1 DECLARATION OF OPENING ¶
00:00:00 Councillor Phillips: Good morning and welcome to Noosa Council's general meeting held today, Tuesday the 6th of October 2026 at 10am. I declare the meeting open in Council Chambers in Tewantin and all councillors are in attendance with one authority in Council Lorenton who is enjoying a well-earned time with her family. I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Kabi Kabi people as traditional custodians of the land, waterways and the seas of the Noosa region and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I also want to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from many nations who call Noosa home and recognise its strength, resilience and enduring connection with the country. We're going to move on to the confirmation of minutes. Item 4, the General Committee meeting minutes dated the 8th of September 2026. I'm going to move on to the second item. Speaker 4: I'm going to move on to the second item. Speaker 3: Thank you. Any questions?
2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY ¶
00:01:00 Councillor Phillips: All those in favour? Alright, moving on, there is no presentations, no deputations and our first items for noting on the General Committee reports is item 7.1.1, which is the planning applications decided by delegated authority for August 2026. And I'm going to ask Patrick and Ben, thank you Ben and Patrick. Thank you. Speaker 5: Good morning, councillors. We have the development applications decided for August. Report for noting, the report, per the report, there were 32 applications that were approved under delegation in the month of August with zero refusals. Were there any particular questions in the report? Councillor Wegener: Did I ask you about 18 Taylor Court for the low impact industry of 54 units for the transport depot? Is that already set that you have, that there's been an application to actually do that? There's people that are, it's ongoing process?
7.1.1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY – AUGUST 2026 ¶
00:02:00 Speaker 12: So this is a development application that has been approved for a material change of use for 54 units for low impact industry. The zoning of the site is, low impact industry under the Noosa Plan 2020. It was industry under the previous scheme, the 2006 scheme, that there was only one industry zoning under that scheme. There has been, there's a number of sites that was originally known as one Taylor Court and subdivided some years ago. And there's been a number of applications and development that's occurred out there in Taylor Court. This, as I said, is for 54 units for low impact industry. There's associated reconfiguration that's been approved. Which will, you know, create the titles for each of the buildings that are developed and then the associated operational works.
00:03:00 And do you know how many acres that would be? The actual site itself? So we have the details here. Just, sorry, bear with me. It's 20,000 square metres, so it's just over two hectares. Councillor Wegener: Just to help you. And last question, it seems though, with the build up there, is there any plans for pathways or pathways of ways to get from town to this industrial area? Speaker 12: Not associated with disapproval, there was no requirement when it was originally reconfigured to provide a connection, noting, I suppose, the significant distance and the complex arrangements that would need to be negotiated for a pathway to be provided, involving, you know, crossing state roads.
00:04:00 Councillor Wegener: Thank you, I'd love to see pathways, you know, obviously, you know, going in so there's a reduced traffic flow, because the town is not that far away. Question? Mayor Wilkie: Yeah, thank you, Chair. The development application that was approved for the Botanical Gardens, Lake MacDonald Drive, MacDonald Outdoor Sport and Recreation Rowing Club, could you explain how that decision has helped resolve some of the problems? Some of the disruption that the club's been experiencing out there because of the Lake MacDonald dam upgrade works? Speaker 12: Certainly, I mean, with the upgrade works, there was a requirement for the club to be relocated. Those works have, you know, well progressed in terms of the dam upgrade. So the club has been not able to function in terms of how it previously had functioned if they had to move. We did a previous approval, which is down on Boyes Road. And then with the lowering of the dam below what was originally anticipated, it created some issues for them in terms of the site that had polluted them with their ability to get access into the water.
00:05:00 So they subsequently sought a new site, which is this site at the Botanical Gardens. So we've been through the process of a code assessment application to being able to support their relocation to that site in a similar form to what was previously approved. There'll be a requirement for them to paint a shipping container, to have some kind of mural on it to soften that impact. And then there's some hours for them to comply with, seeking to minimise the impact on the amenities of the local area. So a good outcome for the rowing club, certainly, in terms of them being able to facilitate their operations moving forward. Mayor Wilkie: So better access to the water? Speaker 12: Better access to the water. Mayor Wilkie: And when the dam works are finished, will they have to relocate again? Speaker 12: There is a provision requiring their relocation at the time that the dam works. There's a period of time for when the dam works are completed, whichever is the earliest. So we'll be entering into negotiations for sure at that point in time.
00:06:00 Mayor Wilkie: The site that's chosen, when the dam refills, it won't inundate this site, will it? No. OK. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: I have a question around, this seems like quite a lot. I mean, each month there seems to be a significant amount of applications that come through. Just in relation to resources and timing in your department, are things moving along? Is the time of approval within the statutory requirements, is there anything that is required to sort of make sure that we're staying on top of that? Speaker 12: In terms of our statutory timeframes, it seems we're doing a very good job in terms of complying. The one that we do have challenges with is often the minor change applications. So since Ben's come on board, we've had a bit of a priority with the team, with their resources and with their workload. And we've worked really strongly with individuals to identify applications that they've probably
00:07:00 had for a timeframe longer than ideal. And so we've been able to get those out. So we're seeing some improvements there. But I think the minor changes is probably where we'll be seeking to really focus on some improvements in our timeframes in the future. We do have a team member who's currently on maternity leave. They'll be back in the new year. So we're looking forward to welcoming them back. We had a resource that was assisting us up until September, which was very helpful. But certainly when Tiani comes back in early February, it'll be a great day as well. Councillor Phillips: So on that, do we backfill the position for maternity leave for the entire time? Or how do we? Speaker 12: We had a, through Cometra, which is an agency that we use to bring staff on. We had someone for about six to eight months, which was sufficient for us at that point in time. We've also brought in a new officer. We had a vacancy, which we brought in for that position as well. So with Tiani coming back in February, we'll be quite well resourced.
00:08:00 But at the moment, we are holding on. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Any other questions? Yeah. Speaker 12: Thank you. Councillor Finzel: Just coming back to 18 Taylor Court, just for like, you know, community that's activised on that area at the moment. Just with regards to the process, it says what was reconfigured with community title subdivision, one likely to fit the form. We know that. Can you talk to us why then that didn't go out to public consultation due to the process? Yeah. Speaker 12: So our table of assessments sets the assessment pathway, whether that be accepted development code or impact. The operational works applications are always code assessable. So our reconfiguring applications are always code assessable. The material change of use applications are sometimes code, sometimes impact. In this instance, it was code assessable.
00:09:00 The use of low impact industry is consistent use, obviously aligned with the zoning. So no public notification was required, but assessment was required against the relevant codes. Speaker 3: Thank you. Speaker 12: Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Any other questions? Can I have a move on? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Move it. Speaker 3: Thanks. That's a good one. I'll second it. Thank you. That's good. Councillor Phillips: Are you just calling me Mayor Wilkie? You can call me Mayor Wilkie. Mayor Wilkie. All those in favour? I am giving an opportunity to speak to it, Tom, but I ... Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Thank you very much. Councillor Phillips: That's ... That's Kerri. Kerri, thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for your work. State? Speaker 1: 7.2. Speaker 3: Yes. Councillor Phillips: State 7.2. And so we're moving on to reports for action then. And we're going to start with item 7.2.1, which is the NCU23-007 and RAL23-001, material change use for multiple dwellings, affordable rented
7.2.1 MCU23/0007 & RAL23/0001 - Material Change of Use for Multiple dwellings - Affordable Rental Premises (19 small dwelling units) and Reconfiguring a Lot (4 lots into 2) at 45-47A Maple Street & 9 Myall Street, Cooroy ¶
00:10:00 places at 19 small dwelling units, and the reconfiguration of a lot four into two at 45 and 47A Maple Street and 9 Mile Street Road. And with that ... Thank you, Councillor. Thank you. Speaker 5: Well, I won't summarise the entire developments. Highlights of the application before council today is, as you've said, it's the application for 19 small dwellings to operate as affordable rental premises. Of those 19 small dwellings, that would comprise seven one-bed dwellings and 12 two-bedroom units. At 45 and 47A Maple Street and 9 Mile Street in Cooroy. So it's quite a regular shaped parcel number of lots.
00:11:00 Other notable features of this proposal are the retention of the existing character dwelling that fronts Maple Street and also the front fence as well that contributes to the street-scale character of that area. The proposal meets the on-site car parking requirement, providing 24 on-site car parking spaces. Of those 24 spaces, that includes five visitor car parking spaces and one PWD space as well. There are some minor variations to the code. Inclusive of that is some minor instances of height exceedance, where sections of the development range from 8.2 to 8.65 metres in height. However, that is limited to the roof pitch of the development and largely due to the existing site conditions or rather the undulation of the land. The proposal would not exceed 8 metres when viewed from the side or from other key interfaces. There is a figure 13 in the report that also appropriately captures that.
00:12:00 In terms of the ongoing use of the land for an affordable rental premises, there are conditions in the report that seek to secure that through the Preservation Covenant on Land, where the 19 dwellings will operate as affordable rental premises for a period of 20 years. Meaning the Planning Scheme definitions of affordable rental premises and both affordable housing. Are there any particular questions? Councillor Finzel: Thank you for the report. There was a lot of reading. Yes, a lot of this is meetings from some years ago. I'm interested in hearing the process around the Preservation Covenant. Speaker 5: Yes, of course. So, one of our Planning Schemes is to ensure that the land is in good condition. The Permit Conditions require that prior to the operation or occupation of either of those dwellings, the new owner of the land, it will be glued CHP, a Community Housing Provider, will enter into an agreement with Council that essentially locks them into utilising, using
7.2.7 NOOSA SHIRE COUNCIL SOLE AND SPECIALISED SUPPLIER LISTS ¶
00:13:00 the land in accordance with our Planning Scheme definitions for an affordable rental premises for a period of 20 years. There are also other conditions that would be included in the Planning Permit that would be required to secure that outcome, such as prohibiting the further subdivision of the land, the period of the agreement. So, essentially, rather than the subdivision of the land entirely, but rather than 19 small towns occupied. Councillor Wilson: Any questions? No. Happy to move the motion. Speaker 3: One second. Thank you. Any more questions? Councillor Wilson: Are you happy? Speaker 3: Yes, you do. Councillor Wilson: Thanks very much. Thanks for the report. It's great to see affordable rental properties coming to Cooroy. It's a really good location, close to town, close to facilities, hospital, all of those things, and public transport. I did have some concerns over parking, but they've all been resolved. So thank you, Ben, for taking the time to assure me on those things.
00:14:00 And yeah, look forward to this going ahead. Councillor Phillips: I'll just say thank you, Ben. I sent you a list of questions. Four o'clock on Friday, you got back to me, which has really satisfied the needs that I had. So thank you for not taking an extra long weekend and having those answers to me. So yeah, it's a good report. Mayor Wilkie: Question? Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Ben, you mentioned Blue CHP having an agreement with Council to hold it as affordable housing for 20 years. Is, from what we know about Blue CHP, do they often extend beyond 20 years? Do they renew? Do they tend to hang on to their affordable housing stock or divest themselves after 20 years? Speaker 5: So it's largely dependent on how long they can secure funding for, because it is subsidised housing through the state and federal governments and some of those funding avenues that they seek to use. Blue CHP largely intend to keep their land for as long as they can. But again, based on whether they can secure funding past that 20 year period would be another
00:15:00 difficult as well. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Speaker 2: And might I add, Mr Mayor, in other situations, there might be a developer who develops the land and builds it and gets the CHP to manage it for the 20 years. And then after that 20 year period, potentially then the developer may convert that back to normal housing. However, this is sought to be purchased by Blue CHP. So it's likely that once they get through the 20 years, they'll look to maintain extension for two years. So a logical, likely scenario of that housing being retained for affordable rental for a Speaker 7: long period for Blue CHP. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. There's definitely no issue. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: I do have one more question, just in relation to like how we look at things more broadly, rather than say individual lots. I have no issues with how this one's been assessed. But when we're going through that process, is there a community outlook as well on Cooroy or on different Pomona or Kin Kin, Noosaville?
00:16:00 How do we look at it as far as like a community perspective? Speaker 12: That's a good question. So are you talking about potential impacts or if there's further applications, is there a saturation point? That's exactly what I'm asking. Yeah. I suppose a lot of this is governed by our planning scheme and our zoning. So we've got circumstances where particular zoning will be within a township and then the scheme's going to say this is the type of development which can occur in that zone. It doesn't give us an allowance through that to say, well, there was a, unless the scheme says it, there's a saturation point. For most commercial uses, it'll be a market demand, it'll be a business operator's willing to invest their money in that type of use. In this circumstance, I think we've got a reasonable area of land in proximity to this site, which has got a similar zoning on which similar uses could be applied for. So we would think that we would be supportive of those if they're in that zone.
00:17:00 I suppose if something was out of zone, then at that time, we'd have a bit more of a look at it. If it was inconsistent with the scheme, have a bit more of a look at it and certainly the impacts. But where it's occurring in the zone, it's anticipated that the work that's gone into implementing the scheme is considered the amount, the quantum that would be suitable. Councillor Phillips: Maybe then just a question on notice. Could we look at that saturation or however we talk about it in the next round of planning scheme amendments? Maybe just more from a community perspective. I'm not sure if I would have known that, that we would be able, that the time to be consulted on that would probably be the planning scheme rather than the individual lots process. Could I, is that enough information? Well, certainly. Speaker 12: I'm the director of our strategic planning teams in the region. So I'm sure that Kim has heard the comments. Great.
