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00:00:00 Councillor Finzel: Good afternoon and welcome to the opening of the Services and Organisation Committee meeting dated 11th of November 2025. Noting that all councillors are present and accounted for, we've got Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Wilson and Councillor Phillips online, welcome. Welcome to the councillors in the gallery, Councillor Lorentson and Councillor Wegener. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. A warm welcome to the CEO and all the staff in the gallery. Noosa Council proudly acknowledges and respects Australia's First Nations people and their deep and abiding connection to this country. We recognise the Kabi Kabi people as the traditional owners of the lands and waters. And offer our gratitude for their careful custodianship of this unique environment over thousands of years.
00:01:00 Can we please have confirmation of the minutes? Mayor Wilkie: I'll move it Madam Chair. Councillor Finzel: I'll second. Thank you. Did we get that? And we'll take it to the vote. All in favour? Yes, that's unanimous. Thank you. Yes. Thanks Jess. That's a yes from Councillor Phillips online. There are no presentations, no deputations, we're up to agenda item number 7, reports for consideration of the committee, we'll start with 7.1, extension of appointment for the Audit and Risk Committee Chair, an appointment of a new independent committee member, and I welcome the writer, report writer, John C. Wolfe to the table to give us a report. Good afternoon and welcome. Speaker 1: Good afternoon, thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Well written report, very extensive and comprehensive, if you'd give us a quick overview. Yes.
00:02:00 Speaker 1: So this report seeks the adoption of two changes to the Audit and Risk Committee membership. The first one is the extension of the current Chair, Timothy, Tim Cronin, to include the final meeting of the 2025 calendar year scheduled for 12th of December. The revised timing for the completion of Council's financial statements required the... rescheduling of the committee's final meeting date for this calendar year from the 24th of October to the 12th of December. The revised meeting date in December extends beyond the Chair's term of appointment, accordingly it is proposed to extend the Chair's appointment to include that final meeting, to ensure continuity and leadership in the Audit and Risk Committee. It is understood that a short extension to the Chair's appointment is acceptable, but it is also required to extend the Chair's appointment to include that final meeting, to ensure continuity and leadership in the Audit and Risk Committee. At the discretion of Council. The second item is then the replacement of Tim Cronin as the independent member, with the anticipated term expiry at the 12th December, the last meeting of the year.
00:03:00 The selection, so in anticipation of a Tim's term expiry, a new independent member for the Audit and Risk Committee was sought through an expression of interest process. Ms. Vjojko The selection panel consisted of independent member Ian Rushworth, Mark Gatt, and member Nicola Wilson. Council received 29 high quality applications, which was fantastic. And from this selection process interviews, Christina Weyer emerged as their preferred and outstanding candidate. It is therefore recommended that council appoint Christina Weyer as the new independent member of the Order and Risk Committee for a three-year term commencing 15 December 2025, pretty much the first business day after Tim Cronin, current independent member and chair, leaves the committee.
00:04:00 Christina is a seasoned non-executive director and chartered accountant with nearly 30 years of global experience. She maintains a strong portfolio of board and committee memberships that are testament to her excellent and sought-after expertise. Current memberships include, but are not limited to, the Order and Risk Committee of Hume Bank, which is a very significant enterprise, Fred Hollows Foundation, the Australian Diabetes Educators Association. And she is also the non-executive director of the .au Domain Administration. In sum, we are fortunate to have attracted Christina to the role of independent member of the Order and Risk Committee, bringing extensive experience in financial management, governance, and board and committee leadership that will greatly benefit council's oversight
00:05:00 functions. And just to top it off, she is also a local, so she has a good understanding of the community, which is fantastic. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: That's great. Speaker 1: I hope you've taken any questions. Councillor Finzel: Thank you very much. I'm happy to move the motion. I'm happy to second. Would you like to speak to that, councillor? Yes, please. Councillor Wilson: First of all, I support the extension of Tim Crodon's appointment as chair, just to make sure that he can complete the final anticipated meeting of his term and close out the 2025 financials. Thank you. And I just want to put on record my thanks to Tim Crodon for his service to us for the last six years, being a very dedicated member of the Order and Risk Committee, from what I've been able to see in my 18 months there. So thank you to him. And as you obviously mentioned, I was on the selection committee, selection panel for
00:06:00 the new member, and very excited that we've got Christina Wyatt joining us. So really looking forward to working with her and fully support her appointment. Councillor Finzel: Fantastic. Any further questions or any further comments? Mayor Wilkie: No, I would only reiterate how lucky we've been to have Tim Crodon as chair for the last six years. He's eminently qualified. And also how fortunate we are to have a quality applicant in Christine Wyatt joining us. Councillor Finzel: Yes, exactly. And a Noosa local, which is really great. Bonus. Bonus. Absolutely. Councillor Jess, you'd like to make a comment? Speaker 5: Oh, thank you. I just wanted to say to my eight colleagues, same as both the Mayor and Councillor Wilson have pointed out, but I also just want to probably acknowledge the time Councillor Wilson put into being part of the process as well. She's been confident just with her expertise and background. She was part of the recruitment of Christina.
