strategic. There was a pre-lodgement meeting with planning staff. The information request that was issued was very clear in terms that we wouldn't provide it from a planning perspective that the planning department can support it. We're very clear. Even when we asked for the information, we spoke with the applicant's consultant and said, we don't support this. So it's been very clear and consistent.

01:30:00 Councillor Jurisevic: With regard to properties adjoining an industrial area, I look at Lake Entrance Boulevard and the properties that come off that. Do we not have an existing housing estate that abuts an industrial area? Speaker 13: They are larger. If you have a look at the sizes of those lots, they're quite large and there's an environmental covenant for a vegetation buffer. Councillor Jurisevic: So there is an environmental covenant there. Speaker 13: And I think there are also conditions on the other side. So when we look at it too, there to be end... Speaker 7: The separation from the rear boundaries and where the industrial buildings can go. Speaker 13: Again, that's a historic one too, remembering that it was a lease area. It's been there a long time. I'm not highlighting that as a great example. Councillor Jurisevic: No, it's not. I'm just saying we've got an example of where that currently exists. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We do. It might have been approved on a P or two. Speaker 13: Thank you. Okay. It's not a desirable outcome, basically, in terms of... Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Through the Chair. Well, I support the concept.

01:31:00 I do have concerns about vulnerability. I refer to item number nine on page 262 of the P and E report. The proposal is unlikely to satisfactorily deliver the social outcome sought. And then item C, the applicant has provided no clear mechanisms that can be conditioned through a development approval to achieve the proposal's social affordable housing outcomes. Is this a question, Councillor? Yes, it is. I'm just putting it in context. Okay. Thank you. What type of mechanisms would you be looking for from the applicant to ensure that we can condition this appropriately? Speaker 13: As Councillor Lorentson has indicated in item C, we would be looking at, at minimum, an infrastructure agreement, a deed of agreement, and a covenant to address those items. Councillor Finzel: And have you requested them in the past?

01:32:00 Speaker 13: As part of the information? Yes. As part of the information request, we asked for further clarification about tenure and how it was to be maintained. And we received a response basically saying two paragraphs with the two likely tenure options, which were the entire development is to be sold to Coast to Bay, and the individual dwelling would then be leased to third parties under their build-to-rent program. We received a cover letter and a memorandum of understanding, which was draft and not signed. And we asked for further clarification about tenure and how it was to be maintained. The second item was the individual dwellings will be titled as units under a building unit plan, and then only sold to not-for-proper community housing providers, such as St Vincent to Paul Society and Coast to Bay. Councillor Jurisevic: Is that enforceable? Speaker 13: No, we don't believe it is. Thank you. Speaker 8: Can I just add to that, Councillor? Just, yeah. So on that point, staff have had concerns around conditions being applied, and it wouldn't

01:33:00 meet the legal test of that. I mean, we've been certain that we would be able to be imposed to require the land to be provided to a third party to be sold and managed on behalf of them. We would require significant agreements in place, and I guess that's where the terms of a deed of agreement and a covenant, because remembering the approval runs with the land, the applicant is not the landowner at this point in time, and we need to ensure that any outcomes are locked in with the land and perpetuity. So a really important piece. In our view, the conditions wouldn't cut it and wouldn't give us sufficient certainty, and would be able to be challenged in our view and not be lawful. Councillor Lorentson: I've got a couple of questions. First, I'll just continue. So I do include deed and a covenant. In terms of a covenant, my understanding is there's always a bond that's required. Can I ask, is there opportunity to negotiate that bond so it's not unversed and may not

01:34:00 and doesn't hinder the applicant from moving forward on this project? Speaker 13: Based on your, if a report was brought back to Council, we would be, it would be for an approval, if you've requested. Sorry, we could bring forward a recommendation for approval, if requested. Okay. And that would have conditions. We normally impose a bond to do, for works, and there might also be another bond. I'm not quite sure what you used for Doonella Street. Speaker 7: There was a significant bond for Doonella Street. So there would certainly be a large bond for the, I'd say, associated with the infrastructure agreement to ensure the construction of the roads was suitable standard, and then a further bond for the covenant. And it was a sizeable bond of approximately half a million dollars that was proposed at Doonella Street to ensure the use. Councillor Wilkie: Would there be a similar amount for this?

01:35:00 Speaker 7: Well, I would consider that would be the benchmark that we'd be looking at. To what you're suggesting? Councillor Lorentson: Actually, to my extent, I might be incorrect, but I do think that the applicant in Doonella Street actually did negotiate that bond down to maybe about $100,000. Okay. Okay. So there was opportunity to give that amount to the district. Speaker 7: Okay. And ultimately wasn't agreeable to signing up to the deed of agreement. No. Speaker 8: And withdrawing. I would just add, councillor, that the council, when brought back, would be able to provide advice on a bond amount, potentially, in terms of if that was a critical issue for the discussion as well. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you very much. And that would be conditional on today, councillors, agreement? That's correct. With this entire project. Speaker 7: So, officer, recommendation would remain as it is with a further report, and then it would be as requested. Councillor O'Brien, yes. Recommendations.

01:36:00 Councillor Wilkie: Jo, question? Sorry, Karen. Councillor Finzel: Karen. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through the chair, there was 332 properly made submissions and 10 not properly made. What's the breakdown for those that were for the ... Speaker 13: On page, unfortunately ... On page 22 ... Councillor Finzel: On page 22 ... Speaker 13: If you keep going on to ... And I'm sorry, because I don't have ... It's towards the end of the report. It's, yeah, towards the end of the report, under section four, 4.4, if you keep going. Under P&E report? Yes, in the P&E report. If you go to section 4.4, it talks about public notification. So, I did a breakdown ... Yeah. Of the submitters, and you can see they're ... And I've based them on postcodes, which You also mentioned a lot of work ... Councillor Lorentson: From memory, there were 11 objections, Karen. Yes, correct. Speaker 13: Yeah, there were 12. 12. And noting that these numbers won't add up, because I based them on postcodes, and some

01:37:00 people emailed in and didn't put a postcode, so that's why the numbers won't match the numbers that are actually in our system, but this was an initial breakdown based on postcodes, and you can see the top, where we've got 56 from the Cooroy postcode, support it. 12 object, which you note are in the adjoining residence of Ponderosa Drive, Mary River Road, and Bangalow Court. Two in partial Jarrah Street, they were more making sure ... They were industrial premises, making sure that it wouldn't affect them, and then you can see the breakdown ... Okay. From surrounding areas. Councillor Lorentson: The actual neighbor, can I ask, they made a submission? Can I ask, was it a gentling or a ... Speaker 13: To the sound. I don't know that he did, actually. Oh, he didn't do that. Did he? Well, he would have been in support. In support, yeah. Councillor Lorentson: Can I raise, the report, one of the reasons that a refusal was given, was that the proposal

01:38:00 was unlike, which is satisfactorily ... Can I ask, has anything like this ever been done before? This, to me, is a model I've never seen before. Has it been done before, and can we positively say that it's not going to achieve the social outcomes that we're seeking? I think ... Speaker 7: Well, just in terms of the social outcomes we're seeking, I don't believe it actually aligns with our housing strategy. That's certainly a key point. That's certainly a key platform on which our assessment's based. That was signed off only in November of last year by this council, very, very recent, and there's a number of objectives and actions within that housing strategy which this proposal does not comply with. I can run through those, and firstly, and it's stated consistently throughout the document that the social and affordable housing occur within the urban boundaries, and this is certainly

01:39:00 not within the urban boundaries. That it's not located to have reverse amenity impacts. I think the Dean's been through that. It's not to be clustered in isolated areas. It doesn't meet that. And then it specifically says not to have reverse amenity impacts on industrial areas, and we know that this site is located adjacent to the industrial areas. Ensure that growth is sympathetic to the character of local communities. Well, it certainly doesn't comply with that. It's not within the 400 metres of the activity centre, schools, or public transport. And then it talks about the Noosa Plan accommodating affordable and social housing in high and medium residential zones in the major centres. It doesn't do that. It needs to have a safe and convenient access to goods and services. It doesn't comply with that. And not to be adversely affected by natural hazards. It wouldn't comply with that. So, again, I reiterate that I don't believe that it meets our goals.

01:40:00 I think it's a question to achieve. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Lipscomb. Councillor Lorentson: Clarifications. Ministerial callings. So my understanding is that if a project is of state significance, the state can be called in. You say this doesn't get approved, but the state can be called into a project to re-seize and re-decide. Can you, what is this project, what is the purpose of this project? Of such state significance that if it doesn't go through, there is a possibility that the state may be called in to look at the application? Speaker 13: There's no referral agencies. There's no matters of state significance other than the clearing of koalas on our land. So I don't think that the state could call this in. Councillor Lorentson: But would you agree? So housing crisis. I'm thinking housing crisis given the draft South East Queensland Regional Plan that it

01:41:00 may be. Speaker 7: Well certainly there's a draft and there's a bit of work to go through that. It's only a draft. But I think it's important that we do have a housing strategy, that we have mechanisms that we're seeking to implement to address this. And that'll be borne out through our response to the South East Queensland Regional Plan. And I'd just like to also point out that we've done some recent work for an appeal in close proximity to this site. And we're asked to look at the number of secondary dwellings that have been approved. And within five kilometres of that site, there were 45 secondary dwellings for which we've issued infrastructure charges since the commencement of the new scheme. And going out to 10K radius from that site, there's another 45. So things are happening in terms of some housing being provided. And there's obviously opportunity for further secondary dwellings to be constructed. Speaker 13: I've also, just on that too, we're currently in the decision mode of establishing a new unit zone opposite the hospital for units as well on Mile and Maple Street.

01:42:00 So there's a lot that's being amalgamated there to provide a certain number of units as well. So we've also had another application further down Mile Street in the unit zones to put in a couple of affordable housing units as well. That one needs a bit more work as well. But certainly, there is, people are starting to look at those things. We've also had some recent inquiries. We've had some inquiries about some commercial areas and putting in some smaller housing, small sized housing, like under 90 square metres in some of our commercial zones as well. Councillor Wilkie: And maybe it's a question for the Director of Strategic Planning. Is it true that the Council's working with the state and community housing providers to provide hundreds of affordable units in appropriately sized locations? Speaker 4: Yes, that is correct. As per our information, there are hundreds of affordable units in appropriately sized

01:43:00 locations. So we're working with the State on some of those. And we also, as Council know, the State have recently purchased a site on Donellas Street alongside our Council car parks. And we're working very closely on the delivery of social and affordable housing on those sites. Councillor Wilkie: Which would be consistent with the housing strategy and that the most vulnerable people would be placed in units close to services and public transport. That's right. Speaker 4: Yes. Councillor Jurisevic: Further to that, what are the opportunities in Cooroy? Speaker 4: So there are a number of opportunities, and the Dean just talked about some. We know that some housing providers are looking at sites in Cooroy. Council will know that you've identified your own site on Lake McDonald Drive, Cooroy, to investigate for social and affordable housing outcomes. And that project's progressing very well at the moment. Councillor Jurisevic: So if this isn't approved, there are opportunities in Cooroy where this could be considered on a different basis?

01:44:00 A different allotment? A structure of this nature? Or a rate of this nature to be considered on a different allotment? Yes. Speaker 4: There are other opportunities in Cooroy to seek affordable housing outcomes. Councillor Jurisevic: Councillor Giselle. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, Mr Chair. Through the Chair, and directed to him, there's currently an urban boundary review underway, I believe it's out to community consultation. What parcels of land have been put up for consideration? In Cooroy, that currently sit outside that Council has identified that it could be used for this type of project. Speaker 4: So the SEQ Regional Plan has done an urban boundary review. There are no suggested changes to the urban boundary for Noosa Shire. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Point of clarification, we use the term urban boundary in our scheme. Urban footprint. The SEQ Regional Plan uses the term urban footprint.

01:45:00 Sorry. Speaker 4: The SEQ Regional Plan. Yes. I followed your lead, Councillor Giselle. My apologies there. Absolutely correct. Have done a review of the urban footprint. Yes. And there are some changes suggested throughout South East Queensland, but there are no changes suggested to the urban footprint for Noosa Shire. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Councillors, in order to move this along, can we have someone second the motion? I'll second. For the purpose of debate. Thank you, Mayor Stewart. Councillor Morrison. Councillor Lorentson: You can ask a question. I wasn't going to read this out, but I think I have to. It's something that was provided by Greg Lewis. And I think it's important because we need to understand what this, what's actually being proposed. And so I'm going to read what he provided. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. We will deliver a diverse mix of social, affordable, small one and two-bedroom manufactured homes installed on individual allotments between 200 square metres and 250 square metres.

