Before the first item ¶
00:00:00 Mayor Wilkie: Welcome to the ordinary meeting of Thursday, the 15th of October, 2026. I declare the meeting open at 10 a.m. I acknowledge we're meeting on the traditional lands and waters of the Kabi Kabi people and I pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge their recognition of each and every one of us as joint custodians with the responsibility in looking after this beautiful place that we all love. I'd also like to note the passing of former Noosa Councillor, Councillor Brian Linfield. Brian was a very well-loved and respected councillor from Cooroy in the pre-amalgamation Noosa Council. He was pivotal in driving the establishment of the House with No Steps and on behalf of Noosa Council, we pass on our condolences to the family. I note that Councillor Amelia Lorentson is in the back. Apology. All other councillors are in attendance except for Councillor Brian Stockwell
2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY ¶
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3 ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES ¶
00:01:00 and Councillor Karen Finzel who are on the line. Item four is a confirmation of the minutes. I have a mover and a seconder for the minutes of the ordinary meeting at 11.17 of September, 2026. Councillor Phillips: Happy to move. Mayor Wilkie: Happy to move. Councillor Phillips, seconder, Councillor Finzel. All in favour? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Aye. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. We have one petition. I move that the petition with 10 signatories submitted by Gerry Campbell requesting that council remove or reduce the yellow line markings in Antipodes Close, Castaways Beach be received and referred to the Chief Executive Officer to determine the appropriate action. May I have a seconder, please? Seconder, Councillor Wegener. I'll just read out some further details. Councillor Wegener, Councillor Finzel, Councillor Finzel, Councillor Sacks were approximately 30 years without these extensive restrictions. The new yellow no-stopping lines were installed at both ends of the cul-de-sac
4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ¶
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5.1 PETITION - REQUEST FOR REMOVAL OR REDUCTION OF YELLOW LINE MARKINGS IN ANTIPODES CLOSE ¶
00:02:00 and along one side of the street without prior consultation or notification to affected residents. Residents requested the council to provide the traffic and safety assessment and reasons supporting the installation to explain why restrictions of this extent were considered necessary. I'll see you. Thank you. Councillor Finzel: All in favour? Aye. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. There are no presentations. There are no deputations. There are no public questions. I have one Merrill Minute that was included in the agenda, which is the CEO Performance Review Report. So please keep in mind that the attachments to the Merrill Minute are confidential. So if we wish to speak to them, we'll have to go into confidential session with councillors only. As Chair of the CEO Performance Committee, consisting of myself, Councillor Brian Stockwell and Councillor Nicola Wilson,
6 PRESENTATIONS ¶
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7 DEPUTATIONS ¶
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8 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME ¶
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9 MAYORAL MINUTES ¶
00:03:00 I present the attached Chief Executive Officer Annual Performance Review of the Council. The purpose of the minute is to advise the Council of the outcome of the CEO's Annual Performance Review conducted by the Performance Review Committee on September 1st, 2026. The report provides a brief update on the CEO's Annual Review undertaken by the Performance Review Committee, which was facilitated by LG Services Group. LG Services have been contracted to facilitate the Annual Performance Review of the CEO. The Performance Review Committee members are thanked for their dedication and commitment and positively contributed to the review process. The Annual Review has been undertaken. This report serves to advise Council of the findings and recommendations. The process undertaken, the Performance Review Panel, was assisted by Mr Scott Mason of LG Services Group as an independent facilitator. The Councillor survey was forwarded to all councillors with the completion date. In time of 20 August 2026, all seven councillors completed the survey. The survey was also sent to the CEO, which was completed.
9.1 MAYORAL MINUTE - CEO PERFORMANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT ¶
00:04:00 The CEO's responses were presented separately to that of the elected member of the results. The CEO provided a verbal presentation to the Performance Review Committee, including major highlights of the 12-month period, the performance of the organisation, challenges, opportunities and areas for improvement. The PR Committee asked the CEO specific questions and provided a comment on the CEO's presentation. The PR Committee then undertook the formal assessment by quantitatively scoring performance against state of objectives and documented comments where appropriate. I also would like to thank all councillors participating in this process, and particularly the work of Councillor Stockwell and Councillor Nicola Wilson, who put in considerable hours to undertake this regulatory requirement. As I said, we need to discuss it. We need to go into confidential or in-depth discussion. We have no notified motions.
00:05:00 That brings us to consideration of committee recommendations. 11.1.1, Audit and Risk Committee Recommendations, Queensland Audit Office 2026 Committee Briefing Paper. 11.1.2, Queensland Audit Office 2026 Audit Interim Report. 11.1.3, Noosa Council Response to Queensland Audit Officers. 11.1.3, Noosa Council Response to Queensland Audit Officers. 11.1.4, Pro Internal Audit Report, IT General Controls, General Controls. 11.1.5, Internal Audit Update. 11.1.6, Risk Management and BCP Update. 11.1.7, Strategic Internal Audit Plan, 2026 to 2028. 11.1.8, Queensland Audit Officers Forward Work Plan, 2026 to 2029. 11.1.9, Performance Measurement Update. 11.1.10, ICT Cyber Risk Report. 11.1.11, Queensland Audit Officers Local Government Report, 2025 Recommendation Status Update. 11.1.12, 2526, Asset Valuations and the Impact of Australian Accounting Standards Board.
10 NOTIFIED MOTIONS ¶
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11 CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ¶
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11.1.1 QUEENSLAND AUDIT OFFICE - 2026 COMMITTEE BRIEFING PAPER ¶
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11.1.2 QUEENSLAND AUDIT OFFICE - 2026 INTERIM REPORT ¶
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11.1.3 Noosa Council response to Queensland Audit Office’s (QAO) 2026 Interim report ¶
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11.1.4 CROWE - INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT - IT GENERAL CONTROLS ¶
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11.1.5 INTERNAL AUDIT UPDATE ¶
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11.1.6 RISK MANAGEMENT & BCP UPDATE ¶
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11.1.7 STRATEGIC INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN 2026-2028 ¶
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11.1.8 QUEENSLAND AUDIT OFFICE'S FORWARD WORK PLAN 2026-2029 ¶
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11.1.9 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT UPDATE ¶
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11.1.10 ICT CYBER RISK REPORT ¶
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11.1.11 QUEENSLAND AUDIT OFFICE'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORT 2025 RECOMMENDATION STATUS UPDATE ¶
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11.1.12 2025/26 Asset valuations and the impacts of Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) 2022-10 ¶
00:06:00 11.1.13, 2526, Accounting for Infrastructure Damage by Significant Weather Events, Disaster Recovery Program. 11.1.14, 2526, Draft Funding Program. 11.1.15, Financial Services Workforce Planning Update. 11.1.16, Financial Environment Exception Reporting, 31st of July, 2026. 11.1.17, French Benefit Tax Update. 11.1.18, Super On Contractors Project Update. 11.1.19, Audit Committee Recommendations on Block. I have a mover and a seconder for the Audit and Risk Committee Recommendations to be adopted. I have a second. Moved, Councillor Wilson. Seconder, please. Councillor Phillips: I have here to second. Mayor Wilkie: Second, Councillor Phillips. All in favour? Aye. Yes. That's unanimous. Which brings us to the General Committee Recommendations, dated 6th of October, 2026.