00:18:00 Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Any more questions? Yes. Thank you. In terms of the character precinct planning overlay, did that, has that been, where's that extended to? I didn't see any report. I can actually map it over that overlay. Can you just clarify exactly where that is? And has there been changes in that? Speaker 5: I can take the question regarding changes on notes, Councillor Stenzel, with regards to where the character precinct applies to. It runs along Maple Street. So in terms of how that impacts the site in particular, it's really only that front portion of the site where there is an existing dwelling. Now, the Maple Street character precinct extends all the way down Maple Street towards Hospital Speaker 6: Lane. Speaker 5: Further north it captures the core commercial area. All the way up to where the library is. Councillor Finzel: Okay. And so does it, it actually captures that dwelling? Speaker 5: Yes. The front portion of the site and that dwelling, yes.
00:19:00 Okay. Councillor Finzel: And did that go at public consultation? Speaker 5: Correct. Yes, it did. Yep. Public notice. Yep. Thank you. And during the assessment process, we also worked with the applicant to try and integrate some of those design elements that are quite traditional Cooroy design elements within the proposal, particularly along that interface. So things like the roof pitch, there's some ornamental gable features, and even the materials and colours are sought to really reflect the Cooroy local area. Councillor Finzel: And I note you were unable to meet the landscaping requirements. That's correct. How are we going to realise those impacts? Speaker 5: Yes. So the landscaping on site would achieve 33% of site cover as opposed to the median density code seeking 35%. It's an interesting site in terms of what it comprises, with 19 dwellings, we've also had to accommodate internal movability for not just private vehicles, but also median rigid vehicles, also council waste collection vehicles. So it has been quite an interesting process to try and make sure we can fit everything
7.2.8 COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE – 2027 ¶
00:20:00 on site. But what we have done is try and emphasise and prioritise landscaping, one of the most key interfaces where there might be amenity issues, so particularly around the south-west corner where there is immediate residential interface. So while there is a 2% discrepancy between what the proposal is seeking to provide and the median density code, we do have opportunity and we have space for meaningful landscaping that will essentially look to do what it should be doing, which is offset amenity impacts and provide opportunities for meaningful landscaping. Councillor Finzel: In terms of the response to that question, can you please talk to me about the entry of Miles Street coming off the roundabout? Because from the photographs in the form, people were waiting to take a ramp and turn into a localised free existing building. Is that considered an action? Speaker 3: Did I read that correctly? Speaker 5: So within Miles Street near that roundabout, there will be no vehicle access whatsoever.
00:21:00 So there's an existing crossover that is remnant that will be removed as part of this application, and the footpath along that area will be replaced and upgraded to a two-minute footpath. But there will be no vehicle access there whatsoever. The sole vehicle access point is along Miles Street. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I was just going to talk to it, and I think this is probably one of the more important applications we've had in this term of Council. It's been a long time. It's the first time we've had a private interest take advantage of the planning scheme, provisions which were first conceived in our housing strategy and put into the 2020 planning scheme. We know since that happened that market conditions have varied significantly, and it's really good to see that this proof is coming forward. It's another 19 affordable dwellings, and at the same time, containing a bit of Cooroy's heritage. A 100-year-old house at one stage. The family home is one of the Cooroy's prominent families at Christensen's, and one that has
00:22:00 significant character to the late of Main Street. I agree with all the reasons and conclusions. I was going to think about that reason now. It doesn't seem forward. But that conclusion and reason for decisions in the report do encapsulate all what I think is important about this approval. And I think the other thing that does mention in terms of the minor shortfall is land use. It's really well-situated for access to other open space. You could pop on your scooter or walk to the and do some gymnastics or, if you're smart, you could play soccer. You could go down the road to the nature-based playground, and you've got the Google space around that is for active recreation. So I think it's really well-situated. I really hope that this one does get to the development stage and that we can start to I see some of the people in Cooroy and around Cooroy that have been looking for housing, and in that locality, women over 50, so you wouldn't know the picture, are a big time deal.
00:23:00 And they would, I don't know, sign it, as you said, reflect the traditional forms that are in Cooroy, and hopefully we'll see that come to fruition. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah, a question? No, no, I'll speak to it, Chair. This is a genuinely affordable housing project that helps meet a dire need in our community and our nation. It's consistent with the Planning Schemes Community Facility Zone. It's a well-serviced location, close to existing health care, community services, public transport, and the Cooroy Town Centre. It progresses the objectives of the Noosa Housing Strategy. And the application, importantly, the application is supported by a deed of agreement with Blue CHP, which is a Tier 1 housing provider that would lock in and manage the 19 small affordable rental premises for 20 years. It's a mix of one- and two-bedroom units.
00:24:00 All dwellings have been designed with accessibility considerations in mind. 24 car parking spaces on site, as well as 20 bicycle parking spaces. The other significant feature is that there's a communal bin collection and truck manoeuvring area on site, which minimises disturbances to the street. And the proposal includes retention of the existing character dwelling, which has been mentioned, which is important to the community. Stone timber paling boundary fence, fronting Maple Street, and extensive landscaping is proposed, including street tree planting, landscape buffers to adjoining properties, and within the private open space. And importantly, unlike other private development applications that have claimed to be affordable, and this council has unfortunately knocked back a few in the past, this, because of its agreement, is going to be a genuinely affordable private development because of this agreement it has with the Tier 1 housing provider. Whereas the ones that were refused, claimed to be affordable, but had no agreements locked in and could not guarantee that would be truly affordable.
00:25:00 So, thank you for the report. Looking forward to this occurring. Speaker 3: Thank you for your time. Anyone else want to speak? Councillor Phillips: And that's Councillor Mayor Wilkie, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Wegener, Councillor Stockwell, Councillor Phillips, and those against is Councillor Finzel, and that's carried. Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Alright, we will move on to item 7.2.2, the Nusselt virus in the British land. Thank you. And 2026 to 2031. And the class of 10. And the director of Orleans. Does that come forth?
7.2.9 CHANGE OF TIME & VENUE FOR ORDINARY MEETING DATED 17 DECEMBER 2026 ¶
Nothing was transcribed under this heading — a stretch of the recording with no speech the model could make out.
7.2.2 NOOSA BIOSECURITY PLAN 2026-2031 ¶
00:26:00 Thank you. Speaker 9: Morning, councillors. Thank you, Chair. We seek an endorsement of the new civilized security plan 2026 to 2031. Following completion of community consultation on the draft plan that was presented to council on 18 July this year. The purpose of the plan is to manage invasive plant and animal biosecurity risks to better biodiversity in the local economy based on priorities and actions that are reasonable and practical for the community and land managers. The plan provides a strategic framework for managing invasive plants and animals across the Nusselt Shire over the next five years and fulfils council's obligations under the Biosecurity Act. Nusselt Council has had an endorsed biosecurity plan since 2016 and the plan presented to council for the 2026 to 31 period builds on previous plans to include emerging issues,
00:27:00 recent trends and current technology. Council staff undertook community consultation from the 13th of July to the 20th of August via our online platform and the open invitation for feedback via email. The summary of the submissions has been attached to the report. Thank you. The feedback generally supported the direction of the plan and provided recommendations relating to invasive species prioritisation, acquired biodiversity management, stakeholder partnerships, community education initiatives and some environmental document amendments. Relevant feedback has been incorporated into the final plan which has strengthened the strategic and operational content of the documents. Given the degrees of consequences from invasive species, the plan is underpinned by a comprehensive risk assessment based on council's tentative plan. Implementation of the plan reduces residual risks across all identified risks, however a high risk remains for the potential establishment of prohibited biosecurity matters which has been identified as borderline against Council's risk appetite.
8 CONFIDENTIAL SESSION ¶
00:28:00 There is little that we can do to reduce this risk further as it is strongly influenced by activities beyond the Shire boundary. As a result, the plan identifies working closely with partner agencies and regional and local authorities to collaborate and address this risk on a bioregional scale. The plan has received input from regional partners and biosecurity Queensland and is now presented to Council for consideration. Speaker 3: Thanks very much then. Have we got any questions? Mayor Wilkie: Are there any changes since the draft? Speaker 9: Some minor inclusions over a couple of year's species based on some of the community feedbacks and there's been some two tilapia species that were introduced or sorry included and another aquatic species which has been introduced into the plans is the solicited species.
00:29:00 Councillor Phillips: I do have one question then, thank you. Just in relation to resources and potential budget requests down the track for the plan, what is it? Is it going to suggest that next year there'll be requests for funding through the budget process to deliver the outcomes? Speaker 9: There will be. We've been recently started with the budget over the last five years which has allowed us to lengthen the current plan. This plan recommends an additional approximately $13,000 to implement some new initiatives which will go through the management budgeting process. Councillor Phillips: So just because that hasn't happened yet, can I just maybe understand what would happen given, we don't know what's happening in the budget yet, how would that change the plan if it didn't come through?
00:30:00 I'm not suggesting it will, I just want to know is there enough in the plan that can still be delivered? Yes. Speaker 4: The additional, I think there's three small actions which are around additional community education, particular groups to work with, they would add value but if they're not budgeted next year, maybe one might be budgeted in the following year. They're important and they add value but the existing program that meets legislative requirements would still continue as business as usual. Yeah. Speaker 3: Okay. Speaker 4: Thank you. Speaker 3: Would anyone like to move? I'll second it. Any more questions? Councillor Phillips: I'll waive my right to speak. Okay. Thank you. And I guess you don't want to close either.
00:31:00 Well, other people might want to speak. That's right. Okay. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I have some questions. Just one question that occurred to me. I have a question for you. When we developed these strategies, we worked with key stakeholders. Have we had the conversation with SEQ Water around some of the Category 3 species in the dam that may be able to have substantial impact during the drawdown, like Caboan Carolina and maybe more Glossary hydrofoil, one of the things in the upper headwaters of the dam? Have we had that conversation to sort of say, well, this is our strategy and now is the time we could do that? And perhaps try and address it. Thanks. Thanks, Councillor. Speaker 9: But I'll take that on notice. I know that we've engaged with SEQ Water. The digitalisation discussion . Yeah. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just notice in the submissions, one submission seemed to be very strongly on aquatic pest plants. And back in 1999, when I was still in government, we started up the lake and had the care group
8.1 CONFIDENTIAL - NOOSA REGIONAL GALLERY Detailed Business Case and CONSIDERATIONS ¶
00:32:00 primarily . So it might be good to re-engage that. And I know they do invest in cattle management. It might be something you could re-engage residents as well. Who else would like to speak? Speaker 3: Would you like to quote? No. Okay. All those in favour? Thank you. And that's carried. Thank you. Thanks, Ben. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Okay, that moves us on to 7.2.3, and that is the destination, which is my draft terms of reference, and I'll put that link in the draft order to provide us with the report. Thank you.
7.2.3 DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE ¶
00:33:00 Speaker 3: Thank you, Chair. Speaker 4: Councillors, in December 2025, Council endorsed the Noosa Destination Management Plan, a 10-year roadmap for a sustainable destination that balances community wellbeing, environmental stewardship and economic resilience. The DMP identifies the establishment of a Destination Stewardship Council as a key action to support the implementation of the plan. The Destination Stewardship Council is proposed to be established to oversee and support the delivery of priority actions and outcomes under the DMP. With a particular focus on initiatives that rely on shared responsibilities and action across government, industry, community, environment and broader community. Acting as a key stewardship body for the DMP implementation, the Destination Stewardship Council is intended to provide strategic oversight of progress, performance and outcomes through the monitoring and evaluation framework. It is intended to leverage the collective expertise, leadership and influence of its members to champion priority actions, facilitate cross-sector collaboration,
00:34:00 address barriers to implementation and drive accountability for the delivery of agreed DMP actions. A draft terms of reference has been developed following research into Destination Stewardship Council's around-the-world and best practice and in consultation with Therese and Noosa, a number of Councilor workshops and reviewed by Council's Governance team. The draft terms of reference establishes the Destination Stewardship Council's purpose, potential membership and governance arrangements. Once established, the Destination Stewardship Council will have an opportunity to refine and adopt their own final terms of reference. And the intention there is not about the purpose of the Destination Stewardship Council, but to be able to refine those sort of operational procedures that new-formed committees and groups need to find sometimes their own cadence. This report seeks endorsement of the draft terms of reference and authorisation to commit a recruitment and establishment of Noosas in all of all Destination Stewardship Council.
00:35:00 There are two processes proposed for recruitment. Some organisations who have been identified as having direct destination management responsibilities and state agency representation are offered a membership on the Council by an invitation from Council directly. And then there will be a second process as an expression of interest, open process for the six remaining member seats on the proposed Council. Noosa Council will hold two seats on the Stewardship Council as proposed. One being the Mayor and another Councillor to be nominated today, hopefully. Thank you. Councillor Wilson: Can I move a procedural motion? Yes. Okay. Speaker 3: Which is the procedural motion? Councillor Finzel: It's a minute.
00:37:00 Councillor Wilson: We've had a lot of information come back and forth and lots of questions by emails and lots of feedback from community members and I think some of those items are too significant to just include as a minor change that we would defer to the CEO for completion of the document. I think rather than put together a lot of amendments to say these things need to be included, I would like to see the final version before endorsement and before we start on a recruitment process. I think it's really important that that is very clear before we start that process about the mayoral invitations versus what the expression of interest process would be. I think as well we were probably lacking some information about process on how we would appoint an independent chair because it just says recommendation by council officers and
00:38:00 I think we need to establish a more detailed process for that so that we're all clear on how that works. We've also got references to a code of conduct that's still to be developed so I just feel at this time it's not just minor changes that need to be made and if we can get a bit further along the process in the next week then I'd really like to see an updated version of the document. Councillor Phillips: I will speak to it in support procedural motion. I didn't. I had amendments that I particularly didn't want to put through to give us some clarity and at the moment I have a lot of questions. The long weekend made it slightly harder but thank the staff for being able to get back to me when they could. It would certainly give us time to get a really solid report or some amendments and work with
00:39:00 the staff before the ordinary meeting. Nothing changes as far as like delaying it any further in the process. In the months that it definitely would give me more confidence in moving forward with some of the questions that I have as well. So yes, I'm very happy to support the procedural motion. Mayor Wilkie: I'm happy to support the procedural motion if it gives councillors reassurance to get greater clarity around appointments, the terms of reference, also which councillor would like to be appointed to the destination stewardship council. We can have a discussion about that and how we manage that. And give councillors extra time to have their questions answered before coming back to the decision making forum on next Thursday's ordinary meeting. Councillor Phillips: Questions for Director Rawlings, would it be okay if we ask for a workshop or something
00:40:00 between now and the ordinary meeting to tease out some of the questions that I have and some of the other councillors? Absolutely. Speaker 4: Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Great. Yep. Speaker 4: Very happy to do that. Councillor Phillips: Has anyone else, would anyone else like to speak to the procedural motion? Procedural motion to vote. All those in favour? And that's carried. So that'll be moved to the ordinary meeting. Thank you. Thank you. We're going to move on to item 7.2.4, which is the Zero Emissions Act. And this is a new site, then a wise agreement. Speaker 3: And the floor is . Thank you for the report. Thanks councillors. Thank you chair.