01:46:00 The eco-cottage dwelling site will be fully landscaped with low-maintenance garden beds and plants with a rear-fenest enclosure for security, privacy, child safety and pet containment. All dwellings will be fully fitted out with solar powered fridge, stove and hot water system, no gas. All dwellings will have a zero-net energy footprint with free standalone solar power connected to a single-point micro-grid which will export excess power back to the electricity grid while providing a back-up facility to all dwellings in times of poor overcast weather. The dwellings will be fitted out with quality handcrafted furniture and beds manufactured from eco-cottage. The home will also be designed to complement the eco-cottages, waste offcuts of Cypress, which is part of the eco-cottages commitment to a circular economy.

01:47:00 The proposed development will provide livability and liveable places through innovation and good design. Creating places where people want to live and work. Places where people feel safe to walk around. Resilient places. Places with good access to open spaces. Public transport. And employment opportunities. The project will deliver high quality, small contemporary social housing on small individual lots. For those within the community with the greatest need, it will provide safe, secure and sustainable place to call home and contribute positively to livability, safety and resilience while reducing living costs and the use of natural resources. A project like this has never been done before, councillors. I'm going to start just by reminding everyone

01:48:00 of some savouring facts. There are more than 2,800 residents across the Greater Sunshine Coast, including Noosung, that are on our list for social housing. Of those 2,800 people – that's not a number, that's people – more than half have very high housing needs, which takes in the homeless. Almost one in four social housing applications across the region are single parent families. And the average wait for social housing is 2.5 years. The 2016 census shows that homeless women over 50 are the fastest growing group, making up 30% of homeless. And children are the fastest growing group, making up 30% of homeless. This is the second highest group at 27%. According to the 2021 census, there

01:49:00 are 12,947 women in Noosung that are over the age of 55. That's 45% of females in Noosung that are over 55. And the forecast is that it's over 55% of women in Noosung that are over the age of 55. That's an increase of the next 20 years. Councillors, there is a dire need for affordable and social housing. Women and families in the Noosa Shire are sleeping in cars, sleeping under trees, and couch surfing with nowhere to go, nowhere to call home. Two weeks ago, I had a call from Ventra. Ventra for Making Lives Matter. That's a not-for-profit organisation in Ventra Drive, Noosaville. And they support those in need. Ventra called me late Friday afternoon. She was hysterical because she could not find a bed for a woman called Veronica, who she found sleeping on a concrete bench

01:50:00 in a park toilet. Ventra was crying inconsolably because she had seen and had had enough. She rang the emergency numbers provided on our council websites, and they had no way of writing. We spoke, and we cried for 30 minutes. That is why I'm standing in front of you today, with an alternate motion to request that the CEO prepare a further report to a future meeting which includes an infrastructure agreement, a deed of agreement, a covenant, and conditions and grounds for approval. The reason I'm putting this alternate motion forward is not because the staff are wrong in their assessment, but because we cannot take no for an answer. We must find a way

01:51:00 to make this project happen. We have a moral obligation to do something now. We can't just keep waiting for the perfect location. A home anywhere is better than a woman sleeping on the floor of a public toilet in a park. Councilors, today we have the opportunity as decision makers, to the application before us, to keep this application alive. A development application that will provide an emergency response to a crisis that will positively impact and change the lives of 45 people. Disadvantaged and low income earning groups within the community. Families, individuals suffering from domestic violence, and single women over the age of 18 and over the age of 50 who have been identified to be some of the most affected groups within the community by the housing crisis. 45 lives that matter. In front of us is a bonafide community and affordable housing project within Cooroy. No

01:52:00 dwellings will be sold on the private market. Three dwellings will be gifted to St Vincent de Paul and the rest will be sold to non-profit community housing providers such as Coastal Bay and St Vincent de Paul. We have the applicant's word for that, and the approval is requesting even further surety on that. The proposal as it stands does present a zone conflict. It has got non-compliances with the planning scheme. But non-compliance of the planning scheme does not mandate a refusal. If it can be shown in the public interest, it is necessary to override the scheme. To do this, you've got to show the public that it is necessary to override the scheme. To Whether there is an economic community or planning need for the proposed development, whether there are relevant matters for an approval, and whether the application should be approved or refused in the existence of a plan of discretion, I believe that the need and the other relevant matters detailed in the motion support the approval of the proposed development.

01:53:00 There are substantial environmental, economic and, most importantly, community and social benefits associated with the project in front of us, as well as a demonstrated planning need and significant public support that, on the balance, outweigh these non-compliances. Today I am asking councillors to consider the need and the other relevant matters detailed in the motion and exercise the planning discretion conferred under the Planning Act to approve the application despite the non-compliance with the Planning Scheme subject to approval and agreement on the infrastructure agreement and the land tenure issues. Why? Because the desired deviation from the Planning Scheme serves the public interest to a greater extent than the status quo. This Committee has overwhelmingly voiced its support for an accessible and socially responsible housing solution.

01:54:00 The application received $350 million. We are committed to properly made submissions of which most expressed overwhelming support. The Local Housing Strategy reflects Council's commitment to addressing the current housing crisis. The Mayor and this Council has taken a vocal and definitive stand on the on-ground housing crisis and we have recognised the importance of decisive action and the need to intervene. This is our opportunity to take a decisive stance and we need to walk the talk. I urge everyone around this table to do what's right and approve the motion before us that keeps this application alive. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor Morrison. I'll speak to the motion. I think no one disagrees with the need to do something in response to the housing affordability crisis.

01:55:00 But what we mustn't forget is that we're dealing with our community's most vulnerable and we need to place them in the safest and best locations. This is a wonderful concept but it's in the wrong place. And there's currently a lot of work underway to provide hundreds of affordable housing in predominant units in safe, secure, centrally located sites close to solutions. There are also the potential for 2,600 secondary dwellings to be built in Noosa Shire to provide housing for our most vulnerable and affordable housing. It's a wonderful concept but it is in the wrong place. Also, in my personal view, it's an unwise and risky practice to present the developer's submission as Noosa Council's reasons for approval of any application,

01:56:00 let alone one so significantly in conflict the Noosa Planning Scheme and Noosa Council's unanimously endorsed housing strategy and when professional Noosa Council planning staff had recommended this application for refusal. It can't be forgotten that the housing strategy and the Noosa Planning Scheme is focused on providing for our community's most vulnerable people. When assessed against the housing strategy's actions, it's clear this application involves housing our community's most vulnerable, including women fleeing domestic violence, in an isolated location, outside Noosa's urban boundary, away from public transport, on land prone to flood and fire, next to an industrial estate, not currently connected to proper water services, without properly formed road, lighting or footpaths. A lot of work would have to be done to make this work and it would take some time. In the meantime, there's a lot of work underway to provide.

01:57:00 affordable housing in more appropriate locations. Why would we approve this when Council is already working with state and community housing providers to provide hundreds of properly managed, affordable dwellings close to village centres, services and public transport, as agreed to in the unanimously endorsed housing strategy? I understand the applicant's also working with another not-for-profit to provide shelters for women fleeing domestic violence in a safer, more central location. We cannot ignore the actions, the purpose or the work that went into the housing strategy because it deals with our most vulnerable in our community, not because it doesn't tick a box in the planning scheme of the housing strategy. It's because the outcomes are focused on providing secure accommodation for our most vulnerable. At considerable ratepayers' expense, the housing strategy took on board feedback from 626 organisations, surveyed respondents. 94% of them were within the Noosaville Shire and the advice of the housing strategy stakeholder reference group,

01:58:00 which was made up of professional representatives from the Department of Communities, Housing, Q Shelter, registered community housing providers, NDIS specialist disability accommodation providers, residential care providers, homelessness support services, business and tourism sector, permanent rental property managers and private housing industry experts. And they came up with these actions for best housing, most vulnerable and key workers. In order for the housing strategy to be seen as more than a glossy document, it's well thought out actions need to be considered in relation to all applications and this one. One of the first actions is that the new housing is focused within urban boundaries and within established towns and villages. This development is not within the Shire's urban boundary. The least we can do is ensure our most vulnerable residents are housed within the Shire's urban boundary and preferably within the not outside established towns and villages.

01:59:00 The next action is that new housing is concentrated in areas with good proximity to services. This development will not house our most vulnerable residents in areas with good proximity to services. Ensure a high proportion of new housing is within 400 metres of activity centres, schools and public transport, assisting residents to be less dependent on private motor vehicles to access what they need. This new housing for our most vulnerable is not within 400 metres of business centres, schools and public transport. It won't assist them to be less dependent on private motor vehicles to access what they need. Ensure new housing is not located where it could have a reverse amenity impact on industrial businesses or other existing or committed businesses or infrastructure services. Locating residents next to an industrial estate would have a poor impact on amenity of the property. This would be a problem for both the residents and may create reverse amenity problems for the properly located industrial businesses.

02:00:00 Another action is that new housing must be integrated within the community and not clustered in isolated areas. This development does not integrate housing for our most vulnerable within the community and does cluster it in an isolated area. Ensure vulnerable residents are not concentrated in isolated areas where they may be susceptible to poor social outcomes or at risk of natural hazards. This proposal would concentrate vulnerable residents in an isolated area where they may be susceptible to poor social outcomes and at risk of natural hazards such as flood and fire. Although flood can be managed, there is a real risk with the one way in to a get in place. The only access being out past a high hazard, a fire hazard area, it can't be managed. It would be easy for councillors to approve this application, but they would not have to attend as officers of the QPS, Queensland Fire and Rescue Services, Department of Housing and Families or Council Community Development Department officers should any problems arise.

02:01:00 Another action of the housing strategy is that we ensure crime prevention through environmental design principles are adhered to in the delivery of housing including social and affordable housing. According to staff advice, the lack of surveillance and isolation inherent from this application means the principles of crime prevention through environmental design have not been adhered to. To sum up, it is unwise for this council to present in a motion a developer's submission as Noosa Council's reasons for approval of a development that was so in conflict with the Noosa Planning System and Noosa Housing Strategy. This was unnecessarily placed, not just because it doesn't tick a box, but because it is not in compliance with the Noosa Planning System and Noosa Housing Strategy. Because it will not necessarily place our most vulnerable in an isolated, potentially unsafe environment when there are plans well underway between council, the state, private industry and community housing providers for hundreds of appropriately sited affordable housing options close to centres, support, services and transport.

02:02:00 Again, it is a very good idea, but in the wrong location. I will not support this motion. Councillor Stroud Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I think I'll speak to it on the question I had. I think I'll answer myself. Where you ended up. The concept, the design, the nature of the environment and sustainability of the concept is at war. If it was in an appropriate site, we'd be jumping up and down and clicking our ears. But planning is not just about getting the right development. It's getting the right development in the right location. This is the wrong location. It's not the wrong location just for one reason. It's the wrong location for multiple reasons.

02:03:00 Wrong location because our traffic expert doesn't think it's safe access onto the road network. Wrong location because our bushfire officer believes it's a highly risky place to put 32 residents with high bushfire hazard to get out on a dead end road. It's not the right location because not only is it adjacent to existing industrial land, but it uses part of Council's long held allotment identified for future jobs growth. So we are in a housing crisis and we do have to look at things from multiple angles. But just as important as housing people is ensuring we've got enough land allocated for job creation. And the block that is proposed to be used for access here is an allotment proposed for future industrial growth in Cooroy to create jobs.

02:04:00 And all staff suggest that if this development goes ahead it would impact and limit the ability for that long term planned industrial growth of Cooroy. It's the wrong location because it's rural residential and we've got 12 valid submissions identifying the conflicts with the community. We haven't heard much about the retiree who bought his block behind this who doesn't necessarily want 45 people at his back door because he bought it to hear the birds. Look at the trees. That's what rural residential is about. It's about a level of density. Whereas we've heard at 45 people per hectare it's closer to medium density residential development.

02:05:00 Perhaps looking at the nearest low density residential it's closer to medium density residential development. And 2.2 people per house which we currently have on average in Shire. It's about double the density of a low density residential development. So it's in the wrong spot. It's in the wrong spot because it's at the end of an access easement. And we've heard now some of the proposals for what the tenure might be which will require reconfiguration. We get to that point and it says, our scheme says we don't want more than three people. This would increase the current two to 33. It wouldn't comply. The future steps that are envisaged would also run into great difficulties. We've heard it's probably totally implausible to maintain it as an access easement.