11.1.13 2025/26 Accounting for Infrastructure Damaged by Significant Weather Events - Disaster Recovery Program ¶
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11.1.14 2025-26 DRAFT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND END OF FINANCIAL YEAR UPDATE ¶
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11.1.15 Financial Services Workforce Planning - update ¶
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11.1.16 FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT EXCEPTION REPORTING - 31 JULY 2026 ¶
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11.1.17 FRINGE BENEFIT TAX (FBT) UPDATE ¶
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11.1.18 SUPER ON CONTRACTORS PROJECT UPDATE ¶
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11.1.19 AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ENBLOC ¶
00:07:00 11.2.1, Planning Applications Decided by Delegated Authority. 11.2.2, there's a material change of use for multiple blowings in Maple Street and Miles Street, Cooroy. 11.2.3, Noosa Biosecurity Plan, 2026-2031. 11.2.4, Noosa Destination Stewardship Council Draft Terms of Reference was referred to the Ordinary Meeting for a further report and will be dealt with at item 13.2. 11.2.5, the Zero Emissions and Alliance Agreement was referred to the Ordinary Meeting for further consideration and will be dealt with at item 12.1. 11.2.6, Noosa Events Strategic Framework Policy and Governance. I'd like to deal with this item separately to add in the Councillor appointments to be representatives on the group. So I'll move the General Committee Recommendation with the addition of the names Councillor Amelia Lorentson and Councillor Jessica Phillips as representatives on the Noosa Events
11.2 GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS DATED 6 OCTOBER 2026 ¶
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11.2.1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY – AUGUST 2026 ¶
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11.2.2 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 ¶
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11.2.3 NOOSA BIOSECURITY PLAN 2026-2031 ¶
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11.2.4 NOOSA DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE ¶
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11.2.5 ZERO EMISSIONS NOOSA (ZEN) Inc. ALLIANCE AGREEMENT ¶
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11.2.6 NOOSA EVENTS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, POLICY AND GOVERNANCE ¶
00:08:00 Executive Group in item E as noted on the screen. May I have a seconder? Speaker 5: A second. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. I waive my right to speak. We covered this last week. But anyone is free to speak if they wish. Okay, I'll put it to about 8,000. Taylor? Speaker 3: Aye. Councillor Finzel: Yes. Mayor Wilkie: That's unanimous. 11.2.7, the Noosa Aquatic Centre Upgrade Plan and Noosa Aquatic Centre Facility Strategic Plan. 11.2.8, Noosa Shire Council Sole and Specialised Supplier Lists. 11.2.9, Council Meeting Schedule 2027. 11.2.10, Change of Time and Vendors for the Ordinary Meeting dated 17 December 2026. 11.2.11 was referred to the Ordinary Meeting for further consideration. It was a confidential item regarding the Noosa Regional Gallery Detail Business Case and Considerations,
11.2.7 NOOSA AQUATICS CENTRE UPGRADE PLAN AND NOOSA AQUATICS FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLAN ¶
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11.2.8 NOOSA SHIRE COUNCIL SOLE AND SPECIALISED SUPPLIER LISTS ¶
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11.2.9 COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE – 2027 ¶
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11.2.10 CHANGE OF TIME & VENUE FOR ORDINARY MEETING DATED 17 DECEMBER 2026 ¶
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11.2.11 CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE - NOOSA REGIONAL GALLERY Detailed Business Case and CONSIDERATIONS ¶
00:09:00 which we'll deal with at 12.2. 11.2.12 is the General Committee Recommendations on Block. I have a move and a seconder for the General Committee Recommendations to be adopted, except we're dealt with separately. I'm happy to move it. Councillor Finzel: Happy to second. Mayor Wilkie: I second it. And under novat censure, Nayut 목 İstanbul tin zel, which is just quick. We'll come up with deal All in favour? Aye. Yes. That's unanimous. Zero-emissions Noosa Alliance Agreement, which has been referred from the General Committee dated 6 October. We also have an appointment to make on this board as well. I'm happy to move it. We'll keep the vote going. May I have a seconder? I'm happy to second. Okay. You can move the deferral motion.
11.2.12 GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ENBLOC ¶
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12 REPORTS REFERRED FROM THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ¶
00:10:00 Well, let's test this one first. Or, would you like to test yours first? Okay. We can test yours first. Councillor Wilson: Is that not the deferral motion? Is it only a deferral motion? Mayor Wilkie: It's a deferral motion, so I thought if we do this, get it going. I thought it was an alternative motion. It's a procedural. A deferral is a procedural. Councillor Wilson: You've asked to defer the motion, Mayor. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Councillor Wilson: We're in a meeting and there are some reasons. Mayor Wilkie: We've got to move her in a seconder. So, we'll get this underway and then we can move it as a procedural motion as if it's deferral. Councillor Wilson: I'm sorry, we're not doing that. Mayor Wilkie: No, we're doing the staff recommendation with the addition of Councillor Stockwell as the observer in item E. Today, we're considering an investment that delivers extraordinary value for our community, our environment and our ratepayers.
00:11:00 Far beyond the 1,000th. Sorry, the 0.09% of the budget. And when assessing any agreement, the key question should always be simple. What does the community receive in return? In the case of Zero Emissions Noosa, the answer is clear. The people of Noosa receive an exceptional return through practical programs, measurable results, community education, volunteer expertise and widespread engagement that would be extremely difficult for councils to replicate on its own. Some wonder why Zend is different from the other community groups that have sports grounds, facilities, and a lot of other things. Zend is a specialist-purpose organisation without a facility or grounds, helping deliver on council's strategic objectives while focusing specifically on helping residents and businesses reap the financial and health benefits from the global transition to cleaner, lower energy and emissions, more cost-effective technologies. What is particularly impressive is the scale of Zend's impact through projects such as the Business Energy Advisor Program,
00:12:00 the Low-Income Home Solar Initiative, community electrification programs, the E-Bike Library, and the hugely successful EV and Electrify Everything Expo. Zend has transformed policy aspirations into practical benefits for local people. The reach across the community is considerable. The past year alone, Zend's communication generated thousands of social media views, reached more than 35,000 people directly online, distributed newsletters to over 18,000 recipients, achieving nearly 1.5 billion views. Zend has made hundreds of thousands of additional impressions through partnerships with Tourism Noosa and the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation. Their print and radio coverage extended to well over 2 million potential audience engagements across the region. These figures matter because they demonstrate something councils have never purchased through advertising alone – grassroots engagement and the ability to inspire behavioural change. Zend is not merely informing people, it is empowering residents and businesses to save money, reduce costs, improve resilience, and improve the quality of life of their residents.
00:13:00 Zend is not merely informing people, it is empowering residents and businesses to make informed choices when embracing emerging technologies. Equally important is the extraordinary value provided by Zend's volunteers. During the 2020-2020 years, the organisation contributed more than 8,000 volunteer hours. These are not casual volunteers, they include engineers, electrical specialists, company directors, and highly skilled professionals with decades of experience. This brings us to the crucial point. Some have suggested Council could simply employ an internal expert instead at the same cost. With respect, that view dramatically understates what ZEN actually delivers. With the same funding, Council might employ a single specialist officer. What Council would not receive is a network of skilled volunteers, thousands of professional volunteer hours, established partnerships, extensive community reach, sponsorship, support, grant-seeking capability, successful public events, community trust, and years of cumulative expertise.
00:14:00 ZEN investigated 59 grant opportunities, secured multiple funding sources, and continues pursuing every opportunity to leverage Council's investment for greater community benefit. I want to acknowledge the level of accountability and transparency demonstrated by ZEN. Among the 156 pages of documents that accompany this agenda item, the organisation has provided detailed reporting, operational plans, performance measures, volunteer calculations, and impact assessments that allow Council and the community to understand what is being achieved with public funds. This is not simply funding an organisation, it is investing in a proven partnership that delivers outcomes far beyond the scale of Council's financial contribution. For these reasons, renewing this agreement represents good environmental policy, but also outstanding value for rate powers and a smart investment in this future.
00:15:00 Councillor Finzel: Mr Mayor, through the Chair, would I be able to test an additional item F to the current item before us? I'd like to add an F, I'd like to test a performance measurement and community benefit addition to the ZEN plan. Councillor Wilson: Could it be in addition to item B, because it's part of the alliance agreement? Mayor Wilkie: So it's part of the alliance agreement and it's been suggested it would become part of item B. Councillor Finzel: I thought it would become part of F, but I'm happy to be corrected. Mayor Wilkie: Has this been circulated? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Yep. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Councillor Finzel: Item B. Yes. If you don't mind me, Chair. Yes. I'm convinced this authorises the OECD to put the alliance agreement prior to the attachment plan into the report, Councillor Wilson: so that would be when you include the change to Archimedes, the change to Scrum's consortium.