00:07:00 I just want to thank Tim Crodon for his time as well. Thanks. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Yeah, I think it's all been said. I'd like to just iterate, you know, our thanks for the outgoing chair, Mr Timothy Crodon, and a warm welcome to Christine. And I'm sure she'll be a great seat at the table to bring her expertise. And thank you, Johnsy, to the report. We'll take it to the vote. All in favour? That's unanimous. Yes. And Councillor Jess online. Thank you. Thank you, Johnsy. Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: We're moving through to agenda item number eight, reports for noting by the committee. Moving into item 8.1, 2025 LGAQ conference, Noosa Council motions carried. And we're looking to the report writer, Mr Larry Sengstock, for a brief overview. Speaker 3: Okay. So as we know, the LGAQ conference calls for motions prepared.
00:08:00 From all 77 councils to be presented, or to be reviewed and then presented at the LGA conference, or LGAQ conference, which was only last month. Noosa Council, after a whole lot of deliberation, put forward four very good, what we believe is very good, and we now know they were very good because I voted through by all 77 councils, four motions that went forward. Those four motions, in brief, were investment in youth-responsive preventative and early intervention programs, increased state government investment in community dispute resolution, urgent action on plastic pollution, call for acceleration of the National Plastics Plan and Roadmap, and a trial of non-lethal shark mitigation measures during wild migration period. All of those were carried unanimously.
00:09:00 Well, almost, sorry, carried majority, sorry, not the members, but with majority, a strong majority. So I was looking to make the point of there was a strong majority of support. So I'm just putting this to the councillor, to the councillor as a, for noting as a recommended report that we, the four motions that we put forward to the rest of the councils in Queensland were all voted. And it's a, it's a great mark for Noosa, and I think it's something that, you know, we put a lot of work and effort and thought into, and they were well, well received. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Any further comments? Happy to move it. Happy to second. Would you like to speak to the motion? Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Well, as the CEO said, all four motions were approved by the conference. There were 77 councils.
00:10:00 There was actually no debate on any of these four, it was a very efficient way that the conference handled the motions, they were only debated if there was any objection to any of the motions, and there was none to the four Noosa Council motions, so they go through to the LGAQ policy executive, and they'll be advocating to the higher levels of government, for the objectives outlined in each of those motions. And hopefully they'll translate into legislative change and real action. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, it's a great opportunity to go along to these conferences and have a voice for Noosa as a collective, and I'd like to take this opportunity also, Larry, to thank you and the staff, it was a considerable amount of work put towards that in the lead up to the conference, so we're truly grateful for that. Because when we get there, then that makes us look good, which makes Noosa look good, so it's a win-win for everyone.
00:11:00 It's great, I think it covered a broad spectrum of, you know, a voice for young people, you know, giving them a step up, illuminating their needs to all levels of government, I think that's a great opportunity to see that progress forward. You know, also the environment, which everyone here in Noosa loves, with our Livability Survey, environment always comes up number one. And also good governance, so I think it's a great opportunity to get along to these LGAQ conferences and represent our Shire, and get to build our connections and our voice at those conferences. So thank you everyone involved. Do we have any questions, Councillor Phillips, or comments? Speaker 5: Just a comment, if I may. Of course. Yeah, thank you. Just given that was my first LGAQ conference. I really enjoyed attending and seeing how sort of that next layer works for me.
00:12:00 One thing that I really want to take away from it, or want to hear you take away from me was, well, we might see, you know, things that at Noosa local concerns that we raise around the table. What I loved was seeing that the things that we discussed were broader, much broader picture. And, you know, getting the support around the, from the 77, almost all the councillors being tells that we might be small, a small council. But our issues are really similar to the rest of Queensland. And I want to sort of be part of the voice per state to see these pieces and see how I can believe our communities feel about them. And I also just want to acknowledge, I guess, the work that goes into putting them on the table. Before the LGAQ. And part of that, to me, is to really, I just want to celebrate that our role in advocacy shouldn't have been sort of diminished.