02:06:00 Because generally with access easements you'd have 33 people sharing the maintenance responsibility. It wouldn't be Council's responsibility. It'd be the shared of all those benefiting from the right to access. And without it being a road, there'd be no road rules. So there'd be no way of enforcing speed limits on that stretch. Or alternatively, Council could turn it into a road reserve. Quick calculations, about a hectare that we'd give up of our land. And we would be duplicating our services, our road network from Jarrah Street. And that was one of the concerns raised by our infrastructure. And contrary to belief, the maintenance cost of Richmond Roads is actually higher than the gravel park that's there at the moment. I think it's really important to understand. That planning looks at the long term outcomes.

02:07:00 And there's enough in the staff report to say that despite the great design, the great elements of sustainability, and the great products in terms of housing products that is envisaged. That the planning outcome would be a negative one. It would create a living environment that is potentially unsafe. Potentially, not just to the residents but to those around. And for those reasons, and for the many listed in the report, I can't support this motion. Councillor Wegener: Just quickly, I've walked it in the dark and I've been up and down that road lots of times. And I tell you what, I've walked in the dark in the early morning from the IGA all the way down to where the proposed development is.

02:08:00 And it is a very long, dark walk. I can't, it would take so much. I wouldn't have my kids doing that walk. It's impossible in a wheelchair. We're talking about disabled. So, the amount of infrastructure, the cost of bringing this up to a standard where it's actually reasonable to achieve the goals is nearly impossible. Plus, it detracts, takes resources from what we need. And what we're doing that is consistent with our plan and doing and actually going to make a huge effect, drawing resources and putting into a very ill thought out project. And sarcastically, you know, I think sometimes there's a stigma, you know, about social housing and so forth, you know, going into the neighborhood. And so there's a lot of NIMBY, not in my backyard. Well, sarcastically, I think, well, this is an answer to not my backyard. You're shoving it way back there behind an industrial area. And it's a long, cold walk on a dirt alleyway behind industrial areas to get to the property. So, it is a great idea in an extremely wrong spot.

02:09:00 And it's a drain on our resources. It's not positive. So, I don't know if we're supporting the motion. Mayor Stewart: I want to quote something I just found. It says, leadership is not so much about techniques and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Councillor Lorentson, thank you for bringing to the table a human experience. We've heard heaps of reasons today about why we shouldn't approve this. And they're valid reasons. We heard one very good reason why we should. Because we heard about a woman in our community who is sleeping on a cement bench in a park. And she is one of 2,400. 2,400. I'm looking around the table. 2,400 people like her are doing just that. Many of them, hundreds of them, are probably children. There are problems associated with this.

02:10:00 One way in, one way out. Hastings Street, exactly the same. Industrial areas nearby. Caretaker residences, we've approved them before. Mezzanines above industrial areas. We've heard about traffic and bushfire hazards. A number of, many places across Noosa Shire are affected by that. Just ask the one way in, one way out residents of Noosa Springs. There are challenges. But I believe they can be overcome. But what Councillor Lorentson is doing is seeking to have a report done, a further report, which will have conditions. It's not a lay down mosaic, carte blanche, free for all. It's a highly conditioned report done by our staff with a number of conditions applied to them. Councillor Lorentson: There are plans elsewhere. We do have a housing strategy. Mayor Stewart: We have lots of opportunities.

02:11:00 But that's what they are. They're plans. They're plans. We have something right here, right now that we can deliver for our community. That we can deliver for Veronica, who is sleeping on that cement bench. And so many others like her. So I will be supporting this motion. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Can the councillors wish to speak before Amelia closes? Councillor Jurisevic: I don't. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah, look, it's tough. Councillor Jurisevic: It's a situation we find ourselves in. Through, I've got a no-fault algorithm. It's a lack of social and community housing. It's been provided over the years. And here we have a well-intentioned, a well-meaning solution being provided that really challenges the way the council works. And I'm struggling. I've got a bit.

02:12:00 I'm struggling. I can see what the intent is. And I can see the proposed benefit. But I can see the challenges of putting 32 properties. And I'm struggling. I think we have to build some, a subdivision of a rural residential property in a difficult and a challenging location for them. Is that a good outcome for those, the people that we're trying to most provide this sort of solution for? The most , at risk with a fire and a flood risk? At the end of it, a dead end road with that, with one way out, and one way in. Or is there anything that we can do about that? On to an intersection that's already got four linkages to it, a locational tantalus, I see the merits and I see the intent and the well-meaning intent of the applicant putting this forward.

02:13:00 But given that we are working towards other solutions and the rest of it, given that the challenges that staff have put forward of the planning scheme, given that we don't do planning schemes on the run, I'm struggling to approve this. For all the well-intentions and the well-meaning solutions that it potentially provides, I think the negative outcomes outweigh the positives, unfortunately. So I can't... In all right, support this application. I'm sorry. Councillor Wilkie: Are there councillors which would speak to the motion? Councillor Lorentson, would you please close?

02:14:00 Councillor Lorentson: There's a saying, and we're going to say this because this is really quite serious. There's a saying. The person who really wants to... The person who really wants to do something finds a way. The other finds an excuse. In front of us, we have an opportunity to find a way if we really want to do something. I'm going to just keep this really brief. I ask that you support the motion in front of us. And be the person like Greg Phipps, the owners of the land, Danelle and Brad Snow, and their town planner, Marcus Brennan.

02:15:00 Let's be the person who really wants to do something. And let's help them find a way. Approving the motion in front of us does not approve the application. It conditions the approval upon agreement with an infrastructure agreement, a deed of agreement. There's still lots more to do. Again, I urge you. I urge you to do the right thing. We are not planners. We are not lawyers. We're representatives of our community. And they have given us... They've given us the responsibility to speak on their behalf. And I am speaking on their behalf. We have a moral obligation to take action.

02:16:00 We have a moral obligation to do whatever we can do now. And that is to help women like Veronica, needing somewhere safe and affordable to live. I ask Councillors to reconsider their vote. And I urge them to approve the motion in front of us. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Lyons. Can I ask a question? Can we start before we vote? No, it's too active. This opportunity... It's only based on... Put the motion to the vote. Those in favour? Councillor Stewart, Councillor Lorentson. Those against? Councillor Wegener, Stockwell, Finzel, Joycivil and Wilkie. The motion is lost. We now have... Councillor Lorentson: Can we take a moment, please? Councillor Wilkie: You may... You can leave. Yes. It might be time for a break. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Can we have a five-minute break, please, Mr Chair? Speaker 5: We'll start here. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you.

02:27:00 Speaker 5: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: There's no need to re-litigate this, only to say that we are in a development control context bound by the provisions of the Act to make decisions in accordance with the planning scheme. The development application, while for an admirable purpose, does not satisfactorily address the key criteria that we've all been discussing, and hence is grounds for refusal. Councillor Wilkie: Can the councillors just give us a motion?

02:28:00 Councillor Jurisevic: I would hope that, as I said, we've all spoken to it and we've all spoken to it, and we've Thank you for your attention. What that does for me, it opens the opportunity for this developer to talk with Council further about other land holdings that may be available, that this concept may be more appropriate lending occasionally. And I hope those discussions do, I do hope that the applicant takes that opportunity to come and have a chat with Council and see what can be done and what can't be done. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Well, Councilor Stockwell closes. Mr Stockwell put the motion to the vote. Those in favour? That's Councillor Wegener, Stockwell, Finzel, Juricivic and Wilkie. Those against? Councillor Stewart and Mayor Lorentson. The motion's carried. Thank you for your next item. Thank you, Patrick, Naveen and Richard. The next item is the Economic Development Grants Policy Review and we've got Lyn Timothy,

5.3 THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS POLICY REVIEW (Referred from Planning and Environment Committee dated 8 August 2023 - Item 5.3) ¶

▶ 02:28:56· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

02:29:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Mr Chairman, before we do, I need to declare a conflict. I wish to declare a conflict. I have a terrible conflict of interest in relation to land care being nominated as the consultant on this report in accordance with my previous written declaration. I therefore wish the committee to consider that I stay in the meeting room as per the full written declaration in front of you. Councillor Wilkie: Okay, I'll move that the council note the declarable conflict of interest by Councillor Stockwell to determine Councillor Stockwell participates in votes on this matter as the Council believes that he will not receive a personal benefit or loss in relation to this matter and therefore a reasonable personal trust upon a decision made in public interest.

02:30:00 Would you have a second please? I'll second. Seconded by Councillor Jurisdikt. Anyone wish to speak to that? It's pretty self evident by the saying. All in favour? If that's unanimous. A second. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Speaker 10: Mayor, councillors, thank you very much for the time. I'll just go over again a summary of why we're here today, and that is essentially in 2016 we started an economic development grant program. We've noted over that time that we were not getting the level of applicants that we wanted, nor were we spending the full amount each year. Last financial year we were asked to do a review to why we weren't getting the uptake that we thought we should, and we got various feedback, but essentially two main pieces

02:31:00 of feedback was that we were going for strategic grants and the level and commitment of those applying found it just too hard, too arduous was the exact term. And that the associations that this grant is meant to encourage found that it was too difficult, and that given that they were volunteers, that this sort of grant that they were looking for was more tactical than it was strategic. So we took on board some of the review ideas and we implemented them very quietly towards the end of the year, financial year, to test them. And we almost doubled, in fact we more than doubled the level of submissions and we expended the full amount. So we feel that what we are proposing is in accordance with the business need at the moment, and we would like you to note that we would like your agreement to go to the various suggestions

02:32:00 that we put in the report. Councillor Wilkie: Can you just summarise some of the key changes? Speaker 10: Sure. Sure. So we did have three categories of grant. Quick response, project partnership and a multi-year partnership. We're proposing one category of grant, minimum of a thousand, maximum of five thousand per grant. Rather than having the three tiers, one felt sufficient, it will continue to be open as we have done. Start date, 1st of July through to the end of the year. The second is that we'll have a panel of council officers, including non-economic development staff and final approval by the director.

02:33:00 Usually, or has been assessed by two economic development counsellors, two economic development staff. I think my two and a half hour has played with my mouth. But essentially, it's similar rigour around the process, but bringing somebody from non-economic development into the mix. And we're suggesting that we go with more tactical activations rather than strategic. Still very aligned with our economic development policy, but less at the high level. And more at some really good economic outcomes that are practical and tactical. Councillor Wilkie: Questions, councillors? Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: I actually asked one of the staff. I said, is there any alternate options in the report to the grants such as the Expo, Local Buy Campaign, leveraging Queensland Small Business Month?

02:34:00 Now, I noticed in the reply, which I'll let you articulate to the other councils about what we are doing in that space and what the opportunities going forward may be to further expand on that. Speaker 10: So, as a mechanism to grow our relationship with the Noosa Chamber, we felt that there were so many people in the space doing so many things that we are planning on an Expo to bring all the helpers to one forum, so that various levels of government, ourselves, so that businesses can come together and spend time with some of our really key grant operators and other mechanisms and programmes. So, we are actually doing an Expo. We're planning that for later in this calendar year. And the idea is that, you know, business can come in and spend time with whomever they want, but we'll also overlay that with some research findings and, you know, key strategic themes

02:35:00 that we are working on. We also, as part of our Small Business Friendly Charter, you know, part of that is that we, you know, we do a lot in the bi-local. That's part of our circular economy also. And Vicki, have I forgotten anything? Speaker 11: We did participate in Queensland Small Business Month, kicked off by signing the Small Business Friendly Charter in April 28 this year. We want to do more and we can engage in small business support activities outside the grants program. Grants program is just one mechanism to support our small business community, largely through our chamber. Councillor Jurisevic: And we need additional budget consideration for any of those? Speaker 5: Yes. Always. Councillor Jurisevic: Or, I mean, because they're being run by other entities, is it just a matter of connectivity and interaction with those? Speaker 10: At this stage, Council, we're looking to leverage. So, within our current budget. That was a key word in there. I like leverage. I know. But essentially, we really need to trial this now and see if, you know, it's as good

02:36:00 as what we think it will be. We're confident. We've already got people lining up asking us when the program is going to be open. So, we're confident that we will get the uptake. But yes, we can do the other things through business as usual programs that we already have in our budget. Councillor Jurisevic: And there was an element within that that I was going to touch on. Where did it go? Wrong page. With regard to what it could facilitate. I'm sorry. I've got to go and find the page now. Speaker 11: The guideline. Councillor Jurisevic: It did talk about... Well, it specifically spoke about it. Where did it go? One of these. With regard to engaging in the space, i.e., you know, going to a specific locality.