00:16:00 Speaker 6: With going to the side of the alliance agreement. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. So this is the... Councillor Wilson: This is what Councillor Finzel would like. On the screen is what Councillor Finzel wants to know. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Make a rule. So, Councillor Finzel, are you comfortable with what you're seeing on the screen? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Amend item B to include the following. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Councillor Finzel: Yes. Amend the alliance agreement to Act 1 by inserting a new clause 9.3. Speaker 1: Yes. Councillor Finzel: Performance measurement and community benefit. I'd like to test this because I think it provides additional assurance that there's further robust performance measurements in place. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Well, you have... Would you like to read it out?
00:17:00 Councillor Finzel: Given my voice, I'm wondering if, Mr. Chair, would you kindly be able to do that? Mayor Wilkie: Okay. So, Councillor Finzel's moving amendment is amend item B to include the following. Amend the alliance agreement to Act 1 by inserting a new clause 9.3. Performance measurement and community benefit. A, each annual operational plan must include a measurable target for each KPI or a commitment to establish a baseline where none exists. Council will confirm which KPIs require targets when assessing the plan under clause 8.3. Council will confirm which KPIs require targets when assessing the plan under clause 8.1. B. B. ZEN Inc must undertake a community survey at least once every two years with the first completed by the first annual report under this agreement measuring awareness of and
00:18:00 ZEN Inc's influence on renewable energy, electrification, and emissions reduction outcomes in the Noosa Shire. Council will support surveyed development plans in the Noosa Shire Council. All of these are designed to ensure alignment with the climate change response plan. C. CENT Inc must achieve a minimum co-contribution ratio of 1.1 to 1 in each financial year, including both cash and in-kind contributions and must report that ratio in its annual report. Council and CENT Inc will agree a methodology for valuing and reporting volunteer and professional in-kind contributions. D. Where CENT Inc is unable to meet the requirement of this clause in each reporting period,
00:19:00 it must report the reason and the steps proposed to address it. Non-achievement of the co-contribution ratio is a matter for Council's consideration under clause 6.2 and does not of itself constitute a breach of this agreement. Can we have Director Rawlings to the table please. I'd like to ask some questions before it's seconded.
00:20:00 Are you able to help Christy Finzel with this? Speaker 5: Through the chair, yes we do. Okay. Mayor Wilkie: Can you provide your view on how these would, impact the capacity of CENT to function as an effective organisation and also how it is different to their current reporting requirements? Speaker 1: Sure. Thanks to the chair. So this proposed amendment adds more rigor to the concerns that have been raised by Councils regarding the KPIs and some of them not having targets. Now in the two operational plans for the working groups of CENT Inc, there are in total about 62 KPIs. Some of them do not have targets. And so as proposed in 9.3 , this would be adding a measurable target for each KPI where appropriate.
00:21:00 So there's some KPIs that are for noting that are Shire wide that CENT Inc does not have control over, in which case you wouldn't require necessarily a target for those. And so this allows us to work closely with them over the coming months to improve their reporting on KPIs and targets, which are covered already in clauses 6.1 and 6.2 in the agreement as well as clause 8.1. However, this further strengthens it. And so we think that this reporting rigor can help address some concerns and we've conferred with CENT Inc and they have given indication that it is something within their capacity. Noting that they are a smaller volunteer organization. So we do not want to make the requirements too onerous by in placing targets on them which they cannot achieve. And so I think it's a nice balance of being able to work closely with them to achieve what works for both Council and CENT Inc within their capacity. And then adding the community survey at least once every two years.
00:22:00 That's something we've been speaking to CENT Inc about for some time. It's about measuring the impact of their work on a more broader scale rather than just post-event or post-project surveys which they currently run. It's a bit more of a stock take of how their work is impacting the music community. And we think that would be a nice addition to their annual report. And so that's a proposal as well as achieving a minimum co-contribution ratio of one to one. Currently in their 2025 annual report, depending on how you calculate income contributions, it's significantly more than a one to one ratio. But we think it's a and CENT Inc has agreed that it is achievable to ensure that they are contributing both cash and income to one value for every one value that Council puts in. So we think that that's a nice balance. And we've added clause D just in case there's any issues with capacity and volunteer availability in the given year with achieving these requirements.
00:23:00 That we can be flexible and it's to Council's discretion on whether they that whether you approve it and consider it as part of the annual budget consideration. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. And it's timely, reasonable and possible that this can happen under the new alliance agreement? Speaker 5: Yeah, the proposition here is that this is an additional clause that's included in the new alliance agreement. Councillor Phillips: Okay. Question? I have a question just around the Council. The Council will support survey design to ensure alignment with climate change response plan. Given we hear a lot about our engagement calendar and survey resources. I'm just wondering what that's actually going to entail on the team, because that seems like a lot. Speaker 1: Thanks for the question, Councillor Jess. Through the Chair, this would be input and advice only from our sustainability and climate change team.
00:24:00 We wouldn't be helping them run the survey. We could speak to our comms team about cross-promotion. However, this would be fully on ZENINC. ZENINC would run the survey in their own capacity and we would provide input on some of the questions that they include to ensure that the climate change response plan outcomes that ZENINC is helping Council to achieve are also being covered by that survey. Councillor Phillips: Okay. All right. Speaker 1: So we don't anticipate it to take a lot of Council staff time to assist. Councillor Phillips: Okay. So then that's not that I want more Council resources, but that adds more questions for me because then ZENINC is going to be responsible for the survey questions. Then how are we going to influence that the questions aren't subjective or like Council won't have a say over that? Right. Speaker 5: Well, this clause actually says we will have a say over that.
00:25:00 The Council will support the survey design. You know, and the intention is that, you know, for us to say that we were comfortable with it, it would need to be unbiased, not subjective, aligned with the climate change response plan. Mayor Wilkie: Can we? I've seconded this so we could start speaking to it, but I've already moved the original motion. Can we have a seconder, please? Councillor Finzel, you have the floor. Can you hear us, Councillor Finzel? Speaker 6: You're on mute. Mayor Wilkie: You're on mute. Councillor Finzel: Thank you. There's no further comment. I think the addition 9.3 performance measurement and community benefit speaks for itself.
00:26:00 I've got no further comment. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Wilson: Thank you. Councillor Wilson. I'm happy to support this. Thank you, Councillor Finzel. I think that's a good improvement. At the moment, we've put them in a position where they can't actually meet the requirements under the alliance improvements because they don't have the KPIs to achieve. So we told them that they have to achieve any targets, in their KPIs. The documents refer to, in the motion, the next step manager for IPC is steering actors In the recommendation, refer to Attachments 8 and 9, which are the strategy and another plan, and these have goals and objectives that they don't have at the end yet. So at the moment the recommendation is refer to Attachments 8 and 9. So we need to get a chance of actually being able to meet the requirements of the agreement, we need to have some paperwork.
00:27:00 We could go through an exercise like we did with TM, where we highlight some really high-level KPIs that align to those strategies, rather than having to actually go through all 62 at the end of every year. So I think that could be a useful exercise to be able to highlight some really important KPIs at the moment. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Chair Senators. I'll support the amendment. I think it's a good amendment. It adds a bit of clarity and a bit of surety. And thank you, Councillor Finzel, for bringing this to the table and working with the staff. I think it improves the direction we're heading in. Any other councillors wish to speak to the amendment? Councillor Finzel, do you wish to close? Councillor Finzel: No, thank you, Mr Chair. Just thank everyone at the table for their contribution. Careful consideration on the matter. Mayor Wilkie: Yes.
00:28:00 I'll put it to the vote. That's Councillor Phillips. Councillor Finzel: Sorry, Councillor Stockwell seems to have dropped off line. Mayor Wilkie: I'm not sure. Wegener, Wilson, Wilkie, Kinzel. Yes. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, here he is. He's back on. Mayor Wilkie: You support the amendment? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I do, sorry. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah, thank you. That's unanimous. So that becomes part of the substantive motion. Any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Wilson? Councillor Wilson: Good question, please. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Councillor Wilson: In this current draft document then is required to submit audited financial statements by February each year. Was that requirement in the previous agreement? Because I don't believe we actually had signed audited financial statements yet. Is that correct? Speaker 2: Through the Chair, yes, the finances were audited.