00:13:00 Because it is such a, in my opinion, such a big part of our role as councillors is that we can't control at the local level. The advocacy piece is just really significant for me. So thanks to the councillors that put the work in and the staff that helped us deliver it. And, yeah. I was really proud to see them all get up. So thank you. Yeah. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, Councillor Jess. Well, do you have a question? Yes, Councillor Lorentson. Councillor Lorentson: Just a question to the CEO. We spoke about this earlier today, Larry. Just wondering whether there is an opportunity for council to write to the relevant state minister. This is in relation to one of the motions, motion number 92, trial of non-legal shark mitigation measures during the migration period.
00:14:00 Whether there's an opportunity for council to write to the relevant state minister to just ask the question whether the minister will reconsider his position, given the near unanimous support for the motion at the 2025 LGAQ conference. I've understood that post mayoral minute. The minister wrote and stood quite firm in their position. Just wondering whether we can maybe follow it up and just ask, has there been a shift in that position? Or what is his feedback in response to the near unanimous support? And whether there's also opportunity for Noosa Council to reach out to Gympie Council and Sunshine Coast Council, both who've already expressed interest in collaborating.
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00:15:00 Whether there's opportunity again as Noosa Council for us to take a lead alongside LGAQ in just keeping the momentum going in terms of advocating for trial of innovation and modern mitigation measures. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: I'm happy to answer that and happy to write again on those lines. They would be great. And even contact the Gympie and the Sunshine Coast Mayor, even getting a joint letter going. Councillor Lorentson: Fantastic they would be great. So, question, through the CEO, will I need to make an amendment or are we having to? Speaker 3: No, I think that's it. Happy to do it. That's a discussion on the record and as a group, I think that's something we can certainly do. Thank you very much. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you everyone. And just a quick follow-up also, I have spoken to LGAQ and they've noted that this week letters have already gone out to all the ministers and director generals outlining the resolutions relevant to their portfolios.
00:16:00 And next week, next, sorry, they'll be organising meetings with departmental representatives to discuss all the motions. So I think it'd be great to work alongside your advocacy piece. That takes only a little bit longer, but it'd be just really great to just, again, keep the momentum going. Councillor Finzel: Fantastic. That's great. It's a great mechanism to show us how well all levels of government work and how our voice at a local level really can carry. We can carry some punch and we can, you know, hit beyond our weight and have a really good voice at all the tables and the minister's ears. So that's great. Thanks everyone. Would you like to comment before we close? Before we take it to the vote? We'll take it to the vote? Yes. Yes, that's all in favour, including online.
00:17:00 Councillor Jess. Thanks everybody. Moving into agenda item 8.2, Capital Program 2025-26, Delivery Status Report. We welcome to the table Chris Steele and Mel Sheppard, thank you. Speaker 7: Good afternoon. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, good afternoon. And we have Sean online as well. And we have Sean online. So if you could give us a quick overview of the report, which was very comprehensive. We'd love to see the expenditure and the work being done across the Shire, which is great. So I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say. Speaker 6: Thank you. You're welcome. To give a summary of the report, it provides a status update on Noosa Council's capital works program for the 2025-26 financial year, excluding disaster works. The approved capital budget as per Budget Review 1 is $65 million, inclusive of $13.4 million worth of carry forwards. Actual expenditure at the end of quarter one was $5.5 million, representing 9% of the budget, with $13.1 million in commitments,
00:18:00 accumulatively representing 29%. Grant funding revenue for the year is $16.4 million, with Council contributing $17 million toward those projects. And the program comprises of 106 projects at various stages of planning, design and delivery. The planning, design and delivery team are currently managing 35 projects to the value of $41 million. The planning, design and delivery team continue to collaborate to enhance the Council's project management framework and associated processes. The capital works planning team have commenced preparations on 26-27 budget process, and recruitment is underway to fill key roles within the infrastructure services department. To elaborate on that last point, we also just wanted to acknowledge the additional resources that were approved as part of the budget adoption and provide an update that we've had some very successful recruitment within IPDD for different officers and managers contributing toward the success of the capital works program as it stands already.
00:19:00 To elaborate on that last point, we also just wanted to acknowledge the additional resources that were approved as part of the capital works program as it stands already. So just to appreciate that. Councillor Finzel: I feel like we should have some streamers. It's such a good news story to read the report and just see the volume of work, the commitment by the staff to hear now like you've recruited, you know, reaching out successfully. I think the culture of the team must be really like feeling really positive about hopefully your work environment and what you've been able to deliver, which is quite impressive, in my opinion. And like I said before, to see it spread across, you know, equally, it looks like equity across the Shire for everyone sort of getting a bit of a piece of the pie. So yeah, I'd like to through the CEO also extend my gratitude and thanks to the team and the, you know, the volume of work that you're putting out is really commendable. So thank you so much. Thank you so much for your contribution. Thank you. We'll pass that on to the team. We'll pass that on. Speaker 7: Yep, definitely. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. So I'm happy to move the motion.
00:20:00 One second. Fantastic. I've probably said my bit. Just reiterate that. And of course, I'm sure our community love to see the works getting on out there. I know sometimes it's a bit of a disruption when we've got the stop go men or, you know, we've got to navigate a different route to work or play. But overall, I think, you know, when... our Shire people see works being done like that and the Noosa trucks out everywhere, it's, yeah, it's a really good sign that we're prospering and we're delivering for our community. So thank you so much. Anyone else like a question or a comment on the report? Speaker 5: Can I answer the question, Karen? Of course, Councillor Phillips. Can I ask you about how long I can... It might be more a question for Mark. I'm not sure and I'm not sure it's online. But just sometimes I sort of think from a community perspective, like we talk about the roll over of capital works. Is there any way we can, even if it's taken offline at some stage in a workshop, look at looking at our capital works program over more of like a five-year, ten-year program?
00:21:00 Like, how do we break it down into the ones that will stay within a year and then those multi-year and somehow separating it when it comes to budget review or for our community to see this a little bit clearer and see how I can't even quite ask my question because to me, I'm still trying to gauge how this continues with me. I'd love to think it's really clear. I'm not sure. Here's our ten-year cover works. It's indicative in principle. This is our guide. Maybe we can even sign off like that we supported in principle over ten years or five years or whatever it ends up being. But just to simplify it, I don't know if anyone can summarise that better for me.
00:22:00 Councillor Finzel: Perhaps the CEO might be able to. Yeah, I can answer that. Speaker 3: Thank you. The issue we have, Councillor, is that we budget on an annual process or annual cycle. And it's very difficult for us to, even though we know that some projects are two- and three-year projects, even more sometimes, that they still have to be accounted for over that 12-month annual period. So we know that they're going to be two-year projects, but it still shows up as carry-forwards as if we haven't completed the project. And that's the difficulty. It's really just how do we communicate that better? And we do it in different ways. But it still looks confusing because we do have to carry it running forwards. It's actually, we already know it's carried forward because we know the project's going to take that long to deliver. And that's just the difficulty we run. And a lot of it also is that we run a 12-month accounting period for delivery of our budget.
00:23:00 But if you think of a project, if we don't know what's actually happening and the team can't actually prepare for it, so we finalise our budget in June, July, by the time they get it, there's a planning, design, and then out to market, and then delivery over a 12-month period. So that first three to six months is quite quiet in a lot of respects because a lot of planning goes on. We don't have a lot of expenditure. Then all the real expenditure and the visible work happens in the second half of the year. And sometimes if that takes a bit longer, it goes into the next year. So it's, you know, we have to allow for that, but we can't necessarily account for it because we do an annual budget. So that's the difficulty of it. But it's, you know, we're actually looking, and there's been a whole lot of advocacy back into government about how can we have a multi-year budget cycle? Because it just seems silly, to be honest, but it's just the way that we have to work with.
00:24:00 Mayor Wilkie: So you're saying, CEO, beyond the 10-year capital works budget program that we have in our budget documents every year, it's very difficult to provide more accurate forecasting than, because these, we've got 10-year forecasts, capital works forecasts, with all the projects broken down and where the money's intended to be spent. Is there any way we can break that up even further? Yeah, through the chair. Speaker 3: We still, we still do, do, um, forecast. So we know it's happening over two and three-year periods, it's just that we have to, we have to, yeah, we have to report it at the end of, at the end of every financial year and say, well, that's as much as we've spent, the project's still ongoing, so therefore we have to carry it forward, as opposed to saying it's just a two-year project and it should still roll through. I can absolutely understand why, from the accounting point of view, it has to be that way, but it just makes it difficult to, to report against, that's all. We just need to understand that that's what, that's what the principle is. Does that answer your question, Councillor Phillips?
00:25:00 Councillor Finzel: Yes, uh, I do, uh, excuse me, um, Shaun, I think Jess hadn't finished. If you could just hold your thoughts for a moment. Jess, would you like to continue? Thank you. Speaker 5: That's okay, thanks, I'm going to be interested in what Shaun can add to that. I, I totally appreciate the difficulty and I don't want to change, like, I guess maybe you could just see how others, uh, how other councillors are doing. I'm not sure that's already been done on Murray, but just me, it's sometimes confusing. And I, I just often sometimes put a really simple lens on, like, oh, there's not a new household budgeting, and if I, you know, within five years' time, I'm probably putting that aside as my five-year planning, and I don't know, I just have to simplify it for community, that, that's in our plan, but I don't, yeah, again, way out of my pay scale. It's just I would love more discussion, because I think it's one every time it comes up.
00:26:00 I always think if I can't explain it to someone else, just the everyday community that they're totally, it's really confusing. Councillor Finzel: Sure. Thank you, Jess. Um, Shaun, would you like to make a comment? The floor's available. Thank you. Speaker 4: Thank you, Sarah. I just wanted to note, uh, supporting Larry about the accounting treatment, but, uh, behind the scenes we have been working about how we could better visualise the Capital Works Program over the next ten years. And, firstly, we've now got two infrastructure plannings in the team, or, rather than one, so we've actually got capacity, direction, uh, work on having a more accurate ten-year Capital Works Program, and Mel and, uh, uh, Dale are working hard on that. And then what they've been doing is also, uh, uh, uh, placing it into Tech One in a geographical sense and under categorisation. So with the eventual view that we'll actually be able to generate maps or planes on Council's, uh, internet that shows the locations of the proposed Capital Works Program that fit the, the extent of the investment and the type of works.
00:27:00 Now, some of those works will be subject to individual budget approval, but provide a much better spatial analysis and category analysis of the works that are after. Because I, I think it's really important for our community to see the value of the investment and where it's being spent. So they've got a bit more work to do in that space, but that's part of their brief. Mel, do you want to give an update on what your thought process is in that regard? Speaker 6: Yes, so in regard to the mapping, that's something that my team, the planning team, are working with the assets team about and getting that onto the internal mapping system initially. So as we can test that environment and ensure that, um, we can identify any bugs or make sure that it's user-friendly before we were to release that externally. And, um, in regard to identification of the multi-year projects versus a single-year project, that's definitely something we're looking at, uh, defining better so we can use those metrics to report on. And we are able to, with the increased resourcing within the planning team, um, support initiators to cost and forecast their projects.
00:28:00 More accurately and provide tools and mechanisms and support services to, um, help gain more accuracy within the 10-year program. So we hope to be able to showcase some of that work at the budget process in the early next calendar year. Yeah. Councillor Finzel: That's good. Well, that's encouraging to see that you're forward thinking and looking for ways to, like, better make that information understandable and transparent to the community. So, yeah, we'll be looking forward to that around budget time. Thank you. Thanks. Any further comments? Mayor Wilkie: Just a question, Madam Chair. Oh, yes, of course. The report mentions there are 106 projects underway at various stages of planning, design and delivery. And about, it says eight not commenced. That's a very small proportion. Yes. So that looks great. Uh, when are the new staff arriving or how many, how many new staff have come on board and when are you expecting the others? Speaker 6: Did you want to answer that? Yeah, sure. Speaker 7: We've, um, so we've been through some recording processes.
00:29:00 We've got, um, we're just sorting out some, um, sort of people and culture pieces with this, this space. We're engaging these new people on board, but we should have another project, another project officer starting in the next couple of weeks. Uh, another graduate starting in another couple of weeks. And I think there's another, uh, P, uh, project officer just in the wings waiting to start on board as well. So another three, um, three additional staff, which will pretty much must bring us up to the maximum amount we've got FTE wise. Um, and we've also got over the last eight months, we've increased and brought on new faces across both design, delivery and transport and traffic. So, and planning as well. So yeah, it's really showing, um, you know, a lot of people that are coming, they're all coming on board, uh, with, uh, passion. Yes. And drive. Yes. That's great. They want to, they want to achieve and want to develop and it's, yeah, it's really, breath of fresh air through it. Yeah. Nice as well, so. Councillor Finzel: Yeah. Great. That's great. Good news. Yeah. Yep. Fantastic.
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00:30:00 All right. Is that, we'll take it to the vote. Have someone moved it? I've forgotten. Yeah. Yes. That's unanimous. Thank you. Thank you for your report. Enjoy your afternoon. Thank you very much. Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Speaker 3: Good on you. Thanks. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Uh, that brings us to agenda item nine, confidential session. We don't have any. And I would like to declare the meeting closed at. Councillor Lorentson: 204. Councillor Finzel: 204 PM. Thank you everyone for your attendance. To the staff, councillors at the table and in the gallery, Mr. CEO and our executive staff. Pleasure. Thank you. Speaker 2: Okay. Thank you Madam Chair. Councillor Finzel: Thank you.