Ordinary Meeting - 16 April 2026 Transcript

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY ¶

▶ 00:00:06

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

3 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES ¶

▶ 00:00:13

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

1 DECLARATION OF OPENING ¶

▶ 00:00:16

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

4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ¶

▶ 00:00:25

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

4.1 ORDINARY MEETING MINUTES 19 MARCH 2026 ¶

▶ 00:00:28

00:01:00 Mayor Wilkie: I'd like to begin by apologising if I've mispronounced any names. And the purpose of the petition says that the undersigned respectfully request that council erect at least one basketball hoop with backboard on the existing netball courts in Cooran. They also request the play lines of the basketball court or half court to be painted onto the existing court surface. Two basketball hoops of varying heights would be preferred to include wheelchair users. It is... It is cost effective. They also request handball court lines to be painted onto the existing surface. I believe these additions would make the existing infrastructure of the netball court surface to be appropriately utilised for more purposes. CEO. Thank you. Thank you. All in favour? That's unanimous. There are no presentations. We have one deputation from the Cooran Action Collective and the topic is Cooran's economic viability and we have speakers Elise Patton, Francis Murray and John Tynan.

5 PETITIONS ¶

▶ 00:01:01

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

6 PRESENTATIONS ¶

▶ 00:01:59

00:02:00 We have 15 minutes allocated for you if you'd like to come to the lectern. Welcome. Francis Murray: Thank you. Unfortunately Elise couldn't be with us today. But John and I are here. Good morning Noosa Council and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Francis Murray and I'm here representing the Cooran Action Collective, an unincorporated association auspiced by the Pomona and District Community House and aligned with the Town Teams Chapter, a global movement focused on community led place making and strengthening local economies. We are a group of local business owners and residents who have come together because we

7 DEPUTATIONS ¶

▶ 00:02:02

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

7.1 DEPUTATION Applicant: COORAN ACTION COLLECTIVE ( ELYSE PATTEN, FRANCIS MURRAY, JOHN TYNAN) Topic: COORAN'S ECONOMIC VIABILITY Speakers: FRANCIS MURRAY ¶

▶ 00:02:36

00:03:00 care deeply about the future of Cooran. I'm joined today by John Tynan, owner of the Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co and one of the largest employers in our town. Together we represent people who are not only living in Cooran but actively investing in it, employing locals and contributing to the life of the town. Thank you. To understand where Cooran is today, it helps to understand where it has come from. In the early 1900s, Cooran was a thriving hinterland town. In fact, it was larger than Cooroy. There were commercial buildings on both sides of the main street and businesses extended up Queen Street and into Prince Street. We had two pubs, three general stores, two bakeries, three churches, a hospital, a timber mill and much more. It was a working town, supported by strong local industry where people lived locally, worked locally and spent locally.

00:04:00 But over time that has changed. With the decline of the cream industry and the closure of the timber operations, the town began to contract. Through the mid to late 20th century, people began to move away. Businesses closed. Buildings burnt down and were not rebuilt. Zonings were changed. People moved out of the town. And Cooran became, in many ways, overlooked. What we are seeing now is the beginning of something different. Not a return to what it was, but the early stages of what it could become. Today, Cooran has a population of around 1,750 people. We have seen more young families move into the area, a stronger, more permanent residential base, and renewed interest in local business and community life. We have seen more young families move into the area, a stronger, more permanent residential base, and renewed interest in local business and community life. There is real energy returning to the town. That energy is being driven by the community itself. Local people are stepping up.

00:05:00 They are opening businesses and they are taking risks. They are investing in spaces and they are creating places for people to gather. They believe in Cooran and they want it to thrive. But there is a limit to what a small community can do on its own. Without the right infrastructure, planning and coordination, the momentum stalls. About 15 years ago, Council invested in upgrading part of Cooran's main street. But that upgrade only covered the central section, home to 5 of the 17 businesses in the town. The eastern and western ends of the commercial strip were not included. So what we have today is quite literally an unfinished town. In the centre, you can see the benefit of that investment. Beautiful retaining walls, sealed paths, gardens, shade trees, stormwater, structured parking and places for people to gather. These businesses within this section are more solid, with little turnover as the years go

00:06:00 by. But at either end, the conditions are very different. In fact, a previous Council CEO described parts of Cooran as having infrastructure more consistent with the 1920s. And when you visit, and you look just a little deeper beyond the central section, you can understand why. On the western end in particular, which is home to 8 local businesses, there are parts with no footpath. A section of the commercial road frontage is dirt. Yes, dirt. The rear laneway that serves as the main commercial delivery access for the town's businesses is also dirt. There is no structured or clearly defined parking, and stormwater infrastructure is absent. There are no bins, beautiful shade trees, or structured gardens. There is no safe place to gather. There is no reason to stay. Since that initial frontage upgrade, some improvements in other parts of Cooran have

00:07:00 occurred. But they have occurred in pieces. It has been ad hoc, focused on maintaining rather than improving. What has been missing is a clear, coordinated, long-term strategy for the town as a whole. A strategy that exists across all departments of Council. Despite that, the town has not stood still. In fact, what we are seeing now is something quite important. We are seeing real demand emerging. Every commercial tenancy in Cooran is full. A recent commercial building was sold and let into five tenancies in Cooran. Those tenancies were all leased within one week. There is continual, strong interest from businesses wanting to operate in Cooran, but with no available space. But those businesses are operating against the odds. When you have no footpath, a dirt road frontage, no structured or safe parking, it has very

00:08:00 real impact on who can access those businesses, and we see this in a high turnover of failed attempts. We see this in a high turnover of failed attempts. Families with young children are navigating an unsafe road, parking and footpath environment. Elderly or mobile residents face challenges moving comfortably and safely through the space. People are less likely to linger, to browse, or to spend time there. To the eye of a tourist, it is not even clear if you should walk down beyond the existing footpath. So even when there is demand, the environment makes it harder for those businesses to be supported by the very community around them. I cannot tell you how many terrifying near-misses I have seen with cars and small children. How many cars we have pulled out of the culvert due to non-structured parking. And how many thousands of tourists I have seen turn around and walk the other way without

00:09:00 venturing down that far, since there is no footpath. We also see the lack of infrastructure and the tenacity of those businesses. The town's ability to retain the attention of tourists play out in different ways. Outdoor dining, for example, should be a natural fit for a hinterland town like Cooran. But for small operators it is often not viable. Not because people don't want it, but because the surrounding conditions don't support it. Either from an infrastructure perspective, no footpath to dine on, or a financial one, due to the high cost of footpath dining permits. So, again, the issue is not lack of demand. It is that the current environment makes it difficult for that demand to translate into sustainable, thriving businesses. From a planning perspective, Cooran can sometimes appear underdeveloped. There are commercial sites that remain underutilised. But when you look more closely, the reasons are clear.

00:10:00 To develop commercially in Cooran currently involves substantial frontage upgrades. Including the widening and sealing of roads and parking created. Limited stormwater infrastructure and kerbin channel, with upgrade costs falling on the landowner. Or large stormwater pits needed to be installed on-site. On-site septic requirements due to no unity water-sewerage connection. So all sewage has to be on-site. And a rear commercial road requiring upgrades, as it is also dirt. These are real constraints. They increase cost, complexity and risk. And they make developing difficult to justify. Especially in a small, hinterland town that does not achieve the returns of Noosa. So what might appear to be a lack of growth, is often actually a lack of viable conditions to support growth. At the same time, there is growing opportunity. Council invests significantly in attracting visitors to the region, and that is working.

00:11:00 We are also working to increase the number of visitors to the region. We are seeing increased visitation through Cooran due to the upgrade of Noosa Trail, particularly trail number 5. Hikers and mountain bikers are coming through the town in increasing numbers. We have a beautiful community garden that is a wonderland to experience. We also have very interesting heritage assets, like the Alfredsons joinery building, the town hall, the old CBA bank from 1906, an old bakery from the 20s with a very interesting past, and more. These could all tell a rich and engaging historical story, taking tourists through a journey of time, just with the right signage. But many visitors arrive, walk through, and leave. They are not staying long. They are not deeply engaging. And they are not contributing as much as they could to the local economy. Not because the potential isn't there, but because the town is not yet set up to support

00:12:00 that experience. So today, Cooran finds itself in a very specific position. It is no longer in decline. But it is not yet fully functioning as a thriving town. It is rebuilding, but without a clear plan. And that brings us to why we are here today. As a community, we are doing what we can. We are taking risks, investing, building, creating momentum. But there is a limit to what we can do on our own. We cannot build a thriving, sustainable town without partnership. What's needed now is a coordinated approach across council, not isolated responses. From our perspective, that includes planning, to help define what Cooran is becoming and what level of growth is appropriate. Infrastructure and capital works, to address the foundational gaps that are currently limiting access, safety, and development. Economic development.

00:13:00 To support local businesses' visibility, job creation, and reduce the need for residents to leave the town for local services. Tourism and placemaking. To help Cooran better capture the visitors who are already passing through, as well as to create places for local residents to gather and support each other. Community and sport and recreation. Particularly to support young people and strengthen local connection. We have noted there is a council budget for sport and rent precinct master planning around this allocated for 2028. And transport and connectivity. Including safer links to surrounding towns like Pomona, and alignment with broader cycling and trail networks. The Cooran-Pomona bike pathway has already been specifically identified as a key priority in the TMR Queensland Cycle Strategy. These are all interconnected. Without coordination, both internally and with community, progress will continue to

00:14:00 happen in parts, rather than building toward a shared outcome. The Cooran Action Collective exists because the community is ready to be a part of this process. We bring local knowledge, strong networks, and a commitment to long-term outcomes. But we don't claim to have all the answers. That's why we want to work with council to develop them together. We understand the limits and demand on budget. We understand that change takes time. We understand that we need to play the long game, and work toward a shared vision for the town. So our request is simple. That council works with us to, one, undertake an updated economic viability study of Cooran, and then, based on that, work towards a shared vision for the town. Based on this, two, develop a clear, long-term strategic plan for the town. One that exists across departments, and beyond changes in staffing and governance.

00:15:00 Cooran has been a thriving town before. What we are seeing now is the beginning of its next chapter. There is energy. There is demand. There is a community willing to invest. But without alignment, that opportunity may be lost. We are asking council to work with us. To help Cooran truly thrive again. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Frances. Thank you. After, we're going to have a few questions from members of the gallery on another topic. But then there will be an adjournment, which gives you an opportunity to meet with some of our staff, including our Director of New Structure, Shaun Walsh. If you have any questions of Mr Walsh or councillors, that's an opportunity today as well. Okay. Thank you. Happy to stay around. Francis Murray: Great. Thanks, Frank. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. Next up, we have two submissions for public question time. The first application with two questions is from Ken and Desley Nixon.

8 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME ¶

▶ 00:15:55

00:16:00 Mr and Mrs Nixon couldn't be here today, and they've requested that Councillor Lorentson read their questions, which will be answered by Shaun Walsh, Director of Infrastructure Councillor Lorentson: Services. Councillor Lorentson. Question one. Will Noosa Shire Council, as part of its budget considerations, include a raised boardwalk, approximately 25 metres on flood-prone section of beach access 55, noting that we are not seeking replacement of the existing concrete path, but only an elevated structure over that section? Case RM 2024, 10901. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. Director Walsh. Director Walsh: Thank you for the question. Council has recently completed a strategic beach access renewal plan, which captures existing asset data across council's 70 beach accesses.