00:29:00 I was informed by the Chair of Zero Emissions News that there was an issue attaching the signed and accepted audited finances to the report. She has supplied that to us this morning, which I'd be happy to share with councillors after this meeting. Councillor Wilson: Could you please let me know if there was any changes to the figures that were in the report? Speaker 2: I believe there were no changes. It was just an updated, signed, audited report. Councillor Wegener: Mm-hmm. Okay. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Swinton? Councillor Wegener: I'll speak to the motion. Speaker 2: Okay. Councillor Wegener: I'd like to just give some context of Zero Emissions Noosa and how it's our established position to support Zero Emissions Noosa. I'm going to go to the corporate plan 2328. Our goal is to fund and implement the climate change response plan to support council, community, and the local economy to build resilience and preparedness for a climate risk and to achieve zero emissions.
00:30:00 So that's in our corporate plan. That's what has gone out to consultation and been voted on and all, goes through the complete process. And then? So we've been talking to our climate change response plan, which came from that. This climate change response plan intends to establish Noosa as a genuine leader in responding to climate change by creating and implementing a cross-sectional, cross-functional approach that is bold, efficient, and maximizes co-benefits. And ZEN has done this for Noosa Council. To the extreme, has done such an incredible job. And this vision for Noosa is a part of my council while I was here. And I voted for it. It went through the consultation process.
00:31:00 It is the actual position of Noosa Council. That's who we are. This is our DNA as of right now. And to change this is to change our position substantially by default, basically. So I support Zero Emissions Noosa. So yeah, I support Zero Emissions Noosa because they're fulfilling what we have set out to do. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wegener. Any councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: Let's test in a moment, please. Mayor Wilkie: An amendment? Yes. Councillor Wilson: Sorry, Councillor Wegener. No, well, it's within the referral function. Speaker 6: Try it a bit? Yeah. Councillor Wilson: Yeah. Speaker 6: I'll use that. Councillor Wilson: Yeah, so it's the second one. Speaker 5: You just want to do one with that one? Councillor Wilson: Yeah. I'll just do it.
00:32:00 Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Will there be a match? Councillor Wilson: Yes. Thank you. Thank you. So it would be required that... Required that he should provide...
00:33:00 Mayor Wilkie: Okay, we have a seconder for this so we can have some discussion on it. Happy to second. Thank you Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: The policy agreement requires ZEN to be solvent and as a termination clause it should be done from solvent. At the moment we only have accounts from December 2025 and we don't yet have the signed version. ZEN did have $236,000 in the bank at that point and a lot of liabilities but we've got no idea what position it's in now so I think it would be good for governments to make sure that they're solvent before we enter into an agreement. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Sorry, Councillor Wilson, did you just say we don't have side orders of financials? Councillor Wilson: We have tough ones. Mayor Wilkie: Oh, councillors, yeah. Councillor Wilson: We have tough ones. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Okay.
00:34:00 Question is, what's involved in getting a statement of solvency? Is it a costly exercise? Yeah, councillor. Yeah, what's involved? Okay, thank you. Yeah. Look, I'm happy to support this. We've seen the audited financials that showed they were in surplus. The examples are going to be concerned. They have been year to year. This is added assurance, and I think it's good practice. Councillor Wegener: Councillor Regan. I would not be confident in knowing what I'm actually voting for here to require this. I mean, they depend on funds from... They also are very much helped by grants that have given out that are now actually frozen as of this point, I believe.
00:35:00 And so, a community group to provide this when it is completely dependent upon us to be solvent in the first place seems to not make sense to me. So, I don't understand it. And so, I wouldn't vote for something of this nature unless I truly understood it. And we've had weeks to consider. We've had weeks to consider this, and we haven't. Councillor Phillips: Question to the CEO, if another organisation applied for funding from us, would we be asking for this if we were going through a process similar? Speaker 3: Whether we ask for an actual, I suppose we could ask for a solvency statement, but I think it certainly is part of our due diligence. We check on that. We check on the organisation before we provide any funding to anybody to make sure that we're not dividing it to an insolvent or a causative organisation, which is not the same as a causative organisation.
00:36:00 I'm just saying any organisation we would not, we would certainly not provide it. Councillor Phillips: So, I'll speak to support it then, because I do believe that, and I won't bring it up, but I know that there has been organisations asked for something similar. I think it's really good governance to expect this, so I have no issues asking. Thanks. Can I ask a question? Councillor Wegener: Question to Steph. How come we haven't asked them if they're solvent? Isn't that sort of a part of the process of an alliance agreement and potential funding coming up? Speaker 5: We received their financials as part of the annual report that's provided to Council. They then present to Council every February. They've met all their reporting obligations under current agreements, so we feel like they've met their obligations.
00:37:00 Mayor Wilkie: You have councillors on the line who should speak? Yes. Councillor Finzel: I have a question. Yes. Through the Chief Executive. Through the Chair to the CEO, I concur that I think this addition at this point of time speaks to me of a gap and a risk that perhaps may have been overlooked. Mr CEO, you have the final sign-off on agendas and reports prior to them coming before Council for a decision. Were you satisfied that? There has been a statement supplied to prove that ZENiG is solvent. And secondly, I'm wondering why the signed audit financial papers from ZEN were only
00:38:00 provided today. I'm just seeking clarification how that, in terms of good governance, this report was signed off for decision before Council. Speaker 3: I can only... Through the Chair, I can only reiterate what the Director has said is that we've been provided, as we do with all organisations, we get provided bare financials in a regular fashion, in a timely fashion, as should be the case, and I think we rely on that as the basis for whether they're an ongoing concern. So that's the position that we've taken. We understand that this is, remember, this is, what, the eighth year of supporting ZEN, seven years, something like that? We've been doing it for a number of years. It's a number of years that ZEN have been incorporated and been operating with our support.
00:39:00 So I think it's one of those things where we've relied on their reporting, their financial reporting, and that's the position we've taken. I also think it is important to understand a point in time, in terms of solvency, with an organisation like this that does rely on funding from an external source. So we need to understand whether that's something, and I guess, Council, you'll be able to answer that for me as well, as an accountant, that doesn't rely on further funding if that funding comes and that is what their financial needs are. We need to understand what their financial needs are based on, as well, in terms of solvency and ongoing business. So we just need to probably just tie that up. But I think, again, there's a range of things in this. This is something that's been, funding for ZEN has been something that's been in our budgets, because it's been agreed in our forecast budgets, and this is really now tying up the agreement
00:40:00 to provide that funding. And the KPIs and all of the outcomes that we're seeking for that funding from ZEN. So this is the process we've been going through. So from my understanding, we've consistently, over the years that we've been funding them, we've been giving those reports, and there's a level of comfort that they're ongoing for ZEN. Councillor Wegener: Thank you. Councillor Wigginton. A question to Councillor Wilson. So when, I remember, what is the definition of being solvent, because I know that at the New South Wales Reserve Foundation, the treasurer was saying, solvency means that you have to be able to pay all your bills for several months in advance, six months, 12 months. What is the definition of solvency that we're looking at? Councillor Wilson: That's correct.
00:41:00 It's being able to pay your debts as they fall due. And to calculate it, it's current assets denied by current liability. And it needs to be more than one. So if ZEN is expecting funds from us that have already been commuted, then that will be in their receivables on their balance sheet. So that will be included in determining what they're solvent. So even though they haven't got the cash in the bank yet, it's on their balance sheet as a receivable. And so therefore, so long as their liabilities are not greater than the money they're expecting to come in. And as I said, in December they had raised quite low liabilities. So it's likely that they are solvent. But my concern is that we're making that decision based on accounts from December and now in October. So we don't know what the public decision is. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. If the Councillor will speak. Councillor Wilson, New South Wales. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, Councillor Stockwell, I didn't see your hand up.