7.2.4 ZERO EMISSIONS NOOSA (ZEN) Inc. ALLIANCE AGREEMENT ¶
00:41:00 Speaker 1: Good morning councillors. Thank you for the opportunity to put this report in the report. To open, I'd like to provide some context around this work and why we are recommending Speaker 11: council to continue to support Zero Emissions Noosa Incorporated. Speaker 1: The world is undergoing a profound transition and Noosa is part of that. The transition to renewable energy and a changing global economy is already shaping the way we live and work. How we power our homes, move around our communities, keep comfortable in a changing climate and build resilience for the future. The future is evolving rapidly. The future does not look like the past. As the climate changes and extreme weather continues to show up with more frequency and intensity, we must support households and businesses to adapt. The cost of fuel has increased dramatically and people are looking to electric vehicles, e-bikes and e-mobility more than ever before.
00:42:00 The energy market is shifting as the cost of delivering renewable energy continues to drop, making it the cheapest form of electricity. The cost of electricity generation in Australia and worldwide. As recognized by the Treasury in its latest intergenerational report, a representative household that electrifies their home and invests in home solar and batteries is able to reduce their cost by around $4,300 per year. And the Australian government similarly shows that with an electric vehicle compared to a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle, Australians can save up to $6,000 per year. The cost of fuel is around 70% on equivalent fuel costs, if reliably charging at home, and around 40% on servicing costs. For an average car, this could amount to an annual fuel savings of $1,000 to $2,000, if able to charge the e-bike at an off-peak rate. And again, the future does not look like the past.
00:43:00 Zen Inc. plays a critical role in building awareness, highlighting options, advocating, delivering projects, and sharing clear, unbiased information that helps our community to capture the amazing opportunities and cost-of-living relief that this transition brings. For example, solar and batteries now also act as critical infrastructure resilience measures, as demonstrated by Mayan Farm Villas in Kin Kin, who were able to continue to operate their business despite a 20-hour grid outage, thanks to the support delivered by Mayan Farm Villas in Kin Kin, who were able to continue to operate their business despite ZENINC's EV and Electrify Everything Expo was delivered earlier this year for the eighth time running and attracted over 6,500 visitors from across the region, showcasing solutions from over 60 exhibitors from around Australia. Council's strategic alliance with ZENINC allows Council to continue investing in emissions reduction, resilience and cost savings for the Noosa community through a volunteer-led not-for-profit.
00:44:00 The updated agreement before you for an additional three-year term supports Council's climate risk management and helps deliver the corporate plan and climate change response plan goals of achieving net zero emissions and a low-carbon community. ZENINC is core to the fabric of Noosa's active and engaged community and our ethos of different by nature. It is nationally recognized as a leading community group responding to the greatest challenge of all time. Council has allocated a budget of $148,000 towards ZENINC in its 2026-27 budget, continuing our strategic alliance with the organization. Continuation of this alliance agreement ensures that already-allocated Council funding has the necessary guardrails and governance structures in place, providing important conditions tied to such funding.
00:45:00 Without the agreement in place, ZENINC would be able to continue to grow and grow. ZENINC would be able to utilize the funds unrestricted, without a strong protocol for how the funding is to be applied and what requirements Council has to ensure maximum community benefit. Consistent and predictable funding for operational activities creates the time and space for expert volunteers to stand up in their roles and deliver important community projects without the burden of continued administrative and project management work and logistical challenges. ZENINC would be able to continue to grow and grow. Certainly, this agreement establishes the safeguards and conditions around Council's relationship with ZENINC. Funding availability and amount is still subject to Council approval through the annual budget process. The agreement allows ZENINC to maintain its independence as an incorporated community not-for-profit, whilst Council gains improved governance around the application of funds were approved.
00:46:00 As outlined in the report, it is proposed that the next three-year alliance with ZEN-E would include continued collaboration and effort to support community in reducing operating costs and building resilience through emissions reduction, improve monitoring and evaluation of ZEN-E's work against Council's endorsed strategies and targets, increase visibility and governance tied to the funding, including the proposal to have a councillor sit as an observer on ZEN-E's board similar to other arrangements with community organizations that receive alliance funding and clear communications, transparency, and reporting. Thank you. Speaker 6: Question? Mayor Wilkie: I'm happy to move it. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: So, just so you know, there was an insert for Eve that we're going to put an observer for this, but we haven't had this conversation yet around who we're putting on the board.
00:47:00 So, there was discussion around how we move forward and we've got to the point where we could potentially put a point councillor insert name on the board. And then between now and the ordinary meeting, we appoint that person. But we've been moving ahead with insert names. Mayor Wilkie: It's been moved and seconded, Madam Chair, and happy to proceed on that basis. Councillor Phillips: So I was just clarifying because I'm not sure if everyone was aware of that. So you may go to the floor. Mayor Wilkie: Yep. Dear Councillors, today I'm delighted to speak in support of Zero Emissions Noosa and an organisation that has become one of Noosa's most valued community partners and a powerful force for positive change across our Shire. What makes Zen Inc so special is that it does so much more than just talk about the future.
00:48:00 It delivers practical programs that help local households, local businesses and local families save money, improve their wellbeing, strengthen their resilience and contribute to a more prosperous Noosa. It's helping Noosa community stay abreast of the global transition to cleaner and more cost-effective technology. Through initiatives such as the Business Energy Advisor Program, local businesses are reducing their operation costs and improving their long-term competitiveness, helping to create a stronger and more resilient local economy. The program has already helped business achieve significant savings while reducing energy use and improving productivity. Zen's work with vulnerable and low-income households is equally inspiring. Through solar installation programs, families who previously struggled with rising electricity costs are now enjoying lower power bills and greater financial security. These are tangible outcomes that improve everyday lives and make our community fairer and more inclusive.
00:49:00 Their innovative transport initiatives deserve equal praise. The Noosa e-bike library, the only program of its kind in Queensland, is helping residents embrace healthier, more active lifestyles while reducing traffic congestion and transport costs. Community education programs and transport initiatives are helping shape a more connected and accessible Noosa. Zen Inc. has also established Noosa as a leader in innovation through projects such as the Community Battery Initiative, rewiring Noosa, solar for Strata, and the hugely successful EV and Electrify Everything Expo, which attracts thousands of visitors and showcases new technologies, ideas, and opportunities that benefit our local economy. Perhaps most remarkable is the extraordinary value Zen delivers for ratepayers. Council's investment is amplified many times over through grant funding, sponsorships, and thousands of hours of highly skilled volunteer contribution. The partnership allows Council to achieve outcomes that would otherwise require substantially greater resources
00:50:00 while leveraging the passion, expertise, and commitment of professional and dedicated community volunteers. This is why that having Zen Inc. as a Council partner is such a smart investment for our community. It extends community capacity, accelerates delivery of important community priorities, attracts external funding into Noosa, and empowers residents to take practical action that improves their lives. The new agreement features updated, clearer terms, greater clarity in how Zen's work relates to key Council strategy, and also appoints a Noosa Council as an observer on the Noosa Board to help with oversight and strengthen the focus of the work done by this highly professional organisation. As a matter of due diligence, it's important we have this new agreement in place to ensure the already allocated funds are expended effectively. Speaker 3: Any questions?
00:51:00 Councillor Wegener: I'll speak to it. Different by nature. That's our motto here. And that is brought about through various plans, like the Climate Change Response Plan. And the Corporate Plan. The Environment Strategy. And these plans come from a desire from the community. The staff writes the plans. Come to Council. Iron them out. They go out to public consultation. Through consultation. Again, if they're agreed upon, come back to Council. Voted upon. And that is the manifestation of the desire, the goals, the vision of the Noosa residents. We are so lucky. We are so lucky to have Zen, Inc., helping us realise those goals so dramatically with their volunteer effort of over $900,000, amongst all the other things that they do. They do so much for us with our micro little investment into them. We get, you know, ten, twenty-fold back in helping us live the vision that we see in
00:52:00 the future. And the vision is so important. And we are, I just will just say we're very lucky to have Zen helping Noosa achieve the vision of zero emissions, Noosa, and for making this a much better place, a much more resilient place, all these different things. The world is changing. Yes, Sion. I've been in China and South Korea and Mexico in the past few years. And never would I have ever thought as a child that I would like to be like Mexico. But my gosh, they have electric cars everywhere, that the pollution has gone down. The whole economy is just thriving. And it's because of electric cars, using electric, using sun. And in this world today, you know, as we move into a world of war, basically, diesel is harder to get, but the sun is still shining. Let's stick with that. Let's stick with our guaranteed resilient way of doing things and creating electricity
00:53:00 through what we have in abundance. So I really appreciate us supporting, continuing to support you. They're amazing. Councillor Phillips: Just in relation to the timing of the sequence of the agreement and the budget process, because with all that already allocated, $148,000 through the 26-27 budget process, is there any way we can look at aligning the agreements with the budget process so it doesn't feel that we've already endorsed something, even though I know the report suggests that it's each annual, that they'll come again next year, I get that. It's more just around the agreement after this financial year. Speaker 4: Yeah, sure. Councillor Phillips, you're right. So, yes, the agreement's very specific. There's no guarantees of funding. It is subject to annual consideration and annual budget processes
00:54:00 because, as you know, things happen and, you know, different priorities emerge, so it's very clear in the agreement that they're the same amount of funding or any amount of funding is not guaranteed every financial year. So that is clear and that's been through legal review. But, yes, yeah, absolutely, that is the intention, that council's budget processes are when you determine whether or not there's support. There's support or funding provided to these organisations. Okay. Councillor Phillips: A follow-up question is more around me trying to get my head around the TN. We talked about uncertainty and then we wanted to give certainty to the board over agreement that aligned, the funding agreement aligned with their deed.
00:55:00 Can you explain to me how... This one's different. Speaker 4: I think scale is a big thing. It's a very different arrangement. We have with Tourism Noosa as to ZEN and the scale of the documentation and the obligations of that organisation are very different also. So it was really important to provide greater certainty. To an organisation like Tourism Noosa, they have ongoing commitments and liabilities for the organisation. It's very clear with community organisations, and this isn't the only one we have in place, that this support is on an annual basis. And, yes, it is about providing some stability and certainty so that they can get on and deliver
00:56:00 the things that we want them to deliver. In line with our corporate plan and our climate change response plan. So being able to provide any organisation some level of support, operational support is always helpful in certainty and to provide some level of certainty. But again, the agreement's really clear that if that changes, that could change on an annual basis. And that's, they enter into that knowing that. Councillor Wilson: Questions? Yes, question to the Chair. Can I just confirm, did we have any workshops on this and the build-up to this agreement being drafted? I don't think we did, but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss one. Speaker 4: No, we had discussions about this through the budget on a couple of occasions around external funding. And through budget workshops, there was a number of discussions about this and other organisations. But in terms of specifically on the agreement, no. We have, we had an existing agreement in place.
00:57:00 This was a renewal opportunity, an opportunity to update the agreement. Councillor Wilson: That's not consistent with the biosphere that was, that we, we had workshops on that. Speaker 4: I don't think, sorry, Councillor, I don't think we had workshops on the agreement. We had a workshop with the Noosa Biosphere presenting their annual report. And the SEND also do the same. Seeing that's a requirement. So, yeah, look, I could clarify that. I could take that on notice, Councillor Wilson, sorry. Yeah, yeah. Councillor Wegener: Thanks. I believe we did have an annual report. We had SEND around the table with all the councillors. Yes, we did. Well, we do have the agreement. Oh, the agreement, okay. Yeah, yeah. Speaker 3: Any more questions? Are you going to speak to it? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll talk to it. Thank you. So, Councillor Wegener highlighted that what we've got here is the implementation of one
00:58:00 of the most important strategies in Noosa's history. The SEND promote what they do based on common sense and economics. But the driver is one of the challenges that humanity has never had to face before. You can only look at the disaster in the pool that's linked to it. So, when we come to this agreement, we look at what makes the most sense economically to achieve transition to a low-carbon economy. And we made the decision early on that it wouldn't be council staff doing the majority of the outreach, that we would get the community involved. We've got a community group to do the outreach, and it's been highly successful. So, one statistic, 63% of households have sold on their roof in Noosa, well above the
00:59:00 state average . They have been highly successful in achieving rapid adoption and significant adoption both in residential and building now within the commercial sector. We've seen initiatives such as the Unsold of Australia. And we see how that's made a huge difference. We talk about the duck turd caused by solar, and the introduction now of household-based strategies and what that's done. In 2023, the peak night-time wholesale cost of electricity was over $300. In 2026, it's about $100. So, if we're looking at that, is it not from the environment, or is it from the other huge driver of climate change? If we're looking at it purely from the current context of helping households adjust to the
01:00:00 current cost of living crisis, then having a group embedded in the community that has the knowledge, the expertise, and the drive to assist that process of conversion to low-carbon energy sources. And transportation sources is at what should be the top of the priority list. And the agreement simply puts in place the mechanisms by which we deliver the commitment we made in our budget. So, for me, this is one entirely worth supporting. Councillor Phillips: Just one more question around grant process and then the funding agreement. Is Zen Inc able to apply for grants and support? Yes, that's correct. Speaker 4: Councillor Phillips. They are also able to apply for grants, as are the Noosa Biosphere Reserve.