8.1 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME APPLICANT: KEN & DESLEY NIXON ¶

▶ 00:16:02

00:17:00 This asset plan provides the infrastructure department with clearer guidance and prioritisation for the longer term renewal planning and work scheduling. Beach access 55, which is a Kingfisher Drive bridge area, is a strategic beach access priority. Categories are low, medium, high and urgent, with the overall condition considered fair. It is acknowledged that the primary driver for future renewal is the infrequent inundation of the pathway during high rainfall events, which can temporarily restrict public access. In terms of budget provision, Council allocates an annual capital budget provision of $240,000 for renewal of beach access and showers, and this budget will be prioritised towards completing urgent and high priority upgrades at other beach access locations. No funding is currently proposed to be allocated towards design or construction of a raised boardwalk through the flood-prone section of beach access 55. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Thank you. Can Council please clarify the statement in the 28th January email from the Executive

00:18:00 Officer, referring to the existing path and railing being at the end of its service life? And explain what this means in practical terms and when it will be scheduled for repair or replacement in relation to the existing concrete path of Beach Access 55. Director Walsh: Thank you for the question. To clarify, previous advice provided on the 28th of January in terms of Council's current capital funding prioritisation process, Beach Access 55 has been considered as a medium priority against the categories low, medium, high, urgent, with the overall condition considered fair. It is acknowledged that the primary driver for the future renewal is the infrequent inundation of the pathway during high rainfall events, which can temporarily restrict public access. At this stage, no delivery timeframe has been scheduled for Beach Access 55, as Council's current program is prioritised towards more urgent and high priority beach access routes across the Shire. It is noted that the adjacent beach access points, Beach Access 54, approximately 350 metres to the north,

00:19:00 and Beach Access 56, approximately 300 metres to the south, aren't impacted by inundation and are available as alternative access points during periods of prolonged inundation of Beach Access 55. All beach accesses will continue to be evaluated on an annual basis. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Director Walsh. The second question request is from Pat Spicer, who has two questions. Mrs Spicer, you can come to the lectern and read your questions please, which will be answered by Kim Rawlings, Director of Strategy and Environment. Welcome. Pat Spicer: Thank you. Through the Chair. My name is Pat Spicer. The background information. Site investigations started as early as 2019 on 62 Lake McDonald Drive, Cooroy. The budget allocation for site investigations was $500,000 in the 2023-24 budget.

8.2 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME APPLICANT: PAT SPICER ¶

▶ 00:19:32

00:20:00 The budget allocations for delivery costs, remediation and civil works was $3.3 million in the 2024-25 budget. My question. What is the total cost for site investigations for 62 Lake McDonald Drive, Cooroy? And the ongoing consultations, plans and reports from companies including Murray & Associates, Covey & Associates, Environmental Advisors for the contamination, North Coast Environmental Services, Holland Traffic Engineering, Oztrap Traffic Count, Hydro-Line, etc. The Council formed the Civil Works Package and Remediation Works Package up to the work commencing on site on the 4th of September 2025. Director Rawlings: Thank you for your question. To date approximately $375,000 has been spent on plans, reports and investigations noting that the project is still live and yet to be completed.

00:21:00 Mayor Wilkie: Second question. Thank you, Pat. Pat Spicer: Background information. The Council was successful in 182 projects that were completed. $178,000 federal grant towards these costs from the Federal Housing Support Program, which was detailed in the March Housing Strategy Updates. What was the total amount of grant funding received to offset the costs? Director Rawlings: Thank you. $178,000 of that grant funding went to offset these costs from the Federal Housing Support Program. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Thank you Pat. Mayor Wilkie: Councillors, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have a ten minute adjournment so we can catch up with Francis and John.

00:22:00 And if you'd like to talk to any staff or councillors, this is the time to do it.

00:32:00 Okay, welcome back everybody. We're up to item 9, which is mayoral minutes, of which there are none. Item 10, we have one notified motion from Councillor Lorentson. And Councillor Lorentson, you wish to declare comment?

9 MAYORAL MINUTES ¶

▶ 00:32:49

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

10 NOTIFIED MOTIONS ¶

▶ 00:32:52

00:33:00 Councillor Lorentson: In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter. Item 10.1, advocating for urgent action on Burgess Creek erosion on this agenda, is my brother Gabriel Cherisani resides in Sunrise Beach and I also now own a property in Sunrise Beach, both in close proximity to Burgess Creek. Based on recent legal advice, I declare that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter. I also note that I had consistently declared my brother's property interest in relation to all matters concerning the Burgess Creek catchment and Council has previously permitted me to remain impartial in the meeting room when those matters have been considered.

00:34:00 Although I have a declarable conflict of interest, I believe neither my brother nor myself have any interest in this matter. This matter is greater than any other resident of the catchment area and I consider that I am able to remain impartial and act in the public interest. Therefore, I will choose to remain in the meeting room. However, I will respect the decision of the meeting on whether I can remain and participate in the decision. Mayor Wilkie: Just a question, Councillor Morrison. Does your brother live on the beachfront and Burgess Creek lawns in front of his property when it moves to the north? Councillor Lorentson: No, Burgess Creek doesn't move in front of his property when it moves to the north. He's, I don't know, two kilometres, a kilometre away from there. No. The answer is no. Right. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Right. We have a motion. If someone would care to move it. Are there any questions for Councillor Morrison?

00:35:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No. I was just going to move that I'm happy for the, in accordance with section 150 EES of the Lovecomment Act 2009 and having considered the council's conflict of interest as described, we've decided that Councillor Lorentson may participate and vote on this matter relating to item 10.1, advocating for urgent action on Burgess Creek Road. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Stockwell? I second. Seconded. Councillor Wilson? Any discussion? I just have a question. Councillor Finzel? Question? Yes. Councillor Finzel: Councillor Finzel? To Councillor Lorentson. Part of the conflict of interest is around financial benefit or loss. Can you please, we've talked about the whole catchment area. Can you just please reiterate why, in your opinion, you believe there's no benefit? Councillor Lorentson: Sure. While I live in relatively close proximity to this area, my circumstances are no different than those of many other residents in Sunrise Beach. It's a community of around 3,700 people. And any impact from this matter is shared by me. Broadly, not unique to me.

00:36:00 Importantly, Sunrise Beach is used not just by people in Sunrise, but by people from right across the Shire. This is a public place and the issues we're discussing affect the wider community. The matter before us is not about delivering a personal benefit. I'm simply asking for a short-term solution to address erosion and water flow issues, issues that are being driven by wastewater discharge, stormwater and legacy night soil impacts across a catchment of approximately 545 hectares. I also note some recent legal advice that was given to the Mayor that confirmed that proximity alone is not a prescribed conflict. And again, in the past I've always declared and have been allowed to stay in the meeting to vote and discuss the matter. Councillor Finzel: I'm just seeking further clarification through the Chair to the CEO.

10.1 ADVOCATING FOR URGENT ACTION ON BURGESS CREEK EROSION ¶

▶ 00:36:13· Carried 4-3 · 2 divisions from council's minutes

00:37:00 Would you consider this standard council business the matter before us today? Speaker 4: No. Sorry. No. No. Sorry. I wouldn't consider this. And this is to do with a notice of motion for works in a particular area in our property. Mayor Wilkie: So to clarify, your answer is this is not ordinary council business? In which case a declarable COI is appropriate? Yes. Councillor Finzel: If it's standard. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Yes, that's correct. It's the right way to go because this is not ordinary council business because it refers to a specific geographical area. Yes. Is that satisfactory, Councillor Kinsley? Councillor Finzel: I hear what you say. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Thank you. Any other questions or discussion on the motion? Put the motion. Motion goes in favour.

00:38:00 Councillors Wegener, Wilson, Stockwell, Phillips, Wilkie against. Councillor Finzel. Note that Councillor Lorentson did not vote on the matter. The motion is carried. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Mr Mayor, I have a statement that may lead to a declarable declaration. Yes. I have a declarable conflict of interest in regard to the broader Burgess Creek Integrated Cash Management Plan that is noted in this motion. My conflict relates to my role as President of the Noosa Lyon Football Club which manages in part the Gurrueen Sports Complex in the upper catchment. There is no nexus between the activities at the Gurrueen Sports Complex and the aspect of the Cash Management Plan which is the subject of this motion. So I do not believe there is a need to formally declare but I shall be guided by the meeting if it's deemed necessary. Mayor Wilkie: So Councillor Stockwell, are you contending that because the notice of motion has to do with works, proposed works at the mouth of the Burgess Creek, not the entire catchment

00:39:00 that you ought to be able to stay in the route? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I believe because my conflict doesn't relate to the specific location which is highly targeted in the motion that there is no declarable conflict but I note that in the motion it notes that there is a catchment. Thank you. I will not plan that. That's the only link between the two. Okay. Councillor Phillips: Councillor WIGGNER. I'm over to the 30 stage in the room. Councillor SPI. Okay. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you Councillor Phillips. Do I have a seconder for that? A seconder. A seconder to Councillor WIGGNER. Councillor Phillips, you wish to speak to the motion. Councillor Phillips: I'm happy to move that Council note the declarable conflict of interest by Councillor Stockwell and determine that in accordance with section 150 ES of the Local Government Act 2009 and having considered the Council's conflict of interest as described, it is decided that Councillor Stockwell may participate and vote on this matter relating to item 10.1, advocating for urgent action on Burgess Creek erosion. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you Councillor Phillips. Any questions or discussion? Put the motion those in favour. That's unanimous.

00:40:00 That motion is carried. That's carried. Councillor Lorentson would you like to move your motion? Councillor Lorentson: I will and I'll just assume that the report has been read so I'm just going to speak to it. Today I'm asking Council to support a motion that's about one simple principle which is acting early and protecting a dune system that's under clear and ongoing pressure. Over the past two years I've met regularly with residents and also with the CEO and I've raised concerns repeatedly about Burgess Creek and the catchment and its ongoing impact on the surrounding dune system. I've taken photos, I've monitored changes on site and

00:41:00 I've continued to advocate for a realignment based solution to reduce erosion and protect both the environment and public access. The response I've been getting from Council has consistently pointed to cost, but in my view framing this purely as a cost issue misses the bigger risk in front of us. A wait and see or a work as needed approach is in my opinion not a responsible long-term management plan. It's reactive, not preventative. And in this case the cost of delay is not just financial. It's the ongoing loss of public trust and continued degradation of a fragile dune system and increasing pressure on public access. Burgess Creek has been a persistent, persistent source of erosion with a creek mouth shifting and contributing to, in my opinion, significant degradation of the dune system. That erosion is not theoretical, it's visible, it's ongoing and it's accelerating in certain conditions. It's also impacting safe access for residents, particularly at Sunrise Beach where people are increasingly required to move further along the coast to safely access the water. I acknowledge that the

00:42:00 Burgess Creek Integrated Catchment Plan is underway, supported by state funding. And that provides an important pathway for a longer-term solution. But that process does not resolve the immediate issue we are dealing with today. Right now we have active erosion, ongoing pressure on protected dune systems, and risk to infrastructure and public access that require practical intervention. Coastal dunes are not just sand formations, they are also their critical natural infrastructure. They protect our coastline from storm surge, erosion and extreme weather events. They support biodiversity, they stabilise the shoreline and provide a physical buffer that protects roads, assets and community access. When these systems are damaged, the impacts are cumulative. Once vegetation is lost and dune structure is weakened, recovery becomes significantly more difficult and significantly more expensive.

00:43:00 I also want to note that the dune system adjoining the high water mark is what I've understood protected under the Fisheries act 1994, which includes sensitive marine plants such as mangroves and salt marsh. These are not incidental features, they're legally protected and environmentally critical systems that require careful management and protection. My concern is that continued erosion and unmanaged flows are placing these systems at risk. I also want to note that the dune system adjoining the high water mark is what I've understood protected under the fisheries act 1994, We also want to be clear about responsibility. In my opinion, it's not appropriate for rate

00:44:00 pays alone to carry the financial burden of ongoing reactive works, particularly when upstream contributors, including discharges from the wastewater treatment system, are part of the broader catchment dynamics. A fair and reasonable cost-sharing approach should always be on the table when multiple parties contribute to the issue. In June 2022, Council by majority supported a notice of motion that I put forward requesting a report into Burgess Creek management plan, including long-term and short-term erosions response and other obligations. Despite this, the core issue of ongoing erosion and lack of coordinated short-term intervention remains unresolved. What I'm proposing today is not complicated, but I believe it's really necessary. In the short term, we should be implementing some practical measures, for example, temporary sandbags

00:45:00 to help guide flows and along with regular realignment and ongoing monitoring. These are not unusual measures, they're standard coastal management tools that are used to stabilise dynamic systems while longer-term solutions are developed. Again, what I'm also proposing is that these works should be supported by a fair cost-sharing arrangement. In the medium to long term, the integrated catchment plan gives us a really great opportunity to develop a more permanent and coordinated solution, but that must not become a reason to delay immediate action where the impacts are already occurring. As custodians of public land, Council has a responsibility to act proactively, not just when systems fails, but before they reach that point. Delay increases risk, increases cost, and increases environmental loss. This is about

00:46:00 protecting our dunes, maintaining safe public access, and ensuring that we're not transferring avoidable costs to future years and future ratepayers. Residents across the entire Shire deserve a safe, accessible beach. They deserve a coastline that's actively managed. This motion is about taking practical, coordinated action. This motion is about taking practical, coordinated steps now, working with all the stakeholders, including Unity Water, and implementing short-term protections, and ensuring that we're properly funding and managing a system that's clearly under pressure. I just ask Council today to support the motion so we can move from a reactive approach to a more coordinated one. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Soplin. Speaker 4: Councillor Soplin. Mayor Wilkie: Can I have a second, please?

00:47:00 Thank you. Councillor Soplin. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Cathy, if you could bring it up. So, the issues we're dealing with today in a notice of motion are quite complex. And the fact that it's a notice of motion rather than a report from staff means we're being asked to make a decision on the impact of the impact. So what I did over the weekend is I got out all the old historical aerial photos to map the flow path from 1958 through 2004 and then there's digital imagery after that. What you see there is the highly dynamic system of flow paths from the discharge of the Burgess Creek onto the beach. You'll see the dotted lines is where those aerial photos show the treeline at the edge of the dominant dune and in that analysis it shows that treeline has been remarkably stable to the north of Burgess Creek for over 70 years.

00:48:00 So one of the assumptions and it's in the first sentence of the background is that the erosion is forming degradation. There is no support for the fact that the erosion which is a natural process on beaches is leading to degradation as degradation is multi-dimensional decline in the overall quality, health and functionality of an ecosystem. It's important to note that the water treatment plant discharge which is used as a suggestion that it should be fair and reasonable to involve Unity Water in the addressing of the issue didn't start until 1998. So if you can go through the next slide Cathy, you can see in 1979 the creek flow was very similar to where it is now. Next one, 82 fairly similar where it is now, right up against the treeline. Next one please. 83 fairly similar, quite long and right up against the treeline. If we go on, 84 similar. So what do we know?

00:49:00 We know that staff working on the catchment plan have been working with University of Sunshine Coast and the location of those flows and that outlet alignment is highly reactive to wave direction and whether it's an El Nino or a La Nina system. That's what strongly influences the dune scarping at the bottom of the Dune Scarping at the Outland, highly of the need for dynamic trigger based management which is proposed in the catchment management plan. The 2020-2023 La Nina did exacerbate the process of that movement towards the treeline and it has reduced the buffer width. There's no demand. But the concept that it's related to increased fresh water flows from the Surrey to Street Million is not really supported. The USC research, University of Sunshine Coast, is not really supporting that. The USC research says flow matters only in the mid to post realignment phase. Okay, just when the flow is coming back that way.

00:50:00 Council also has been realigning the creek to manage erosion since 2011. It costs about 5k or 10k for getting externals to do it. And also Dr. Javier Leon, the University of Sunshine Coast, I think he's just a doctor, who's leading the research, suggests that it doesn't support hard or permanent infrastructure and also rises the issue that mechanical realignment is not the best ecological solution. So we've got this dynamic system. We know it's been there before. We know the system's recovered and depending on whether La Nina, El Nido, the sand comes, the dunes reform. There hasn't been long term loss of permanent vegetation, only those ephemeral dunes that are adapted to this condition. So if we go to the next one. However, there is an urgent need. The Eastern Beaches foreshore management plan says northern bank of the creek near the mouth east of is eroding due to a combination of uncontrolled foot traffic down and on a very

00:51:00 steep creek bank and high peak water flow. Next one please. You can see there, there's a section of the bank that rises from two or three metres up to nine metres very rapidly and that's what the tracks look like on your right. That is degradation. If you look at the next one. You can see, once again, there are other tracks coming down. The VOA states that the vegetation condition is poor and notes the coffee rope slope is badly eroded from foot traffic coming down the slope from bypass, probably also overland flow from top and peak flow from the creek. So, is there one more? No. So councillors, I agree that we should treat the degradation of our coastal dunes in the Burgess Creek as a priority. In fact, we've had that as a priority for a number of years in the Eastern Beaches foreshore management plan. This is what is the top priority and we have, in the last couple of budgets, had requests from staff to put more money into addressing the informal, unapproved beach accesses which

00:52:00 is causing the erosion and I argue we don't need a Noosa motion to address the highest priority issue. We just need to consider it in the budget meeting and we can address things like just doing the simple things that aren't costly, like fencing off areas and closing them for regeneration. We don't need to go to Unity Water and try and make an argument that their water flow is causing erosion which the science says is caused by wind, waves and the dominant climate regime. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. Councillor Phillips: Other question to Councillor Stockwell? Councillor Furse. Because I don't know a lot about water management, but Unity Water was established in 2010. Could you give me some background on what happened if they established the catchment plan in 90, waste water treatment plan in 98? Who was managing it before that? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, it was a very reputable organisation called Noosa Shire Council.

00:53:00 Okay. Yeah, so we had, and then the legislation came that all water and sewage got lumped up at a regional level into Unity Water. Okay. Councillor Lorentson: I have a question to the CEO. I think it was in 2022, 2023, Council supported a study, Coastal Change Along Noosa, and Javier Leon was the... University lecturer that actually provided a paper. Can I ask, and I don't know, Director of Strategy Environment, did the report indicate or highlight

00:54:00 the damage or, not the damage, did it align any of the erosion activity to the Burgess Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant? Councillor Finzel: Yes, it did. Speaker 4: Are you able to answer that? Speaker 1: Yes. Speaker 4: Yes. Speaker 1: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Speaker 2: Yes. Yes. Speaker 1: Yes. Yes. Yes. The NUNESC did find that the average creek outflows, the average flow, can contribute to erosion, but the predominant driver of erosion is the wave direction and intensity that's driven by El Niño and La Niña cycles. So that period of triple back-to-back La Niñas that led up to the 22 flood event had a significant impact on erosion of the dunes.

00:55:00 Now that we're going into potentially a super El Niño phase, we expect significant accretion or restoration of the dune as the creek will migrate southwards. That's the expectation. Now is a good time probably to be restoring that dune, which we've applied for grant funding but have been unsuccessful as of yet. Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: A question to the CEO. So I've met with the CEO months and months and months and months with photos and asking whether we're going to be able to do that. And just to correct, just a statement made before, the notice of motion just throws suggestions. I'm not an expert and we need to have stakeholders, including our environment. Excuse me. Question to the CEO. Have you spoken to the CEO of Unity Water about what I've proposed today and can I ask what's the response?

00:56:00 Speaker 4: Yes, I've given the CEO, we had a regular catch up yesterday in fact. So I gave her a heads up that this was on the table for today. And she's prepared to come to a meeting and have a discussion around it. But there's obviously no commitments and things at this point in time. But she's more than happy because she's aware of the whole catchment, the Burgess Creek catchment plan that we're doing. And, you know, whilst I'm sure that, again, she's not making any commitments, but she's certainly happy to join in with me. Yes. Director Rawlings: It's just also worth noting that the Unity Water are part of the stakeholder reference group for the Integrated Water Catchment Management Plan. And at an operational level, we meet with Unity Water very regularly. So there's very consistent and ongoing conversations at all levels of Unity Water and has been for many years. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: Can I just ask when the Burgess Creek Integrated Catchment Plan is expected to be delivered?

00:57:00 And is this motion seeking anything in addition to what would be in that catchment plan? Director Rawlings: So the first part of that question is the catchment management plan is under development at the moment. We're just finalising a briefing paper for Council at the moment, which will come to you in the next week or two. The hope is that the draft plan will be developed and delivered by mid-year. For broader consultation, there's been the first phase of stakeholder consultation that's happened. So, you know, we're moving on it. It's pretty quick, pretty soon. Obviously that, you know, that catchment management plan will look at short, medium and long-term solutions for a range of issues, this one included, as well as ongoing consultation and engagement with key stakeholders in the catchment, which includes Unity Water.

00:58:00 This Notice of Motion covers some of those issues. So some of those issues are covered, but it also sort of goes outside and says, we note that's happening, but can we do something in the short term with Unity Water? That's right. So, yes and no. Mayor Wilkie: Where you mentioned that staff are preparing a briefing note for Council's, I think next week we're getting a briefing on, Burgess Creek Catchment Management Plan. Does, will that include advice about hydrology, such as the movement of Burgess Creekmouth and the factors at play there? Note that. Director Rawlings: We've got the whole team here. Speaker 5: Thank you, councillors, through the Chair. The briefing paper that will be delivered next week is intended to provide an update of the process to this point.

00:59:00 The information that we have learned through technical reports and two rounds of community engagement, targeted stakeholder engagement, I should say, and what's coming up in the future. So we're yet to finalise it. We're not sure how much technical information will be in the briefing paper. Director Rawlings: As the project progresses, you know, all the information will be provided to Council. So because it's in development at the moment. So, you know, it's just about the stage we're at at the moment, Councillor Wilkie. But as it progresses, all of that information, technical information will be provided to Council, but as will the draft plan. Mayor Wilkie: Yep. So the information that Cheyenne delivered before about the movement of the mouth being a tributary, contributed more to wave action and weather patterns. Yes. Will that form part of the Burgess Creek Catchment Management Plan?

01:00:00 Definitely. Speaker 1: Is it pertinent to that? It's one of the most important studies that's underpinning the technical report for the Burgess Creek Integrated Catchment Management Plan. And our team would always be happy to provide an update on the erosion studies that we have done and the modelling that we continue to develop with University of Sunshine Coast and University of Queensland, and Burgess Creek, because we've done quite a lot of work since that last study, which I can provide an update for if requested by Council. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. I would like to encourage the mover to consider withdrawing the motion until we've had a briefing at least about the Burgess Creek Catchment Management Plan, because it gives us an opportunity to have access to more scientific information before we make a decision or that commits us to interfering with the course of a natural waterway involving sandbags or whatever without first considering the scientific information.

01:01:00 We've heard that, and I've seen aerial photographs myself prior to 1998 when the water treatment plant was introduced, that Burgess Creek still moved to the north and was cutting in the June, which accreted during different weather patterns. We've got a regular operational works team that will adjust the mouth of Burgess Creek on an operational level for a relatively small cost already, but I would really caution against approving a motion that commits us to a course of action that involves interfering with the natural waterway before all councillors have had access to really good solid hydrological infrastructure. I think it's a great idea that we engage with Unity Water, they are a stakeholder, I understand they're already involved,

01:02:00 but I think I would feel a lot more comfortable if a motion like this came back before us after all councillors have had access to a fuller briefing about the catchment management plan and the science of the hydrology. Councillor Lorentson: Can I ask through the CEO, so our discussions was that the notice of motion is simply a letter, it's simply an email and I've just understood that's already happened, and it's a meeting with Unity Water and other stakeholders including hydrologists and environmental people. So my question to the CEO is, would progressing with this notice of motion, which is a meeting with the CEO and other stakeholders to address a short term solution to what's happening at the moment

01:03:00 and opportunity for cost sharing arrangements, does that conflict with what the Mayor just said in terms of waiting for further information and a hydrology report? Is the notice of motion not doing the same thing? Can I just seek your advice? Sure. Speaker 4: Through the Chair, I think we discussed this as well when we were talking about this before, is that it still has to have the same people around the table essentially from our end to discuss this and decide whether there is a possibility of doing anything or whether it's just something that's not practical at this point in time. So really I think that's where my mind was at. It's sort of an adjunct to this plan that's being done so that we can at least consider it if it's not possible, which it may well not be possible because of a whole range of reasons

01:04:00 and maybe something we say needs to just be continued with the works that we do. We do do regular operational works when it gets to a point of really interfering with the walkway. But again, it was really in my mind just to get the right people around the table and say, here it is. Here's our issue. Where does it fit in? Can anything be done? If not, does it just feed back into the overall plan and how we deal with it at that point in time? That was how I approached it. Thank you very much. Mayor Wilkie: Any other Councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Finzel: I just have a question. Councillor Finzel. Just can you please confirm through the CEO that Unity Water is the regulatory body over that water? Who's the regulatory body, please? Speaker 4: No, it's us. It's our property. It's us. They feed into that creek. And again, we've got to recognise it. I think that Kim said that they're not the only ones feeding water into there as well.

01:05:00 It's a catchment. So it's coming off everybody's roofs. It's coming off everybody's gutters and drains and everything else into that catchment and then coming through. So we have a higher water flow after a big rain event. There's no question. But certainly Unity Water recognise that they're part of our community. They're part of this. And that's why when I spoke to the CEO yesterday, she was happy to consider it and at least have a discussion and see where it goes. So with no commitment again. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Councillor Stockwell. Yeah, I just think there might be some clarification here that perhaps our manager of environmental services may be able to do it. The Coastal Management Act, the conservation. Speaker 4: I'm probably saying, sorry, probably a bit general in terms of that. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, below high water mark. I would believe that the State Government is actually the responsible regulatory authority that's already made that to the environmental service management. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Councillor Phillips. I'll speak to it quickly.

01:06:00 Okay. I think what I've heard now is that the notice of motion just sort of complements what's already being done. The notice of motion process, I know there's different views around the table, but we can disagree on a lot of things. We can agree on a lot of things at this table and then we can agree on a few, I'm sure. That is the process that we can all use. We're all allowed to go into the CEO and work out what's been priority, what someone in the community has asked for. I think Councillor Lorentson has done that. The process is there. It's in our standing orders. For me, if the notice of motion complements work that we're doing, there's really no reason to say we don't support it because it's not adding additional... When we went through this whole process, we said we just want to check if it doesn't add additional burden financially, then we want to know about it. If it's not going to all of a sudden divert us from so far the other way, then it would

01:07:00 make sense to disagree with it. But to me, it almost, we waste more time debating why we wouldn't just see it go through. If there's a conversation that the CEO and the councillors are having in a room that says this doesn't divert resources or costs, I've quite enjoyed listening to some of the history around it, but for me, I'll just support the fact that it doesn't commit us to anything more than it complements the process and I'll support it today. Thank you. Any other comments? Councillor Wegener: Council Wigginer. No, it does seem to add an extra burden on council because you're asking for potential sandbagging, potential realignment of the creek, despite that we have the integrated action plan. And so we are actually, she's asking for a reactive approach versus a coordinated approach. A coordinated approach is what we're doing, and it seems as though we've been asked to

01:08:00 do a reactive approach. But the reaction is, oh my gosh, there's some erosion. Perhaps it's from people walking down the cliff and pushing down, and people can definitely create erosion going down. You're speaking to me? Oh yeah. So it's a question. Sorry. I'm not speaking to you. Mayor Wilkie: It looked like you were arguing. Councillor Wegener: It did, oh. No, maybe I will. Okay, I won't ask the question. It just appears as though this actually is implementing immediate action, reactive action, when we're in the process right now of a coordinated approach to this. Because as far as I look at the water going parallel to the shore, if you look up at the satellite photos we're looking at, you may know that there's a lot of trees growing where there is, because that water, that fresh water sits in the lower dunes there and it goes up to the trees. That actually, there is a lot of good from water on the beach there feeding the microbiome life through the sand out to the beach.

01:09:00 So it's a natural thing that naturally happens. Maybe the unnatural thing is that the people walking down and pushing down the cliff and creating the erosion. Just saying, but I would much rather stick to our coordinated action than a reactive action. Councillor Phillips: Question to the CEO. From the notice of motion, Council is not going to go out and put some sandbags as a reactive measure from this notifying motion? Speaker 4: That's not my understanding, no. It's really just to explore that and to talk to these guys and see if that's a realistic possibility. And then it would have to still come back because it would be a cost, absolute cost that we don't have in our budget. Councillor Lorentson: Can I ask a question to the CEO? So the way that I worded this alongside you is an understanding that there may not be an environmentally sound solution to this in terms of geotextile or revetment structures etc. But that's part of the process and discussion. So question to the CEO.

01:10:00 The report coming back to Council may just affirm there may not be a short term solution. Speaker 4: That's exactly. That's my opinion. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Is this committing Council to a report over and above the other report that's being done about Burgess Creek Catchment Action Plant? Director Rawlings: As I understand. Mayor Wilkie: If we approve this again, another report. Director Rawlings: Well, as I understand, the notice of motion doesn't call for a report. Does it? No. Sorry. Oh, okay. Apologies. Yes. Yes. Yes, it would be committing Council to another report which, yes, would be outside the process of what we're doing with the integrated water catchment. Speaker 4: Thank you. It is a report, but it's more of a response. It's the way I see it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Senior. It's not a huge report.

01:11:00 Councillor Lorentson: Can I request if there's a variance around the table to change the word report to a, just, the CEO, just to bring the response from Unity Water back to Councillors in a workshop. Mayor Wilkie: Someone could amend, someone could amend the notice of motion. Thank you very much. Would someone like to move an amendment? Councillor Phillips: I can't, because I second it. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. I was right. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a willingness for someone to amend the notice of motion? Councillor Wilson? Councillor Wilson: It's worth it. Request the CEO report, not report, sorry. Request the CEO provide a response to Councillors following the meeting with Unity Water.

01:12:00 Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: But do you want to change item C, is that what we're doing? Councillor Wilson: Yes. Sorry. Councillor Lorentson: Item C. Councillor Wilson: Provide a response to Councillors following meetings with Unity Water. And stay calm. Thank you. Speaker 4: Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Wilson: So that would then be in the CDO? Speaker 4: Yes, it doesn't have to come to Council. Mayor Wilkie: And are you leaving a request to see if there has been a report to Council?

01:13:00 Councillor Wilson: No. So that was with Unity Water and the stakeholders? I'm just trying to find the striker version. Councillor Lorentson: Sorry, with Unity Water and stakeholders. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: A couple of typos in there. Mayor Wilkie: Do you have a seconder for that? Councillor Finzel: I'm happy to second for the purpose of debate. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Finzel? Okay. Councillor Wolfram? Councillor Wilson: Hopefully that's fairly self-explanatory, but I think it takes away that extra workload of having a full report. As Councillor Lorentson has said, it might be quite a short response anyway. But I think all we need really is not to have a public meeting at this stage, because we will get the catchment plan coming to Council anyway. But we could just discuss this briefly at CDF. And then I think it's worth looking at that relationship with Unity Water anyway, and

01:14:00 what we can actually get from them to look at short-term solutions, but without putting on due work on staff. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: I think Councillors wish to speak to the amendment. Councillor Finzel: Councillor Finzel? I just have a question. Noosa Council and New New Water have been running a monitoring program using bores, I believe. Is that correct? To do that? And that there was also a commitment from Senator Powell to put money on the table once there was a commitment to the catchment management plan of that funding. So I feel that Council has already been moving forward. So I'm trying to just clarify that technical issue, that that is underway, and Unity Water, through the Chair and the CEO, is actually working closely with Council currently. And this is what we're trying to do. The stakeholders, in my opinion, I'm seeking clarification, are already working in the

01:15:00 field and in other areas to bring us towards that solution where we have the completed catchment management plan where funding has been put onto the table by Minister Powell. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Director Walters? Director Rawlings: Thank you. Through the Chair. That's correct. So we have a funding commitment from the State Government to develop the Integrated Water Management Plan, which we're well in train of doing. We've also had a $50,000 contribution from Unity Water to the first phase of the project to do the work that helps subsidise the work that you described. So that is correct. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Finzel? Councillor Finzel: So a question then to clarify what was spoken before, that you are just about ready to bring a report to Council regarding all of these matters? Director Rawlings: Yes. There's a phased process. So we're providing you with a briefing note next week to bring you up to date following

01:16:00 the previous status update we gave you. And then we'll talk to Council about whether or not you're in workshop or whether you want the draft plan just to come to Council. So yes, we are well in train of doing those next steps. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Finzel? Councillor Finzel: Yes. So then I wish to speak to it. Thank you to our wordsmith for bringing this very succinctly to just support this, given the information we've just been received. I think we're already moving and progressing through this process. So I'm happy to support how it is in the current form. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. As in the amended form? Councillor Finzel: Yes, to clarify in the amended form to make it quite succinct and not put extra workload and call another report to staff. I think they're already well into the work at hand. So I'm satisfied for the CEO to just give us a response following your meeting with

01:17:00 Unity Water. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Thank you. Now the Council should speak to the amendment. You wish to close, Councillor Wilson? Those in favour? Councillor Wegener? Wilson? Sorry. Councillor Wilson? Councillor Wegener: No, I second. Mayor Wilkie: Wegener, Wilson, Stockwell, Lorentzen, Finzel, Phillips against. Councillor Wilkie. That's carried. Becomes part of the substantive motion. Sorry, was Councillor Phillips against? Phillips against. Councillor Lorentson: Federal was announced? Mayor Wilkie: Except for Councillor Wilkie. Oh, was it? Councillor Wilkie. Yes. Now, it takes us back to the original motion to which everyone has spoken except Councillor Wilson. Or Councillor Finzel.

01:18:00 Now, it's your right to not speak if you don't want to. Yes. Councillor Lorentson: Now, Councillor Lyons. You wish to close? I do. And I thank you for the respectful debate and conversation around the table. I just want to raise that in June 2022, there will be an amendment to the amendment to the notice of motion. And I move that notice of motion because I met with the CEO at the time, the mayor at the time, and with a lot of residents. And we were walking down the stees of Burgess Creek to access this beautiful beach, and we couldn't actually access the beach. The erosion had reached staircase and also threatened at the time, you know, compromise in potentially the integrity of David Lowe Way. So that's why when I started in this space with Burgess Creek, the notice of motion which

01:19:00 was supported by almost unanimously at the time, I can't remember, but by full majority and ratified in June 2022, actually stipulated A, actions to be undertaken by Council to manage the Burgess Creek mouth, including erosion management, short term and long term. It's four years down the track. And we've got a ratified decision by Council, and we're still in the planning stages. And I'm very respectful of the staff time. I'm also very, very appreciative of the hundred thousand dollar funding that was committed by a state candidate and by the LNP, which is now seeing some real action in this space. The reason I brought this notice of motion is I have over the last two weeks, I've been here for two years and there are weekends where I think I'm just forever annoying our CEO.

01:20:00 I meet with residents. I meet with people that used to work in fisheries. I meet with hydrologists that live in Sunrise Beach. I meet with Surfrider that I'm a member of. The World Surfing Reserve also sit in this space with Burgess Creek. It's not going away. And to me, my concern at the moment when I meet with them is you actually have to traverse the dune system. So we spend all this time telling residents the importance of our dune system. And yet I feel sometimes that the way that we're managing this particular location, I don't know, it just seems to me that it's not going away. We need to lead with best practice and respectful of the CEO and the advice I've been giving to date, there might not be an environmentally great solution.

01:21:00 So the notice of motion was simply that this is actually quite important to the community. It's quite an urgent issue. We're experiencing dune erosion, not caused just by discharge from the treatment wastewater plant. It is stormwater. It is legacy. Legacy night soils. Council are part of the problem. I'll say problem, but part of the discharge. So the notice of motion was simply let's talk to community water, see if they'll come to the table, and talk to our environmental staff who are experts in this space. There may be a solution. There may not be a solution. But waiting for the progress of the integrated Burgess Creek catchment system, we'll see

01:22:00 So to me, respect, again, great conversation around the table, and I hope you support a really simple notice of motion to see whether we can go to step two and try to work out some solutions to help protect the dual system and also protect our infrastructure. Thank you, Councillor Lorentson. Mayor Wilkie: Put the motion, those in favour? Councillor Wilson. Lawrenson, Phillips and Wilkie. Against? Wegener, Stockwell and Finzel. It's carried. Right. Brings us to consideration of committee reports, Planning and Environment Committee Recommendation Day the 7th of April. We only have one recommendation for the P&E Committee.

11 CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ¶

▶ 01:22:55

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

11.1 PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS DATED 7 APRIL 2026 ¶

▶ 01:22:59· Carried 7-0 from council's minutes

01:23:00 That's the Planning Applications Decided by Delegated Authority of the Move and Seconded for the Committee Recommendation. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Happy to go down in history as the last person to move the Adoption of the Planning and Environment Committee. Councillor Stockwell. Recommended. Mayor Wilkie: Seconded. All in favour? Seconded. Councillor Phillips. Service and Organisation Committee, dated 7th of April. Noosa Aquatic Centre Lease Renewal. Councillor Lorentson: Council Lawrence. Could I pull that out and I want to declare a conflict of interest on the matter? Yes. Thank you very much. In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I, Councillor William Lawrence, inform the meeting that I would prescribe conflict of interest in

11.1.1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY – FEBRUARY 2026 ¶

▶ 01:23:07

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

11.2 SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS DATED 7 APRIL 2026 ¶

▶ 01:23:33· Carried 7-0 from council's minutes

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

11.2.1 Noosa Aquatic Centre Cafe Lease Renewal ¶

▶ 01:23:36

01:24:00 relation to item 11.2.1, Noosa Aquatic Centre Cafe lease renewal on this agenda. As I engaged a few days ago with the applicant regarding the proposed contract during the live procurement contract process, as a result of my conflict of interest, I'm going to choose to leave the meeting room while the matter is considered and voted on. Right. Mayor Wilkie: We need somebody to move and second the motion. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm happy to move to the committee recommendation. Thank you. I have a seconder. Mayor Wilkie: I have a second. Seconder, Councillor Phillips. Any discussion? All in favour? That's carried unanimously. Councillor Lorentson will come back to the meeting, please.

01:25:00 Next up is item 11.2.2, Confidential Contract CN25082, Provision of Turf Mowing and Maintenance Services. 11.2.3, Confidential Formalisation of Budget and Grant Application Authority, Compost Facility Project. 11.2.4, Provision of Turf Mowing and Maintenance Services. 11.2.4, Confidential Landfill Capping Technology. 11.2.5 is the S&O Committee Recommendations en masse. We're going to have a move and a seconder. I will second. Councillor Finzel. I will second. Councillor Wilson. Any discussion? All in favour? That's carried unanimously. Now we have the General Committee Meeting shared by the Chairperson. We have the 11.3.2, Tourism, Noosa Funding and Performance Deed. We'll deal with this item separately. Does anyone have a motion that they would care to move? This was the motion that was forwarded from Tuesday.

11.2.2 CONFIDENTIAL - CONTRACT CN25082 PROVISION OF TURF MOWING & MAINTENANCE SERVICES ¶

▶ 01:25:10

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

11.2.3 CONFIDENTIAL - FORMALISATION OF BUDGET AND GRANT APPLICATION AUTHORITY – COMPOST FACILITY PROJECT ¶

▶ 01:25:21

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

11.2.4 CONFIDENTIAL - Landfill capping technology ¶

▶ 01:25:27

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

11.2.5 SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ENBLOC ¶

▶ 01:25:32

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

11.3 GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS DATED 13 APRIL 2026 ¶

▶ 01:25:53· Carried 7-0 from council's minutes

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

11.3.1 GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING - SCHEDULE OF CHAIRPERSON ¶

▶ 01:25:56

01:26:00 Councillor Lorentson. Councillor Lorentson: Could I please, through the Chair, just make a request? And I think it's important. I put a question on notice at the General Meeting that I'm requesting a reply to. It's a procedural question. Sure. And just in terms of whether the standing orders were correctly applied following the declaration of the vote, I've asked for that question on notice to the CEO and had also afterwards requested some legal advice. Thank you. The results of the legal advice? Speaker 4: Yes. So we have had legal advice. It is, the standing orders are, as we all understand, the standing orders are there and there's always an interpretation that there's, because there's, it doesn't cater

11.3.2 TOURISM NOOSA FUNDING AND PERFORMANCE DEED 2026–2029 ¶

▶ 01:26:02

01:27:00 for every scenario and every situation. So it required some interpretation. We have had legal advice. The legal advice is to say that we are able to move forward so that, and I'm still getting the final legal advice to get it absolute. But the absolute advice for them is we're able to move forward with the motion as it currently stands. So the action that we took on Monday at the General Meeting is acceptable to the point where we can move forward with this motion. Okay. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Lorentson. Sorry. Did you have, I see you rising before me. Councillor Wilson: No. I've got a question now. Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Councillor Wilson: Are you saying now that we're not committed and we can just go with this? Speaker 4: I thought the legal advice. No, no, no. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that from a motion to be considered at this meeting, that we were able to do that. We're able to.

01:28:00 Because we went to the path of the vote, then the procedural motion, then these motions, they're saying we've followed a path that's acceptable and that this motion is now. Sorry. Sorry. It's a recommendation. It's now something that can be now considered. Councillor Wilson: Okay. Yeah. Speaker 4: Does that make sense? Does that help? Councillor Wilson: Not really. Speaker 4: We followed a process that's acceptable to the legal. Councillor Wilson: So we're only talking about the procedural. Yes. At the moment. Speaker 4: Yes. Councillor Wilson: Would it be beneficial for the public to learn about the other legal advice? Speaker 4: This legal advice or? Councillor Wilson: About what we're committed to from the December meeting. Speaker 4: Giving others a question on notice. So the advice from our lawyers as well is that, yes, we are committed to the funding.

01:29:00 That's their advice. Okay. And that's the advice that I'm working with. So we are committed to funding the Tourism Noosa as in line with the resolution in the December meeting to three years of $2 million per year, including or plus the CPI as we've proposed in the deed. Mayor Wilkie: The legal advice also says there is, we do have latitude with other elements of the deed in terms of KPIs and so on. Okay. Speaker 4: Thank you. Well, the legal advice is we can, we're committed to the funding. In terms of the deed, we still have to work through the final elements within that deed and that's if the group or the councillors want to get in that part, yes. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: I'll move an amendment then please. There's no motion. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, all right. Well. Just a motion. Speaker 4: Just a, you don't, no amendment? No one's making a motion.

01:30:00 This is still a recommendation. Councillor Wilson: Okay. It's amending that. Speaker 4: Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. So Councillor Wilson, this is yours. Councillor Wilson: Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: If you care to read it out. Councillor Wilson: But Council A, note the report regarding the proposed funding arrangement with Tourism Noosa. B, does not adopt the proposed deed in its current form. C, resolve that schedule one KPIs require further refinement to address specific councillor concerns. D, appoint a councillor representation to join the deed working group for final KPI development and finalisation. And E, present the revised KPIs to the June meeting round. Mayor Wilkie: I have a seconder for that please. Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wilson. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Wilson: Thank you. I'm still not comfortable with aspects of the roadmap indeed, but understand that this Council made a commitment to continue to fund TN with a 3-3 vote in December and I respect that and our latest legal advice, despite being contrary to previous advice I received in the meeting and recently.

01:31:00 But we do need to move forward and work with that legal advice. I think the main feedback from the community and councillors has been around the lack of meaningful, measurable and performance driven KPIs. Given we're talking about over $6 million in public funds. I hope this resolution would give some assurance to the community that the KPIs will be further developed for full accountability. And yes, I am volunteering my time to do that. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you Councillor Wilson. Questions or any councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Lorentson? Councillor Lorentson: I'd like to move an amendment please. Yes.

01:32:00 I'm just going to try a couple of amendments. That Council requires that prior to execution of the funding deed, Council receives advice confirming that tourism noosa road map does not limit Council's ability, Can you just slow down? Confirming that the Tourism Noosa Roadmap does not limit Council's ability to set, measure, and enforce

01:33:00 clear performance-based KPIs and is consistent with the funding deed in ensuring enforceable outcomes and value for money. Councillor Wegener: Any words on ensuring? Councillor Lorentson: Enforceable outcomes and value for money. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So are you changing that to be the, you're getting rid of everything else except that?

01:34:00 Councillor Lorentson: And add that as an E, I think it is, if you can go back. Add it as E? Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Are there any questions? Any questions about the wording? Councillor Lorentson: Yeah, if anyone wants to play with that, Councillor Phillips: Council receives advice, not received advice. Councillor Lorentson: It's not in the Council, it's just set a measure of this. Councillor Wilson: We don't need all those back, Council, because there's, it starts with that. Councillor Lorentson: Yeah, get rid of a couple of Councils. Council requires that prior to execution. Council confirms to get Council receives, just require the prior to execution of the funding deed. Advice, sorry, Council receives advice confirming that the Toys and Noosa roadmap

01:35:00 does not limit Council's ability to set, measure, and enforce career performance. Yeah, I'm happy with that. Mayor Wilkie: Is anyone willing to second that? I'm not sure that's appropriate at the moment. Councillor Wilson: Do we get it? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm going to ask a question to the CEO. My understanding of the legal advice we've received this week has already achieved that outcome. Any comment, please? Speaker 4: On reading that, that would be my assumption that the deed already covers that, but it's for you to debate. Thanks. Cheers. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wilson? Councillor Wilson: Sorry. Can I just ask the question of Councillor Lorentson of where this has come from?

01:36:00 So is there a risk that we can't do this under the roadmap? Councillor Lorentson: I'm possibly happy to withdraw this and pose this as questions. It's possibly more for my clarity. I spent some time last night reading the roadmap. So I'm happy to withdraw this and maybe just ask the question. Councillor Whilson. I'm going to just throw the things that went through my mind thank you question so my first one is I really need to understand the purpose of the Tourism Noosa roadmap and the role that it plays in this funding decision so is it a binding is it a binding document or just advisory that's pretty much the

01:37:00 Director Rawlings: question I'm asking through through the chair council will recall councils will recall that in May last year we requested the development of a roadmap or confirmed the development of a collaborative roadmap with Tourism Noosa which would take into account the fact that we the council was developing a new approach to managing our visitor economy through the destination management plan and that the roadmap process would allow both organizations to understand what that new strategy where it's heading what the role of each of the organizations were how we work together and how how we provide clarity about who does what to advance that strategy so it is what it says it is it's a roadmap it's a guide guide piece of work and I think I haven't got the report in front of me but I think I think the report talks about the roadmap to be to guide it does mention guiding

01:38:00 Councillor Lorentson: principle but then in the executive summary this is what I was a question I'm sorry thank you Kim I think my confusion was it did actually say it was a guiding principle but in the executive summary and other parts it talked about it as a critical and strategic document so I just kept going which one is it so Director Rawlings: I don't think they're mutually exclusive I think it can be both it was a piece of strategic work that assessed a raft of potential models for council to consider which model might we might we move forward on to best position a partner organization to deliver on the DMP so in that sense it was a very strategic critical piece of work but it is also and it is also a roadmap to guide the future and and it talks about various stages and various evolution opportunities as a you know as a reference document which council has

01:39:00 endorsed so it is an important piece of work the deed also has been developed in alignment with the road map and talks to the fact that the road map is is an important document. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you that answers my question Any other councillors wish to speak to Councillor Wilson's motion it's a question he talks about to the June Deputy Mayor Stockwell: meeting round is in terms of meeting our responsibilities is that that's a factor is it something that will put us right to the edge of time and if we don't do it at that meeting we're running into problems that's a very good Speaker 4: question I'd like to get it done before June I think we're giving ourselves a

01:40:00 little bit of extra time but our commitment is currently we've got it we've got an agreement with with Therese and Moussa to June 30 so we've got that time in there and the and there is a commitment as we said that from a funding point of view that the funding is committed now it's really just working through the deed and getting that in place so I would like to have a bit earlier but also but I also don't want to put the pressure on it and come with with something that's not fully fully developed and to everybody's satisfaction so June I think would work I would still need to looking at the director here would still need to certainly confirm that with the with Therese and Moussa but my understanding is legally I think we're in a position we can do that. Councillor Phillips: I think what this is what I want to help community and myself understand the process from May 2025 last year so when we adopted the roadmap process did that

01:41:00 also lock us into future funding of tourism Noosa? Mayor Wilkie: Director Rawlings? No. Director Rawlings: Through the Chair, excuse me. When Council adopted the roadmap process in May last year that did that process that decision did not lock Council into funding tourism Noosa on an ongoing basis. Your endorsement of the roadmap and the preferred model and funding occurred in December. Thank you. Speaker 4: Can we add to that? Yes. So if we remember that in May the roadmap was to consider a number of options in terms of funding and bodies to actually take it forward.

01:42:00 We had in that roadmap we had a commitment because Noosa, tourism Noosa was our, is our funding body and the group that we were currently working with. We had a commitment to give them a decision of whether we were going to go forward or not. With them by the end of December so that's what that's what drove that but at that point there was no commitment to do it. There was a you know there was part of the part of the agreement or part of that decision process but certainly the idea was to look at options which we did and it was decided at that December meeting that tourism Noosa would be the body that we would go forward with. Councillor Phillips: So to follow on from that. From May 2025. There was no decision to consider that we would fund tourism Noosa beyond that. Then in December when I wasn't here what other options was Council given to consider other.

01:43:00 In December they decided to fund Tourism Noosa. What other recommendations apart from funding Tourism Noosa to deliver the strategy was provided to Council as options and I know I could watch the December meeting but I would rather community understand how they got to that. Director Rawlings: In short, Council were presented with a report and an attachment which outlined eight options for a potential model for how we might manage the visitor economy and the tourism, a range of services that are provided to tourism on an ongoing basis.

01:44:00 So there was eight models presented and that was after... months of working and investigating and analysing and evaluating those models with including independent assessment that was presented to Council in workshops of those models. There was discussions with Councillors about various models, various Councillors provided options. Can we consider this and that? Can we consider a hybrid? All of those things were taken into account and were part of the eight models. That were presented to Council for consideration. The option 2 of the eight models was the one that was recommended for endorsement but there was eight models with an analysis of all of those models, ranging from status quo to moving towards a completely different model around... you know, like an economic development corporation to bringing the services in house to doing a hybrid.

01:45:00 A long spectrum of eight models that were analysed and worked through over a number of months. Option two was an evolve of Tourism Noosa towards a more regenerative tourism organisation in line with our DMP, and that was the model that was endorsed. Councillor Phillips: And then, sorry, further questions for the timeline for community. So then December, Council adopted option two, which also then locked in funding for three years. Director Rawlings: Option two was based on a base level of funding of $2 million and a three-year arrangement. And then for terms, KPIs, measures, all of those things to come back to Council. Following that, which I think at that time was, I think, very much.

01:46:00 Mayor Wilkie: Any other councillors to speak to Councillor Wilson's motion? Speaker 4: Councillor Wegener? Mayor Wilkie: No. Councillor Wegener: So the key to the roadmap is to implement the destination management plan through Tourism Noosa. Is that correct, you guys? Yes. I'll answer your question. Yes. Mayor Wilkie: Tourism Noosa has some responsibilities under the action plan of the DMP. Council has many as well. Not entirely. The whole responsibility for delivering the DMP will not rest with Tourism Noosa. Councillor Wegener: No, of course it won't completely rest with Tourism Noosa by any stretch. My question is, are we starting from scratch with this motion? And starting? Are we starting over again, or is this interpreting as to say, most of it's really good, we're going to stick with it, we don't need to re-establish that Tourism Noosa is largely going to be supporting the destination management plan, and it's only a handful of KPIs?

01:47:00 Are we just looking at a handful of KPIs and the rest of the roadmap is okay, or are we scrapping the lot starting over again? Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wilson needs to hear the next one. Councillor Wilson: There's nothing there about revisiting the roadmap. That's already been endorsed. Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah. Councillor Wilson: This is, there's also within the deed, I think, a requirement for TN to update its strategy in line with the DMP. The KPIs should be supporting or measuring the performance of that strategy. So it's really looking at... Yeah, maybe eight, 12 KPIs that really measure whether they're delivering on that strategy to support the DMP.

01:48:00 Thank you. Councillor Wegener: So we're really, we're really looking at the KPIs. We're going to, we're going to work on those so that, and then the rest of it is in, in, in situ, actually. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Questions for the CEO? So, if TN is going to have KPIs linked to DMP, and as Councillor Wegener just stated, that TN can't deliver all of the DMP, will Council have KPIs attached to what they will deliver DMP on? So there's clarity over what sits with Council and what sits with TN. Director Rawlings: I'm going to follow up Councillor Wilson's logic.

01:49:00 TN are required to update their strategic plan and their other documents like their marketing plan and business plan to align with the DMP. That's a requirement of the deed. Councillor Wilson just mentioned that the focus then is on KPIs to measure their achievement of their strategy and documents. So that would be that piece of work. Yes, Council will have KPIs. There's a monitoring and evaluation framework that sits alongside, a draft monitoring and evaluation framework that sits alongside the DMP that is being evolved. And yes, there will be KPIs and measures for progress against the DMP for Council. The DMP is... The success of its delivery will rely on a number of organisations, not just Tourism Noosa and not Council.

01:50:00 It's a community-led document and we, you know, we heard from the Noosa Bicycle Reserve last week how they're geared up and already on the train of helping, wanting to deliver against the DMP. And we anticipate and hope that there will be other organisations and partners in the community that also help advance the DMP. And then a set of measures and outcomes that we will be working towards and monitoring on a regular basis. Councillor Phillips: Follow up on my question then. If the funding for TN is aligned to delivering KPIs, do we also set the same on ourselves as far as funding DMP in our internal process that we would look at funding or taking away funding from Council DMP process? If we're asking them to deliver it and match it on funding, are we going to do the same for ourselves? Director Rawlings: I think you need to ask your Council that.

01:51:00 That's a decision for Council. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm going to try and amend it because I think I overheard something the CEO whispered to you. And that's to amend item D to read appoint Councillor Wilson as a representative to join the DEED working group for final KPI development. And then an additional one in E, present the revised KPIs to the June meeting round at the latest. Councillor Wilson: Do we need the DEED to be brought back as well? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, that wasn't enough. And the DEED, present the revised DEED including KPIs to the June. Speaker 4: That's right. Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: So it's amending D, appoint Councillor Wilson to join the DEED working group for the final KPI development and finalisation.

01:52:00 And present, and item E to read, present the DEED and including revised KPIs to the June meeting round because there may be... Deputy Mayor Stockwell: At the latest. Mayor Wilkie: At the latest. Yeah. Because there may be Councillor Lorentson's force majeure clause to be included as well. Thank you very much. Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to second. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: If you can do that, I'll talk to it. The reason I put Councillor Wilson on, if we had to wait for another month to appoint a Councillor, it would hold things up. And the second one's obvious. It's just saying if Councillor Wilson is very good at convincing everyone that the way to go, we'll have it in month. Thank you very much. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you very much.

01:53:00 Thank you, Cara. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. That looks right, Councillor Stockwell. Are you happy with that? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We don't need very... Mayor Wilkie: Any other councillors wish to speak to... There was a seconder, Councillor Morrison. I'm happy to second, thank you. Is there any other councillors wish to speak to the amendment? Councillor Morrison. Councillor Lorentson: I leave to support Councillor Wilson to join the Deed Working Group with your KPI expertise. I think you'll be a really valued addition to the Working Group. Mayor Wilkie: Do you wish to close, Councillor Stockwell? Put it to the vote of all in favour. That's unanimous. It's carried. It becomes part of the motion.

01:54:00 Councillor? Councillor Phillips: Could I please ask Director Rawlings to help me draft some wording to, based on my question before, have an additional... ...amendment on linking council to have the same financial KPI model. Basically, I want to put the same scrutiny on us to deliver DAP as we are putting on TN. Do you mind? I'll start doing a little bit of work as well. I'm happy to ask for an adjournment, but I would also need your help to deliver that. Mayor Wilkie: We'll have an adjournment on that. Is it relevant to the Deed Working Group? Is it relevant? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, that's true. It's not. It's not an amendment. It's a motion. Okay.

01:55:00 It can't be. Mayor Wilkie: Well, we'll still have the adjournment. You've withdrawn? Councillor Phillips: I don't think it's relevant. Mayor Wilkie: There seems to be lack of support in your understanding at the moment, Councillor Phillips. Councillor Phillips: That's okay. I respect that. Councillor Lorentson: Can I request a five-minute adjournment so that Councillor Phillips has the opportunity to just rethink and, yeah, just consider it. Mayor Wilkie: It's time for a break for the councillors. So we're back at five past twelve. Ten minutes. Speaker 3: Ten minutes? Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.

02:15:00 Councillor Phillips: Thank you. The DMP is supported by a monitoring and evaluation framework and Council will annually publish results of progress against the Tourism Noosa KPIs and the broader outcomes of the DMP via the DMP webpage and dashboard, including costs, and ensure that this information informs annual budget considerations.

02:16:00 We should do exactly the same, and I think it should be publicly provided so people can track through our dashboard what we're spending, what TIN is spending, and where it lands. That way there's full transparency about the funding, and it also should feed, in my opinion, our budget considerations, because it ties into exactly where we get to every year, where staff are working on something.

02:17:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Phillips. Any other councillors wish to speak to the amendment? Councillor Weyland. Councillor Wegener: It looks wonderful. The more communication, the better. I'm a DMP. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Councillor Lorentson, do you wish to close? Well, just by saying that, to me, I read this as a governance and accountability and transparency addition to the motion. So, totally supportive. We need to walk the talk. And if we're asking for an organisation to come back to us and let us know whether they're progressing, you know, with agreed performance indicators, then I think we need to do exactly the same. It's got to be a two-way partnership.

02:18:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. I put the amendment to the vote. Those in favour? That is unanimous. Carried. And becomes part of the substantive motion to which only Councillor Wilson has spoken. Anybody else wish to speak to the original motion? No. Councillor Lorentson: Councillor Lorentson. I am. I'm just going to make this really brief. We've spoken a lot over since the general meeting. But I do want to start with the legal position. I think it's really important that we note that we have received independent legal advice and it confirms that council is legally committed to approximately $2 million per year over three years. in funding to tourism Noosa. And the advice also makes clear that there's some risk if council were to withdraw from the funding. That position arises from the decision in December 2025, when a casting vote carried the matter in a 3-3 split, with one councillor absent on pre-planned family annually.

02:19:00 This is not a clear majority decision of council. And I think that background. of context is really important. 3-3 split is not consensus. It tells us that council was evenly balanced on whether to proceed with $6 million long-term commitment. And I think in those circumstances, where an outcome is not determined by a majority position, but by the casting vote of the chair, what that does for me is it elevates the responsibility of the council. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We're not dealing with the motion in front of us. We're dealing with reviewing an action from December. It's not relevant to what we're dealing with today. Mayor Wilkie: That point of order is upheld. Councillor Lorentson, could you limit your comments to the motion before us, please?

02:20:00 As amended. Councillor Lorentson: No worries. So my point is that our responsibility now is to ensure that we have a framework that is strong, clear and defensible, as possible. And I think that for those reasons, the motion in front of us requires further refinement of the KPIs and the performance indicators and further development and finalisation of the deed. And I think that meets our obligation in terms of exercising due care and diligence and our government's responsibility. So I'm happy to support the motion in front of us as the next step forward. Thank you, Councillor Lorentson. Councillor Phillips: I'm going to speak to it. Councillor Lorentson: Councillor Phillips. Councillor Phillips: Thanks. I'm going to support the motion in front of us, but I will speak. Because today, for me, this has never been about Tourism Noosa. Tourism is part of Noosa and Tourism Noosa have the right people to deliver brand management.

02:21:00 I will continue to stand by this. They do know what they're doing. It always has been a tourist destination and that side of Noosa supports jobs, it supports businesses and it is part of our identity. But the question we should actually ask ourselves today is how far do we go? Because maybe we've gone too far. And the reality is you don't see it all at once. It won't ever hit you like a single decision. It creeps in quietly, gradually, year by year, little by little. While the balance shifts. Businesses that once benefited from tourism are now struggling under the cost of operating under the Noosa brand. Lease signs go up. Staff become harder to find. Young people leave because they can't afford to live here.

02:22:00 Families are pushed further out. I was really touched by the deputation today because this really reaffirmed what I've written down to speak on. Schools lose a few numbers each year. And then they lose a class. And then they lose opportunities. The cafe can't find staff. The hinterland loses its general store. Piece by piece, the social fabric of what makes Noosa, Noosa unravels. This is what today's debate, this is what this week has been about for me. Because when we lean too far in a direction, whether that's tourism or any other strategy, we are creating unintended consequences. And by the time those cracks appear, it's often too late to reverse them. Every decision each year in this chamber over decades led us to this point. It's actually not about $2 million in a large budget. This is about trust.

02:23:00 The community is telling us they are tired of feeling like their money is being spent on things that don't reflect their everyday reality. They want us to focus on the fundamentals. The non-sexy stuff. The basics. The things people will only notice when they fail. Because when that happens, it matters. I received a fine recently for my dog that passed away 18 months ago. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Point of order. Same point of order. We're not dealing with the matter either. Mayor Wilkie: Please limit to the motion before us please, Councillor Phillips. Councillor Phillips: It's not about systems. Sorry. It's about systems that aren't prioritised. And the basics are overlooked. That's when this represents to people, not just one decision, but a pattern. A drift away from the grassroots. I will never vote against legal advice. I'm not going to put ratepayers' money at risk of unnecessary legal costs.

02:24:00 But I will put us all on notice. The deputation today reaffirmed this. They are fed up with strategies that don't translate into justice. They are fed up with real outcomes. They are fed up with feeling like they are being pushed out of their own town. And unless we start recognising that this today was bigger than the funding deed, bigger than Tourism Noosa, then we need to start rebalancing our priorities. We will continue to lose exactly what we said we were trying to protect. I am disappointed in the process. But more than that, I'm concerned about where this trajectory is going to take us. I think we will lead us if we don't change course. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Wegener: No doubt. Councillor Wegener. Karen had her hand up a few times. Councillor Finzel: Councillor Finzel. Well, we've probably moved on.

02:25:00 But for clarity around the process, in the past when I've tried to call something on interrupting a speech being given, I've been advised that that's our border. And that's what we've done. And I've been told not to make a comment. So in terms of interrupting people giving speeches to say it's out of order, that they have to change their direction, I, yeah, I don't, I just want to say that I don't particularly agree with that. And I'm not going to call dissent of the Chair because I think we've got enough going on. But I just want to put my opinion forward. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Councillor Finzel. I think you're referring to points of order, which can be raised. Points of order cannot be raised if you disagree with what someone is saying, whether or not they're relevant to the motion. I hope that helps to clarify what happened just previously. Now, anyone else care to speak to the motion moved by Councillor Wilson, seconded by Councillor Phillips, before Councillor Wilson closes? No.

02:26:00 I wish to close, Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: Sure. Just quick. When we're giving out public funds, our community expects clear accountability over how that is spent and whether we are getting value for money. In this case, they're measurable outcomes we will gain from TN's work. I'm asking to raise the bar here and listen to our community, to allow more transparency over TN's performance in relation to the funds provided, and also to ensure those funds are achievable within the industry, especially in these changing times. There's been a lot of uncertainty in this process over the last 18 months that has not been conducive to good decision making or efficient debate. That includes deadlines missed, reports at short notice, all issues that I will raise separately with the CEO. But in closing today, we found ourselves in this circumstance. It's been a tricky week on that front, but I think this final review of the KPIs will lead us to the best possible outcome that we can achieve at this point.

02:27:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Wilson. I'll put the motion. Those in favour? That is unanimous. And carried. We move to item 11.3.3, which is a confidential contract award. Contract number CN26032, Noosa Aquatic Centre 50m Pool Water Treatment Plant, Filtration Upgrade Works, 11.3.4. Confidential contract and award report, contract number CN25048, Cooroy Gymnasium Upgrade and Extension. Councillor Phillips. I believe you have a COI. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I will inform the meeting that I have a prescribed conflict of interest in relation to item 9.2, confidential contract award report, contract number CN25048, Cooroy Gymnasium Upgrade and Extension on this agenda, because I am working 10 hours per week as the general manager and coach of the Cooroy Gymnastics Club. And as a result of my conflict of interest, I will now leave the meeting room while the matter is considered and voted on.

11.3.3 CONFIDENTIAL - Contract Award - Contract No. CN26032 - Noosa Aquatic Centre 50M Pool Water Treatment Plant Filtration Upgrade Works ¶

▶ 02:27:15

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

11.3.4 CONFIDENTIAL - CONTRACT AWARD REPORT – CONTRACT NO. CN25048 – COOROY GYMNASIUM UPGRADE AND EXTENSION ¶

▶ 02:27:24

02:28:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Phillips. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: I just needed a mover and a seconder for this contract. Moved Councillor Stockwell. Seconded Councillor Wegener. Any discussion? All in favour? That's unanimous. May Councillor Phillips be invited back into the room. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: You can come in with a backflip. Mayor Wilkie: 11.3.5 is the General Committee recommendations on block. For a mover and a seconder for all these recommendations, except for those that were dealt with separately, Councillor Wilson. Seconded Councillor Finzel. All in favour? That's carried unanimously. We have one report direct to the ordinary meeting, which is the financial performance report. And we have our Acting Services Director, Margaret Gatt, here, also the Acting Finance

11.3.5 GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS ENBLOC ¶

▶ 02:28:43

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

12 ORDINARY MEETING REPORTS ¶

▶ 02:29:00

02:29:00 Services Manager, Zach Morton-Ayer. Welcome. Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Councillors. Thank you. Speaker 6: Thank you, Mayor. And through the Chair, I will take the report as read in front of you. The March report provides nine months or 75 per cent of the financial year of actual data. There are no material changes to the identified financial year. As noted in the report, Council has recorded a favourable operating position of $3.5 million, compared to 3.2 in February 2026, with a net result variance to date of $9.7 million. This is primarily driven by $5 million derived from our capital funding sources. Operating revenue and operating expenditure continue to track within a narrow range of over $5 million, and when viewed as a percentage rather than as a dollar figure.

12.1 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT MARCH 2026 ¶

▶ 02:29:04· Carried 7-0 from council's minutes

02:30:00 And this is consistent with the commentary and trends you would have heard from me in the February 2026 report. I would like to draw some express attention to elements of the report. On the top of page two there is a table that looks at the waste management side of the business. Revenue performance for 1.2 million dollar variance or positive variance to budget. This is primarily driven by a small increase to sales of goods of materials and services affected by general waste fees relating to gate fees and sale of recyclables. There is also an expenditure of about $1.1 million, sorry, expenditure primarily driven by materials and services underspent. There is a piece of work ongoing in the background with officers to understand what this underspent relates to. At this point in time, we don't believe it presents any risk, but we'll provide further updates in subsequent meetings. In February 2026, I provided commentary that officers were undertaking a detailed review of the holiday parks variance to budget.

02:31:00 So the notable update is officers in the background have looked at the debtors ledger related to holiday parks, both revenue and expense slide items. So both revenue and expenditure is overstated compared to the budget. Effectively, a net off position of revenue that is in offset by management fees. So this is a result of the work of looking at the debtors ledger, so to summarise, there's no impact to the underlying operating financial position. It's effectively just accounting treatment behind the scenes to ensure revenue has been recognised and associated expenses tied to that. To reiterate, green shading has been provided to elements of the report to convey good as green, and elements that aren't, I wouldn't say necessarily bad, but aren't positive in nature. I would like to draw attention to our grants, subsidies, contributions and donations line item.

02:32:00 There is a change of $1.1 million of grant funding which has been received from the Disaster Recovery Programme, which illustrates a positive area. The grants, subsidies, contributions and donations line item in that table. The subject of discussion that comes up frequently in monthly finance reports is our employee benefits. So in February 2026, we had a report... Mayor Wilkie: Excuse me, Zach, I've just been reminded, there's a formal meeting, would you mind standing if that's alright? Oh, yeah. Speaker 6: Thank you, Chair. My apologies for not standing in the first instance. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Thank you. Thank you. I think that defines normally above the line. Speaker 6: In our February 2026 report, we had an underspend of $905,000, and in the March 2026 report, we had $430,000, so this is an area that takes questions. The indication is that our actual spend is closely aligned to our underlying cost base, which would imply operational efficiencies and less vacancies that are being held.

02:33:00 We will provide further commentary as we move forward in that regard. Financial costs have a reported underspend of $402,000 today. Now, further detailed review has been undertaken behind the scenes, looking at the budget modelling. As a broad general comment to this, it is, as we go throughout the year, we look at debt servicing capability that we project through our original budget. Today, we've drawn down less debt than was intended, ultimately tied to our capital works program. At this point in time, we don't believe it reflects any perceived risk to Council, but I will provide further updates and subsequent monthly reports as a result of that. Tables are included to both capital revenue and capital expenditure. To summarise them as at the 30th of March 2026, capital revenue of $24.1 million has been received. $2.2 million of that is from developers, and the balance is from capital grants and subsidies.

02:34:00 Actual capital expenditure to date. Excluding commitments was $28.5 million, 35% of Council's revised capital works program. It is worth noting in the report, two comparative graphs have been included from the capital works executive committee, which has been an ongoing dialogue from Councils in terms of integration of the two reports. It is worth noting that the graphs included are as at February 2026, due to the current timings of the General and Ordinary Committee meetings and the capital works executive. The capital works executive information isn't prepared when the reports close. We are currently looking at the agenda moving forward with the changes to the works program to see if we can align this to have the current month's reporting and the monthly finance report. Cash management and investment performance as at February 2026, we had $159 million of cash, of which $6.7 million is held in trust.

02:35:00 We have higher than anticipated cash balances, which will be consistent with previous messaging, which is ultimately linked to the re-profiling of our capital works program, with Council's investments continuing to perform well against industry benchmarks and self-prescribed benchmarks within our own policies. Our rates arrears reporting on page 8 conveys our rates arrear balances as at the 31st of March 2026. The movement in arrears from February to March was from 12.8% arrears to 9.7%, with $3.6 million of rates payments received during the period. The March 2026 report provides the more detailed quarterly analysis that we provide through monthly finance reporting and a quarterly agenda, which shows both the age of the respective rate arrears and the categorisation by category to provide a much more detailed picture of where our rates and arrears are. The detailed analysis refers to our rates and charges debt management policy, so there's thresholds in the policy, where effectively minor amounts are discontinued because they can screw the data.

02:36:00 As you would have heard me say in February 2026, we're currently in the process of escalating this through our new policy framework. We're anticipating that letters will go out in due course, and I hope they will provide a much more substantial update as to the progress of that escalation. Thank you. The April report. To summarise the report today, Council remains in a sound financial position, with variances largely driven by timing or approved budget adjustments rather than financial risk, and performance will continue to be monitored as we enter the end of the financial year and year-end audit processes. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you for a very comprehensive overview, Zach. Councillors, do you have any questions of Zach or Director? Councillor Phillips: I have some questions, as I said earlier, through to both of them, for community watching.

02:37:00 I want to talk about assets. So, the report notes $4.6 million in asset write-offs associated with the review of work in progress projects. Am I able to find out more about what types of assets were written off? Speaker 2: Through the review of work in progress projects. Am I able to find out more about what types of assets were written off? Through the Chair. Thank you. Through the Chair. Thank you, Councillor Phillips, for the question. The answer is really in two parts to this question. The capital expenses of $4.6 million referred to in the report and in attachment 1 refers to assets that are at the end of their useful life before its estimate useful life, and it needs to be replaced. So, a hypothetical example is if you have a road that has a useful life of 80 years and it's depreciated for 80 years, however, by year 60, for a whole range of reasons, it comes to the end of its useful life.

02:38:00 In accounting terms, the road is then written off, the remainder of the 20 years is written off, and as the new road is rebuilt, those remaining 20 years of estimate life are written off. It's an accounting treatment. It's not about it being physically. I don't know. Does that explain it? Councillor Phillips: It does about the financial, but then if you reference the road, community then have to replace the road. So, probably not too much of the financial question for me is more around how that works in Speaker 2: From a technical perspective, it nets off through the depreciation and then writing back on the new asset and accounting for that in the fixed asset register.

02:39:00 It's a bit technical, but there's also another, I can answer again with another way. So they do relate, obviously, to capital projects for a number of reasons. Some also are projects that have been started but not completed or no longer expected to deliver a usable asset such as abandoned design work, superseded project costs, and early stage expenditure that can't be capitalised. So this can also include early concept design or feasibility studies that don't eventuate into a delivered project. So Council undertakes periodic reviews over time of the work in progress balances. To assess costs and whether any of those costs need to be written off because they no longer meet the capitalisation threshold under accounting standards. So it's a combination of both of those. Speaker 6: If I can provide one comment as well.

02:40:00 The language in the report, as it's come from me, probably could have provided better clarification as well. So the work project in its totality looks at everything in our asset base. There's actually two distinct work streams. There's one which is the review of aged or disposed of assets. So when we talk about capital write-offs, it's in some ways easy to use disposals. So where the road is, it's at the end of its usual life in its simplicity. You dig it up, it's effectively disposed of. There's no road there anymore. You will then commission a new piece of road. So that's actually our fixed asset register. What is implied in the report is the WIP process. So the WIP is actually a standalone separate process which looks at early engagement with projects. So in taking a question, the language in the report could be better written to actually clarify that because it draws a link that probably isn't inherently there. So my apologies to that. But they are two distinct work streams. So it's kind of the capitalised write-offs are at the end of its useful lives as opposed

02:41:00 to WIP, which is typically the start of a project as you move into building a new asset, if that makes sense. Speaker 2: Okay. A much better explanation than mine. Fine. Councillor Phillips: We've got more questions then, please. So following on from that, noting council's strong cash position and low level of debt, I'm probably looking for some clarification on how council is applying the principle of intergenerational equity. So how does council ensure that the cost of long life assets is shared appropriately over time rather than being disproportionately borne by current ratepayers? Speaker 2: Through the chair. Thank you, Councillor Phillips. We have two policies that council readopts every year. One is this financial sustainability policy. And one is also our WIP. So we apply the notions of intergenerational equity through our long term financial plan

02:42:00 and strategy. We look at funding our depreciation and strategic asset management planning. Also in terms of using depreciation and reserves and where appropriate debt. So cost allocation is shared across the generations who benefit. Funding decisions consider asset usage. Useful lives. Affordability indicators. And sustainability ratios that we are obligated to try to meet to avoid front loading costs onto current ratepayers. It is a continued balanced approach in terms of using debt appropriately to fund long life infrastructure assets as opposed to drawing down of our cash reserves. Generally the principles are to fund long life infrastructure assets as opposed to drawing debt over a debt period of about 20 to 30 years is guidance from the Department of Local Government, Auditor General and QTC as the best way to fund long life infrastructure assets.

02:43:00 But it is a balance because in our debt policy, our current debt policy still actually refers to minimising our debt and using as much of our cash holdings as possible to fund renewals and other aspects. And only using debt for new or significant upgrades. But it is a constant balance around what's appropriate. Councillor Phillips: Okay. That was fantastically answered and it flows perfectly onto my next question which is the years of Council's position on whether possibly aversion to debt itself may create financial risk around asset renewal being delayed, asset condition declining, and whether that means whether future renewal costs increase due to construction inflation and deferred works.

02:44:00 So my question to you is now in your experience, have we, the risk adverse debt policy, is that now causing financial risk? Speaker 2: Through the Chair. Thank you, Councillor Phillips. As previously stated, we are now in the financial crisis. As I said in my response to the question before, it is a continued balancing perspective. When we do utilise, when we do utilise debt, it obviously increases our loan and redemption payments. So that impacts on our operating result and actually draws down our cash. In simple terms, if we have debt, we have to use our cash to pay the debt down and the interest. So that's the balance there as well. But avoiding debt can, to answer your question specifically. Can increase risk if it does lead to deferred renewals from an affordability perspective.

02:45:00 Declining asset condition or higher costs in the future. So Council does use cash and depreciation to meet its capital replacement. And when I say depreciation, we fund the depreciation or we back it. Debt also, as I've just said, creates an interest cost of financing, which ultimately needs to be funded throughout the years of the loan of that, or the term of that debt. So from a financial sustainability perspective, underinvestment in renewal can pose a greater long term risk than well managed affordable borrowing. But our current policies do state that we have a position, Council has had a long held position, to prudently manage our finances by minimising debt. The statement is very specific in there. It says minimising debt and using our cash holdings to fund asset renewals. But like with all policies, policies can be renewed either initiated by the CEO or requested by Councillors throughout a year and or through the budget process.

02:46:00 Councillor Phillips: This might be a tricky one to answer then from your department, but this is really important information. I think community could understand better. So how is Council communicating to the community? That maintaining a low or no debt position does not necessarily represent the best value if then our asset sustainability indicators are below target and then asset write offs are occurring. Speaker 2: Through the Chair, Council Phillips, can you just repeat that question, please? Councillor Phillips: Okay, I'll simplify it. Everything you just explained then. We have community suggest that cash that we've got sitting there. Is always, you know, used or misunderstood. So how do we communicate more effectively that a no debt or policy that we've had for many years could have potentially...

02:47:00 Let me think on that question. It's okay. I'll leave it because I've been taking the floor up for a while. I'll think about my question and then... Speaker 2: Through the Chair, I do have... I do have an answer. Okay. But I don't know whether it's going to completely answer the question. So through the Chair. Sure. Okay. Okay. So low debt does strengthen flexibility, but value for money ultimately depends on keeping assets safe, functional and sustainable over their lives. As outlined in the earlier questioning, debt financing also has that interest servicing cost. Our long term financial plan looks at sustainable financial management and how we balance financing those asset renewals. Councillor Lorentson: Any other councillors like to question the staff? Councillor Lorentson. I've just got a couple of quick ones.

02:48:00 In terms of impacts of external shocks, what's happening around the world in terms of escalating fuel costs, construction inflation, contractor pricing volatility. Are you guys undertaking a market sensitivity analysis to model the impacts on both our capital program and operating position? Through the Chair. Thank you, Councillor Lorentson. Speaker 2: You may... I'm fairly certain the CEO would have advised you that we have stood up a steering committee in response to the geopolitical crisis. And through that steering committee... We have a steering committee that meets weekly. We are discussing all of the financial, potential financial implications as a result of that. We have been engaging with our neighbouring councils to understand if they are having contractor increases starting to be requested to flow through.

02:49:00 We're closely engaging with the LGAQ and ALGA and closely monitoring anything that's happening at a federal and state level. And we're obviously doing... Not obviously. We are also doing modelling in the background around essentially, it's not really a proper technical term, but coming up with a tipping point for what are we going to do when the costs... If... When and if the costs continue to rise. We are doing those external shock analysis as you've referred to around the at worst case scenario predicted inflation rate of 6.7% to 7%. So, we are doing those analysis in the background. Yes. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you very much, Marg. And I was aware of that. I just thought it was just great information to share. So, thank you. A couple more questions. The rates and utility arrears totaling 11.45, 2 million or 9.7% of the rate states.

02:50:00 Does that concern you? Speaker 2: Through the Chair. Yes, Councillor Lorentson. It does. Well, thank you for the question. It does concern me. We, for a number of reasons, we haven't been able to operationalise the debt recovery policy that we brought to you earlier on in the year. But we are now at a position, literally now at a position where we are engaging with our external debt recovery agency to start commencing debt recovery. Now, and when I talk about action, we will come back to you to counsel around what that action actually is and provide you that advice. We will also be developing a communication campaign around encouraging our rate payers to, if they are struggling to pay their rates, to contact council and negotiate with us for a payment plan.

02:51:00 So that's in addition to the external recovery agency. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. And my last question, so as I'm reading the report, just a couple of red flags. The low capital delivery, the $4.6 million in write offs, the $11.45 million in rate arrears, unpredictable development contributions. In terms of next year's budgets and rates. Will this forecast put any pressure on future rates, service levels, or our financial sustainability ratios? I'm not sure if you can answer that, but just, again, take that on notice. Speaker 4: We need to take that on notice. That's for future discussion, I think. Councillor Lorentson: No worries. Thank you very much. Mayor Wilkie: Anyone care to move the motion? Councillor Morrison? Seconded. Councillor Phillips?

02:52:00 Discussion? Councillor Lorentson: Councillor Morrison? Just, as always, just want to acknowledge the team that were behind the financial performance report before us. Just thank you, as always, for giving us a really good picture of where we stand heading to the final quarter. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Any other councillor wish to speak? Put the motion those in favour? That is unanimous. Thank you, Director Gaff and Zach. There is no confidential session. The next ordinary meeting will be at Council Chambers on... Thank you.

13 CONFIDENTIAL SESSION ¶

▶ 02:52:37

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.

14 NEXT MEETING ¶

▶ 02:52:39

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.

15 MEETING CLOSURE ¶

▶ 02:52:44

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.