02:37:00 Placemaking? No, not placemaking. I'm just trying to think of the word. Attraction. Attraction. So, yeah. Locality attraction. So, the scope for event. That, to me, envisages the concept of an event, i.e., such as the EV Expo being staged in the junction to invigorate the space and draw people to a locality. So, if the Tewantin Traders, for example, wanted to host an event to remind people of what's in Tewantin, for example. Absolutely. There's an opportunity there. So, those sort of things could be facilitated through the grant. Absolutely. Speaker 10: And that's a more tactical version of buy local. You know, let's put a focus. Councillor Jurisevic: But as a... Over time, as businesses come and go, people may not appreciate the space or appreciate what's in that locality anymore.

02:38:00 Or new businesses. And there have been classic examples. Some new turnover here with the banks leaving Tewantin. Yes. And new things here. That's a sort of event-based thing that may be eligible for a grant? Mayor Stewart: Absolutely. Okay. Like Christmas lights, Joe. Councillor Jurisevic: No, they fit into a different category. I've already got them sorted. I'm only joking. I've already got them sorted. No idea. Councillor Wilkie: I'd like to make a motion with an addition of D. The addition of D is that request the CEO report quarterly on the status of grant applications received during that quarter. I'm happy to second that. Seconded by Councillor Durrissidig. Councillors, I've done this because currently the status of the grant applications only was reported once a year. I understand at the end of the report. Speaker 11: Yes. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Whereas this would... We're hoping for more grant applications. And it'd be good to get an idea of trends in grant applications and how they're faring on a quarterly basis rather than wait till the end of the year.

02:39:00 Before we get a summary. Which may or may not be ignored because it's part of an annual report. Yep. But a quarterly report, especially on the progress of the Economic Development Grant Program. All other grants, community grants, rate of grants, are reported more regularly because they have formal grant rounds. This does not. This just ensures some sort of oversight. Councillor Lorentson: Absolutely. Councillor Wilkie: And I'm sure anyone in the business community would expect that to happen. So that's the purpose of the change then? Absolutely. That's completed. And you're okay with that? I'm fine. Are there any other councillors to speak to the motion? Councillor Jurisevic: I need to say that I look forward to seeing that the changes that have been proposed here do have positive outcomes for our business community and a greater uptake of the opportunities that are presented to it. Councillor Lorentson: I have a quick question.

02:40:00 Vicki or Lynn. Do we directly target the small businesses in the industrial enterprise precinct? They seem to always be sort of absent in this space. Speaker 10: Councillor, we do try to. We have all sorts of various communications, but we will try harder to find the way to actually. Speaker 11: Can you give us some context that I have? Great. I also know the Noosaville Business Association is trying to engage them more and more as well. Councillor Jurisevic: Well, there's a... I'll equally apply that to the Coroys. They're part of the industrial estate. I mean, do... Are they a part of the Coroys Chamber of Business? Are they engaged with Coroys Chamber, or are they... Speaker 10: I can't answer that specifically. Take that on notice. But in terms of what... Councillor Jurisevic: If not, is there an opportunity similar to what we were talking about with the industrial ... Absolutely. Speaker 11: We also have a new president, or not president, vice president, I believe, Maxine, from the Coroys Chamber, which is trying to... Councillor Jurisevic: I know a couple are, but I'm just thinking of the majority. Speaker 10: So they are our ears and eyes into the community, so that's why we've spent so much time nurturing

02:41:00 the relationships. But yes, we will make sure... Councillor Jurisevic: We assume that they're involved in some way, shape or form, either the business chamber or... I'm sure there's a noose with some of them, but how many are we actually engaging in within those... Yeah. Within those business entities that... Speaker 10: And that's part of what we want to test with the expo. I think... I believe I mentioned at the last meeting that small business tends to say to us, get out of the way until we need you, and then we'll come to you. So we don't want to make the assumption that everything is fine, so we will continue to do these types of things, and also at the business expo and any other opportunity that we have to test with the expo. So we can tell people about the range of support that we can have, and to give, and we can word up our counsellors in that space as well.

02:42:00 Councillor Jurisevic: And that's really what I was alluding to, making sure that we're actually connecting with those businesses through those forums. Councillor Lorentson: An idea or a question. Do we have a small business app that our small businesses... To me, to have a small business app, I think it's important to have a small business app or just something just really easy to navigate through or access, how to, what's available, directly targeted for the small businesses. Is that something that you guys are considering? Speaker 11: The state government has a number of tools. Business Queensland has a business launch pad. We're very careful about adding more noise to the small business community. We do like to use the state government and federal government tools from that perspective. Yeah. Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: But again, facilitating and knowledge that those things exist. Speaker 11: Exactly. Councillor Jurisevic: And that's part of... Is the opportunity that... Exactly. The platform and the pathway to say, here's the information if you need it.

02:43:00 Speaker 11: And the expo will help with that. And we use our chambers and our newsletters and a range of tools, communication tools, to get that message out there. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. The council has just finished. I might close. Thank you very much for your work in this space. Absolutely. We were acknowledged at the round business round table for the great support that you're giving our business community. So I just appreciate it. Yes. You've done great. Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Put it to the motion. Those in favour? That's unanimous. Next item. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, I'll Thank you. Contract number CN00315 question. The construction package can store more infrastructure replacements. Hello Julie Kellbert. Councillor Finzel: Hello. Good afternoon everyone. Good afternoon. Councillor Wilkie: have a good evening. Julia, can you give us a overview on what ... Speaker 2: So, today we're here regarding the reconstruction of essential public assets as a result of

6 REPORTS DIRECT TO GENERAL COMMITTEE ¶

▶ 02:43:42

Nothing was transcribed under this heading — a stretch of the recording with no speech the model could make out.

6.1 CONTRACT NO. CN00315 - FLOOD RECONSTRUCTION - PACKAGE 10 - STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENTS ¶

▶ 02:43:45· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

02:44:00 the 2022 flooding layers Today is contract number 000315 which waterway infrastructure such as culverts and some waterway crossings. There's also a few minor works concrete because they fit in logically in that particular space. We've got 11 main sites with some smaller minor works as I said. Those 11 main sites are in six areas so we've got Upper Pindarum Creek Road, Shribers Road, Coles Creek Road, Kin Kin Road and Old Tewantin Road. Each of those have two sites each on them that we're working on. The last site is Woongar Street in Warring Point and they make up the majority of the issues that we're working on today. This one as a tender we use the typical seven weighted attributes that we've been using for all of these. The contractor that we're recommending today they scored the highest for

02:45:00 both non-price and also when price was included in the tender even though they weren't the lowest cost offer. When we're talking value we need to incorporate both those attributes in there. Our recommendation is to go to SGQ for a value of $4,874,066. The budget for this is under the VATREPA grant that is administered by QRA and funded by both station for federal government funds. Councillor Jurisevic: Questions? Councillor Wilkie: Have you moved? Councillor Jurisevic: I have a question. Councillor Wilkie: Moved by Jo. There he has questions. Councillor Lorentson: I made in the report, Julie, that there is no QRA betterment included in the program. No. Is that unusual? And it's not. It just seems to make no sense why that wasn't included in the program.

02:46:00 Speaker 2: So betterment is a bucket of funding that comes out as a separate piece of the grant guidelines. It is a smaller bucket of funding and typically it is allocated to those projects where council probably need to go above and beyond. So for Noosa Council, the one that we allocated our betterment bucket was on Shribers Road where that water main stretches across the road there. If we were to fix that on our own, we're probably looking at council funds to the tune of somewhere between $2, $3, $4 million. So we decided to use the betterment as a whole for one single project to get the best outcome. In other disasters in the future, the council team may look at doing it so that there's a little bit of betterment across the board at many different projects. Council still does have the opportunity to do what's

02:47:00 called complementary works, where if they decide there's a couple of areas where we might look at it and go, do you know what, we'd like some guard rail to go on there to improve safety outcomes. As long as council can find those funds and allocate it, we can roll that into our work and get some benefits from mobilisation and things such as that. But as a standalone betterment, these projects weren't really assessed as the best value for money. Speaker 5: Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: I was going to go there as well, sort of the element of betterment, because in the recovery plan, there is scope for betterment and resilience, greater resilience. Speaker 2: Yes, so some of these are getting some greater resilience through those DAF requirements. So you might remember on Golden Gully, we've gone from a couple of 300 mil pipes up to big box culverts. There's a couple of them that are receiving some similar sorts of benefits.

02:48:00 So it's a bit of a challenge. But certainly getting some improvements out of what was there before to what they're doing. Enhanced, that's true. Yeah, yeah. And they're for us to make sure that we're delivering infrastructure that meets with the guidelines, but also reaches that standard that is expected from the agency such as DAF, a requiring of council. Councillor Jurisevic: For all those, I said, I'll make this short and sweet, for all those residents that are waiting for these roads and these improvements, these rectification works to be undertaken, I'm glad to see that the tender has finally been let and we can get on with the work of . Can I use the microphone? Councillor Wilkie: Yes, please. We haven't got a seconder yet. I'll second it. Of course we do. No, Karen did. You moved it. I merely had a question. No, Karen did second it. Karen did raise it. I didn't get a second. After Amelia asked her questions. So we have the questions. Now I'm calling for a seconder. It's Councillor Finzel. Councillor Jurisevic: Sorry, I thought that Councillor Finzel had already seconded and that was my understanding. Easy to do.

02:49:00 Simple and to the point, was it? Councillor Wilkie: Okay. Thank you, John. Anyone else wish to speak to the motion? Mayor Stewart: I will. Julie, thank you. I mean, these are big numbers. Right across our recovery. It's huge numbers. 89 million. This is another nearly 5 million. So it's massive. So thank you for all your work and the team because we get a report that's succinct but there's hundreds and hundreds of hours, not just, yeah, that is literally on the ground work. So thank you for all your hard work. Councillor Lorentson: On the ground. Mayor Stewart: Yeah, on the ground. On the ground. Councillor Lorentson: I like it. Can I add also, Julie? We get an opportunity that our residents don't. We get to workshop a lot of these projects and ideas with you guys and, yeah, just to reiterate what you said. Thank you and we have a lot of confidence in you guys. So thanks. Thanks. Speaker 2: I'll pass that back to the team. Appreciate your time. Councillor Jurisevic: I'll close it for them. Close, yeah. Yeah. Councillor Wilkie: I'll reiterate. Sit down. Sit down. Councillor Jurisevic: There you go. Close. It was too tempting not to throw in there.

02:50:00 But, yeah, thank you for all the work that you've done and this is the culmination of so many and such a lot of work that you and the team have been putting in to get the rectification works for our community out of this, supported by QRA. So thank you for all the time and effort that the team's put in and we look forward to actually seeing the results. The paper, you know, the rocket, the paper and all of that sort of stuff. Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you, Adam. Thank you, Adam. Thank you, Adam. Councillor Jurisevic: Yep. The whole team. Speaker 2: Yeah. I will attempt this. We've got a handful of more of these coming in. I know. This isn't the end by any means. So don't get too excited about just this one. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah. Speaker 2: But there is more coming. Councillor Jurisevic: And hopefully still a few more in the pipeline still to come through. Absolutely. Absolutely. Put me in the bag. That's a favour. That's unanimous. Absolutely. Thank you, Julie. Councillor Finzel: Can we get us in one of those shirts, Julie, so we can all wear them the next time? Yeah. Speaker 2: I love them. We've got a new design out that have got fish as well, which might be very noose up. Yeah.