00:42:00 Mayor Wilkie: Sorry. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: Oh, sorry, I didn't. Just to let you know, in my experience with grant funds, whereas recently, historically, the community group were asked to provide bank statements. I've noticed that particularly the states now move that they don't want your current bank statements. They want only your last audited annual report. And I think that's a good thing. And that would appear to be a fairly standard practice these days in the grant world. So the fact that we have got that from December, in most grant situations, that's all that's required. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. Councillor Wilson, would you like to close? Speaker 5: No. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour of the amendment. Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilkie. Against. Councillor Finzel: Yes. I'm a yes. Oh. Mayor Wilkie: And Councillor Finzel. Mr Chair, yes.
00:43:00 Okay. Councillor Finzel. Against. Councillor Wegener. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: It's a nay for me. Mayor Wilkie: And Councillor Wegener and Councillor Stockwell. The amendment is carried. And it takes us back to the original motion to which only Councillor Wilkie and Councillor Wiggins have spoken. Councillor Wilson: Councillor Wilson. Number six, so I'm going to provide a request.
00:44:00 I was going to apply for this application. What do you want me to do? That's my number. Speaker 5: Number one. Councillor Wilson: I'm going to give you a second instead of five. And then you can say tell if you want to say it. Okay.
00:45:00 Mayor Wilkie: Read that out for us, councillors. Okay. Have a good one. Yeah. Councillor Wilson: Request that Danning update Platinum 7 manual report, section 9, methods of communication slash marketing and audience reach, and accurately reflect to people as needed in the address. Okay. Mayor Wilkie: Council Wilson, does this involve retrospectively changing KPIs in a report that we've already made a decision on to approve funding in the budget?
00:46:00 Councillor Wilson: We did not receive a report on the decision on funding in the budget. We're asking the board to approve the report, which is a shitty bottle. Mayor Wilkie: Is anyone willing to second this to the purpose of debate? Helping second. Council Wilson? Councillor Wilson: First page of the annual report claims an ROI of 24.3 and claims that zoning has reached 2.4 million people and has saved councillors $3 million. I've already made comments on that. I was not able to comment on these in the general committee meeting last week and feel that they are exaggerated and misleading. They are not verified. The return of 24.3 might be a social impact but it's not financial return on investment on capital funding. The 2.4 million people is not unique readers. It's an accumulated figure of potential readers and viewers seeing multiple articles or posts.
00:47:00 This is not my opinion. It is clearly stated in the annual report and needs to be corrected. Zen has conceded over the last few days that there are inconsistencies in their reporting between potential reach and unique number of readers. If a print media has a reach of 22,000 people it cannot reach 60,000 people. It can only reach 22,000 people or perhaps the newspaper has picked up a whole other person. But the claims of reaching 60,000 people for example are true and needs to be corrected. It is clear and transparent what reach is potentially. It does actually say in the annual report 22,000 times 30 articles. But this should be potential 22,000 people reading 30 articles if they actually pick up the paper and read it.
00:48:00 Zen has committed to in the future ensuring all information around unique reach, impressions, engagement, actual attendance, and estimated media exposure is consistent with transparent communications, measurement principles promoted by the International Association for the Management and Evaluation of Communication from EMAC. We were provided with a link to the EMAC website that unfortunately did not actually send me to the methodology that's been used. So I can't necessarily request that that methodology should be used for this exercise because I don't know what it is. But I have emailed EMAC to ask if it is. So at the moment I'm not comfortable with making a decision on a report that's got these inconsistencies in it. And I would like to see the report revised. Mayor Wilkie: I'm not going to support this one because this is asking us to reconstruct historical reporting information.
00:49:00 Retrospectively going, change in annual report has already been ratified by the members of Zen. And we've also, it's also helped inform our decision in previous years that the same methodology to continue on with the funding. This is exactly the sort of alteration to KPIs that we're seeking to include in as we move forward under the new alliance agreement. To go back in and change the methodology because it's contestable. I think that's not good practice. I think acknowledge that the information is contestable. And moving forward as we've discussed in the last amendment with by Karen Finzel, Council Finzel. Work together proactively to make sure that moving forward these methods of communication, marketing and audience reach is an agreed KPI.
00:50:00 But to go back. And change a KPI retrospectively after an annual report has been ratified by an organisation. Is rewriting history. And I don't think it's good practice. And I think it's better served, it's more equitable. If we, moving forward, do it as in consultation with Zen and the staff. As part of the amendment that was already moved. Yeah. To act proactively moving forward rather than retrospectively change an annual report. Re-dating an annual report. I don't think it's healthy practice. And yeah. It's highly. I have some serious concerns about doing that. I won't be supporting the amendment. Speaker 5: Thanks very much.
00:51:00 Mayor Wilkie: Castle, go on. Councillor Wegener: I do actually have some experience with the very dark art of impressions. And when I was travelling around promoting surf movies, we knew that if you put one advertisement in a local paper, you might get 20 people. If you did it two weeks in a row, you might get 40 people. And if you did it three weeks in a row, you'd probably get 120 people. Meaning that there's a cumulative effect. And we probably do the same thing, us politicians. Are we going to write one article and then step back? Not as many people as we possibly can in the news today and various various publications. So. Individual people. You actually want to get that same person. But they. If they read it three times. Well then it's three. Three unique. So the measurement is. Is very nebulous. So I I can't support it. Because the debt doesn't fit in with my experience.
00:52:00 One person as a unique individual. And if they read the same thing three times, it's actually three people. That's my impression. Mayor Wilkie: Do the councillors online wish to speak to the amendments? Yeah, thank you. Councillor Finzel, I didn't see your hand up, sorry. Councillor Finzel: Oh, sorry, my apologies. Look, I think I'm not a marketing person. I have to rely on the staff and the CEO who follow a process where all reports are, you know, looked at and then come up the tree to the CEO to sign off. The challenge for me here is I support the intent of this in terms of, like, transparency and there's opinions around the table of how this reporting should be provided around communication and marketing methods. That's not my role. As a councillor, I think that's the role of the ZEN organisation
00:53:00 and our offices, including sign-offs by the CEO in terms of governance, to ensure that there's been robust and rigour around that. The challenge today and what this highlights for me is the I think we're at an intersection where we need to look with robust and rigour around our frameworks through a governance lens. It's challenging for me to, like, have to think about the issues and the matters that come down to minutiae like this, and I acknowledge this is my role and my position, to I feel it's a crossover between good governance and continuous improvement for the organisation. I think we can do better and I think the matters here before this
00:54:00 that have followed this agenda item highlight the need for, you know, that we're in a time and place where we have to have a really close look at how this organisation is moving into the future and diligently pulling apart that which is service in the past and what we need to do moving forward. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Thank you. Councillor Stockwell, do you have your hand up? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I just have to say that it is, as you say, the report was produced as an annual report. It has been submitted to us as their annual report. The analysis of Councillor Wilson has not just identified that there's a slight difference between the summary version and the full annual report. It has been submitted to us as their annual report. The annual report, to me, is very clear on how the figures were calculated.
00:55:00 They give me sufficient information to make a decision. Going back and changing the report won't make any difference to the information that we're going to have before us. It would just, say, be more clear in terms of a preference by one councillor to discount individuals who may have been engaged multiple occasions. My inquiry is to see whether or not there is a difference in terms of how the figures were calculated. That is not industry practice, but it would be something that we ask for in the future. There is no need to change the report. We have now got a very thorough understanding of how it's calculated. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Stockwell. Councillor Wilson, do you wish to close? Councillor Wilson: Yes. Councillors are making a decision on a three-year funding agreement based on information that's inaccurate and misleading. It would not be a big issue. It would be a big exercise to go back and change the annual report to say impressions rather than readers.