01:01:00 Any more questions? Speaker 3: I'll speak to it. Yes, you can. Councillor Wilson: I'm not comfortable entering a three-year agreement without three years funding being agreed up front. These agreements should give each party certainty to plan for the future and ensure solvency. I'm not comfortable entering a three-year agreement without three years funding being I do support a lot of the work ZEN does and acknowledge the significant work of volunteers and staff. The Expo is a great event and there are many more other worthy projects, but that doesn't mean costs should be borne by ratepayers. ZEN's strategic goal number two is to be a sustainable organisation. To do this, ZEN can't keep relying on Council to pay for staff and projects, there has to be an income stream. This agreement has a lot of information about the mechanics and legalities,
01:02:00 but not what Council gets in return. There's a reference to achieving KPIs within the annual operational plan, but when I look at the plans and attachments two and three, most of the KPIs have no target, just a hashtag for measuring. How do we know what success looks like? How can we say KPIs have been achieved when there is no target to be reached? As an example, KPI for the Expo is hashtag people purchasing an EV in the next 12 months and hashtag people purchasing cell and batteries. So we're recording the number, but we're not actually saying what we actually need to achieve for success. There's no targets and there's no source for evidence of any purchases. But my main concern is the exaggerated claims that ZEN makes in order to secure ratepayer funds in the attachments provided. This is not objective information. Although before then I'd like to point out the environmental impact of using AI to create these documents. Figures for the Expo. People who come to the Expo are clearly already interested in EVs
01:03:00 or electrifying their homes. They come to get more info at the Expo and have their questions answered, but there's no evidence that that attendance purely led to a purchasing decision. It will be likely one of many factors. The survey only captures future plans to purchase, not whether anyone actually did purchase. The purpose of the e-bike library is to try before you buy. Therefore, it's targeted at people who can afford to buy an e-bike. Yet it's subsidised by ratepayers, many of whom can't afford an e-bike. This project could easily be self-funded by a small admin fee and does not require council support. There's no evidence that the loans led to e-bike purchases. And it's possible that even if people did buy them, they would have regardless at the library. Having 100 e-bikes in circulation per year, but two weeks higher, means around four in circulation at any time. This is not reducing
01:04:00 emissions or congestion as claimed. There's no target KPI for purchases or other outcomes, only the number of loans. In attachment five, the community engagement. Over 50% of the engagements are with Noosa Biosphere Foundation, Council, or Tourism Noosa. Surely this is preaching to the converted. Where is the community benefit and is this good use of the many volunteer hours? Attachments six and seven. Numbers regarding community reach are inconsistent between the two documents, but both have flawed calculations claiming over 2 million people to be involved. ZEN Newsletters and EDMs claims 18,000 recipients, but it's the same database getting multiple newsletters and emails. It's not 18,000 people. ZEN's database is 1,600 people. NBRF and Tourism Noosa 492,000 people reached, or is this the same people multiple times? Printmedia states that Noosa Today's readership is 22,000, but claims to have reached 660,000 people.
01:05:00 Because the same 22,000 people got 30 articles. Your Local Lifestyle, 8,000 readers, but ZEN claims it's reached 48,000 people. What evidence is there of outcomes from all of these interactions? I love the activity, but is there anything that we're actually achieving from all of this? In attachment seven, ZEN has calculated an event economic impact, but then claimed it as a return on investment for Council. ROIs are calculated on the full cost to derive the benefit. This calculation does not. The claim of reaching 2.4 million people is false. And if ZEN Inc. didn't exist, the work ZEN Inc. does would cost Council 3.039 million. ZEN has not saved Council $3 million, as it would not be buying $2 million of goods and services. This figure is also based on assumptions around visitor spend, but over 60% of attendees of the Expo were local residents.
01:06:00 Based on all of these, I can't support this agreement. Thank you. Speaker 3: I'll speak to it. Councillor Finzel: Through the Chair, um, I guess I have a question Councilor Phillips regarding $2.5 million, and presume that down into actually seven is false, and is in fact. Councillor Wilson: Which is what? Four million people. Councillor Finzel: That's what I said was false. Oh, people, sorry. Councillor Wilson: Yeah. Councillor Finzel: You said that's false, so you're saying the information is false. Councillor Wilson: Yeah, because they've provided a breakdown of all the different communications, but they're claiming that each interaction is a new person.
01:07:00 So, it says even in this one here, Noosa today, 660,000 readers reached, but then underneath it says it's got a readership of 22,000, and it was 30 articles. So, it was the same 22,000 people reached 30 times, not 660,000 people, and when they add them all up together, they get to 2 million. Speaker 3: I'm going to, have you got any other questions? Do you want to speak to it? Councillor Finzel: I'll just, I need to process that. Okay. So, I'm going to finish on that. Okay. Councillor Phillips: I will speak to the agreement, but firstly, I just want to thank the officers for the report and aligning the information with the council's strategic direction.
01:08:00 Okay. And then I'm going to start by saying thank you to the officers for the information. I'm going to start by separating the organisation from the decision before us. Then has committed volunteers. It delivers projects in our community, and it has attracted external funding and partnerships. So, my decision today is absolutely not to criticism other people and their work. For me, this is about council's responsibility for public money and whether this funding model should continue for another three years. Over the first three-year agreement, council acquired it at 65,000. In 2023-24, 125,000 in 24-25, and 125,000 in 25-26. Council's then allocated 148,000 for 26-27. So, in total, 463,000 across four financial years under this funding agreement. It's also important to be clear about what we are funding. The proposed agreement specifically defines operational expenses.
01:09:00 As including employee and contractor payments, accounting, advertising, insurance, communication, public relations, project management, and even activities associated with raising grants, donations, and sponsorships. The 148,000 allocated for this financial year includes approximately 73,000 for a program and project manager, 28,500 for secretarial and administration report, and 17,600 for communications, as well as finance, fundraising, administration, and business energy advisor. So, this is not simply council contributing to individual community projects. Council is making a substantial contribution towards the ongoing operating model of an independent organisation. And for me, that distinction really matters because across Noosa, we have sporting clubs, environmental organisations, cultural groups, welfare organisations, volunteer organisations,
01:10:00 and community associations doing really important work. Council cannot fund the ongoing operating structures of every organisation that delivers a community benefit. So, there needs to be a clear, defensible threshold for when current operational funding is appropriate, how long it should continue, and what level of financial independence we should ultimately expect. And importantly, that this is a principle that I'm not introducing into any of the points of this debate. It's already in the agreement. Clause 5 specifically requires then to actively seek external grants, sponsorship donations, and other funding opportunities to support its activities and reduce reliance on council funding. And the report itself also identifies the risk that the alliance funding could increase reliance on council or reduce the incentive to diversify income. So, those two points are significant. If reducing reliance on council funding is an objective of the agreement, then the first
01:11:00 three-year term, then in the first three-year term, or this three-year term, it is reasonable for councillors to ask what progress has actually been made to meet that objective. We also consider the three-year agreement what's measurable reduction in reliance on the council, on council's funding, and are we expecting to see it. The agreement contains three points. Detailed reporting requirements and KPIs that then must report on the projects, performance, donations, project completion, communication reach, and community feedback. But I cannot see a defined financial sustainability target that says, over the life of this next agreement, council's proportion of operating funding should reduce by a particular amount. There is a requirement to reduce reliance, but no measurable destination. For me, that's a missing piece. Thank you. If council's going to continue providing recurrent operating funding, I want to see a clear pathway
01:12:00 towards greater financial independence. That could include measurable targets. Actually, I'm not going to speak to that, because Councillor Wilson has probably summarised that a lot better than me. So, the choice before me today is not about whether I support ZEN or do not support ZEN. The question is whether the particular model of recurrent operating funding should continue without a clear and measurable destination. In reducing dependence on ratepayers, after $463,000 plus four years, four financial years, we must consider entering, and as we consider entering a three-year alliance, for me the threshold has not been demonstrated strongly enough. I acknowledge the contributions and its volunteers made to our community, but today I cannot support continuing this not in this current form, and I will not be supporting the recommendation.
01:13:00 Mayor Wilkie: The money's already been allocated. What guardrails do ZEN have in terms of the way they expend the money? Speaker 4: We might need to take that on notice, Councillor Wilkie. Mayor Wilkie: So it's probably an unfair question. Speaker 4: Yeah, maybe have a conversation with governance. Yeah. I'm happy to come back on that. I'm sorry to interrupt. Speaker 3: Any other questions? Following on that, do we have a current agreement in place? Speaker 4: The current agreement expired, so this is the new agreement for this financial year. Yeah, so when did it expire? June 30, 2026. Speaker 3: Okay, so we're already operating without guardrails. No funding's been allocated.
01:14:00 For this financial year? Yep. Councillor Finzel: Even though it's been approved, and it's not banal, and they tend to involve the Supreme Court. Speaker 3: It's disagreed. Okay. Yeah. Councillor Phillips: Everyone's spoken, apart from the Councillor Finzel. Are there any more questions? Otherwise, I will go to the vote. Councillor Finzel: I am considering a procedural motion. Do some of the conversation have a table? Are there questions you'll ask? No questions raised. That's just put no questions in my head, but answers. So just to be clear, I would like to speak to governance and get some more information. So I'm happy to give any of this information. Or can we just defer this to? Councillor Phillips: We can lay it on the table to the end of the agenda, or defer it to the order in the public instructions. Councillor Finzel: Yeah. To give us time, I prefer to take it to the committee.
9 MEETING CLOSURE ¶
01:15:00 Speaker 3: Okay. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: So you're moving a procedural motion to defer to the order in the. Speaker 3: Okay. Thank you. Speaker 7: We will move to a procedural motion. Councillor Finzel: Probably third. I'd like a report but we probably need to consider the issue. We won't have time to answer it.
01:16:00 Councillor Phillips: I would say it's more due to the significance given that you've indicated the questions that haven't been answered. Speaker 3: But the information is in the report already. Further consideration. Question. Mayor Wilkie: This would give us time to put some questions to Zen Inc about their response to what they may have heard during this meeting in terms of how they've come up with their figures. Because there may have been some assumptions made that need responding to.
01:17:00 Councillor Finzel: I think it's pretty clear in the report. Speaker 3: Thank you.
01:18:00 Councillor Phillips: Thank you. I will not support this procedural motion, given that I have the information needed to vote today, but I'm happy for the rest of the decision of the councillors, whether they would like a procedural motion to the ordinary meeting or further information to be provided. All those in favour?
01:19:00 Speaker 3: Aye. Councillor Wegener: All in favour of the procedural motion? Yes. Councillor Phillips: So that's Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Stockwell, Councillor Wegener, and those against the procedural motion is Councillor Wilson and Phillips. So the procedural motion is carried to the ordinary meeting. Thank you. Thank you, councillors. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, Sian. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Sam. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Okay, moving on to item 7.2.5, the Noosa Events Strategic Framework, Policy and Governance. Okay, thank you. Welcome. Speaker 2: Thank you, councillors.
7.2.5 NOOSA EVENTS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, POLICY, AND GOVERNANCE ¶
01:20:00 Thank you, councillors. Thank you, councillors. You know, this is a joint report prepared by both directors of the Environment Strategy and Development Regulation Department. So we've, along with Anthony, put a lot of work into this, so I just wanted to give you a quick run-through on the report and recommendations. So the report before Council proposes a contemporary and coordinated approach to the planning, funding, assessment and management of events across Noosa. Events make an important contribution to community connection, cultural, social, and economic development. Population perception, local business activity and Noosa's identity, but they can also face pressure on public spaces, infrastructure, environmental values and community demand. To propose framework is intended to provide a clearer and more balanced approach to managing these benefits and impacts, and , also acknowledging Council's recently assuming responsibilities for the sponsorship and strategic management of major destinationsез last year. The report brings together three key components.
01:21:00 The Noosa Events Strategic Framework. A new consolidated Noosa events management policy and terms of reference for a new Noosa events executive group. Together, these documents establish a clearer relationship between Council's strategic objectives, event governance, funding and investment decisions, permit assessment and day-to-day event management. The strategic framework establishes Council's long-term direction for events and is organised around five priorities. Improving the shared event experience, maximising community benefit, actively managing event impacts, shaping a balanced and Noosa-appropriate events portfolio and leveraging major opportunities that can deliver long-term benefits for the Shire. These priorities are supported by a five-year action plan. The new events management policy will provide the practical framework for assessing, approving and managing events on the Council's control plan.
01:22:00 It consolidates the existing events policy and Noosa main beach events policy into a single document. Importantly, it retains the existing main beach event limits and key policy settings previously adopted by Council, while strengthening sustainability expectation, organiser accountability, contingency planning, assessment processes and the management of events in high demand locations. It also provides clearer separation between Council's event funding decision and the regulatory firm assessment process. The proposed events executive group will provide strategic leadership and oversight of Noosa's overall event portfolio. Its role will include monitoring implementation of the strategic framework, reviewing funding and investment priorities, and the implementation of the strategic framework. Considering significant risks and emerging opportunities and improving coordination across council.
01:23:00 The group will operate at the strategic and portfolio level rather than undertaking operational firm and assessment. The framework has been informed by consultation undertaken through the destination management plan, internal council workshops, engagement with event organisers and businesses, and the recent events industry roundtable. The feedback identified support for events that reflect nurses' values and deliver genuine community benefit, whilst also highlighting opportunities for improved communication, planning certainty, industry relationships, approval processes and accountability. Council is being asked to adopt the strategic framework, the events management policy and the executive group terms of reference, appointing two councillor representatives to the executive group and authorising the chief executive officer to establish the group and progress the supporting procedures, guidelines and operational tools and actions contained in the framework.
01:24:00 Council is also being asked to reveal the two existing event policies and replace them with the new integrated policy. Initial implementation will be undertaken with existing operational budgets and staffing resources, with no additional budget allocation sought from this report. The framework will help identify and inform future decisions around event funding, sponsorship, investment and program design, with any future financial implications to be considered through subsequent council budget processes. Thank you and any questions, councillors? Speaker 3: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Happy to move it, Madam Chair. Speaker 3: Can I have a seconder? Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Well, today we introduce also the Noosa Events Strategic Framework 2026-2031
01:25:00 and the accompanying Noosa Events Management Policy. It's a forward-thinking approach that will help ensure events continue to enhance our community while protecting the lifestyle and amenity that residents value most. Events are an important part of what makes Noosa a vibrant and connected community. They bring us together, celebrate our culture, support local businesses, and contribute to our social and economic well-being. But as our community has consistently told us, successful events must also respect our environment, our public spaces, and the everyday lives of residents. This is exactly why this new strategy is so important. The framework establishes a clear vision for the future of events in Noosa, but it does so with a strong focus on balance. It recognises that events should deliver genuine community benefit while carefully managing impacts on residents, neighbourhoods, traffic, access to public spaces, public infrastructure, and sensitive environmental areas. One of its core strategic priorities is the active
01:26:00 management of event impacts, ensuring that community amenity remains at the centre of event planning and decision-making. Importantly, the new policy introduced strong governance, improved assessment processes, and clearer accountability for event organisers. It includes enhanced sustainability expectations, strengthened contingency planning requirements, capacity controls for high-demand locations, and a more coordinated approach to assessing and managing events across the Shire. Existing limits and protections for key locations, such as the main beach, are retained, while governance arrangements are strengthened, to ensure future decisions remain responsible. The establishment of the Noosa Events Executive Group will provide strategic oversight of the entire events portfolio, helping Council monitor performance, address emerging issues,
01:27:00 and ensure event investment remains aligned with community expectations and Council priorities. Most importantly, this strategy sends a clear message. We are not seeking more events at any cost. We are committed to supporting the right events, in the right places, at the right scale, at the right time. Events that strengthen community connection, support local businesses, and showcase the best of Noosa, while safeguarding the peace, character and amenity that residents rightly deserve and expect. This framework gives us the tools to achieve that balance and positions Noosa for a future where community experiences and resident wellbeing go hand-in-hand. Thank you for your work on this. Speaker 3: I have an amendment that I will put forward. Thank you.
01:28:00 Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Just Jay requests that the Chief Executive Officer provide an annual report to Council on the implementation and performance of the Nurses Events Strategic Framework 26 to 21 including progress towards the framework suggested by the Council. And any recommendations for improvement. Councillor Wilson: I'll second. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Thank you, Richard, for assisting in the wording of this amendment. I'm moving this amendment because the report asks Council to adopt a strategic framework that will guide event decision making over the coming years. I also believe we need to be clear, need to have a clear mechanism for reporting back on how that framework is actually performing.
01:29:00 During our Council induction, continuous improvement and importance of reviewing previous decisions was specifically discussed in our training. That principle is particularly relevant when Council adopts a framework intended to guide decisions over a number of years. This framework will influence event assessment, funding and sponsorship decisions, investment priorities and the overall mix of events supported across NUSA. So therefore, I just believe. We need evidence over time to determine whether it's achieving the outcomes Council intended. An annual report back to Council will allow us to consider what's working, what's not working as intended, what measurable benefits are being delivered, whether unintended consequences have emerged, whether the event mix remains appropriate and whether adjustments are required. Importantly, it will create evidence base for future decisions.
01:30:00 On future for future councils, rather than waiting until the end of the strategy strategy period and attempting to turn to to to to determine, sorry, retrospectively, whether it worked, Council will have information available throughout the implementation. I do not consider this will be unnecessary bureaucracy because performance reporting is a normal part of governance if Council can adopt the framework to guide significant decisions and allocate public resources. Now, I believe that we should receive sufficient information to assess its effectiveness. The amendment, the amendment is just to simply complete the government cycle plan implement measure review and approve. Councillor Wegener: You say that performance as it is, it's just a part of good governance. Do you. What is this? Why aren't we doing this? Or are we actually doing it on a month-to-month basis?
01:31:00 I guess that's a question to the staff. Are we not doing this? Speaker 2: Through the Chair. So we will be doing regular reporting through our new events executive. So that's a key action and part of that event. This is an opportunity through this amendment to provide an annual update, basically, to councillors around performance against the strategic framework, how we're tracking areas that are progressing well, other areas that may be set aside in the future for further work to be done. So really it's an opportunity to just do a check-in point around how we're tracking 12 months into the framework. Speaker 4: Question. Speaker 2: Could I just add to that? Speaker 4: The terms of reference for the executive does state that there will be annual reports. So this just makes it clearer and more upfront, I guess.
01:32:00 So the intention is that there will be annual reporting. Councillor Phillips: And question. Sort of the intention was that, say, after the first 12 months, it's all tracking fine. We can also say we don't need the annual report anymore, can't we? It's not like it was more because this is the first time we've adopted a strategy like this, rather than waiting or, as it said, it is in there. But it's... It comes back to councillors then to potentially make recommendations. Is that the way I see it? But it is a question. Can I speak to that, Chair? Speaker 6: Yeah. As you said, we always intend to report annual on those types of things because it is important to do that. The second piece is that the reason we've designed it this way with two councillors on the EEG is that there will be a natural reporting process back to council anyway on an ad-hoc basis or a more informal basis. And being on a monthly basis, particularly in this early phase,
01:33:00 I would expect we'd be reporting monthly because we're setting this thing up and we need to get, there'll be times when we need an excellent endorsement from the council to progress in terms of reference. So I think be assured that there will be regular reporting and an annual report will come in. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: I just have a question. Is it part of the annual reports that we already do as standard or have you told us a specific annual report for this process? Councillor Phillips: Specifically for this, given it's a new strategy. And like I said, it could just be one year and then we never need it again. But I just want to see what the yearly one brings us. If there was any unintended consequences, we'll see that in the report back to councillors at a report stage. Not through noting all the process where we go around the table at some of the workshops that doesn't get done the way I would feel that would be more transparent to the community to see it in a report.
01:34:00 So it was more to bring it out of there and back here so the community can see what we've addressed. Has it worked? Is it not working? Do we need to make changes? It's more just to bring it back into the community's light rather than it being an internal report that we see. Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I like the rationale and I support that, but I'm just wondering, would it show up in our annual report? Speaker 6: Not a new annual report, actually, it would just be reported annually as a report against this framework. Councillor? Speaker 8: Go ahead. Chair, just going back to this five priority areas. And in each, there's a measure of success and an annual target, so naturally, I don't expect that would be the basis of the annual report, but then on a quarterly basis, two councillors, the proposition is that two councillors will be part of the executive. So I guess once we get through point one and two, we start to emerge those measures, we'll grab that kind of, I suppose, we'll bed those in and start reporting those.
01:35:00 Yes. Councillor Phillips: So to clarify, this is the mechanism to bring a report back to this table to say, we need to make some changes, not, we can't make decisions behind there. So the amendment is to make sure that even in that first 12 months, it comes back here, it could be just for noting, we might not need to do anything, but then we just get on with it. Speaker 6: So that's that as well. Well, remember, we also fund some events, a number of events. This framework goes from community events all the way through our major events, so it's a much broader framework. But in terms of our major events, we do provide funding, and that comes through a budget process anyway, every year. So there'll be naturally a reporting process that comes through that, because we'll be requesting the continuing funding or change funding for those events. Okay.
01:36:00 Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Wegener: Okay, a question, so I guess I worry, this is a really big change for us. Like, right, we've taken on events, we've taken on council councils, it's very involved with two councils on the EEG, and so I was expecting and reading the report that we would have regular updates as to what's happening. So I guess I'm worried that maybe people might say, okay, don't worry about it, we'll just give it to you in the annual report instead of really keeping us in the loop as time goes on and this evolves. So I just want to make sure that this isn't actually abrogating the responsibility to the end of the year for what we want to see on a regular basis, because this is important. Speaker 4: Can I comment on that? Yeah, come on, Chair. So this provides, this formalises what was always intended, there are clear measures, annual measures that we'll be measuring around whether or not the framework's achieving its intended outcomes. This then provides that to this table and publicly, we're on track, we've achieved this, or, you know, we need to change this, so this is a good addition to reporting.
01:37:00 We have two councillors sitting on the executive, as the CEO mentioned, through your normal communication practices, like your councillor discussion forum, each of you provide updates about the sorts of committees and groups you're on, we would expect that the two councillors that are on the executive would provide regular updates, and that happens monthly to the councillors about what's happening at that forum. There are also going, as the CEO said, there are also likely to be, over the next 12 months, certain decisions that this council will have to make, so there's probably going to be other public reports come back to council. So I guess what I'm wanting to say is just to reassure council that we anticipate there's going to be quite a bit of reporting and keeping the council in the loop over the next 12 plus months.
01:38:00 Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Well, first of all, thank you for raising this, because I do wonder then, for the authors, if this is quite so significant for the recording, as just stated, I'm just seeking from the authors of the report, it was obviously then worked up to a council to raise this, is there a reason why this was only on the report? Speaker 4: It's in the terms of reference, it says specifically in the terms of reference that we will be reporting annually. It's just not in the resolution, it's adopting the terms of reference. So it is, when you adopt the terms of reference, you're adopting the fact that we'll be reporting annually, so that it is in there, I don't think it's an omission. But what this is, Councillor Phillips has done is gone, I want that up front in the resolution, so it's not sitting in terms of reference, but the outcome's the same, essentially. Councillor Finzel: Yes, I understand, the outcome's the same, so that your rationale is why you didn't put it in, for example, in this quantum document, because you felt it was unnecessary.
01:39:00 Well, but it was in the terms of reference and we would be reporting annually. Councillor Phillips: Any more questions on the amendment, otherwise I'll close. Mayor Wilkie: Oh, look, I'll speak to it. As has been explained, council has received the terms of reference as part of the resolution. It's not in the attachments to this report. So it is clearly articulated in there that annual reporting and regular reporting is part of this. As has already been said, it just puts this up front that there will be annual reporting on top of the other regular reporting. I don't see any harm, even though there's a bit of duplication going on. There's no harm in making this, articulating the requirement for annual reporting in this amendment. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. I'm going to close by sort of explaining how I got to this and acknowledge the work done in the events we've got there in the end.
01:40:00 So what I've realised when I've reviewed my own reflection of the last couple of years is we have those updates and that general conversation in the room behind us. And it's very much, it's formal, but it's also, there's no ability to make it. So the one thing that I'm really conscious of now with a new policy that I actually want it to be formal in that first 12 months, I want it to come back to where we can make changes and be really upfront with the community if things need to go one way or the other. I'm not pre-empting which way it goes. I'm suggesting that I want to move away from the conversations that we have out there and see the report come back to us in a formal way, not for noting.
01:41:00 Because that report will just come through for noting. And if we head in a direction where we shouldn't be making amendments of a noting report, it should just come here for noting. I want it to be something that councillors, not staff, we actually say, oh, that's the feedback we got. This is the place we should be making those changes. We do it on camera. Everyone can see it. There's discussion. And then we move on. It was more around making sure that that was really transparent. And it was more from my own review of the last couple of years that I've got a little bit caught up on, like, how do we actually change policy? Well, we can't do it back there. We have to do it here. So I'm just trying to get ahead of it. And that was the intention behind my amendment. I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour of the amendment. And that is carried unanimously. And we will move back. That performs the original motion, which only Councillor Wilkie has spoken to.
01:42:00 Councillor Wegener: I have a question. Councillor Phillips: Yes, Councillor Wegener. Councillor Wegener: When it comes to new events, new big events coming. It doesn't. When we talk about that, would there be a process evolving for new events coming? And obviously, some events falling off, perhaps, because we are changing the goalposts for what we want a bit. Speaker 8: Yeah, I'm happy to answer, Chair. You referred to it. There is a lot of change. And I guess that's why it's a five-year directional document with an action plan and measures and then that governance set up. So it means that it's not definitely not a set and forget. So to your point, I think the initial focus is about really that kind of leveraging and managing the current and really getting that vetted down and most decision making resources, etc. And to get that really in line with the new principles or the general principles and the actions.
01:43:00 I think as we move forward quickly, no doubt, you know, we hope we're going to get knocks on the door. Maybe it's related to the Olympics. So as part of that new governance, the terms of reference include considering new events. So there will probably be an operational assessment first. The team will assess, bring it to the new exec group, which is two directors and two councillors, as they propose, and key staff. I think it's that forum that starts to consider maybe not, you know, small community events new and that goes through a normal process and probably through grants and assistance. But anything big, new that we, the operational assessors, that's worth an assessment that aligns with the principles. Generally, it fits. It's a good fit. Given all considerations, my understanding, then we'd escalate that to the executive. Speaker 4: And just to add to that, we are, we do get inquiries for new events.
01:44:00 You know, in the last few weeks, we've had inquiries for new events. So it's an ongoing process. And this allows a, you know, updated and contemporary framework and the associated governance to properly assess those. Speaker 3: Any more questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It was a remitment. Okay. That's great. Speaker 3: Stockwell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I move that item. It won't be X. It'll be E. Item K be added to read that upon its completion. Events Executive Group review current event limits in the event policy to determine sustainable limits for event approvals, having regard to cumulative impacts, including the duration of which parking areas and recreational spaces are unavailable for public use, as well as broader impacts on the community.
01:45:00 There are a number of events and they relate to the previous policy. I believe if we look at what's in the destination management plan where we talk about establishing sustainable carrying capacity, that part of that assessment would look at the impact of events. I'm a little bit uncomfortable that the policy duplicates those numbers, but I'm also a little bit less comfortable of coming up with some other arbitrary figure. So I think there is a body of work that needs to be done.
01:46:00 I think there'll be some within the community who would like to see it done. I think there's a lot of work that needs to be done to determine sustainable carrying capacity, and it's not just those on Noosaville Beach. So what I propose here is that there is a process that helped implement the DMP that leads to conscious deliberations around what it means in terms of what sustainable carrying capacity might mean across the Shire. Councillor Wegener and I attended a very good breakfast put on by TM recently, noting that Queenstown in New Zealand is actively going through the process of using a model to determine the carrying capacity. So we can... look at that and learn from it, but I just believe it's something in adoption of this framework that we need to also say, well, let's take some time and think about just what is the appropriate way to set limits for events to ensure that residential amenity is maintained, and the expectations both of visitors and of our local residents in participating in wonderful events like the one I was in yesterday, the great Noosa Trail walk with 200 other people that I, just for a change, I walked rather than both walked by.
01:47:00 Councillor Phillips: I have a couple of questions, probably for Kim, because I had emailed some of these, so can I, maybe for people watching, I think it's really important for myself and anyone else to know how we've actually got those limits already and how we measured them, and I might start with that question first, so then it can help guide the conversation. Speaker 4: Yeah, thanks, Councillor Phillips. So the current events policy was developed in 2019, and the current main beach events policy was developed in 2018, and these policies were to, you know, to provide some guidance to our growing events portfolio at the time, and we were in a growth phase then, with a very specific kind of approach to events helping sort of fill some of the potential downtimes in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our... in our...
01:48:00 calendar, as much of an issue now, but the main beach events policy limits were put in place at the time to essentially reflect the existing events that we had, that use... utilise that space, and to sort of indicate that, at the time the Council of the day considered that there needed to be some cap Cowlington's This is the capacity guidance for Main Beach. That is the location that most people want to be at, new events want to be at. We get lots of requests for access to Main Beach, as you know. So it was about at the time saying this is what we think the capacity is for Main Beach now and reflecting what was existing at the time into that policy. That's been carried forward into the combined policy. It hasn't had a strategic review. It's been carried forward to, again, reflect the events that exist and have for some time in that precinct.
01:49:00 There is the strategic framework does provide some direction into continuing to review in that precinct. Impacts of events and look at those things and the cumulative impacts of how that precinct is used. So, you know, it's in line with how we would, what we would be looking at going forward. Councillor Phillips: But that's a bit of the history. Yes, thank you. Maybe a question for Councillor Stockwell then, because I'd like the intent. How do you propose the events executive group though? What, how are they going to do this? Because they're not.
01:50:00 Where's their experience in, like, I get it, but then how, how is it not going to be driven by this group and not more of a broader point? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So I actually envisage it would be broader, the way they rely on expertise within council staff. I initially, when I talked to the staff, I also said it'd be something we could run by. I don't know if the destination is Stewardship Council to get the community view, but timing of both these motions, it may not be possible. But yet, so I actually think that the process of leading to it is leading up to a recommendation from the executive leadership group, which is there to get the whole council perspective. Speaker 3: Any other questions? Mayor Wilkie: I'll speak in favour of it, Chair. I'm going to support this because I think this is exactly the sort of review. The taking stock of the current situation, the status quo that you would expect the events executive group to do.
01:51:00 Like, have we got the mix and number of events right as a starting point? I also like the fact that it specifically articulates having regard to the amount of time in which spaces are unavailable for public use. And that's, that's also, that's a consideration that's articulated. And it doesn't hurt to have that as part, up front, as part of this recommendation, this motion that we're approving today. Councillor Phillips: One more question to Councillor Stockwell. What happens if this review suggests something, that there's already an approval for an event in that year? How will it work in reality?
01:52:00 Just. Will it be that they recommend it for the next time it comes for approval, is that it? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: The recommendation would be, because we have got specific numbers within the policy, the recommendation would come up. If it was to change, there's a change to the policy, and then once that policy is adopted, then any subsequent decision would be informed by it. Okay, great. Councillor Phillips: Then I will speak to the amendment in support, and I have a little bit more clarity on it. I think it ties in really well with the events that we'll see. And given that it will come back annually for a report to Council, then we can publicly see those impacts. And I think that is a really positive thing for the community. Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to Councillor Stockwell's amendment? All those in favour? And that is carried unanimously as well. So that's good. Motion which Councillor Wilkie has spoken to, Councillor Wegener has spoken to, and that is it.
01:53:00 Councillor Wilson: There's no doubt that events can be better managed with a coordinated team across Council, and I support the formation of a Noosa Events Executive Group. This framework has been drafted over many months, and we have had input along the way in workshops, but I still have some questions. I think we have some concerns. Firstly, the lack of measurable KPIs. Priority one, for example, is to improve the shared experience. The target or outcome is a year-on-year improvement in event experience. How is that measuring the priority? Who is it improved for and how is it measured? Priority three is to actively manage events, event impacts. The desired outcome is to protect community amenity and environmental values. But the outcome targets are improved management of traffic, measured by WHO, and increased confidence in planning and management of event impacts.
01:54:00 I can't see a connection here with how these will be managed and how they reflect community amenity. Increased and improved are subjective and are not targets without baseline data and measurable outcomes and reliable methods of collecting data. My second concern is that the framework does not adequately reflect the impact on community. There is a somewhat naive assumption that if events are managed better, the community will suddenly be supporters of events. I don't feel any inconvenience, although that amendment did address that a little bit. Priority two is to maximise the benefit of events for the META community. The outcome targets are increased evidence of community benefit and participation. Again, how is that measured? Increased local business and supplier engagement. Improved environmental performance across supported events. So these are quite selective ways of measuring benefits, but what about those who don't want to participate? How is this actually linking back to the target here to measure enhanced liveability?
01:55:00 How do we measure community benefit? How are we measuring and managing community detriment? Finally, we have a lot of lagged measures for events held in the past, but no lead measures on what we are looking to achieve. There's no assessment criteria. And therefore, we don't know how a balanced event portfolio can be achieved or whether anything is going to change. Does the community want to see increased diversity across event categories and dispersal across the Shire? Or was this just something that was put in as a nice to have? Overall, I agree with the sentiment and the operational focus, but it's just too vague for me as a strategic framework. Speaker 3: Thank you, Councillor Wilson. That's a white-knock question. Councillor Wegener: A question, yeah. With the destination management plan, we went through an enormous amount of work and consultation. And it appeared to me that we were listening to the community.
01:56:00 It was a community-led, community vision for Noosa. How to manage the destination. So that was the community here. We're taking the shift in the focus to the actual events that are coming. But we're morphing it. We're being led by what? Pardon me? Get to your question. Oh, yeah. So that's the way I see it. Is that a correct vision of this is what the community has told us that they want through numerous consultations? We're looking at the destination management plan. These are the events that are going to conform with what the community has told us they want. Is that accurate? Councillor Phillips: Some applicants, yeah. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I think it was meant to be a deriding. I think that should be withdrawn. Councillor Wilson: It wasn't deriding. It was a clarification. Some of the community. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Is that? I think it should be withdrawn. Because they had an approach in making the rule.
01:57:00 I think while other people are talking, I think we should stop it. Speaker 3: Okay. You're not the chair. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, that was my point. Councillor Phillips: I would say, Councillor Wake, that be mindful of your question, firstly, and that will help the commentary at the table, because it was a very leading question, which I won't allow, and then I will move on the procedural motion for an apology from Councillor Wilson, because I'm not going to let the question go. And the question won't allow, I won't allow it, unless you can think of another way to ask the question without putting all the words in the staff's mouth first.
01:58:00 Councillor Wegener: The destination management plan, it mirrors the community desires, and this plan, the sewage at the end, it's been a strategic framework. It is the events, and we want the events to mirror what the community has told us they want. And so there are two very different things. One is about an event, one is about community consensus. Councillor Phillips: Does that give you enough, Director Rawlings, to answer the question, given also that there is another emotive language used in the question? Speaker 4: I'm happy to respond. The destination management plan did explore as one of a number of key issues around the destination in our community and a range of impacts that are happening in our community. Events was one of the, it might have been 10 or 12 key issues. You might recall we did issues papers on each of them. Events was one of those.
01:59:00 So we specifically did engage with the community on events and their aspirations for their concerns, you know, acknowledging, putting on the table that we had heard from the community that there were impacts, they were feeling more and more cumulative impacts of events. So it was a specific issue that we wanted to address. So yes, the destination management plan did do that. It garnered a range of feedback from the community and there was no doubt that the community wanted something. Some community, some community, those community who responded to the process, and councillors, you have the figures on the number of community that responded to the process, so some community is correct. Some, those that responded, provided feedback around the types of events, the cumulative impacts, the things that they want to manage and a greater management and oversight of the events calendar.
02:00:00 As a result of that, one of the key actions. In the DMP is that we develop a strategic framework to guide the events portfolio with a particular focus on community, community first and managing the, the impacts of events, managing the mix of events and raising the bar around the contribution that events make back to our community. So that's what this has done. Councillor Phillips: Councillor, as I will urge you, I know I do it when I'm not the chair as well, but don't use your questions. To do. To debate, use that for the platform of debate and don't put staff in the position to have to debate your point. Mayor Wilkie: Question, question, Chair, yeah, we had some comments before about the measures of success as and KPIs. Could you explain how you intend to capture the measures of success?
02:01:00 Speaker 7: Right. Speaker 8: Yeah, I think the initial set of measures that some will require some new, I guess, measurement tools as well, some are already captured, but the way I see it is, it's part of, if you read the terms of reference, the new executive group will be charged with, I guess, ensuring that those measures can be measured on a quarterly basis, and then I would expect them to identify if there's any gaps in our measures, I guess, to ensure that those measures can be measured on a quarterly basis, and then I would expect them to identify if there's any gaps in our measures, and then I would expect them to identify if there's any gaps in our measures, and then I would expect them to identify if there's any gaps in our measures, and that's most likely, that's quite actually what we've said we need to measure. We don't have the survey tools. I think that I see the measures that are evolving and so I take that point that all this is really quarterly meetings with a new executive, a five-year vision and a policy that is currently operating within limits on beaches but requiring or benefiting from a review. So same with measures, I certainly think that they're there to be improved upon, but the three or four that we put in for each priority area, I think certainly after the first year, the starting point, but I would expect those to continue to improve.
02:02:00 Speaker 3: Okay. Speaker 8: I'll take the motion. Speaker 3: Councillor Farrell. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: In 2018-19 when you were Councillor, Councillor. As Director Kim was talking about, we were under a huge pressure to keep on improving more events, and it was at a stage where every time we had an event, we'd have quite a lot of community complaint. We're not seeing that same pressure for new events, the market for events and the level of complexity associated with getting events and events insurance and et cetera, et cetera, is one where we're seeing downward pressure. And I'm. So it is the right time to start looking at setting forward the framework that we want to go into the future, because there's no doubt it will be cycling for the first time, we had some guiding principles that are aligned with destination management plan, and I think that's really important that this level, we haven't given staff previously, the level of guidance about what this community and his council expects.
02:03:00 So we've had a administrative process complying against the Act, against some policies, which were probably fit for purpose at the time, but had, you know, we've moved past it, but now we see that the events framework basically duplicates the core guiding principles that came out of the consultation as Councillor Wegener was questioning about what the community is expecting about, you know, what the community is expecting about, you know, putting the community apart, authentic, being balanced, the right events, the right place, right time, treading lightly and lead better.
02:04:00 These are all things that should guide some transition of our events, you know, like the TN-led Trees for Tourism Programme developed over the years, and it was a voluntary programme where most event organisers would collect donations from their participants and that went into planting trees along the Noosa Trail that I walked yesterday, some growing very nicely. What we're saying now is that's an expectation, it's not just a, it's an expectation that when you're having an event and people are coming to Noosa, that those people participating are also helping to contribute to this community, whether it be by Trees for Tourism or some other way, that they're actually feeling part of this community, and that, you know, and we must acknowledge that a lot of our big events have very large cohorts of locals participating, you know, my silly son's been running around this place for the last couple of years doing silly things, and, and it's really part of the lifestyle here as well.
02:05:00 I understand what Councillor Wilson's talking about in terms of can we measure the specific measures, but we have to realise that this is a strategic format. When we get down to the next level, for example, what we expect our event organisers to report back on, that's when we get into the specifics, and that's where we can do the refinement that, you know, particularly our large events, down to our community events, we can have this sliding scale of performance measurement, such that we do have a building baseline of community sentiment, of participant sentiment. So, there's lots of ways we can do it, but I'm quite happy that this trainwork does do what was intent when we first took over the events portfolio, and one of the main things was it brings all of council together, and so the executive leadership group, it provides better coordination, it provides better guidance as to the policy objectives and the strategic guidelines by which to assess both existing and new events.
02:06:00 So, I think it's a step forward. Councillor Phillips: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. I'm going to speak to it. Over the long weekend, I had the chance to read an amazing book called It Starts With Why. You hear me ask it all the time about why. Originally, when we had our very first workshop on events framework, strategic framework, it was about removing events from Tourism Noosa. Bringing it into council, so then we could streamline the events organisers where it was like a one-stop shop, so they don't have to buy a traffic permit through us and then go through another process with TN. So, originally, the why made a lot of sense to me. I don't agree that it morphed over time to a DMP alignment, rather than its strategic intent at the beginning.
02:07:00 However, with the amendment going through that it'll come back to us in 12 months, one of the reasons why I'm going to support it today with that amendment is that we, I feel, that we spend a lot of time in operational matters as a council and our job is strategic policy setting. I think one of the reasons why I feel we go into operational is because the policy framework is strategic. These take a long time to come back to us, which is why I've asked for it to come back for every 12 months, so then I can help shape the strategic direction of council, rather than wait. It may not happen even in my term. So, I'm going to support the framework today, even though I have some reservations, not from staff, but just as time went on, I feel that it got...
02:08:00 It lost its mission, its intention. I think if we'd stayed on track, council listens, things would have been addressed through that as well, because a lot of that aligned with the why. Making things easier on event organisers, making it easier on council. So, the real test will be whether... The real test of the framework will not be how comprehensive the document is today. It's going to be the outcomes that it produces in the annual report that comes back to us. I think it's really important, again, for policies to come back to council to help shape the strategic direction, because things change. So, back in 2018-19, we know that that was the year or two before COVID, which I understand is why things changed then. Costs of living has changed.
02:09:00 It's a very quick evolving community, even though some things remain the same. I think it's really important for us to be able to set strategic direction for us to see policies come back to us more often. And you'll hear me not talk about it just with this one, but I'm going to be on heads up. I'm going to be asking for it a lot more. So, then I stop asking for the operational requests, and I get to control more of the development. So, that's the direction of the policy which council should be doing. I'll support the framework today, but I hope that the conversation around the table assists in future planning for staff. Thank you. Councillor Finzel, you're the only one that hasn't spoken to the motion in front of us. Otherwise, we'll go to the vote. Councillor Finzel: Thank you, everyone, for your comments around the table.
02:10:00 Thank you to the staff. I'd like to acknowledge the work that's gone on in this, and it's over many years. I'm happy to support this today because I think what are our options? Like, I think we need to certainly listen to our community. They're asking us to balance the benefits versus that detriment. And I think this is the first step towards engaging with our community, to hear what they have to say, to actually begin to measure the lived experience and the social impact on our community, which I think is what we all agree on, is that this is getting bigger and better, and we need to take proactive steps towards ensuring that our community moving forward is a sustainable Noosa, where events and people who live here can all come together and engage in a positive way, so that there's equally beneficial outcomes for all the players involved.
02:11:00 I think it's good that we're going to have a strategy and an events portfolio that can begin to measure these things, and thank Councillor Phillips for bringing the extra report back to Council to ensure that we can publicly and openly, outward-facing our community, bring them along the journey, which this is really important, that it is a shared journey. I don't want to be in a position where we're talking about us and them, and I think as a collective, we are trying to address the issues that are not only plaguing Noosa Shire, but it's a global issue as we move across the globe. I think when you look at our corporate plan, we clearly state in those themes, we look at the future, understanding our future, the opportunities and challenges will be key to enhancing our agility and resilience.
02:12:00 Health and wellbeing for our people that live here is number one priority. You only have to look at our policies, our strategies, our drive, even from our community, to engage in lifestyle. People have moved here to experience what we've protected over many years, which is underpinned by a different by-nature. Environment, health and wellbeing has always sat central, I believe, as a long-term residence in the Shire, as we incrementally inch towards giving us the outcomes we desire as an individual and a collective, but also addressing those things that come up before us every day in 2026. Given the uncertainties, the change, the global warming, global impacts, etc. I support this today because I think we have to move forward to do something. I believe this is the beginning of the future.
02:13:00 Yeah, it's going to have its challenges, but anything that's worthwhile, in my opinion, does have its challenges. I think we've got to take some courage, we've got to step forward. I agree with Councillor Wilson, we don't have everything, you know, perfectly in line, but I think we've got the frameworks, we've attracted the people, we've got, you know, Council staffing with experience, we've got a highly engaged community. I'm sure that collectively we can work together to, you know, measure the social impacts, strengthen community confidence, engender trust with Council, to be able to strive for those things which give us a liveable community that is sustainable, and now into the future, socially, economically, and environmentally. So, I think that's what you might want to say today. I think we're trying to build on the foundation of the success that's been previously brought to Councils that have come behind us,
02:14:00 where we sit today and focusing on where we'd like to be tomorrow. And very much from where I sit, and I'm sure all the Councillors around the table, we're here to serve our community. What are the better fisheries to our community? What do we want to achieve? And hopefully, we want to see our community engage in a positive way to come with us on the journey. I wish we had a magic wand that we could say would automatically click our fingers and we're there, but that's not how it's going to happen. There's a lot of process, a lot of money, a lot of engagement, and a lot of careful consideration by those around the table and our community. So, I thank everybody that's contributed to this agenda item today. Acknowledging that there's going to be challenges, without a doubt, but at least, hopefully, collectively, we can begin to take those steps incrementally towards a future that will be celebrated. Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Would you like to close?
02:15:00 Mayor Wilkie: Yeah, thank you, Chair. Look, the development of strategy and policy is squarely in the councillors' field of responsibility and we're fortunate that we have a relationship with staff where we do get regular workshops on the development of strategy and policy. And we're also fortunate with the two-meeting structure where if there is any tweaks that need to be done between now and nine days hence when the ordinary meeting takes place, councillors that have reservations can work with staff, to put in place perhaps more harder measures of success or KPIs that they would like to see. I do would like to acknowledge that, yes, this does, this continual improvement in terms of the events policy and now the introduction of strategic framework was driven in part by the DMP and the feedback from the community. They wanted us to take a closer look at events to make sure that their impacts were managed more effectively.
02:16:00 And I'm looking forward to not just the regular monthly reporting back on the progress of this, but also the annual reporting so we can stay abreast of how it's progressing. So thank you. Councillor Phillips: Thank you. Taking it to the vote, all those in favour? Councillor Wilkie, Wegener, Finzel, Stockwell and Phillips. And those against is Councillor Wilson and it's carried. Now, councillors, it is twenty past twelve. So we're going to pause for a break and we will be back at ten minutes to one. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you Chair. Councillor Phillips: Thank you.
7.2.6 NOOSA AQUATICS CENTRE UPGRADE PLAN AND NOOSA AQUATICS FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLAN ¶
02:49:00 Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Phillips: 7.2.6, the Noosa Aquatics Centre Upgrade Plan and Noosa Aquatics Facilities Strategic Plan. Welcoming Brad and Tim. Speaker 11: Thank you. Speaker 3: Welcome. Mayor Wilkie: Welcome. Thank you. Speaker 10: Good afternoon, Chair. Good afternoon, Councillors. Thank you. So, yeah, obviously, just today, I'm pleased to present the Noosa Aquatics Facilities Strategic Plan.
02:50:00 2026 to 2036, and the accompanying Aquatics Centre Upgrade Plan and Prioritised Implementation Plan. These documents provide Council with a long-term strategic framework to guide future planning, renewal and enhancement of aquatics facilities across the Shire. The strategic plan has been informed by a comprehensive needs assessment, a demand analysis and extensive consultation with community, user groups, industry stakeholders and government partners. The findings confirm that the Aquatics Centre is a highly valued and well-performing regional facility, while also identifying opportunities to address ageing infrastructure, accessibility, asset renewal and evolving community expectations. The strategic plan was developed to provide long-term network-wide view of aquatic service provision across Noosa, ensuring future investment decisions are evidence-based, strategically aligned and responsive to community needs. The upgrade plan then supports this strategic direction into a prioritised pipeline interacting with внимание, proactively addressing emerging infrastructure, accessibility, and customer experience needs, while establishing a long-term roadmap for future investment.
02:51:00 The upgrade plan outlines a staged and prioritised approach to future improvements focused on accessibility, renewal of critical infrastructure, customer amenity, sustainability capacity to meet future community needs. I would also like to emphasise that endorsement of this strategy and upgrade plan does not constitute approval of Capital Works projects or allocation of funding. Any future projects will be individually scoped, assessed and considered through Council's normal annual budget, and Capital Works processes will remain subject to approvals and funding availability. Accordingly, I am seeking Council endorsement of this report and the Noosa Aquatics Centre Facilities Strategic Plan and Supporting Upgrade Plan and Priority Implementation Plan to guide future planning and investment in aquatics facilities across the Shire.
02:52:00 Thank you and happy to take any questions. Speaker 3: Questions? Mayor Wilkie: I'm happy to move it. Speaker 3: Move. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: The Noosa Aquatics Centre is a very successful and much loved facility and this upgrade plan focuses on what matters most to our residents, improved accessibility, modern amenities, greater safety, more shade, enhanced wellness facilities and renewed infrastructure. It will make the centre easier to use for older residents, families, people with disability and everyone who enjoys staying active. Importantly, the plan responds to the growing community demand. By expanding program capacity, improving gym and wellness spaces, enhancing spectator facilities, creating a more welcoming and enjoyable experience for all users.
02:53:00 Sustainability initiatives such as expanded solar infrastructure and environmentally sensitive landscaping will also help reduce costs and strengthen environmental resilience. This is more than just an infrastructure project. It is an investment in community wellbeing, active lifestyles and social connection. It positions Noosa to pursue future funding opportunities such as grants, attract regional events and leave a lasting legacy for future generations. It's a carefully planned and staged approach that allows us to ensure the Noosa Aquatics Centre remains a successful and well-loved community hub that continues to enrich the lives of our residents and visitors for many years to come. I commend the staff and their work. Speaker 3: Let's speak to the motion. Councillor Wegener: Just quickly philosophically that this is what local government does is
02:54:00 supplies services that individually and can't be supplied by private capitalistic ways. I grew up in the era of Milton Friedman, and I was totally down with that, like the Reagan-esque laissez-faire. And I was brought up thinking that, and then I looked around and I said, wait a minute, no. And then coming to Australia, now being a councillor, I feel really honoured and see the actual incredible value that local government does actually provide. And for us and how many people, and it's very worthwhile, our rates and supporting this for the benefit of all of the residents, instead of just a few residents getting the best. Councillor Phillips: I have a question, Brad, just in relation to resources for such a strategic document like
02:55:00 this. I know that it doesn't commit us to budget amounts, but just talk to me about whether or not your department, if something did come out of it, that might be prioritised. Can you, do you have adequate resources in your team to deliver the outcomes for the Speaker 10: strategic plan? Yeah, Chair. Yeah, certainly, obviously, we've targeted a couple and started work on particularly some design work. Look, it is time-consuming. There's no doubt about it. This project's taken a couple of years to get through the system as well. So any time we do start to pick things off, yeah, it certainly creates a bit of extra workload, but that's planned for. Certainly depends on what the work is as well. Certainly if it's an infrastructure build, that creates a hell of a lot more pressure and the deliverable increases. Design work and stuff is a little easier to manage. So certainly for us, at this point in time,
02:56:00 we've got the design work on the table that we're working on. And then obviously the next phase for us will be putting a project initiation PID together or potentially looking at some infrastructure upgrades to the PWD and the family change space. So with our current resourcing, I think we've got capacity to do that. Certainly as things evolve, because if we've got, you know, not only our facilities, but 70 clubs, we need to continue to monitor it. Thank you. Any other questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'll speak to it. Yeah, I think it's a really good strategic plan in terms of, you know, you've done your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, strengths. You look at our demographic profile and what that might mean for future users, like you predict in your forecast, or ABS did it, like you, you know, that by 2046, our median age is going to be 50-40. And that 50% of our population is going to be over 50. And that there's going to be over 50% of couples without
02:57:00 children. And where we know that most people, well, I mean, most of my activity in the aquatic centres were during that period when we do have kids. And how do you balance that? And that's where you come up with your first thing on universal design, is that we have to make this not only so it's something that could be used as a training venue for the Olympics, but something that has the facilities that as we get older, you know, with our NDIS recipients, you know, can be used by them and can be used by kids and their raucous parents running along a blow up on the top of a 50 metre pool, pushing each other off. So to me, that, you know, that is a big part of what you offer is that universal access. And I do think that you've captured a range of the higher level strategies when you look at things like sustainability and your energy usage. So I don't want to dip into hot water, but I think we should take the plunge.
02:58:00 Councillor Phillips: Brad, I have a follow up question then around making sure that all the work that's going into a strategic plan is actually delivered then. So as a councillor, or as council, what's the biggest risk to not actually seeing some of this occur? Speaker 10: Yeah, look, I think obviously, from our standpoint, the accessibility part is probably the most important thing right now for us to try and plan for. I think we've certainly had discussions with councillors previously around the need for particular spaces at the NAC to be a priority. So I think, for us, Tim and I particularly have certainly been trying to ensure that what we have right now is still as fit for purpose as it can be. But certainly, you know, moving forward strategically, we do need to keep an eye on trends. And certainly from a community standpoint, I think we have a good understanding of the current need, the types of customers or clients that are coming through the door and need those sorts of facilities right now. So I think Tim
02:59:00 and the team are well versed on who they are and being able to support their needs. We're also looking at a couple of program options whereby we can potentially deliver a little bit more in that space as well. So in the pool type stuff. So for us at the minute, I think we've got a pretty good handle on the immediate things that we need to take care of. But certainly as we can improve the infrastructure around us, potentially leading into probably 2032 when the Paralympics do get to region, just having those sort of things taken care of at the NAC will just ensure that its usability is probably a bit more fit for purpose at that time. So probably just from our end, just working through that over the next couple of years with myself and Tim or whoever the coordinator is, just working through that process of making sure that we were on point there and just making, we're bringing it to the table in terms of whether it's capital works, PIDs, and obviously if there's any workshopping for projects, we're doing that in a timely fashion.
03:00:00 So we have it sort of pre-planned and ready to go. Speaker 6: I think many of you may know, many of you may not know that we've just done an upgrade of the filtration system for the 15 meter and 25 meter pool. I want to commend the guys and the work that they did. It's all under budget on time, pretty much said under budget. The pool is looking magnificent in terms of the water clarity and the future use of the pool. The point I wanted to make also is that the comms that went out before the 10 week closure of the 15 meter pool, I mean that caused some people quite a bit of consternation in terms of their normal usage. The noise that came back was very minimal. People accepted it, it was really well done and it needs to be commended. I think in terms of how we address that whole project and the team, our led by team, is to be commended on that work.
03:01:00 So I just wanted to make that point at the end of this meeting. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Anyone else you'd like to speak to? Mayor Wilkie: Just a note, Madam Chair, I've sent you an email. There's a formatting issue in part of the document for your attention. Yeah. Councillor Phillips: I'll speak to it. Firstly, great things. The NAC is such a loved place by so many. My kids were very happy it was reopened for school holidays, so thank you. It was crystal clear, it was really nice. I was one of the people that turned up as it closed though, and I should know that it was closed. But it went really quickly. We were back in, had a really great few days of school holidays with the inflatables. The pool looks really, really nice and clean. I still have an issue with the crows that took my KitKat, but that's okay. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: That's part of the wilderness program. Councillor Phillips: Part of the social media. You guys do a great job with the social media. I think it's a really
03:02:00 good news story for the Council. Anything that comes from the NAC seems to be something that's really well received, so keep doing that. My only, like if I have to have one little criticism about any of it, I would have loved if there wasn't a mayor's foreword on the document. It could preempt that today doesn't have credibility around endorsement and discussion, and so I would like to encourage that that is something that is talked about at this table when they're doing a strategic plan. However, I understand that it would be challenging not to agree that this is something that we need. So I do see why. I'm just saying from someone that may not be into pools, we've got to show equitable fairness across the Shire. I hope it's not a set and forget strategic plan. I do hope we see things come through that actually
03:03:00 are delivered and I'll try to do whatever I can as a councillor to support that as well. So thank you. Would you like to close, Mayor Wilkie? Mayor Wilkie: Thank you for the opportunity, Madam Chair. I don't wish to close. Councillor Phillips: Okay, so we'll put it to the vote. All those in favour? And that's carried unanimously. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And moving on to item 7.2.7. The Nurse of Shire Council sold and specialized supplier list on Wednesday. Welcome to the general meeting. Speaker 7: Thank you, Madam Chair. Before I hand over to Brian, I'd like to add a few comments about this report. This report is basically the standard process for all the updated solvers, specialized suppliers on a regular basis. It allows us to expedite our procurement
03:04:00 processes under compliance of the Act and the Reg. I would also note that there are a number of panel arrangements that sit outside of these arrangements and that's where Council more closely aligns with its local suppliers. We have eight of those panels involving about 183 suppliers and they're for things like Parks and Landscaping, Trade Services, Wet Hire and Dry Hire and things like that. I did also notice that Councillor Phillips raised a few issues in relation to probity around zero emissions Noosa and the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation. We're coming back with some detailed responses on those questions, but I would also like to add that the grants process and the procurement process are two disparate systems. So, Council approves grants and then under the Regs and the Act, Council then procure services from those two organisations. I would also like to add
03:05:00 that under the requirements of all the panels and all the solver specialized suppliers, there's no guarantee of work under those arrangements. So, Council does follow a rigorous procurement process as it engages those suppliers. So, with that said, I'll hand over to Brian, hope I didn't steal your thunder. No, thank you. Speaker 11: The procurement of all Council's goods and services must be carried out in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012. Specifically, the regulation outlines the Local Government default contracting procedures for entering contracts by written quotes or tenders. The regulation includes exceptions to those procedures under certain circumstances, such as the engagement of a supplier without first written quotes or tenders when approved as a sole or specialised supplier. This report seeks to amend both the
03:06:00 sole supplier list and the specialised supplier list to continue to support Council's current and future procurement requirements. So, the recommendation that Council A, note the report by the Strategic Procurement Contracts Advisor to the General Committee meeting dated 6 October 2026. B, note the administrative process undertaken by the Local Government Regulation 2012. So, the second recommendation that is to be taken to establish and maintain the sole and specialised supplier list. C, adopt the sole supplier list provided at attachment one of the report for the next 12 months. And D, adopt the specialised supplier list provided at attachment two of the report for the next 12 months. Speaker 3: Thank you. Happy to move the motion. Thank you, Councillor Wesson. Second. Seconded by Councillor Wilkie. Yeah, at the floor. Oh, thank you for the report. All very clear. No issues. Thank you.
03:07:00 Councillor Phillips: I just have one question. Do you ever notice, like, do you compare every 12 months to, like, some of the ongoing ones and then maybe suppliers that drop off? And do we sort of figure out why? I'm assuming you do that work behind, but I'd just love to know what's involved. Speaker 11: Yeah, so we do email all departments, asking them to review their existing lists and there to provide feedback as to if a supplier's no longer required or is no longer a supplier. And then we incorporate that in the annual review. Councillor Phillips: If there is suppliers that drop off, do we ask them why? Is there just, like, do we monitor that type of interaction with people? And go, maybe they've decided not to put, because they've got to nominate, don't they, as well?
03:08:00 Speaker 11: As in, who are we asking why? The supplier or the, no, we don't ask the suppliers. Suppliers aren't invited onto these lists. It's through staff in turn that identify a sole or specialised supplier. And then procurement will test that that is the case, that it is either a sole or specialised supplier for these purposes. The supplier, a supplier cannot tender to be a sole or specialised supplier. Councillor Phillips: Got it. Okay. I might have known that. It just got filed somewhere in the filing cabinet. Thank you. Is there any more questions? Council Finzel? Councillor Finzel: Thank you. Does Noosa Council have a benchmark policy to speak to this process a little more? How do we benchmark, like, our procurement and how will it be sold, you know? How do we benchmark it against the organisations and the businesses and the outcomes, and how do we ensure that we're reaching that target?
03:09:00 Speaker 3: Do we have a policy like that? Speaker 7: I'll take the one. Under Council, we have a procurement policy, so that governs all of our functions, and then we have the regs. But there's no, because there's no specific target against these suppliers as to how much work they can. It depends on what activities we're undertaking at any point in time. So I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. But we don't have benchmarks or targets that we aim to achieve against these panels. Speaker 3: Any further questions? I am going to, would you like to close, actually? Councillor Phillips: Absolutely. All right, I'm going to put it to the vote. All those in favour? And that is carried. Thank you. Thank you.
03:10:00 Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 11: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Moving on to item 7.2.8, Council Meeting Schedule 2027. And. Speaker 3: Okay. Sorry. Speaker 6: This is yours. It is. Sorry, Councillor, if you've seen me using my phone, it's because I've got an issue down in the patient's booth that I'm just dealing with. It seems to be back on on how the power's performing. Okay. So this is the meeting schedule for 2027. So we adopted an annual timetable to ensure the transparency of effective planning. This is just something we do. It's not something. So it's really a framework or a base case to do. Noting that we've moved in recent times from four meetings to two meetings, we're still in the business of reviewing that and making sure that it is with the purpose.
03:11:00 So what we have done is simply planned out for the next 12 months for the 2027 period to ensure that we've got it in our diaries and that we've kept it up to date. So that the community can see it. But it is certainly not locked in stone as such. But it can be adapted and adopted as appropriate. So I just put it to you as a, again, as the framework for our meeting schedule over this next 12 months. Councillor Wilson: We've got September the 10th marked as a public holiday. Have we set the day for the show day yet? Speaker 6: We've got September the 10th marked as a public holiday. We have a blog for it. Yes. Okay. That's Friday. That's the Friday one. Yes. Councillor Wilson: Can I also just make a note that the 27th of December is also a public holiday. It's not marked.
03:12:00 Speaker 3: Okay. That's a good thing to know. Councillor Phillips: Can I have a move on? Speaker 3: I'll have to move. I'll have to move. Councillor Phillips: I have a question. Oh, thank you. It's a change. Actually, yes. Thank you. I'm going to start with just a small change. That council note the report by the CEO to the general committee meeting dated 6 October 2026. B, approve the council meeting schedule for January to December 2027 as outlined in attachment one to the report noting a change to the general committee meeting in October from Tuesday the 5th of December. To Wednesday the 6th of October. C, note that the times and menus of boardroom meeting adopted in attachment one may be changed by council resolution in order to facilitate council meetings in the community where appropriate. I'll second.
03:13:00 Thank you. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Just before we go ahead, I'm going to pin the wording down. So I've noted that it refers to an attachment from until the end of the note. So I'm amending that assessment. That's the one to report, to the report, with a change, with a change, rather than noting dead. Speaker 3: Okay, moved by Councillor Wilson, seconded by... Councillor Phillips: No, you moved it. I moved it, sorry. And you seconded it. Thank you. Okay. No, I moved the motion and Councillor Wilson seconded it. Mayor Wilkie: I thought Councillor Stockwell moved it. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, no, I started to move the original and then... Mayor Wilkie: Oh, okay. Speaker 6: This is their option. A new motion.
03:14:00 Speaker 3: Yeah. Councillor Phillips: Okay, I did this quickly in the break because I'll give you an example of sending an email at 8 o'clock last Friday for some questions. This is around today's meeting. Given that most people should have a nice long weekend, I didn't get response till 9 o'clock this morning, which just made it really hard with the public holiday staff and councillors should be allowed to enjoy a long weekend without having to feel like they need to respond to requests. I think psychosocial hazard legislation really tells people that they have the right to switch off. It's something that I think we could improve on. I noted that next year, it actually falls again where the Tuesday general meeting would be the day after public holiday. So I'm just asking for it to be moved for the one time for to the Wednesday. And that is the minor change, but hopefully you can understand my reasoning why.
03:15:00 Mayor Wilkie: Question. What day of the week does the agenda for the ordinary meeting come out? Speaker 6: It's on the schedule. Does the ordinary meeting come out on the Monday? Mayor Wilkie: It comes out on the Monday. Speaker 6: On the 11th. So if this is on Wednesday, the meeting agenda would come out on the Monday. Mayor Wilkie: So it wouldn't change the date. It wouldn't affect the date that the ordinary meeting agenda comes out? Speaker 6: It depends how many changes you make in the agenda. Mayor Wilkie: My question is, would it compress the time frame between the seat of the ordinary meeting agenda and the ordinary meeting? By a day. So we'll shorten it by a day. Just as long as councillors are aware of that. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Yeah, I'm happy to support it. I must admit, I'm not a particular director like yesterday afternoon.
03:16:00 I'm sure she would prefer to be playing soccer at the beach for kids or something. Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions that anyone else would like to speak to the motion? Councillor Wegener? Councillor Wegener: I think it's a good idea. Thank you for noticing. Councillor Wilson: Thank you for letting me enjoy my birthday. All right. Councillor Phillips: So we'll go to vote. All those in favour? And that is carried. Moving on to 7.2.9. Change of time and venue. The ordinary meeting dated 17th of December 2026. Speaker 6: This one is with you as well. So this is just to, as is part of our regulations and the process is that we are taking our meeting out to the regions, out to the Shire.
03:17:00 Our meeting on the 17th of December, we're proposing to have it at the Korean Memorial Hall of Arts at 12 o'clock on 17th of December. So it's just as a change, we need to formalise that and also to the community that we're moving up with. Mayor Wilkie: Happy to move it, Madam Chair. Speaker 3: Thank you. Moved by Councillor Wilkie, seconded by Councillor Finzel. You have the floor. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Yeah. And interestingly, this arrangement came at the request of community members who organised a space in the Koran School of Arts Hall. So we're very happy to have that for us, which is a great courtesy and very pleased that we're able to honour that request. Speaker 3: Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak to the motion? Would you like to close? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, thank you, Chair. It's true that Councillor Wegman is going to be Santa for the kids after the day.
03:18:00 Councillor Phillips: Don't spoil it. Mayor Wilkie: We're not listening. Councillor Phillips: All those in favour? Thank you. Thank you. That's carried. All right. We are done. Finished with reports that are not in confidential. We have one item, number eight, for confidential accession. And I need someone to move. I can move to go into confidential. Councillor Wilson: I'll second. Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Wilson, second. Councillor Phillips: Don't the meeting be closed? The meeting is closed. The public in accordance with section 254 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. This is not publicly available as it contains information that is confidential to the Local Government and pursuant to section 254 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 for the purpose of discussing item 8.1 Noosa Regional Gallery Detailed Business Case and Considerations
03:19:00 Negotiations Relating to Approval of Local Government Regulations 2012. A public discussion would be likely to prejudice the interests of the Local Government. I've said that word a few times and I couldn't get it today. All those in favour to go into confidential? And that's carried. All right. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Just the wording looks a bit funny. We can fix that. Yeah. Speaker 3: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Well, it does contain negotiations relating to a commercial matter, but it's just sitting by itself. Just the clause, the phrasing seems like it needs. Yeah.
03:20:00 Mayor Wilkie: The body. Rather than sitting alone. Yeah. Speaker 3: I'll just remove it. Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Part G, in the body of the motion, you refer to 254J brackets 3G, which is where you would insert the meaning of that. Speaker 3: I don't think we used it, but I don't think that's actually used. Mayor Wilkie: Well, if you're going to. Councillor Phillips: I didn't read the report, but I can pop that in now. We've already noted that it went through, and we're going to complete it. I think keep it as is, Vicky. You didn't vote for it, but the rest still went through.
03:21:00 Speaker 5: Okay. Speaker 3: I didn't see the report on the front page. Yep. Okay, good.
04:05:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Speaker 3: Thank you. Councillor Phillips: Okay, we are back from the confidential session. We're dealing with item 8.1, and I'm going to move a procedural motion to move the confidential regional gallery detailed business case and consideration, which is the ordinary meeting meeting. All those in favour? And that carries. And that ends our general meeting with a meeting closure at 2.09. Thank you everyone.