6.2 DRAFT WASTE PLAN 2023-2028 ¶

▶ 02:50:55· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

02:51:00 Speaker 6: So we're here to talk about the draft waste plan and further community consultation of that plan. The draft waste plan 2328 is aimed at addressing waste management challenges in Noosa. It follows globally accepted waste hierarchy principles, incorporates input from over 624 respondents from the initial consultation and seeks to establish sustainable waste management practices while promoting a circular economy and protecting the environment for future generations. A recommendation has been made for council to review and approve the draft waste plan for further community consultation. Our report provides an overview of the key reasons behind the plan's development

02:52:00 and highlights our feedback to the community and stakeholders who have shaped its actions. The key drivers for the waste plan include legislative requirements, national and state waste targets, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, promoting a circular economy, cost savings, innovation, environmental stewardship, community engagement, And last but not least, personal responsibility. The community and stakeholder feedback were collected through surveys, events, presentations, and meetings. The next steps involve seeking feedback on the various aspects of the plan, such as the vision statement, waste hierarchy principles, and specific actions related to waste reduction, recycling, and responsible waste management. The draft waste plan comes with the opportunity to adhere to these waste hierarchy principles, which prioritise waste avoidance, reuse, recycling, waste to energy, and lastly, disposal. The approach aligns with international

02:53:00 standards and can lead to positive environmental outcomes. The draft plan aims to position Noosa as a leader in waste management practices in line with these globally recognised waste hierarchy principles. Questions? Councillor Lorentson: Can we preference recyclable materials? Speaker 6: Yeah, we are working with infrastructure. We've already utilised some of our resources, aka concrete recycling. So the infrastructure team used most of our concrete that we recycled last year. There's work to be done on specifications within the infrastructure environment for the materials we produce, and that work has been looked at as part of the ongoing processes and waste

02:54:00 strategy, I guess. Councillor Lorentson: Fantastic. Can we get a report back to Council to see how we're going in that space? Has that been intentional at the time of that? Speaker 6: It hasn't been specifically laid out in the strategy, but it will make up part of what we use as our recycled material. It's important that we look at how we can use it within our footprint, which is the use of our footprint. And we've sort of taken that approach to most of the stuff, most material that we either recycle such as mulch. We're aiming to attract local use of that material in the first step anyway. Councillor Jurisevic: The most obvious and simplest form of circular economy is to produce products that Council can utilise from the waste that otherwise would end up in landfill. Speaker 6: Yeah, exactly. Councillor Lorentson: And in terms of advocacy and just keeping on that theme about preferencing recycled materials, can we advocate to the LGAQ for mandatory recycling of clothes

02:55:00 in their projects? To me, it's just, that's the opportunity. We're serious about working towards a circular economy. Have we entered that space of advocacy? Are we doing that already? Councillor Jurisevic: Yes, I've been doing that at the regional roads and transport group, trying to take that approach to a wider community and trying to focus the procurement element within infrastructure on the products that the circular economy will generate. There's no point having a circular economy creating products that go nowhere. We've got to close the loop and bring them back. And part of the closing loop and bringing it back is the procurement element. And I don't know how long I've been beating on about and bleeding about that in this chamber and in this organisation, but we're starting to have some footholds and we're starting to get it understood. And it's, again, taking it to a wider and a broader audience. There are examples that are brought in showing what other councils are doing, particularly in New South Wales. One example in

02:56:00 New South Wales were 21 councils combined to facilitate the use of recycled materials in their Speaker 6: pavement and construction. And just adding to that, I think this production of items and, you know, for argument's sake, pontoons and the way they're built and utilising what that object's been built of and making sure that that is recyclable. So those production of elements is key, how they're produced. Councillor Jurisevic: The national strategy with regard to packaging is going to facilitate that. They won't be allowed to create packaging that can't be recycled and be returned. So those elements are all in at a national and state level, starting to be implemented into things that we will have to bring to Parliament. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Thank you for the report. It was comprehensive and I know your team is working really hard in this space. Just coming back to procurement and social enterprise and opportunities for business further down the track to innovate using waste as a resource, I'm also interested in

02:57:00 like how we're addressing the accounting in that space. You know, when you look at recycled materials, there's embedded energy into what has been produced. How are we looking at measuring that at an accounting level? How are we looking at measuring that at an accounting level? How are we looking at measuring that at an accounting level? How are we looking at measuring that in council or through your strategy? Speaker 6: Well, I'd have to take that away. I know this hasn't really been the focus in terms of this strategy. The strategy is intentional five years rather than probably a typical 10-year strategy or plan, sorry. And part of the intention of that is our real focus over the next five years is infrastructure that sits behind what we do in terms of collection and treatment. And we really need to ramp up that phase of our waste management. We've, as a location and as a state, we've got some significant hurdles and significant jumps and steps to get to a point where we're actually

02:58:00 taking material and have the facility to recycle, reuse or turn it into a product or energy. And that's the real intention with the plan at the moment, to focus our team and our efforts within Councillor Lorentson: I know it may be that Councillor Stockwell can step in, but, or Councillor Whedon, excuse me, the Biosphere did a presentation accounting for nature and that was a really incredible, interesting way to, or software or program that looks at measuring, you know, nature in a way that is more within a definition, targets, et cetera. Tom, do you have anything to share, or Brian, Councillor Wegener: you'll go back to the Biosphere presentation? Yeah, how to measure our effects on nature,

02:59:00 whether it's going backwards or forwards, whether we're improving the positive. And I think that what it really shows is that we have areas where there's a lot of room for improvement in Noosa. And how do we get there? Well, you know, one of the ways is to take the double grind, to take our green waste, and put it, get it onto that land and start regenerative, the whole regenerative process with parts of our land, our farming land, which is really important. And that way, your loam, your biological content of the soil goes up. See, carbon is sequestered. And so you're getting carbon credits basically sequestering, and you're getting more life in the soil and more life in the soil. The soil just actually just spreads out to all that's around us, to birds, to bugs, to everything. And it creates a much better environment to live in. Councillor Wilkie: Do we have questions about the listeners draft for the public consultation? Karen, Councillor Finzel: please go ahead. Yes, thank you. I just have a question about the annual bulk curbside collection, because today is one that's raised regularly, including by my brother-in-law,

03:00:00 and there's a lot of emails. My twitch. I'm still scrolling. So just, can you just confirm, how are we going to manage that? Are we going to put in place on call services, or is it case by case? How are we going to facilitate that transition? Speaker 6: I guess that the strategy lays that out probably best in terms of what we're aiming to do. And one of the key feedbacks, feedback that we got from the public was personal responsibility. And I think with the numerous workshops that we've had with you guys and with the various teams in council, that is, I guess, a highlight and one of our key principles within this process. Curbside from history that we've seen doesn't really fit in within the waste principles that we're aligning

03:01:00 to in our plan. It's, although it may appear convenient, it's not. It's not. It's not a it comes at significant cost and contributes to quite an amount of recycling that goes to landfill, as well as the other issues with regards to microplastics and hazardous material that inevitably gets dumped on the side of the road. So council's looking more of a, I guess, a customer service where we're supplying a one-stop shop app for customer interface, where we're showing people what they can do with their waste, their bulk intake, and what they can do with their waste. A big percentage of what is put on this curbside is actually recyclable and free to take to the tip. And that's a key aspect. But giving people that interface and the customer experience to know that they can utilise these parts of the community, these businesses,

03:02:00 to move that material is what we're intending to do. And that fits in with our neighbours in in Gympie and Sunshine Coast in the same sort of practice that they're going down with regards to Councillor Jurisevic: this material and this route. The other side of that coin is that the amount of residual waste that ends up in landfill has never had a charge associated with it in the past. Residential properties now have got a $135 per tonne. What's the current cost to go to landfill? Speaker 6: No, it's a percentage of $10 at the moment, which is part of the levy percentage. I'm just Councillor Jurisevic: looking at trends. But per tonne going to landfill? Speaker 6: The levy at the gate, the commercial, is $105 per tonne. A percentage of that has been put to our levies this year, and it increases over the next five years.

03:03:00 Councillor Jurisevic: Going forward? Yep. The domestic waste will be charged for what goes into landfill, and the cost of kerbside cleanup and the residual waste that's there that ends up in landfill, which is a significant amount of which is recyclable, will be wasted and will be incorporating a charge that hasn't been there in Speaker 6: the past. Well, it's a significant charge. Our gate fee goes up, and then the percentage of that levy applied to domestic waste is increasing over the next five years, and it's increasing considerably up to that full price, which in five years' time, I'm not sure of the exact price, but currently it's $105. $105, yeah, $135 in my head. And it increases $10 every year up to $150. And compared to different other states, I mean, they're over $200 in some other states. Europeans even double that. The point of the levy is to disincentivise the landfill as being the cheapest option, and that's the financial stick, I guess, of inverting the waste hierarchy.

03:04:00 Councillor Wilkie: Someone can't move the motion? I've said no. Can we have the councillor's address a bit? Please. The second councillor themselves, Joe. Councillor Jurisevic: Thank you. Thank you for acknowledging the feedback and the changes from not only the public, the input from the public, but also from councillors that have come over the last since the draft was proposed. I think this address, this is the future of waste as far as strategically for us. The elements that we have to deliver from this are many, are costly, but will be for the benefit, and the proof in the pudding will be when we stop putting, when the amount of waste going into landfill lessens, not increases on a year-by-year basis, because at the moment it's on the increase. For all the recycling that we currently undertake, it's still not enough to divert that waste from landfill, and it continues to. It continues to be on the increase. This is a responsibility that the entire community have

03:05:00 to acknowledge and take on board, that at the end of the day, putting it in a hole in the ground is not the solution. There are many better solutions out there available, and technology and the future of waste services, calling them waste will be a misnomer. Calling them resource recovery is exactly what we should be doing. The opportunities to create secret economies, the opportunities to go back and repair and reuse, the opportunity to avoid waste in the first place, to become responsible consumers and look at those opportunities are the way of the future, not disposal of a hole in the ground. And unfortunately, it takes a lot of work, and there's going to be a lot of resources put towards this to try and facilitate this going forward. But the benefit will be the environment. The benefit will be the community. The benefit will be the economy. All of these things will drive major and significant change in the way that we view something that we've called waste,

03:06:00 refuse, rubbish, tips, and all the rest of it in the past. It's a new world for people, and we're going forward. So well done. As I said, I think this facilitates it. And the plans that were drawn up and the type of concepts that we're going to look forward to implementing are definitely the sort of things that we need to do. And your knowledge of the European market, what's being done there, and the successes and failures they've had there, are at the forefront of what we need to be doing. So thank you, Kyra, and to you and your staff for all of you. Councillor Lorentson: Yeah, to start this as a starting document. I have a question. The NUSA became a member of CommSec Group in 2022. How important is that membership to NUSA? Speaker 6: I would say very important. I would say very important. We will, potentially, not wholly, but we'll potentially be relying on CommSec and state funding for some of the infrastructure. Whether that's co-planned or co-project managed with our neighbours

03:07:00 is questionable, but that is part of the key criteria of CommSec is that we are working with our neighbours to look at infrastructure that suits areas and not boundaries. And the funding that will come out of CommSec is important for us to deliver that, definitely. Councillor Lorentson: And a question, another question to Kyra. Someone now that's been in the space for a few years, how has your vision changed or improved for the better over the last three years? Can you actually see us realising some of the ambitious targets that are set in this plane? Speaker 6: Look, I think it's an in-depth question. This will be a challenge, there is no doubt. I think the infrastructure that we're presenting or

03:08:00 we're looking at putting in is technical. Some of it is new for Australia or not as far reaching in Australia as it would be in certain European countries. But I think we've got a very engaged population in Noosa in this space and it shows from the responses that we had and I think that's the big tick to get some of these projects forward. The team we have in WAIST is excellent. They're engaged and they're willing and they're very excited in this space and the support within the EXACT team is great. In terms of driving this forward. So yes, it's going to be difficult and it's going to be a long road but we're setting ourselves up for success, which is the main thing.

03:09:00 Councillor Lorentson: And one last question. Is technology, gas or weights to energy, where we want to see ourselves in 10 years or is it really affecting that circular economy? Which one do you see yourself in 10 years or is it really affecting that circular economy? What do you think is where we should be aiming towards? Speaker 6: I think they're not all, they're different elements and waste to energy is the term is your bottom step before landfill. So waste is typically is your red bin residual material after you've taken all your recycling out, all your food waste. It's pretty much what is left that you can't do anything with. Typically in Europe, that material is used as waste to energy. Before that step, you can take food waste and turn that into a gas. That gas can be utilised to offset power that's been generated from coal.

03:10:00 Green waste can be turned into a compost which can be utilised on farms. Those are the sorts of things. That organic material is probably one of our biggest targets and the plan really focuses on organic material in the first step anyway. Councillor Wegener: Tom. I'll speak to it. We are so lucky to have Kairon here. I just think that there's a magic. Noosa has a magic and it just seems as though when you really need, when we really need the right person to show up, they just miraculously show up at exactly the right time. Thanks, Tom. And he did and hopefully the surf will turn on and Steve will keep him here. The more we butter him up, the better chance that he'll stick around. And we have to say thank you to Mark, Peter, Gary,

03:11:00 David and the team downstairs. They do a fantastic job and you've pulled them together. And Joe Ferris as well. And Joe, of course, Joe. Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. This person over here is clear. And I think it opens up an understanding and appreciation of what we want to do in the waste field. And we talk about behavior change. This is about behavior change will behavior change. I believe comes from your identity and your identity is where you live and who you are and what you believe in and what they what the what the consciousness is around you. And that's how you get your behavior behavior change. And of course it comes with understanding We are definitely leaders in waste and charging way ahead because that it fits in with all the rest of our programs that we want to do, all of our aspirations.