00:56:00 I do understand the importance of impressions. So, they've been talking about how many people they have reached and they've been talking about the potential number of impressions. It would not at all be a big imposter and it would help us to then have reassurance that this methodology will then, or these terminologies will be used going forward. It's not necessarily about the method. It's about getting the words right so that it says impressions, not readers trying to claim that there's 2.4 million people when that's completely inaccurate. So, just because we've accepted a low standard historically doesn't mean we should keep accepting it. Mayor Wilkie: That's it. Thank you. I hope the amendment to the vote goes in favour. Councillor Phillips? Councillor Wilson? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Fletcher? Stockwell, do you have your hand up?
00:57:00 Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, sorry, just getting put down. On the name. Mayor Wilkie: Okay, against Councillor Wilkie, Wegener and Stockwell. The amendment is lost on my casting vote. Another amendment? Councillor Wilson: Number nine. So, again, it's a request then to provide, and I think we can clarify that that was a nine-year-old.
00:58:00 Item I be added to read. Request that then be provided by an appendix I, B&L by Prodex, as previously indicated from the annual report. Councillor Finzel: So, I'm happy to second for debate. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Finzel. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: Yeah, just a simple one. There was an appendix referred to in the annual report, and it's I, which was due to be the B&L by Prodex. That page was blank. There was a note in there that said it wasn't included, and I was really interested in seeing the B&L for the expo.
00:59:00 So, I'd like that to be provided. Mayor Wilkie: So, is there any, is this a report we're still working on from ZENIC? Speaker 1: We have received the signed audited report of financials from ZENIC, and they have also noted that it has been sent before, and we are just double-checking of whether that includes. the B&L by project as well. So, we don't think it's a major impulse, as it was noted in the annual report, in the appendices, as Councillor Wilson alluded to, that the B&L by project would be provided. So, we don't think this is a major issue to be requesting this from ZENIC.
01:00:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Given a lot of these projects are funded by volunteer labour, would they have done a P&L for every project? Speaker 1: Through the Chair, we'll take that on. Thank you. Councillor Wilson: Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 1: Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Okay, any further discussion on this one? Any questions?
01:01:00 Councillor Wilson: I just want to make clear what I'm referring to. There's an appendix in the report that is blank and says insert spreadsheet email by project. So I'm not asking for anything that wasn't supposed to be already provided. And yeah, just a bit disappointed that we get reports with information missing and that no one's picked it up. Mayor Wilkie: Okay, put it to the vote. Those in favour? Aye. Councillor Phillips, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Stockwell, Councillor Wilkie. Against? Councillor Finzel: I'm a yes. Yes, Mr. Mayor. Mayor Wilkie: Against? Councillor Wegener. That's carried. This becomes part of the substantive motion. Are there any more amendments,
01:02:00 Councillor Finzel: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor, can I put forward that we defer the decision to November round of meetings for the purpose of obtaining additional information to assist Council, I think, in terms of time management and lengths of meetings when we're going down to these really fine minutiae. My amendment to defer the decision. Mayor Wilkie: You're moving a procedural motion, Councillor Finzel? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Can I do that now? Mayor Wilkie: You can. Yes. Do we have a seconder for Councillor Finzel's procedural motion? Happy to second. Councillor Phillips. Councillor Finzel. Councillor Wilson: Can I just clarify this just to defer the amendment, not for a further report? Mayor Wilkie: Was it for a further report, Councillor? Councillor Finzel: Sorry, I provided some wording.
01:03:00 Yeah. Well, that was before you had a whole conversation. Councillor Wilson: Okay. Councillor Finzel: All right. Well, it's defer the decision to the November meetings for the purpose of obtaining additional information. To assist Council's decision making. The reason why I raised this today, I think in terms of meeting process. Mayor Wilkie: We'll get you a second before you start debating it, Councillor. I'll have a second. Oh, so we've got a seconder. Okay. You've got the floor. My apologies. You're on mute, Councillor Finzel. Councillor Finzel: Sorry, thank you. Yes, I just think that, I think it's just due diligence and good governance today, given there seems a lot of, like, information needing to be required to help perhaps in Council's decision making process and in the purpose of, like, good time management and everybody's time around the table to make decisions.
01:04:00 Today, I'm putting this forward as perhaps a better way of managing the process to ensure that the report comes back and that we address gaps, risks and provision of what's being raised today around the financials, the audits, and I just think it's good governance. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Any other councillors wish to speak to the amendment? Oh, sorry, the deferral motion.
01:05:00 Okay, I put it to vote. Those in favour? Councillor Phillips, Councillor Wilson? Yes. Councillor Finzel, those against? Councillor Wilkie, Councillor Wegener? Nay. Councillor Stockwell? I'll use my casting vote. It's defeated. We'll go back to the original motion, to which only two councillors have spoken. Do any other councillors wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Phillips: Councillor Phillips? I'll speak to it then. I was happy to support the deferral, given that today we're making a decision without all the information, so I find that quite difficult to comprehend, so I won't be supporting the recommendation today based on the fact that we don't have all the information that councillors have asked for. The agreement, I believe, finished in June, so another month would also have not have made any difference to this decision today.
01:06:00 Yeah, I'm quite shocked that another month to get councillors to feel confident with the information is quite bizarre, but that has led me to probably confirming today that I can't support. I can't afford to support councillors' information. Without the report in front of us, I will start by acknowledging the work of Zero Emissions and the volunteers in our community, because I do think that's something that I feel very passionate about, recognising those people regardless of what they're volunteering for. So I'll start by saying that. Councillor Wegener pointed out the corporate plan is from 2023 to 2028. As we're now in October 2026, I'm also looking forward to being part of a new corporate plan. And I'm hopefully, I hope that it will reflect more of the silent majority in our community that believe that we should be committing to projects we can deliver and be much more cautious of our long term financial commitments.
01:07:00 The climate change response was also completed in 2021. So both these documents are not current enough to help support my current position. We're asking to endorse it. We're being asked to endorse it. We're being asked today to endorse a three year funding agreement without our corporate services team delivering the long term financial strategy they're working on. My position is not about whether ZEN's organisation meets its environmental objectives or whether they're worthwhile, because I believe they are. But my position today is about responsibility that we have as a council when entering into formal agreements and committing public funds by any means. I've consistently raised concerns about the need for council to focus on measurable outcomes and more importantly, long term financial accountability and deliver our core responsibilities.
01:08:00 I've not reached a standard with this agreement that I'm comfortable with today. We have community groups, as the Mayor said, sporting organisations, volunteers right across Noosa working tirelessly with the limited resources and less support. They deserve consideration that's fair and they deserve consistency in how we assess requests for support. Today, I cannot support this recommendation before us today. Councillor Gough. Councillor Gough. Mayor Wilkie: Any other speakers? I'll close. Councillors, we've had 156 points. We've had 156 pages of information for our consideration. We've had more than enough time to consider it all, including audited financial statements that were delivered on time.
01:09:00 We saw them in February and we've had access to them for the last two weeks to inform our decisions. The omission of a PNL 5 project would have been information that is subservient to the overall audited financial statements. We know from the auditor, Lisa McVeish, it's a going concern. So concerns about financial viability and accountability are reasonable but well covered by the documentation. Councillor Phillips: Point of order, Mr Mayor. What's your point of order? Just the information that you provided about when we received financials. I don't believe we don't have the financials. Mayor Wilkie: There was an email in February and it was provided to Council. I saw it in February. Well, I haven't had a workshop on this, so I don't have... Councillor Wilson: We still don't have powers to start decisions. And a PNL 5 project wouldn't be... Mayor Wilkie: Okay, look, if you don't like the information you're hearing, that's not a point of order. Please sit down. I'm continuing my speech.
01:10:00 Councillor Phillips: My point of order still stands. It needs to go to a vote from you around whether or not... Okay. I'm asking you... Mayor Wilkie: Your point of order is not valid because it's not a point of order if you don't agree with what you're hearing. Okay? And few organisations in Noosa can demonstrate the return on investment achieved by ZEN. With comparatively modest Council contribution, 0.09% of the budget, ZEN leverages thousands of volunteer hours, attracts external funding, builds partnerships across government, business, and community sectors, delivers outcomes that will cost many times more if undertaken directly by Council. What makes ZEN exceptional is not simply the projects it delivers, but the challenges it overcomes to deliver them. As a volunteer-led organisation, it operates under reporting and accountability requirements that many larger organisations will find daunting.
01:11:00 Every year, ZEN prepares detailed audited financial statements presented in February on time, annual reports, operational plans, acquittals, project reporting, valid KPIs, event reporting, emission and energy impact reporting, and financial disclosures. Yet despite the significant compliance burden, it continues... These volunteers continue to deliver tangible benefits for our community. Through community support... New solar initiatives, energy efficiency programs, electrical vehicle education, sustainable transport advocacy, business engagement programs, and flagship events such as the Electrify Everything Expo. ZEN has helped residents and businesses lower energy costs, reduce emissions, improve resilience, and prepare for the economic opportunities that come with the transition to cleaner technologies. Importantly, every Council dollar invested is multiplied through volunteer expertise and community participation. Few organisations can point to the level of leverage that ZEN achieves.
01:12:00 Thousands of hours of professional knowledge, technical expertise, and community engagement are willingly contributed by local people who care about our future. But the true measure of ZEN's success is not the number of professional reports it produces, but the impact it creates. Lower household energy bills, stronger local businesses, better-informed residents, greater energy resilience, community-led solutions, and a better future for all of us. In a time when communities are being asked to do more with less, ZEN stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved when dedicated professional volunteers supported by modest public investment turn vision into action. I commend the Councillors for the amendments that they have supported to make this a more robust motion. Thank you. I put the motion to the vote. Those in favour? Councillor Wilkie. Councillor Wegener. Aye. Councillor Stockwell.
01:13:00 Those against? Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wilson. No. Councillor Finzel. The motion is carried on my casting vote. Thank you, staff. The next item is a confidential one, but with your permission, Councillors, we might move that to the end of the agenda. Is that okay? Councillor Wilson: I'm sticking to the agenda. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: But the next item we'll deal with is the financial performance report 13.1 and we've got David and Zap if you'd like to come to the table.
01:14:00 Speaker 2: Good morning councillors. I might hand over to Zap to present the information on this report. But before I do so I would like to indicate that from our perspective there's no issues of financial concern with the reports that have been taken today in relation to councillors financial results at the 30th of September. Speaker 4: Zap. Thank you. And through the chair I will take the report as read. The September report reflects councillors financial performance as at the 30th of September 2020. The report covers the first three months of the financial year or 25%. Results generally remain largely influenced by timing differences, budget profiling or expenditure profiling and carry forward works. As at the 30th of September, councils reported a favourable net result variance to budget of 2.5 million.
13.1 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2026 ¶
01:15:00 This comprises a favourable operating position of 2.2. And a favourable capital position of 0.3 million. I would like to draw attention to the following matters detailed in the report. All of my preceding comments relate to balances as at the 30th of September. Council has received 71.9 million or 43.8% of its full operating revenue budget of 164.2 million. The favourable variance to date is of approximately 1.9 million. Reflects higher than rates. Higher rate and waste utility charges together with investment earnings and interest on overdue rates and charges. Operating expenditure is 40 million or 24.3 million of year to date expenditure. Operating expenditure is approximately 0.4 million favourable year to date to budget.
01:16:00 This is generally tracking with an acceptable budget parameters with variances largely of timing or progress. Further analysis will be provided in subsequent reports as trends or underlying patterns start to develop to provide greater confidence in financial reporting. Council's business activities provide an operating variance of 1.8. Council's overall operating variance includes 0.4 million as relating to council's business activities. Waste management is a reported favourable position. The holiday park experience is primarily related to the timing or the profiling of our expenditure when matched against its revenue profiling. Management's current position is we believe this will remedy itself by the end of the financial year. In regards to tourism and economic development, investment year to date is broadly tracking at its budgeted profile with a current $5,000 underspend versus budget.
01:17:00 Council's capital revenue to date is $6.2 million with $6.1 million of that from capital grants and subsidies and a balance from cash contributions and infrastructure charges. Council's actual capital works expenditure is $12.7 million today with 12.7% of Council's overall $99.7 million capital works budget. Moving forward in regards to the October 2026 report. More detailed quarterly reporting will provide it that is currently presented to the capital works executive committee. This will provide more detailed analysis and a revised graph, graphs which provide additional commentary to support the financial metrics. Council's total cash on hand is $146.6 million, including $6.7 million held in trust. Council's investments continue to perform well against all agreed benchmarks.
01:18:00 In regards to rates and utility charges, Council has collected $57.6 million or 50.5% of its $114 million budget. I would like to just draw attention specifically to the more detailed reporting on our rates or REVs. As at the 30th of September, total rates or REVs were $11.7 million or 9.2% of Council's underlying rates budget. There was approximately $3.2 million of rates paid during the September period. This generally reflects our consistent six-monthly trend of arrears, which increases in July and January and decreases over the preceding months. It is worth noting that Council is currently undertaking its standard arrears collection process, with about 800 ratepayers expected to be referred to Council's debt agent during October 2026. This represents $7 million in long-standing or significant arrears that are greater than 12 months overdue.
01:19:00 The initial referral does exclude any ratepayers who currently have approved payment arrangements or are expecting financial hardship through financial hardship arrangements. This month's report also includes the quarterly rolling programme of our measures of financial sustainability. There are no issues of concern associated with the results presented in the report. It is worth noting that the measures currently adopted are defined as a point in time and generally reported as at the 30th of June each year through our financial statements. It can mean that interim results are somewhat screwed screwed skewed skewed skewed skewed skewed skewed skewed skewed Speaker 6: skewed Speaker 4: skewed
01:20:00 All current metrics in the current financial year meet accepted benchmarks. For those that have long-term which fall below benchmarks are expected to refine and correct themselves as our long-term forecasts and budget assumptions are addressed. So those that are currently falling below benchmarks will be remedied as we move forward. In the August 2026 report, there was a modification to our credit card surcharge service fee as a result of broader changes to legislation. I just want to provide assurance that all of our systems have been updated to reflect that change and no credit card surcharges exist within Council's own operating system. Just in terms of closing comments, Council remains in a strong and stable financial position. And current, current variances are typically drawn from operating trends or timings of Council's underlying budget as opposed to risks they're currently presenting.
01:21:00 Thank you. I'll be happy to take questions. Mayor Wilkie: Questions for Zach, councillors? Councillor Wilson's happy with the report. It's a good sign. I just have a question about what proportion of the $11.7 million in the wheels you believe is realistically recoverable? Speaker 3: That's a really good question, Councillor. Speaker 4: Yeah. Through the Chair. So I can probably provide assurance around that question. So rates and utility charges ultimately are tied to the underlying land. So there are protections in and around that. So in terms of recoverability and how we report it within our financial statements, there's low risk of under-recovery of rates and utility charges as they're ultimately tied to the land. The ultimate, I suppose, hard stuff on that is if eventually an owner who is in a rare sales that lands one of the requirements of any settlement of land is that rates are generally disposed of or cleared.
01:22:00 So it is, from a risk point of view, rates and utility charges generally have a low risk association with a lack of recovery. It's part of the reason, again, the idea around standard collection is actually to intervene early on. Rates can be a very good indicator of financial stress or challenges. To rate payments as there's tax. But in regards to council risk, there is relatively low risk around lack of recovery of areas or balances. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Further questions? Someone care to move the report? Councillor Wegener. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wegener was to talk for the report. Councillor Wegener: Yeah. I would like to thank the team. I'd love that. How clear. How clear. It is to read and your summary is very clear as well. So thank you very much. Councillor Phillips: I'll just quickly say, take the less questions and the less commentary as a positive because I know I probably say it every month, but Zac, you demonstrate exactly what our SPARC values are up on the walls.
01:23:00 Very professional. Every time you deliver reports. I don't have anything else to add. I don't have anything else to say. And I think that should give the community a lot of confidence. So thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Anybody on the line wish to comment? Okay. I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? Aye. Mayor Wilkie: Aye. That's unanimous. Thank you. Thank you, Zac. Thank you. We're now at item 13.2. A further report on Noosa Destination Stewardship Council draft terms of reference, which was requested in the General Committee meeting. We have Director Kim Rawlings, Economic Development Manager, and Lynne Banford here for the report. And we have an appointment to clarify for the Stewardship Council as well.
13.2 FURTHER REPORT - NOOSA DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE (REQUESTED AT GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING DATED 6 OCTOBER 2026) ¶
01:24:00 There are some changes to the terms of reference that we worked through with councillors since the General Committee meeting. So if you don't mind. Speaker 5: Thank you, Chair. At the General Committee meeting, a further report was requested on the terms of reference for the Destination Stewardship Council. We have subsequentlyquently had a workshop with councillors and also circulated a revised draft to councillors for review. A number of amendments and refinements for clarification have been made and are included in our draft. We have also updated revised terms of reference attached to this further report. These changes and refinements primarily relate to clarification of membership and also process for appointments. There is a table included in the document now that's very clear about membership numbers
01:25:00 and process for recruitment of members. So we hope that provides the clarity sought. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. We have also done some minor amendments to ensure correct names of organisations and State Departments. That's about all. Mayor Wilkie: Any questions, councillors? I'm happy to move it to get the ball rolling and if there's any amendments we want to attest. Can we have a seconder, please? Councillor Wilson: Thank you, Chair. We have a seconder. Can we have a seconder, please? Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Yes. Yes. So I move the recommendation as written with the appointment of the Mayor and Councillor Brian Stockwell as members of the Noosa Destination Stewardship Council. So as we've said since last week's report, a number of important refinements have been
01:26:00 made. The revised terms of reference provide greater clarity around membership categories, recruitment processes and appointment arrangements. They more clearly define the respective roles that partner organisations and State Departments have in their organisations, community representatives, Government members and the Independent Chair, ensuring a balanced mix of expertise, influence and community insight. Additional amendments also clarify organisational and State Government references and strengthen transparency around how members will be selected and contribute. Most importantly, these refinements strengthen confidence that the NDSC will truly reflect the wider Noosa community by bringing diverse voices together around a shared vision. The NDSC is committed to making sure that all members of the Noosa community have the time and prosperity to work hand-in-hand. And thanks, Councillors, for your input on the workshop between now and the General Committee. I think it's improved the terms of reference. So it was good collaborative effort.
01:27:00 Councillor Woodson. Councillor Wilson: I'll try some amendments, please. Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Councillor Wilson: I've got four, which could be dealt with in one or two minutes. Mayor Wilkie: I suggest you go one at a time, because if you go all four at once and there's been a problem with one, you could lose a lot. Speaker 6: Yes. Mayor Wilkie: Would you care to read it out, councillors? Yes. Councillor Wilson: So, 11.3 of the Terms of Reference, B.T. and Expectations. Remove the reply. We're going to attend meetings in person and allow attendance via technology. Mayor Wilkie: Do you have a second at all?
01:28:00 I need a second. Councillor Wilson: I need a second. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Phillips, quick off the mark. Councillor Wilson, you have a call. Councillor Wilson: It's contemporary practice now to allow meetings to be attended via technology. We allow councillors to do so, and it's common on boards as well. So, this is a minor amendment, but I just wanted to call it out, because I thought that was an outdated requirement. And we want to be inclusive to make sure that we get the best possible people onto this destination. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Any further comment from councillors? Any questions? Councillor Finzel: Yeah, I'd like to thank Councillor Wilson. I like the idea of aligning ourselves with the contemporary practices. So, I'm happy to support this. Councillor Wegener: Councillor Wegener. Difficult question. 11.3 says, members. Members may attend meetings in person. Proxy delegates and attendance via technology are permitted for organisational representatives with prior notice.
01:29:00 Councillor Wilson: It's only the organisational representative, so the community representative can be included in that. It shouldn't be prior notice, though. We can still have a preference to attend in person, but I think we need to have the option. Particularly if we have someone who's disabled or troubled, but at the moment, that's not equitable on the possible premise. Mayor Wilkie: Do you have a question of staff about that one, councillor Wegener? Speaker 2: No, not at the moment, councillor Wegener. Mayor Wilkie: Any issues with this? Any confusion? No, councillor Wegener. No, councillor Wegener. No, councillor Wegener. Okay, any further questions? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I just note that the actual amendment's not up on the team's screen. Mayor Wilkie: Okay, we'll give a minute to get that working so you can read it.
01:30:00 It should be showing. Can you see it now? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: No, it's not the financial report. I think I know which one it is, but I just... I'll just... It's about allowing people to be online, is that right? Mayor Wilkie: Yes. Councillor Wilson: It says stop sharing and try sharing. Mayor Wilkie: It says remove the requirement to attend meetings in person and allow attendance via technology. Speaker 6: Yes. Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Okay, was it closed, councillor Wilson? Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I'm happy to speak. I'm happy to speak to it and just say, well, the fact that we can... The fact that we're doing this online today, it is standard practice now to allow it. I know early in the process it's always good to have the face-to-face, but it's not useful Speaker 6: to have the flexibility. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, councillor Stockwell. Councillor Wilson: Is that showing on your screen now, councillor Stockwell?
01:31:00 Yes. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wilson, you wish to close? Yes. Okay, put it to the vote. Those in favour? Yes. Councillor Phillips? Yes. That's unanimous. I'm in with two. Councillor Wilson: Item B, be amended to include Adopt 1.2, Appendix 1, the table, updates and includes a chair in the recruitment and selection process for all roles, appointed by an Open Expression of Interest.
01:32:00 Mayor Wilkie: Okay. You may have a seconder for this one too, please. Have a second. Thank you, Councillor Phillips. Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: Hopefully a fairly simple one. I believe when we had the workshop, we talked about the being involved to appoint the chair first. And I just thought that the chair would be included in that recruitment process. Obviously, there are some mayoral appointments and government roles or members that wouldn't be in this process. But where there's an Expression of Interest, at the moment, we only have senior councillor staff being involved in the selection. And I think it's important to include that. Mayor Wilkie: Very good. Any questions or comments? Speaker 6: Unless you wish to comment further, I'll put it to the vote. Mayor Wilkie: Those in favour? Ms. Phillips, Councillor Wegener. Aye. Councillor Hughes.
01:33:00 That's unanimous. Okay. Councillor Wilson. Speaker 6: One minute. Yes, Chair. Councillor Wilson: I can be amended to include a dot point three. Section nine tenure of NDESC members. Chair to be appointed for a minimum period of two years. Mayor Wilkie: I have a second for that, please. Councillor Wegener out. Councillor Wilson? Councillor Wilson: A simple one. At the moment we've got quite clear. Guidelines on the members of the NDSC and that they would have a tenure of 18 months or two years, but it's silent upon the Chair, so it's common for Chairs to be in a role for at least three years for an extension, but given this is a new organisation, the thoughts that we're starting, I thought maybe a minimum of two years of devolution to extend would help just to give that, just to give some purpose, so.
01:34:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you. Any questions, councillors? Unless Councillor Wilson wishes to close, or say any more, or correct to the vote, those in favour? Councillor Phillips? Yes. Councillor Fletcher? That sounds like everybody, that's unanimous. And then four councillors. Councillor Wilson: One more? One more? But I'm basically going to German, so that I can talk to each other. Speaker 6: Yep. Mayor Wilkie: Yes, okay. Councillor Wilson has asked for an adjournment. How much time would you like? Fifteen minutes? Councillor Wilson: I'll take ten minutes. Ten minutes? Yeah. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Ten minute adjournment. Keep the wording on the next amendment in mind. Thank you.
01:46:00 Yes. Speaker 6: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you for your focus. Okay, we're back on. Welcome back, everybody. Technical glitch. We're going to move a second item, the third amendment to this item on the DSC, moved by Councillor Wilson, seconded by Councillor Phillips. Thank you.
01:47:00 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Returning to the tenure of NDSC members, the Chair to be appointed for a minimum period of two years. I incorrectly allowed Councillor Wegener to be the seconder for that. He's seconded the original motion. So hence the re-vote on it. All in favour? