Before the first item ¶
00:00:00 Speaker 4: To the general committee meeting dated Tuesday the 8th September 2026 and I would like to pay my respects to the traditional custodians of the land which we are sitting on and in as the community people and pay my respects to the elders past, present and emerging. This is my first time chairing so it will be a nice slow morning as I work through all my notes and my templates so thank you everyone for being here. I note that all councillors are in attendance except for Mayor Wilkie who is noted as absent away today. Thank you and so moving on to the confirmation of minutes from the 11th of August 2026. I move by Councillor Winslow and seconded by Councillor Wilson. And any questions? All those in favour? And that is carried.
1 DECLARATION OF OPENING ¶
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2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY ¶
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3 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES ¶
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4.1 GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES DATED 11 AUGUST 2026 ¶
00:01:00 We have no presentations, no invitations, no submitting on to item 7.1 reports for noting and we will start with item 7.1.1 planning applications decided by delegated authority July 2026 and asked by Councillor Tuck and Ben to come to the table. Thank you and welcome. Speaker 2: Good morning councillors. Speaker 4: Good morning. Speaker 2: As you would have reviewed the report for noting, the report confirms that we made 46 decisions under delegation in the month of July 2026. Were there any particular questions or queries? Councillor Wegener: Number two, Mile Street. I believe that's the old police headquarters there that's been for demolition? Speaker 2: Correct. Yes, that's right. Councillor Wegener: Is there any plans for what's going in there next? Speaker 2: No. So the land is owned by the City Council. It's owned by Queensland Police Service. We understand that they had some concerns about the existing building, which is, to clarify, it's the 1950s-1960s post-war utilitarian former police building.
7.1.1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY – JULY 2026 ¶
00:02:00 It was within a previous, it is within a character precinct, but we also would like to clarify that the building itself doesn't present any heritage characteristics. Speaker 5: And just on that, Vicky has an image, just so councillors are aware, of which building was demolished. It is to be demolished. As Ben said, it's the sort of utilitarian functional building there. That's the building to be demolished next door on the site where the next page down, please, Vicky. So next door on the redeveloped police station site, that was the retained that sells. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, they're very nicely inside.
00:03:00 Speaker 4: Any more questions on that? There wasn't a lot of character. Councillor Lorentson: Just noting, there were five applications that were all approved under the superseded planning scheme. And probably my question, dwelling houses and the tourist park in Kin Kin, can you, probably my question is, I'm guessing that the 12-month period that's been open to residents in putting an application forward, that's close to closing, is that correct? Speaker 5: That's correct. 25th of September. Councillor Lorentson: 25th of September. Speaker 5: So we're a few weeks away from that being completed, yes. Okay. Councillor Lorentson: And in terms of applications? Five, I noted there were a few only last month. In total, do we have an idea of how many applications were made under SPS? Speaker 5: At the moment, we're at, I mean, this report is showing SPS 260005.
00:04:00 So there's five up until July. So probably we'd be lucky to have had another five since then. So the numbers are very low compared to the previous planning scheme. Thank you. Speaker 3: Any more questions? Yeah. Just a question coming back to the land and the future use that Councillor Tom asked. Yes. Given our crisis around key essential workers accommodation, is there any opportunity for Council to approach the State around use of that land for potential housing for key essential workers? Speaker 2: Well, the site's zoned Community Facilities Zone, so there would be scope for affordable housing to be located on the site. Of course, that would be a good question for Queensland Police Service and what their intentions are with the site. Speaker 5: Sorry, just in response to your question, if you would like, we could convey the importance of that type of land use and understand their willingness to move forward in that regard, if you'd like.
00:05:00 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think given the situation, I think till we have to make an avid decision today, we can approach that or that's for another matter. Speaker 6: We can reach out to them and contact them about that and around the planning provisions and opportunities there for key work housing and associated on that site. Speaker 4: Thank you. Any more questions? Would anyone like to move the motion? No, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Speaker 4: Thank you.
00:06:00 Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Director Rawlings: Thanks. Nothing to say here. Speaker 4: Okay, we're going to move on to item 7.2.1, reports for action on the Peregian Beach Digital Hub tenancy agreement. And we have Director Kim Rawlings. Director Rawlings: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Phillips. Just acknowledging that Chris Bowden is unavailable to attend today, so I'll present the report on his behalf. But if there are any particular questions, we can take them on notice if I can't answer anything. So this report is one of our fairly standard reports to fill a vacant tenancy at the Peregian Beach Digital Hub. The tenancy is known as Tenancy C. It's the area as you enter the hub to the right. It's approximately 75 square metres. The report recommends a multi-year lease with a tenant, which is a good news story, exactly
7.2.1 Peregian Digital Hub - Tenancy Agreement ¶
00:07:00 what the hub was intended to do. Three members have come together and started a company, and they're in a growth phase. So they've moved from being member-based to actually taking some commercial space, which is exactly what the structure is, the model we set the hub up to do. It's a really good news story. Yeah, we use Colliers as our leasing agents, and we have for a number of years. They ran a process and were able to follow up with one of the inquiries and secure the tenancy. It's recommended for Council's approval. Speaker 3: Thank you. Is there any questions? I've just got a question around a typo at the start and the attachments. Speaker 4: There isn't any complete sentence. I'm sorry. It's under Attachment 1. So if we go into Attachments, it is confidential. The sentence hasn't been completed.
00:08:00 So we've discussed the confidential attachments in the current . So would you like to move that we go into an intervention so that it can be discussed? Speaker 3: Yes. Thank you. Yeah, I think that's a good idea because it is an incompetent sentence. So I'm happy to move. Thank you. It's just another confidential . Let's just . Deputy Mayor Stockwell: We stand at the right of their commercial incompetence. Yeah. Okay. Speaker 4: And I will have to ask the members in the gallery to leave. Thank you. Thank you. Director Rawlings: Unless you're staff, you can stay. Speaker 4: Unless you're staff, sorry, yes. Councilor MacGillivray, they want us to single out part of it.
00:09:00 Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to second. Speaker 3: Thank you. Okay, and I guess this is for the negotiations related to G.
00:10:00 Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to second, thanks. Speaker 3: Sure. That the meeting be closed to the public in accordance with section 254D3 of the GUNG Regulation 2012. This has got public rule available. As it pertains to information that is confidential to the local government. And pursuant to section 254J3G of the local government's regulation 2012.
00:11:00 For the purpose of discussing item 7.21 of the Regents Digital Hub, tenancy agreement. Can I read G now? Speaker 4: Yes. Speaker 3: G, negotiations relating to commercial matter involving the local government. For which a public discussion. It would be likely to produce the interests of the local government. Speaker 4: Okay, we'll go to the vote board as we go to a convention. Thank you. And it's carried.
00:24:00 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So we are back with item 7.2.1 and for purpose of the meeting there was nothing discussed in the confidential session, it's a typo or a grammatical error that's been identified in the report and so there is an alternative motion before us if someone would like to move. So Councillor Finzel and Councillor Lorentson have seconded. Do you agree with the motion? Speaker 3: In item C, name for attachment, names as follows.
00:25:00 1. Confidential Attachment 1. Leasing Overview. Confidential IAW Section 254D3 of the LG Regulation 2012. This is not publicly available as it contains information that is confidential to the law. 2. Confidential Attachment 2. Leasing Overview. Confidential IAW Section 254D3 of the LG Regulation 2012. This is not publicly available as it contains information that is confidential to the law. Speaker 4: Do you want to speak to the motion? Speaker 3: I'm just satisfied that we've, yeah, we've got it. We've got it properly recorded as such. I'm happy to see it fully developed and put it to.
00:26:00 Does anyone else want to speak to it? Councillor Lorentson: I have just a question. Can you mention that the business, the hub mind is exactly the type of business that the digital hub seeks to grow and develop? Is it just a property management considerations in terms of who can afford it, et cetera, or is there a documented framework linking the tenancies to the hub's original purpose? And if so, can you talk to that and what sort of criteria are we or assessment criteria or strategic objectives are we seeking to attract? Director Rawlings: Yeah, there is.
00:27:00 There is. There are criteria and a process. It's not just commercial space and anyone who would like to take it up. It's very much a curated space and that it's, it aligns with the hub's purpose. It aligns with growing the digital economy and the digital ecosystem. It aligns with where the company's at in their trajectory in terms of growth, you know, moving from single member to company and with some level of, you know, indication of growth or contracts or things like that. So there is definitely a framework and a set of criteria that need to be met and companies are assessed against. And I think the report refers to this company receiving 90 out of 100 points in the assessment process. Yeah. If you would like more detail.
00:28:00 Probably need to get Chris Bowden to talk to you a bit more about it, but happy to do that. Thank you. That's great. Speaker 4: Any more questions? Okay. I think Councillor Finzel has moved it and spoken to it. Any other questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I think it is a good news story. One company that's been there getting too big for the space and moving on. Another that's developed there, it's moving into the large space in the head. That's exactly what the model was when we set it up. Interesting thinking about the last item where we talked about the police creating accommodation when I was in Japan. I actually stayed at accommodation associated with the co-working space. And I thought, well, that's a good idea. Similarly, for a start-up, there may be opportunities that we do the same as some of our, or one of our local businesses looking at is create accommodation for workers to help them get into the local area, attracting those start-ups. That might be something we look at in the future.
00:29:00 Speaker 4: Thank you. Councillor Lorentson: Sorry, just a last question, sort of a follow up from the previous question, Kim. How do we capture like the economic benefits of start-up companies such as the HupMind? You know, we had data on, you know, just recently what the tourism industry brought in. So, you know, in terms of economic businesses and drivers and contributions, how do we capture that information and share it? Director Rawlings: Yeah, absolutely. Through a range of ways. So, we have, we can provide the same level of information that you refer to the tourism industry across all our sectors. So, the digital, we can provide that information and we have Economy ID that helps do that. We also have, Chris also does case studies. So, we have a number of case studies of tracking companies down there and their growth.
00:30:00 And there's a number of case studies that he's done over the years. And you might recall we did the social return on investment of the hub at about year four or five, which puts a value to the contribution of the hubs of every dollar that's invested what the economic return is. We are just about to do our second one of those. So we're well in train of doing that now. And that will be, we'll come back to you, we'll present the findings to you in about November, which captures all of these, exactly what you're talking about. Councillor Lorentson: And I hope also, and question, will it also capture in terms of value to the brand as a place our smart buyers feel? Director Rawlings: Yes, that's exactly what social return on investment does. It puts a dollar value on the intangibles, you know, so there's obviously the economic benefit. But then there are other benefits that something like the hub can deliver around in education capacity, brand, those sorts of things.
00:31:00 And this is a model that actually puts a dollar value to those. Speaker 4: Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak to the question in front of us? Would you like to close? No, thank you. All those in favour? And that's carried. Thank you. Director Rawlings: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 4: And then we are moving onto item 7.2.2, which is the Biosecurity Surveillance Program 2027 to 2031. And that's Ben and Dr Robins. Thank you. You go. Speaker 1: You can introduce it. Thanks very much, Chair. And good morning, councillors. We've got the Biosecurity Surveillance Program 2027 to 2031 in front of council this morning. Under the Biosecurity Act, this enables us to manage biosecurity risks associated with invasive plants and animals across Noosa Shire Local Government Area. In summary, this surveillance program enables councils authorised officers to enter onto
7.2.2 Biosecurity Surveillance Program 2027-2031 ¶
00:32:00 private land once certain notification protocols have been met to inspect for threatening biosecurity pest plants or animals on private property. Pursuant to section 235 of the Biosecurity Act, the Biosecurity Program authorised must be authorised by a resolution of local government, which is why it's brought to council. We've had two iterations in the Biosecurity Program, which runs for four years. So it's been running since 2016. We've had two branches of it. We're now just about to expire at the start of 2027, which is what we're going to do. We've got it in front of council again this morning. The Biosecurity Surveillance Program enables council officers to enter onto private land to inspect biosecurity matters, but that's always a last case scenario or last tool that
00:33:00 we use in terms of being able to manage the biosecurity risk on private land. Always education and information and working with landholders before we actually go on to private land to address that. We've got to be able to make the inspections. Typically, the number of entries that we've made on private land has been declining significantly over the last 10 years, which shows the success of the program. Early on in the program, there was a lot of entries for fireweed, as an example, which is now being restricted to just a handful of properties that we're able to maintain. Typically we'll do less than 10 over the last 10 years. I think in the last 18 months we've done 11 inspections on private land through a notification process, and only one of those has been taken further for compliance action, but we weren't able to work with a particular landholder.
00:34:00 So we've got a resolution in front of council, which is a little bit detailed, which our biosecurity program had broken up into quarters throughout each year, and each quarter we'll inspect another section of the Shire. It's well-known from local landholders where we're going to go, and our council officers will systematically work through those areas, generally looking at a list of previous pieces, as well as what they know to be emerging, what they've been formed to be emerging as well in those areas. That's a pot in somehow. Director Rawlings: The only thing I would add to that is this is a core service of council, it's required under the Biosecurity Act. The local government has the primary role in managing biosecurity, and we have a biosecurity plan that is our framework that we operate under. Speaker 4: Thank you. I have a couple of questions. I'll start up if that's all right, just in relation to the notification process.
00:35:00 Can I know a little bit more about that? Speaker 1: Yes. There's a clear process. Thank you, council. There's a clear process for entering and inspecting properties as part of Biosecurity's surveillance program. It must be followed in accordance with sections 259 and 270 of the Biosecurity Act. And that applies to prior notification prior six weeks to the inspection, and that's done through generally a letter in the letterbox. If we don't have a response, that'll be followed up with a personal communication, so trying a telephone call. If the person still or the landholder still doesn't respond to that, council officers can go on and do an inspection once they've gone through the notification process, which
00:36:00 is set out under those two sections in the Act. And if they do do an inspection, they can go through the notification process, which means they don't have to leave a notice on the property that they've done an inspection and what they've done. There's very strict protocols as to where they can and can't go once they're on property. So the Biosecurity Act is details that council officers cannot go into private residences without consent or without a warrant. And so once a notification has been issued without those two things, it's contained just private land. Director Rawlings: In terms of practice, it's absolutely the preference that the landowner is there. So in practice, the guys on the ground, they'll even visit the house and leave a note and say, look, we've been just following up on the letter. Give us a call back. We want to arrange an inspection. So it's the absolute preference that the landowner is there. Okay. Speaker 4: How would it normally come to, is it, is there a complaint usually that triggers that process?
00:37:00 Speaker 1: Yeah, it can come from neighbours and look, I'm not sure of the quantity in terms of percentage that do come from neighbours. Typically, if they don't come from adjacent properties, it will come from information that our officers have received from various properties. And sometimes it is just through previous history on the property. And so if there's been an issue there, then sometimes they'll issue a notice to be able to go, go on and do a compliance follow up and other times it might be an spreading invasive or information from a member of the public that's not a neighbour. Speaker 4: Who's then responsible for the removal if there is an amount of species that needs to Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So a notice will be issued to the land holder to comply with. And so it's their responsibility to be able to organise, either do it themselves or organise
00:38:00 contractors to be able to do it. If they fail to do that, council can organise contractors and charge the landowner. But it has to be a matter of biosecurity. Yeah. Speaker 4: Thank you. Questions, councillors? You mentioned this program's been up for eight years already. Speaker 3: Is this next round, are you proposing a change in the way that it's operating? Speaker 1: No. No. The only change is the species that are inspected. And so sometimes species will come on and species will come off. So fire ants, as an example, is one that's particularly emergent at the moment. And so eight years ago, that wasn't particularly highlighted, whereas now it's a little focus for our team. So the program in terms of where we're doing inspections and how we're doing the inspection hasn't changed. It's just the matters that are being inspected have changed. Speaker 4: And just on that with the locations, they're all interland locations. Speaker 3: Is there any need to review the rest of the Shire?
00:39:00 Speaker 1: I'll take that on notice. If that's okay, councillor. That's something we weren't expecting. I think it is very agricultural focused from a biosecurity perspective, which is why that has been targeted. And typically when we're looking at the inspection, then inspections in people's residences can be quite difficult to contain. So just for a matter of scale, probably staying away from urban blocks hazard might be the reason for that. But I'll take that on notice. And report back to the councillor. Speaker 4: Question councillor Linesley? Councillor Lorentson: I have a couple. Is there a way to challenge a finding before an order is issued? If a landlord, for example, disagrees that a plant or animal has been correctly identified, is there a review process or a second opinion process embedded within the Act?
00:40:00 Speaker 1: There is. There's three stages to that one. There's a review process. The first one, councillor, and thank you for the question. The first one is an internal review where a different council officer will look at it. And if that's the same opinion, that will be communicated back to the landholder. If they continue to dispute, it can then take it to QCAT for a hearing. Once the QCAT decision has been made, if the landowner is still not satisfied, they can take it to QCAT for a hearing. They can then take it to the Supreme Court. That's usually just based on a matter of law rather than the findings of the officer. So QCAT makes the factual finding, and then beyond that, it's a matter of law. And who pays if something goes wrong? In that scenario, all parties pay their own costs through QCAT and the Supreme Court. Councillor Lorentson: In terms of reporting, how do the outcomes of this program change?
00:41:00 And how are they going to be reported to council and the community over the five-year period? Speaker 1: They're typically reported through the implementation monitoring program that we report to council for our environment strategy, which is overdue, I might point out this time around. So that's something that council will see quite soon for the last financial year. Director Rawlings: We also do an end of program report at the end of the four years. Okay. Speaker 4: Thank you. Speaker 3: I've just spotted another typo that we might be able to fix with a full amendment. It's in R3, Survey Area 3. I think that should say Kin Kin. Director Rawlings: It should definitely say Kin Kin. Speaker 3: Can we turn that one up? It had to be Kin Kin. Yeah, it had. Yeah. I was just going to say that.
00:42:00 We've got a tip here. Do we have the peanut blue, please? Yes. Speaker 4: It is in R3. Councillor Lorentson: Just a couple more. Have we allocated enough officer days across the four-year cycle? Speaker 4: No. Councillor Lorentson: I think it's about 12 days per zone. And given how huge the region is, have we actually allocated enough time to properly go through all the zones? And in terms of, is it a funding and resourcing issue or is it something that you should be bringing back to us as part of our budget review, given the importance of this program?
00:43:00 Thank you, Councillor. Speaker 3: Do you want me to answer that one? Great question. Councillor Lorentson: Do you want to take the opportunity? Speaker 1: Look, our office is based on precedent, have a really good handle on what's going on in those areas. Without question, greater resources would provide greater security that I think you'd be following through the information in the net that we've got. Given the limited number of compliance items that we do issue. And the inspections that we do issue per year. That's how we've determined it's going to be around about this for the next 12 months. Yeah. Director Rawlings: I'm going to take the opportunity to say we have two people in this team and they do an immense. This is just one of the programs. They do an immense job. They're very highly regarded in our community. They have really strong relationships with landowners. I'm not sure. If any of you get any complaints about any of these programs.
00:44:00 That to me, that's always an indicator that this program is incredibly professionally managed with two really highly skilled staff. So they do a great job. Both of them. And they're very, very committed and passionate. So we work within the resources we've got. And they do a really good job within those resources. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The state used to provide a contribution towards by security officers. Is that correct? We pay them money. Director Rawlings: We pay them money. It works the other way. We've got a partnership with DPI. DPI. Yeah. Just checking the acronym because it does change. Where we all local governments need to contribute to that program. So we work in partnership with the state to manage the issues. So no, we pay them. They don't pay us. Maybe when it was first shifted in 2014, but not now. Councillor Lorentson: So clearly an advocacy piece also for us to make a bring to, you know, local government
00:45:00 association for state funding in this space to help support local councils, local hours. Director Rawlings: But yeah, I will say the state program by security program is very good. And when there are issues, the state move in to work with us. Fire ants. Yeah, fire ants. Bird flu. Yeah. You know, and offer a whole lot of resources. So I don't want to take from that that we are negative about the state. We work very closely with them and their biosecurity state programs. Very good. Speaker 4: I have one more question around staff safety and wellbeing. I raised it internally, but just to clarify around putting more cameras on the safety of them going onto land. Is there, was there any follow up from that comment that I made last time? Speaker 1: So I have checked out the protocols. And thanks for the question. Typically, we don't use body cams.
00:46:00 And typically, we're only one person at a time, unless the, the authorised officer feels that there's a need to be able to have somebody else there, which can be police presence as well. It's a known, known issue. So our protocols around safety, based on your question, and potentially your questions, I made some strengthening. Director Rawlings: Yeah. So. Staff won't enter a property if there's, if there's not a willingness and acceptance for the staff to enter the property. The staff do not do that. They don't enter if there's locked gates. They don't enter if there's dogs. They don't enter if there's a resident who doesn't want them to enter. So that doesn't happen. That's just, that's part of practice and protocol. Speaker 4: So a follow up to that then is if they are going out on the road, who is notified exactly
00:47:00 where they are at all times? Speaker 1: Yeah. They're within that team of two. They know. Yeah. They know where each other are most days. Yeah. Speaker 4: I have just maybe, I'd like some more conversation. It doesn't affect today. Sure. But I would really like to talk more on this from a safety perspective for that team. Director Rawlings: Yeah. And we really appreciate you bringing this up because it's of utmost priority for us too. So thank you. Speaker 3: Yeah. Okay. Further questions? Yeah. Thank you for the report. I just have a question in terms of keeping registers and everything. What's the process around, say for example, if soil is moved from say the hinterland to somewhere down the coast, back to the question around why is this not shined right? Why? That would be a risk. So how do we track, you know, all these applications or if people are moving soils or feeling things like that? Do we have a register that tracks that?
00:48:00 Director Rawlings: We don't have a register that tracks that if private property is moving soil. No. We don't track that. If it's related to development. Speaker 6: Yeah. If it's related to development, so if it's a large amount of fill that's required to be moved, excavated from one site and moved to another, we do require that level of detail for operation works under any planning approval to make sure we know the origin. That's clean material because it needs to meet particular standards in terms of its quality and its purpose. It's not so much focused on probably a biosecurity piece, but it needs to be tested so that possibly it may pick up any contaminants in the material when it's moved from one site to the other, but not like small amounts of dirt off, you know, someone's ____ or something like that. Director Rawlings: We also have protocols in place. I mean, we're probably getting a little bit off track here, but we also have protocols in place at our waste resource centre around taking fill and soil and, you know, there's protocols in place about where things come from.
00:49:00 Speaker 3: And he's satisfied that's sufficient to, you know, eat us, our shall I say. Director Rawlings: Oh, I can't answer that question, Councillor Finzel. That's a massive question. Yes, we don't. Speaker 4: Councillor Lorentson then. Councillor Lorentson: So the program in front of us is focusing on inspecting private property. Can I ask a question in terms of council? How do we maintain and manage invasive weeds on our land, our parks, reserves and coastal areas? And do we actually audit the locations because, you know, and I want to acknowledge probably not right now, but the role our bush cares and land care organisations have. But question, how do we manage our own bush? Speaker 1: How do we manage our own land? Yeah, that's a good question. We do spend a lot of time and effort managing our own land. And there's as you're aware, there's different areas of land which has different protocols
00:50:00 as to how we manage it. So our conservation areas are managed very well. The tiers of them are managed very intensively based on the tier level for invasive weeds. And that's part of the annual program. Typically, our council offices will go and do inspections on each of the reserves, which are based on our service level agreements. And then actions will be undertaken based on what they find with the parks and gardens. Then the weeds are managed from a. It's not my area, but the weeds are managed based on the invasive weed nature of what is there. So our parks and gardens are maintained as to what the members of the community will expect out of those. And the same goes for. So that's how weed management and the same goes for our feral animals, where we're constantly doing surveillance programs, working in partnership with QPRP West and DPI on migration of feral
00:51:00 animals, whether it's pigs or dogs, or we've got integrated programs with those other government agencies to be able to manage those on our land and on other ground land as well. Director Rawlings: Can I just add to that? We have a bushland management strategic framework that prioritises all of our bushland and conservation areas. So when Ben talks to, depending on which priority that the area is, it's managed accordingly. I just think it's important to say that this issue of invasive species and weeds is massive. It's a huge issue. And we could double and triple our resources. There's still be something in the context of our climate and land that we would still wouldn't be on top of. So we take a very strategic and considered approach based on our prioritisation through our bushland strategic plan about how we manage those areas and prioritise those areas with
00:52:00 our bush care groups. That's really their primary challenge. Yeah. And they do incredible work to try and, you know, to work, we work together with contractors also to try and tackle the issue, but it's a massive issue and it requires a lot of resources, a lot of human effort and constant sort of vigilance to try and get on top of. Councillor Lorentson: So given the enormity of the problem and how much our region is affected by it, how much Has Council investigated the use of satellites or drone imagery coupled with AI to reduce the need for inspections and is that something possibly we can resource and invest in and potentially there's, I would think, grant funding?
00:53:00 Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks, that's a really good question. We do use drones for aerial surveys. It's based on visual identification of weeds and so our officers have got to be trained to be able to interpret those videos. Satellites I'm not aware of. AI technology potentially could be used. That is, when you are looking at a mosaic and you're trying to find a very specific plant, that can be quite challenging. And so. The AI technology is about finding the particular grain on the spectrum, rather than the plant shape. So there's some challenges in there. And that's in its reasonable infancy, that sort of technology, but certainly be looked into. So, so part of the question is, or part of the response is, yes, we're entering into that space. We can probably do some more. Speaker 4: Getting quite into the specifics here. Tropical soda apple sounds pretty yummy.
00:54:00 What, like an ice cream. What risk does a red-eared slider turtle pose? Speaker 1: Well, my answer is, that's, that's your one. Director Rawlings: Yeah, I'll take that on the ice cream counter, thank you. Speaker 4: I think I'd like some more information in general of why these species and things. I can actually. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh yeah, so red-eared slider turtles are from the Americas. Speaker 4: Are you asking Councillor Stockwell? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll promote it. And no, once they get into a waterway, it can be competitive with their own native species. So we have endangered species, like the Merriam-Wood turtle here, so they, and they were introduced as pets, and then when the pest problem became aware, they got destructed as a result of that, so they start to get into not just natural waterways, but also construction sites, so they have to be resources. Director Rawlings: Our biosecurity plan that's out, well, we've just finished consulting on it, also talks about the threats of some of those species.
00:55:00 Speaker 4: I have one more question, I have to listen to all of this, around when someone purchases a home in these areas, do we work with real estate agents to give them education, since there is the resourcing in those conversations around how much work is involved? Education is on our website, but what else could we do? To ensure that the community are also aware and maybe doing their part to assist, instead of it always being on the volunteers at our site? Speaker 1: That's a very good question, Councillor, and the answer is no, we don't do anything. Director Rawlings: We've got real estate agents, but we do do letter drops, and we do do a lot of education. And in fact, a lot of rural property owners are doing a lot. So this isn't all on us. Many rural landholders matter. They manage their land very, very well. We also have the Land for Wildlife Program and the Conservation Land Agreements.
00:56:00 Part of that is weed and invasive species management, and that is, you know, working with the landowners. I think we've got 500 of them now, working with the landowners to provide them with the resources and things they need to manage their land. So a lot of our community and particularly rural property owners do manage their land very well. Councillor Lorentson: This is just really interesting to me. So when I look at the program, essentially, we're talking about a sampling program, 12 days per year. How do we measure the effectiveness and how do we also ensure that we're not missing, you know, potentially high risk areas? And locations? Speaker 1: That's a good question. And one that's based on the information that we receive and the information that we've got. So our council officers are very familiar with the land, are very familiar with the species that are moving throughout the land as well as the target species that they need to be able to contain.
00:57:00 So it's knowledge that's built up over, you know, 10 years of the program to date. There's always new information coming in that will add additional properties or additional resources. There's always new elements that need looking at as part of the program. In terms of the absolute confidence of saying we've missed nothing, I don't think there's any program that could provide that other than, you know, being on someone's property, you know, constantly. Yeah. So it's the level of resources that we've got in is shown over time, you know, again, using the fireweed as an example that we can really focus on something and really draw it back. And so it becomes less of an issue. And using those as an example, we can say that, yes, the involvement of council officers on those private land does have an impact on reducing those invasives. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Councillor Lorentson: I'm happy to move an amendment if I can, please.
00:58:00 Oh. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, excuse me. Thank you. Yeah. Speaker 4: Sorry. Thank you. So the original motion, Vicki, Councillor Stockwell and Councillor … Deputy Mayor Stockwell: With the two Kins in Kin Kin. Speaker 4: Oh, thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: As on the screen. Thank you. And then Councillor … I'll talk to it first. Sure. Yeah. So we don't often get the chance to have this conversation. I want to stress how important this program is. It's important not simply because it's a statutory obligation, but it's an investment in protecting our natural environment, our ag land, and our waterways. But it's also an investment in human health because you've mentioned the fireweed. And that can have significant impacts on human health. And we know that the feral deer problem has also caused significant traffic accidents. And what we're looking at here is the fundamental principle of biosecurity is that when it comes to invasive species, early detection is almost always better than trying to deal with an established infestation. So the longer an invasive species plant or animal becomes established, widespread, the
00:59:00 greater the environmental damage and the greater cost significantly of controlling it. So I reflect back to the 80s when the coastal lowlands had forests of what we now call restricted plants. It's called … Ah! You bounced off. I was thinking of a slap in the face. No. And ground soil could be up to three, four, five metres tall and there was an absolute forest of it. And to control that, we had helicopters spraying chemicals that we don't sell anymore. And that's because it got away in the 70s when the Wollum scheme broke down due to the oil prices and it no longer became profitable to put cows on the coastal plain. And then it spread throughout a large area in Queensland. So strategic surveillance is really important. At the sort of district scale we're looking at, it has a benefit over just the complaint-driven, that it's actually trying to understand what's happening across the landscape because weeds don't stop at property boundaries.
01:00:00 It allows us to identify new incursions. We talked about how fire ants are coming in just below us and so it needs to really understand whether that's coming in through our southern boundaries and identify that potential source of population. And it allows us to focus our limited resources to where we have the greatest benefit. It's not unusual for councils to take this approach. We looked at a report from the Sunshine Coast Council to ourselves and their report shows that this surveillance program actually builds community awareness and changes behaviour. And proactive surveillance found invasive weeds on a significant proportion of properties. But they found that through their program that less than 1 per cent of those required to be used. So it demonstrates that these sort of programs can be the beginning of a conversation with landholders and a pathway to voluntary action. And if you compare that, say, to the 80s where it wasn't unusual for a council meeting
01:01:00 to have two or three reports requiring, asking council to approve compulsory spraying, entering clear notices for that council each month. So in Noosa we've adopted that same approach here. We made 36 written requests for control, 10 biosecurity orders were subsequently issued, but only four cases that ultimately required council to enter and clear the property. So the overwhelming emphasis in this program is about educating and helping landholders understand how to manage the problem. It's a sensible approach. And as I said, it just doesn't stop the boundary. Our waterways, you know, one of the principal threats there is Cascor Vine. Now, if Cascor Vine is allowed to go without control, it will wipe out the whole of the riparian zone, entering the sun, increasing sediment erosion, you know, changing the ecology of the waterway beside it. And similarly with pests, they move through the landscape.
01:02:00 So the other way that we can also use these surveillance is trying to not just look at the pests and problems we've got today, but they should also be finding the ones that might be a problem tomorrow. So we're on there. We're not just looking for the ones that we know exist. We're looking for ones also that could become a problem. So it's not that this program is going to ask the council to establish something new and expensive. It's part of an existing biosecurity operation. It's funded within our current budget. And it's really an example of the old advantage, is it? That prevention being better and cheaper than cure. Speaker 4: I'd like to move in a minute, please. Councillor Lorentson: Vicky, I think the last one. Thank you.
01:03:00 V notes that one, the biosecurity surveillance program will be conducted in accordance with the entry and landholder protection provisions of the Biosecurity Act 2014 including notification and entry procedures under section 259 and 270 and the right of landholders to seek and extend external review through QCAT under section 367 and two, notes that program outcomes including inspection, activity, education and compliance actions will be reported to Council through the Environment Strategy Annual Report with the final report provided to Council at the conclusion of the program in 2031. Speaker 4: I'm happy to second your amendment. Thank you. Councilor Martin. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Over the weekend, I put a series of questions to staff about the program and specifically around entry procedures when a landlord isn't present, how a landholder can dispute a finding or the cost of an entry and clear action and how outcomes are going to be reported to Council and community over the life of the program.
01:04:00 Firstly, I want to thank staff for the thorough and prompt. verbal prompt written responses that I've received, which has also been shared amongst all the councillors. The amendment in front of us is simply a noting report and it just formalises and makes a public record of that communication and also just lets the landholders who are inspected under this program over the next five years allows them to see as what protections they have and how they can raise a concern. Again, the amendments just simply notes and captures a lot of the discussion that we just had around the table and puts it on a formal record.
01:05:00 It doesn't add cost, change how staff operates. It puts what we already do, what the Act already provides again into the public record and just for completeness and transparency. It puts what we already do, what the Act already provides again into the public record and just for completeness and transparency. And also to allow anyone reading this report, say two years down the track, or three years down the track, allows them, you know, the opportunity to understand where they can, where their safeguards are contained under the legislation. Speaker 4: Thank you. We're going to have my wife speak to Council of the Commendant. Councillor Wegener: I'd like to just make sure that this is a wonderful report all together, and that we did talk about funding for a brief moment that I'd like to expand on that, that, you know, we are in a very tight, we're tightening our belt buckle, and I believe sometimes too much, and I think that this is one area that really behooves us to, you know, we are in a very tight, we're tightening our belt buckle, and I believe sometimes too much, and I think that this is one area that really behoo
01:06:00 to focus on because it is so important when it comes to, when the rubber hits the road when it, around the table, we're talking about. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Point of order, the Council appears to be talking to the substantive motion rather than the amendment. Well, I think it is. Thank you, thank you. Speaker 4: Thank you, Councillor Leiter. Councillor Wilson. I think, if I can ask the question, it might have been where Councillor Wegener was going. Does this incur any additional cost? Director Rawlings: No, this just, this is what we do. This is the process. This is the procedure. This is how we report. This is what we do. Speaker 4: Would anyone else like to speak to the amendment?
01:07:00 I will. I think listening to the conversation around the table and from staff, it's a great report, and it's actually a lot just in the report itself. Any time where we can, like I felt like with two, it actually might help us in our budget process to have some more information reported through. So I'm quite supportive of everything. It is some of the work that's being done, but it just highlights it. And then any time it's just sort of the final report. So that the annual report, the annual report, I think that would be really helpful in decision-making each year. So thank you, Councillor Leiter, for the amendment. Councillor Lorentson: Just closing, I put this forward and it came over the weekend, two, three days. There was, I received a couple of emails and there was a lot of conversation on social.
01:08:00 So I just thought, in terms of, I don't know. So there is no misunderstanding or misinformation shared that we articulate that this is about land. The legislation provides the safeguards that the landowners have questioned. So I just think, again, in terms of clarity, in terms of next council, this is a four year program. This term of council closes in two years. Anyone who does get an inspection, if they refer back to this report, there is a clear, it's clearly stated what the rights of landlords are. So, again, I really respect and thank the staff for the prompt response. And, you know, my response back to the residents were really clear and they were very grateful. Speaker 4: Okay, so we'll move on to the amendment. In front of us, all those in favour? And that's carried.
01:09:00 And then we have the, that's almost the standing motion, which only Council of Stockwell has in focus to. Just want to ask another question, please, through the chair. The previous program was 2020 to 24, and this one started in the year of 27. Has the previous program just rolled on in that? Director Rawlings: I think it has. We can confirm that, but yes, I think it has. Speaker 1: Sorry, I think there is, there's something which takes us to the end of this year, formally to the end of this year. I'll take that on notice again. Speaker 3: Whether we've had any reports in that time as well. Director Rawlings: Yeah, you will have had reports through the annual, Environment Annual Implementation Report, just report on this program. Speaker 4: Okay, would anyone else like to speak to a motion to come for a framework? Councillor Wegener: Well, once again, this time I'll talk about the budget.
01:10:00 We have incredible staff, the environment staff, and the two that are very active out there in pig control and feral dog control are spectacular, and I think that this is, you know, again, I'd like to see this funded accordingly, and especially with public consultation, with talking to people, with further information out there, talking to real estate agents, working through this and making sure that this department is doing a good job. And it's funded to where it needs to be. We've seen that it is an emergency, constant emergency to maintain what we have, and that it's funded properly. Speaker 4: Would anyone else like to speak? Thank you, Councillor Lorentson. Councillor Lorentson: I will, and I'm going to start with, I think it was Landkey yesterday that posted yesterday was the National Threatened Species Day. And I just thought it's really apt that this.
01:11:00 This report is coming to us because there is a real alignment that, that, you know, if we don't take care of invasive weeds and pest animals, then the species that we are protecting are at risk. So I just love that this is really timely. I won't repeat what's already been said by Councillor Stockwell, but I do want to take the opportunity to acknowledge. Our bush care and land care groups and all the volunteers who care for our parks, reserves and coastal areas, Council's work under this program doesn't happen in isolation. It relies heavily on the eyes, the knowledge and ongoing efforts of these groups and great people who are often the first to spot a new infestation and the ones doing the hard long-term restoration work. So just think their hard work deserves recognition, as does Council's environmental staff.
01:12:00 So thank you and yeah, I concur with Tom. I think that in terms of our risk register, it's also probably pertinent to, to recognise that it is one of the highest risk in, in our risk framework. And. Given the risk that it poses, our funding should be proportionate to the risk that it poses. So again, open to the discussion at budget meeting, how we can help better support this program. Thank you again. Speaker 4: Anyone else like to speak? Councillor Stockwell, would you like to close? We'll close. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll start where Councillor Lorentson ended up. The risk is significant. And the reduction.
01:13:00 Is significantly upwards. Weeds established where there's been disturbance. The projections in terms of climate change means we'll have more fires, we'll have more floods. The intensity is likely to be more significant. Therefore, there'll be more gaps in our natural ecosystem for weeds to establish and become dominant. So the requirement to do surveillance is important. And we've mentioned land care. Noosa Landcare was started to address as a community. A better solution to aerospraying of ground soil. A meeting in Pomona, Memorial Hall in 1989 was quite particular organised by council. We talked about the need to invest more or invest differently and so the conversation around the use of drones, AI, satellite is really important and I can add to the story about where the satellites are useful and we can continue to go on scale. The trick is. If you use the satellites when the particular weed is flowering or is different.
01:14:00 So in along our creeks, Cascor has wonderful orange and yellow flowers. Campbell Lauren, for example, has a season where it has a flush of bright, light green growth. Satellites will pick that up, the spectral signature will be quite easy. So yeah, we don't just have to use AI, but yeah, I can see a time where technology actually reduces the need for the on-ground activity such that we can actually then focus our human resources on the most strategic and important areas, but I do agree that it's worthwhile every budget having to think about whether we have got the balance right and not just in surveillance, but also on our own land to ensure that we are demonstrating best practice in terms of looking after our natural ecosystems and yeah, I think the program is one that has great value, and I think it's going to be one that's going to be very, very important in the future as well. Speaker 4: Thank you. Thank you. Before we vote, we need to fix the Kin Kin here.
01:15:00 Councillor Lorentson: The localities of Kin. Speaker 4: It's got to be just two and... Councillor Lorentson: Terrible than diamond. It was there originally, yeah. Speaker 4: Okay, so we've got to vote in... Where is the thing that comes in? Where comes the term focus? Director Rawlings: No, number three. Thank you. There it is. Speaker 4: Okay. Okay, all those in favour? And that's the advance. Thank you very much. Thank you, councillors. Councillor Lorentson: Thank you. Speaker 4: And we are, we have nothing confidential, so it is now time to close the meeting at 11.15.
9 MEETING CLOSURE ¶
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.