03:12:00 And I think this is really important because we need to work with tourism, NUSA, the biosphere, Zen, all the environment groups. Because that communication, communicating this amongst that, we need to have this common understanding so that we all understand we're all on the same page. We know where to go. Okay. And that goes, that stretches into what you put into the right bin. All the different things that you do to do the right thing to reach the goal. Also be, look forward to it and be, you know, say, yeah, we are going to be, we're going to meet our climate change emergency target. We are going to be eventually carbon neutral. We are doing it and it takes, it takes, it takes that energy and it starts here with this plan. Well, it starts with Cairo and then it goes to the team, then it comes to the plan and we're here today and I'm very, very happy to see this happen. I'm sure that Joe will agree that this is a, you know, a long time coming and, and very happy to see this day. So thank you Cairo. Thank you team. Councillor Wilkie: No worries.

03:13:00 Councillor Lorentson: I'll make mine quite brief, thanks Cairo, you know what Tom being specific, we think exactly the same. We can hold all of our staff with high respect and really acknowledge the hard work you and your staff do. I would like just to add, just for a thought for next term, this would make a really good blueprint for liquid waste, recycling strategies for liquid waste. So waste is not just solid waste, we also need to consider stormwater runoff, treated wastewater as waste and a wasted resource. So that's something I'll be inviting you about next term. Speaker 6: Excellent. Mayor Stewart: Torrin, thank you. Speaker 6: Thanks. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Provided the right, provided the recycling scheme works. Mayor Stewart: Corrin, thank you, terrific report and I think it's, as Joe said, this is, you know, a really, this is a first and it's the first time we've looked at waste as an opportunity, I think.

03:14:00 And I think what's really powerful is on page 12 of this report says this is not about what it will cost to do this, it's about what it will cost in the long term if we don't. And that was by a waste survey respondent and I think that says it all, doesn't it? Yeah. If we don't act now, what is, what happens? So I think it's fantastic, huge kudos to you and the staff, there is so much collaboration, we have signed the MOU with Gympie, which is wonderful, we are working closely with the Council of Mayors and all of that is outlined on page 27 in regard to this space, there's opportunities for funding, so it's really, for a waste document, it's exciting. Speaker 6: It's hard to be excited about waste. Mayor Stewart: Yeah, I really thought it was a really easy document to read, all the, sort of the, the graphs and I thought that was really, you know, they say a picture paints a thousand words and certainly in this case it did, it was really easy to follow and understand, so please thank the team, great, great job. Speaker 6: Yeah, Joe's done a cracking job. Yeah, it's terrific, yeah, yeah, thank you.

03:15:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Brian. Gee, it's glad that all the others have said nice things. I think I heard the word tip, it's a quite old fashioned word that's, that came from. Councillor Jurisevic: I said it, I said it, I said it was old hat, I said it was old hat. Speaker 9: Joe, what should I do? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Hey, the old fashioned thing that you use something once, you put it in the trailer, you took it to a big hole and you tipped it in the hole. We call them tips and we call them landfills and Joe and others have been championing the concept that it's a resource recovery. This strategy actually takes us to the next step. So while we're not anticipating the transformation within five years, it's going to prepare us for a transformation for five to ten years where what we now call the resource recovery centre becomes the economic hub of the circular economy.

03:16:00 So what this strategy does is look at what are the key infrastructure requirements such that the resources that come out of our urban areas and our business areas get converted into an economic resource through production of energy, through production of better soils, through reuse of things that are practical and reusable. Yeah. But that five years we've got before that big ticket transformation opportunities become viable, reliable, you know, realistic, you know, until we've got all the rivers of gold flowing out of the state government, we've got a challenge for the next five years and that challenge is about the first principle and that's avoiding. Because we can see in the document here that since 2006, 2007 to 2020, we've actually created 600,000 tons additional waste.

03:17:00 So while our recycling rates gone up, then we recover recovery rate to 46.7%. The fact is we're producing more waste. The cheapest way for the rate payers to save money is to put more in. And that's what this strategy prioritises, and that's really important to understand, and that's why probably this budget we didn't get the resources right. Probably we should have put more money into the behaviour change education awareness for both our residents and our businesses, because that's where the reduction of that total waste is going to occur. So for me, it's really important. Some of the key things are on three or four lines in the document, but that's important. And the other thing that we've put really clearly here so people can see is that misnomer

03:18:00 of free kerbside pick up. What this document clearly shows is kerbside clean up means 80% of the rate payers spend $400,000 for a service day. They don't use. Councillor Lorentson: I don't. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, 20% use it. Oh. Speaker 6: I'll stick to English then. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So 20% pay $100,000, 80% pay $400,000 they don't use for that other 20%. And it's creating a situation where what could have been recycled goes to landfill and doesn't give people the key message that they need to look at their products from cradle to grave and look at how do we reuse this when I'm buying something. Will the vendor actually take it back for them?

03:19:00 What is the product I'm using? What am I buying? So we have to get people to start thinking about, oh, I'm just going to go and buy this new one and that's the cost. It's also about how to repurpose the old one or how to get that item to someone who can use it. So to me, that whole concept of personal responsibility, as Kyrone outlined, is really key to what the future of waste management is because like greenhouse gas emissions, our wastes tended to be highly subsidised in ways that wasn't transparent. So it wasn't polluter's pay. And then what this strategy is trying to say is, no, you take personal responsibility. This is how we calculate your cost of producing that waste. If you recycle, it's free. And it's done. And it's lower cost than putting it in the bin. And that's what we have to get to is that the cost of putting food waste in a separate container and green waste in another separate disposal and then your non-recycles into another

03:20:00 one is actually the most efficient but also the cheapest to our ratepayers. So I look forward to the feedback. And yes, well done on producing a report. The other good thing... No, not report. The other good thing about the draft plan is the monitoring and evaluation, the key performance measures are excellent. So the community can really look at what is council trying to achieve. And they'll also be key measures that we can look at to see if we're getting there. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Yeah. Sorry, Karen. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's your... Yeah. Just like you reiterated, of course, what everyone has said. I love the fact that this is really ambitious and we're all on board with it. It's extremely exciting. What we missed in everyone's commentary around that, of course, is the artist. The artists have been doing this for years. Plotting Land's a big part of our community. Artists have been reusing, reimagining and recycling and turning that into small business and product availability to people who want to buy with a sense of where this has come

03:21:00 from and how it's affecting our community. The strategy addresses those priorities to reduce the impact of waste, transition to a circular economy for waste, and building economic opportunity, which I think is, you know, just really exciting because right from, you know, the artists right through to, like, high innovation and technology and future where we're going, I think it's really exciting and I'm just looking forward to see where we head next term with this and how we all work together collaboratively around this table with the staff, with comms, with, you know, the other councils around us and how we deliver those outcomes and I really want to, you know, thank you all the team and I just see you gelling and working really well to reach these goals. I love you at the wine shirt day at our last meeting. Let's hope we can keep that standard up. Yeah, it's really exciting. So thank you everyone for your support around the table and it's, you know, it's really good to grab a hold of a vision where we're going to see, you know,

03:22:00 and be able to measure where we're going to be in 5, 10, 20 years' time. So, yeah, it's really exciting. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So it was Councillor Finzel foreshadowing an amendment to add that our wine shirts are shared once a month. It's a good performance indicator. Absolutely. And I hope they're recycled. Mayor Stewart: They are. And they don't go to landfill. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah, exactly, exactly. Keep those textiles out. Just in case anyone's listening, how are we going in terms of, you know, waste generated per head, per noose of population? Speaker 6: It's an interesting question. We've just got some data back from a survey that we've done. Councillor Wilkie: How are you faring to get to all the NGOs? Speaker 6: Not great. We are over the diamond average, but we have to dig a bit deeper into the data.

03:23:00 The issue is around our collections. So when we collect waste from the household, the way we keep the costs low for collection is also to be collecting some commercial. To try and get the weights so that we are only counting curbside as in household is the tricky bit. But from what we can see, indicatively at the moment, is we are above the Australian average in terms of waste generation per household. So it's not starting in the best place. But that's a challenge and that's what we've got to work to and I think, you know, people know that and we know what we're trying to achieve. I think that's part and parcel of trying to get there. Councillor Wilkie: And reducing waste generation in heavily trafficked areas where there are a lot of visitors, there's a lot of tourism, but there's a takeaway that contains, that must make it more challenging. Speaker 6: Yeah, I think if we track, yeah, we track our waste weekly.

03:24:00 We track it yearly and compare and you can see the holiday periods and the collection of those holiday periods and the tonnage increase. We've put in here the challenge to ourselves to try and understand how we can get to our tourists when they come here and how we can educate our tourists. That's going to be difficult. You know, we've got people coming from all over the world, trying to target those individuals to work in our system and recycle, reuse waste. It will be a challenge, but we're up for it. Councillor Wilkie: Is it part of the strategy then to work with groups like the Hastings Street Association, for example, to talk to vendors in terms of the packaging that they provide to take all their foods? Speaker 6: Yes, yes. There's a, it's not directly linked in here, but that's, we've talked to our HSA quite a bit. We're looking at the logistics down there with some technology, including compaction bins.

03:25:00 And what we see in those compaction bins is takeaway containers. They take up a huge space in terms of volume and working with those entities to work out what's the requirement, what's the need, why they're using it, and understanding the problems and how we can work to better improve that material or material types. But essentially what the plan looks at is what that material feeds. So it's really back to the infrastructure. Having the infrastructure. The behavioural change and the infrastructure both need to work side by side so that when we do some sort of behavioural change, we have the infrastructure to support it. And that's, that's key. Yeah. Can I add? Councillor Lorentson: Part of our Tourism MISA funding agreement, Kyron, there is KPIs, part of our terms of business with Tourism MISA is that they, as part of their strategy, which is coming to Council, I understand next round of meetings, I'm expecting there to be some strategies that will show the participation in engaging or reducing the waste.

03:26:00 Speaker 6: We've identified Tourism News who has been a key partner and they've done a cracking job with the plastic free, following that model in terms of the behavioural change, we've been actively looking at that very closely. Councillor Jurisevic: I was going to say they've actually been leading the charge because they took plastic out of Feasting Street and turned it all into compostable. They're actually ahead of the charge of where council was, all the infrastructure. I thank the councillors for their support in this. A long time coming. That's an understatement we've got. We are 20 years behind the southern states. Queensland isn't leading the charge. We are starting to play a bit of catch up.

03:27:00 I've been at the Waste Conference for the last 10 years and I can tell you there's barely been a Queenslander. There's been a Queensland Council at the Waste Conference understanding the changes. But in the last few years, that's been changing. We've been coming on. With the opportunities that the state are presenting now, with the State Environment On-Time Board, with the Council of Mayors championing the cause, we are starting to see some traction in at least the southeast, if not the entire state. Brian alluded to something that's on page 16 of this. There's a lovely little drawing there. How should council manage waste? Councils should implement solutions which aim to divert as much waste as possible from landfills. That's at one end of the scale. At the other end of the scale. Councils should deliver waste services at the lowest possible financial cost to the right parts. They're not mutually exclusive. They're the same thing. If council and the community, not only up to council, council can facilitate, you know,

03:28:00 the services and make it available, but it's up to the community to turn around and take use and make use of that. And look at the opportunities. Brian spoke about, you know, it's up to the consumer to turn around and take responsibility for the waste that they generate. That's a huge part. When you acknowledge what you buy at the point of purchase and what you're going to do with it at the end of its life, you might stop buying the cheap and nasty thing that's a one-off throwaway item. You might think about reuse, recycling. You might think about all that. But avoid is the first one. Implement solutions. We can facilitate those. But to deliver the lowest possible financial cost to the ratepayer, don't put it in a landfill. Don't generate waste that goes into a landfill. Because that's where the cost is coming. That's where a greater cost is coming. And that's going to be the impost on everyone in the future.

03:29:00 But the more that we divert those things away from landfill, the more that we facilitate circular economy, the more that we look at the opportunities of actually purchasing the products that are made from the waste, what currently waste, and is repurposed and reused and recycled, and the opportunities to repair, the more we will divert waste from landfill and the more it will be a financial benefit to the ratepayer. It's simple mathematics. Factors that impact your ability to recycle more. Can't find a recycling bin. Well, I'm of the mind that we're probably going to need three recycle bins. We're going to need three bins out there. One for general waste, one for recycled items, and one for food and compostable waste. Because that's going to be the future of what we're diverting out of landfill. And unless we're collecting that in the public space as well as commercial properties and all the rest of it, we have to make sure it's all being reused. The opportunities for regenerative farming and farming practices, taking the compost that we generate, taking the green waste that's out there

03:30:00 and not contaminating it so that we have a pristine product, understanding that the better the product is, the more likely we are to use it, the more likely we are to get benefit from it. Australia got a wake-up call when China said, we're not going to take your contaminated recycling. Well, we can't take contaminated recycling either. We have to be more aware. We have to be more approachable. And the good part is, and the bottom of that page, is people in Noosa are confident and careful about what goes in which bin. The more confident and capable they are of putting the right thing in the right bin, the more we facilitate the change that's got to happen. These are the improvements. To say there's a long time coming, I've been champing at the bit to get this at the forefront and get it out in front of the community, because this is the future. Waste is a word that I don't want to hear anymore. Resource recovery, reuse, recycling, all those avoidance are at the forefront of waste of the future.

03:31:00 So I think this shows that that's exactly what we're going to deliver for this community. And whilst there will be some costs in putting that infrastructure in place, in the long term, the savings to be had are huge. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. With the motion, those in favour? That's unanimous. Thank you. Cairo. Thank you, Cairo. Thank you all. Next item is the financial report for July 14. Speaker 6: Thanks a lot. Councillor Jurisevic: Here goes his feet. Come on. Councillor Wilkie: Hello, Pauline. Well, it's just a... Smoke that. Thank you. Thank you. Pauline, what are we looking at for July in terms of financial performance? Any points? Speaker 3: The financial performance for the month of July aligns fairly closely to the year-to-date budget at this stage of the new year. Operating revenue is $197,000 above budget,

6.3 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT – JULY 2023 ¶

▶ 03:31:24· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

03:32:00 and this is comprised of $137,000 that relates to interest revenue and $140,000 from sales of fishing services, predominantly from volunteer parks and community facilities. This has been offset by below-budget rates and levies of $119,000. That's relating to higher pensioner and early-payment discounts. Operating expenditure is $404,000 underspent, with $262,000 of that relating to employee expenses and $143,000 relating to materials and services. But we are quite early in the year, so it will move up and down throughout the year as we progress. I would like to note that... I'd like to note to councillors that we've also included in the reports a summary of operating performance by funding types, constrained and unconstrained, just for some transparency, as well as by community business activity, just to provide you with a bit more information. It has been in there for the last few months, but I thought I'd highlight that for those who haven't looked at it yet.

03:33:00 Capital revenue remains on track. However, capital expenditure is below budget year-to-date, and that's generally due to timing of delivery. Council is currently holding $117 million in cash reserves, with $50 million in term deposits. This is consistent with conversations had at previous meetings around why we hold such levels of cash. And also note that the budget review carryovers have not yet been adopted, so are not reflected in these results. And at this early stage of the year, Council's financial performance remains on track. Councillor Wilkie: I note that... ..rates and arrears is below... ..the target. Speaker 3: Which is... You're talking about the percentage, the ratios? Yep, so that's actually where you would want it to be, so it's quite low. Yeah, so is that... Councillor Wilkie: Given the massive valuation increases, is that... Speaker 3: That does not include the rates notices that have just gone out, so that will be from the previous cycle of rates at the time.

03:34:00 So they're not overdue yet. The rates that were issued in July were not shown there as they're not actually due until the 18th of August. So they're not overdue. Yeah. Councillor Wilkie: Questions, councillors? Councillor Lorentson: Miri. Unity Water Distributions. Unity Water Distributions are fixed each year, can I ask? Why are we elected to fix the distribution? So if they make money, it's still 6 mil per annum. If they lose money, we still bring in just under 6 mil per annum, which sounds great if they're not making any money, but can I ask the reason? Speaker 3: I'd have to take on those in more detail, but generally it was the arrangement that was made at the time that Unity Water... with the water assets from councils, and it was fixed into an agreement arrangement for that. Councillor Jurisevic: I did ask a question of staff as to when that was due for renewal and whether there was an opportunity there for revision of that, Speaker 3: it runs till 2033.

03:35:00 They have revised and increased it slightly, I think they increased it about $300,000 last year, but generally it's reflected at about 6 mil. Councillor Lorentson: And the dividends go straight into general rates, is that correct? General funded programs, correct. Speaker 3: They're not allocated to any specific programs. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Can I carry on with the report? Karen? Councillor Finzel: Sorry, thanks guys for the report. Just under... In terms of cash management, we're paying back the waste levy subsidy for four years, how far into that are we? Speaker 3: So we've been prepaid that, so we've received those funds in advance, so we're following those funds, correct. Councillor Finzel: OK, so what year were they... When does that finish? Is that four years from last year? Speaker 3: So we were originally paid four years and we had three years left, but we've just been paid another 12 months, so we've still got four years from now. Councillor Finzel: Oh, so we've still got four years, correct. OK, great. Thank you.

03:36:00 Do you want to go there? Yeah, I know. Councillor Lorentson: That's fine. That's fine. Last question. In-house legals, can we have an update? We were up to in-house legals. Speaker 3: Did you want to... I was going to say, did you want to defer that to the budget review discussion? We're going to defer that to the court legal officer trial, so we can discuss that in more detail if you want then. Thank you very much. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. OK, to move the motion. Okay. Karen. I'll second it. Seconded by Stuart, Karen. Councillor Finzel: Again, thank you for the report. I think we're on track. We know where we are heading. As always, we're being fiscally responsible and it's, you know, good to see that we're moving forward despite, you know, the extra capital programs and the operation and the pressure on the staff. We are still delivering, you know, back-to-community services and back-of-the-woods.

03:37:00 And, yeah, thank you for your commitment to that space. Speaker 1: If you have a message for your member too. Yes, sir. Yes. Councillor Wilkie: Brian. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's just a question. In terms of our investments, we've, in the current environment, we've tended to go on, we tend to be all the big four. At the present time, we are, yes. Like the social good of the Bendigo Bank that we traditionally have a little bit of money with, is it just that in the current environment they're a far less advantageous investment or is there some other reason why we don't see them in our graphs anymore? Speaker 3: Correct. So, when we review investments, every time we invest funds, we actually get the rates from every bank that we go out to. We go out to Bendigo, we go out to all sorts of banks. And it basically, we make an assessment on the interest rates that return and the amount of time that we want to invest. And they have traditionally fallen below the bigger banks at this stage.

03:38:00 Yeah. Councillor Jurisevic: Didn't we have an element of social investment within our investing strategy? Even in that regard, there was still an element that we could divert to? Speaker 3: We can choose to do that. We haven't so flagged to bring back the investment policy to Council to review some categories and some other things. So, we could look at it further in that review. Councillor Finzel: I just have one question. I always try to track these costs of the insurance. I always look at my top three in that. And I'm just, it's gone up to 96% of our annual budget through the six months. Is there a way we can be more cost effective about our outgoings to pay insurance? Speaker 1: To pay insurance? Yeah. Councillor Finzel: The cost of insurance to the organisation. That is a huge expenditure. Speaker 3: So, year to date, we're actually, our premiums are $70,000 over budget for what we were actually

03:39:00 fair casting. And that really dictates, we're self-funded through Council's LGMs. Councillor Finzel: And why is that? It's a disaster. Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a disaster. It's a compilation of risk and components and coverage that we have with other Councils. And historically, the interest insurance goes up. We also get assessed based on claims that we've made as well. Speaker 1: Yeah. We're no different to the community. The community insurance, everything's going up. Yeah. We're just part of that. Yeah. Unfortunately. Councillor Wilkie: Okay. Can we just close? Councillor Finzel: I don't think that's what everyone said. Thank you, Mr Chair. Councillor Wilkie: That's unanimous. Thank you. We're now on to budget review one. Bill number one for the 2023-2024 financial year. Oh, hey. Welcome back, Pauline. Again. Yeah. Speaker 3: In accordance with local government regulation, Council is required to undertake regular reviews of its budget so that it remains reflective of its planned activities. The first budget review of Bill one addresses carryovers of unfinished capital and operating

6.4 BUDGET REVIEW 1 (BR1) FOR THE 2023/24 FINANCIAL YEAR ¶

▶ 03:39:43· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

03:40:00 projects where they have commenced and expenditure has been commenced. And Bill one also addresses newer emerging actions that come from Council resolutions, executive team meetings, or capital works executive. In summary, this budget review is proposing to decrease Council's operating position by $882,000, reducing a $121,000 surplus to a $761,000 deficit. Forecasting a deficit at Bill one is not uncommon, with the previous year's Bill one moving from a $147,000 surplus to a $761,000 deficit. Future budget reviews throughout the year will look at capturing emergent savings and additional revenues to mitigate that deficit so that by the end of the year, we would achieve a surplus. And that's in line with our financial sustainability policy. The decrement occurs primarily as many of the carrier submissions relate to grant funder projects. And that's where funding has already been received, but the associated expenditure

03:41:00 occurs in the following financial year. We've also included an amount for review. We've also included some remediation works that are required in relation to the recently acquired environmental land parcel, and that will be for pest management, fire management, and some demolition of some unsafe buildings on that property. Also included is several new and extended positions, which have resulted in a small increase to Council's establishment, but are funded through operational savings and levy funds. The capital projects which have been committed to and commenced in the 2023 financial year, amount to $9.8 million, and we've already allocated funding to those, as well as a further $2 million in emergent work, which includes that environmental land parcel of $2 million. So that increases our capital program by $11.9 million to make our adopted BR1 capital program $51.3 million. Also included in the report are a number of minor amendments to the Schedule of Fees and

03:42:00 Charges, relating to NISA community support, building, plumbing, and maintenance. You'll also note that included in the report are an updated debt policy. In 2023, the budget proposed that we would draw down $5.7 million relating to waste management infrastructure and NISA Water Lock and Weed. Due to rising interest rates and construction timings, and the ability of Council to fund those projects in the short term with the carryovers that we have, we did not draw down that funding. And as such, we did not draw down that funding. But when we need to draw that funding down this year, if we need to draw it down this year, we need to have the debt policy reflect that. So we've added that to the originally adopted debt policy, and that means we don't have to draw it all down if we can fund that, but it allows us to if we need to. I'd also like to draw your attention to page 408, which contains an error. It incorrectly states that the operating surplus ratio will fall below target.

03:43:00 This isn't the case. The proposed budget review will see Council continue to meet all of its target targets. Can I miss that? Speaker 2: We're all fallible, John. Speaker 3: So we will meet all the targets. We won't fall below. Councillor Finzel: And that's it. Councillor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. It's important to note that these carryovers are not just unfinished projects, it's their multi-year projects. Correct. Yeah. Speaker 3: So they're impacted by supply and demand, resourcing, all those sorts of things as well, just like any business. Thank you. Councillor Jurisevic: So just to correct that error, I'm assuming, Mr CEO, before that's actually put on the final approval before Thursday night, it'll actually be corrected? Yes. Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: And I'll repeat the question I asked just previously, Pauline.

03:44:00 My apologies. My apologies. Speaker 3: I forgot to mention in detail for you, yes, included in those additional positions is a legal officer as a trial for two years, and that will be funded by operational savings, so we will see how that pans out and how it suits the business as well. Fantastic. Councillor Lorentson: And that'll be a trial period and then they'll report back to Council to assess its success or otherwise. Yeah. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: And a question to the Chair. Yes, Pauline. Can you just clarify the funding of the other positions that are being approved? Where did that come from? Speaker 3: So there's multiple different facets. So there's a fire management officer who's funded from the fire levy, there's a reallocation of materials and services to employee costs for a project officer for the heritage levy, so they're both levy funded projects. There are two waste project officers who are funded through the capital program. There is an administrative support position that will be funded through the capital program, through vacancies initially, and then through fees and charges to capture whole cost to

03:45:00 the Council. And the final one, which is the project support officer for strategic planning, is already included in the budget. It's just a temporary position, so it's only converted to permanent. Councillor Finzel: Fantastic. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: So we can move the motion. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Thanks for your time.

6.5 OPERATIONAL PLAN 2022-23 Q4 QUARTERLY REPORTING ¶

▶ 03:45:38· Carried unanimously 5-0 from council's minutes

03:46:00 Speaker 1: So I'm just getting it up on my computer. So as you know, we have an operational plan that talks to our corporate plan. This operational plan is for quarter four, so it's up to June 30 of this year. So when you're reading it, you need to keep that in mind that it doesn't reflect the last few weeks. But it also, in terms of the way that we're structured, we have a corporate plan, a five-year corporate plan that the operational plan refers to. That refers to our old corporate plan, so we've now got a new corporate plan. So going forward, our operational plan and our corporate plan will be the new variety. This is still reflecting back on the previous 12 months and the previous corporate plan.

03:47:00 And again, it relates to the five themes in the plan, so in the corporate plan. So this is quarter four. There's 96 agreed initiatives that relate to the key focused areas. So rather than go through it line by line as it's a big document or any further summary, I'm leaving it open to questions. Councillor Finzel: Okay, thank you. Councillor Wilkie: Councillor McCarran. Councillor Finzel: I'm just wondering where we're up to with the review of the industry. Is that through this review? Speaker 1: No, we're doing that in the next financial year. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I read that somewhere. I don't think we're behind schedule, I think. Councillor Jurisevic: Yeah, it's a project that the Pets Department are looking at. Yes. Thank you. Speaker 9: We'll do the table again for the chair. I was going to do it for you. Funding was allocated through the 2023-24 budget process.

03:48:00 It's a new initiative to allow us to obviously supplement staff resources with any independent legal or consulting advice that we need. So you'll see that progress over the next six to nine months. Hopefully we should have a draft outcome to present and workshop with councillors for adoption following that in May to June next year. Councillor Lorentson: Okay, thank you. Amelia. Just a quick question, Trent. Or to Larry, do we actually do an analysis of what projects or what departments are on our own schedule and sort of understand why? Is there a resourcing issue? Have we got too much happening? Do they need a start? Can we help with software? Do we have a deep dive? I always look at KPIs and think, okay, don't you the KPIs, they're an instance of tourism, we said they get the funding.

03:49:00 What are the repercussions or, and I don't like using the word repercussions because the staff work so hard, but do we actually analyze the reasons why they're all behind budget? Speaker 9: I can probably. Councillor Lorentson: Or behind it, sorry, behind schedule times. Speaker 9: Through the chair, obviously on a case by case basis, we do an performance part of the branch plans for each of our managers and their directors. Mm-hmm. And one little note with the new corporate plan that was adopted earlier in the year, underpinning the corporate plan and the framework we built into that this time around was the capability plan. Speaker 5: Yeah. Speaker 9: And that included the number of key elements. It was a financial plan, but it was obviously important that we have transparency of can we afford, and what is it going to cost to deliver the ambitious actions in the corporate plan this coming year, but also our workforce plan. So, that element over the next six months is about unpacking what the resources and requirements, not just the financial implications are, of delivering that ambitious workload that's in the corporate plan.

03:50:00 Speaker 1: And then there's the process from there is looking at efficiencies and how we can better do it, whether that be with resources or be with systems and processes backing behind. So, there's a whole range of that, but this is an ongoing thing. This is part of the quarterly report here as well, because that tells you the story, but it also tells us the story. And as executive team, we're constantly doing this review and understanding where we're at with each of our branches and each of our teams. Again, what we've got here is a really complex organisation that delivers a whole range of things and a whole range of areas, as we hear in these meetings. And there's always going to be the ebbs and flows, because we just can't resource everything and we can't be doing everything at the same pace or the pace we really want to go. So, we've got to balance all of that and that's just the trick with running a very complex and diverse business.

03:51:00 Mayor Stewart: Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Julie. Yeah, thank you. I thought it was an interesting trend to note the key performance indicators on page 435 and staff turnover rate. We've been... Really, when you look at, say, last... Well, this year, 22, 23 is 9.84. Turnover, 21, 22, 4.83, 20, 20, 21, 6.6. They're pretty good statistics when you look back to, you know, 15, 16 was 13%, 14, 15, 11%. We're doing pretty well, contrary to some outside voices in that department. Speaker 9: As you can see, there's still an increase. But it's not... As significant as other years have been in council, ebbs and flows, there's a variety of factors that come into play when it comes to staff turnover. It can be transition to retirement, lifestyle change. We all hear the trends in the employment sector about great resignation, people taking lifestyle

03:52:00 changes. So, lots of factors to play in there. And the people in the culture team are working hard to... They're doing great. Support managers in maintaining their workforce. Mayor Stewart: Yeah. Pleasing. Good. Brian? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just with the transition over to the new corporate plan, the new operational plan, we've got a technological rollout to help make those key performance indicators that we're tracking. Is that project, in terms of implementing that bit of software, on track, or is that likely to be... Speaker 1: I can say... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's interesting. Speaker 1: It's an interesting area, but it's on track in terms of we're judging here as fast as we can to get it done. It's a matter of then setting the timelines to deliver it, because it's difficult. We've had some changes in our tech space, but also just getting the time to really understand

03:53:00 it and get it in place. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's unlikely to be next quarter, but maybe the following. Yeah. Speaker 9: Through the chair, that is the intent. We're hoping over the next quarter, we can have a trial run. Then it's a case of staging the implementation, so we can keep adding on the bells and whistles, if you like, to get to the point where, at the end of the exercise, the next quarter beyond the December would be a trial run through the reporting to yourselves. Then we get into the value add stuff at the end, which is about automatically drawing data. It's that efficiencies and savings, flowing that information out more frequently, and then reporting dashboards to yourselves and the community beyond that. It's an iterative process, so we can get better with each coming quarter with the type of information and how we run it. Councillor Lorentson: In terms of the realignment, so council has undergone organisationally quite a radical

03:54:00 organisational restructure. How's that going? Has it improved efficiencies and productivity? I think it's a good question. Speaker 1: Part of that realignment has been the work on our culture that we've done and our values, developing all of that. We're now into more of our establishing KPIs for our staff and more realistic KPIs for our staff, and everybody's accepting that. But that's all part of the mix. You need to get the values. You need to get them on board. You need to give them through incentives in terms of where they're at and what they're doing and what they can achieve. And that's all part of it. So we've now pretty much locked down our staff in terms of our senior management. There's a couple of positions still being sought. The second piece of this, so we're into Horizon 2, which is all of the behind the scenes. Again, the systems and processes and the technology to support that is what we're really going

03:55:00 for now. So now we've got the staff in place, people being comfortable. We've got the staff in place. We've got the staff in their jobs and who they're reporting to. And now it's getting to the systems to get our efficiency levels up. So again, it's a big wheel that's turning, but we feel like it's really starting to get some momentum now. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: A lot of the major financial risks have been mitigated in terms of cost flow and certainly experienced post-COVID with supply chain difficulties and cost of materials. What are some of the things that you're seeing? What are the greatest risks that we're facing at the moment? Is it still IT? What's the greatest risk to the organisation? You're keeping a well track of all these projects. Lots are behind schedule. You've got a handle on them. But what's keeping you awake at night? Speaker 9: Lots of things are keeping me awake at night.

03:56:00 Council does very robust risk management and obviously has a strategic risk register. And financial risk is one of the key ones in there, as is our cyber security risk. That one goes without saying. But also the risk of disaster, asset failure, reputational risk. Some of those big key ones. Obviously have a significant impact to Council. We're coming into a dry season. We just talked about budget review one. An additional fire management officer, because we know we're over a seasonal change there, which could have unexpected impacts. So those are key strategic risks. Other ones that we are ever vigilant of and we continue to report through our Audit and Risk Committee on it. Councillor Lorentson: Recently we attended a conference up in Gingham with Noel G.A. Hugh. And I think from memory they identified the two major risks for local councils as financial sustainability and workforce.

03:57:00 Yes. They were the two top risks that they identified. And I think from memory they identified the two major risks for local councils as financial Speaker 9: We would agree where we've obviously worked very hard to continue to maintain that fine balance of financial sustainability at Minister Council and we'll continue to do that through our robust budget process and our monthly reports that Pauline brings to you and the workforce of what is one is coming out of the realignment work that Larry alluded to just before. Councillor Wilkie: Financial sustainability has always been a strong point for Minister Council. Are there any gaps that you're working to cover that we're not as strong as we ought to be, that you're prepared to admit to? Speaker 9: Chair, I think we're in a very good financial situation. I think the key one for us all and we talked about before about the capability plan that sits under the corporate plan that we've just adopted the new corporate plan. That was awesome.

03:58:00 And the three elements that underpin that capability plan are your workforce plan, your IT and digital strategy, and your financial plan. So the goal of officers over the next 12 months is to rewrite those three underpinning documents because without the systems and processes to deliver the corporate plan and the finances, that's our biggest risk is knowing with a long-term financial plan lens what is our commitment not just next year, but next year. And that's the key for the budget, but over the 10-year lifecycle of a long-term financial plan and knowing what those costs are for a lot of those actions in the corporate plan, whether that's zero emissions target, whether that's climate resilience, et cetera, et cetera. The cost of some of those could be quite significant. And it's how we build that into our long-term planning to know that not just in two or three years, but five, seven, 15 years' time, we've got enough physical flexibility to accommodate those.

03:59:00 Significant uncertain risks. Councillor Wilkie: When do you think the restructure will be vetted down? How much time do we need before it's done? Speaker 1: The restructure? Well, it's almost, it's almost complete now. Almost done? Yeah. Yeah. I was at a meeting with all the CEOs from the South East Queensland on Friday, and one of their major points was attraction and retention of staff. So we're not alone in this space, quite a long shot. Councillor Finzel: I just had a question around when we talk about workforce and our key performance indicators. On, I don't know which page it is, 469, you're saying we've had an increase, I asked about it before, around our insurance. I'll probably answer my own question here. Because we've joined a Group D council, other members had larger expected claim amounts, increasing insurance. We've had an increase in the Group Premium. I'm just trying to look at the figures. It's an increase from 2.145 to 2.36.

04:00:00 Speaker 9: I'd have to... I think there's a... I'd have to take the actual... No, that's not right. I'd actually have to take it on notice and confirm that, because there could be different elements built into that line. So whilst we do pay a premium, we also may have during the month, for example, paid in excess on a claim. Yeah, well I know... Or it could be timing of closing claims from the last financial year. So through the Chair, I can take that on notice to confirm that for you. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, because I know we've got some psychological claims. And just looking back that, you know, the emotion that I've raised for the LGAQ is addressing those psychosocial plays in the workplace. So I guess, you know, we'll keep a check on that and how that's travelled. Yes. Because that will impact us, no doubt, further down the track. Speaker 1: So we have a whole program of psychosocial safety happening over this next number of weeks. Yeah, which is fantastic. So that's... Yeah, it's all happening now. So it's a program that's now legislated, but it's also something that we're very conscious

04:01:00 of and we're rolling that out as we speak. Councillor Finzel: Great. Thank you. One last question. Councillor Lorentson: You mentioned you were forced. I mean, part of the next rollout. To me, that's also another real risk. What happens if we lose nutrient? Are these things that really... You know, I'm sick of this. I'm sick of six months, 12 months. We've got key people in the organisation, an excellent backup, but is that part of the Speaker 1: workforce? Absolutely. That's what it's all about. Yeah. Sure. Business continuity. That's what it's all about. Speaker 9: Pauline would just sweep it. Councillor Wilkie: Yeah. Speaker 9: Underpinning that workforce planning, though, I guess, is to mention, is for those critical business areas, whether that's IT, whether it's civil operations or payroll, is those

04:02:00 business areas having a business continuity plan, because whilst we have BCPs in place for disaster events or critical asset failures, it's when we actually have an event which inhibits our ability to do our day-to-day and deliver the critical, whether it's paying our staff on time, whether it's a hack event that shuts down our systems and the staff can't work, or we've lost data. So a range of those scenarios we address and we plan for, because we need to know what they've got on us. Councillor Wilkie: Karen, just to close. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, Mr Chair. I think it's already been said, and compliments to the team, and thank you very much for the work that you're doing. Thank you. Councillor Wilkie: For the motion to vote, that is unanimous. Thank you, councillors, for the excellent debate and your patience today. We'll turn the meeting closed. Thank you very much. Thank you.

7 CONFIDENTIAL SESSION ¶

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Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.

8 MEETING CLOSURE ¶

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Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.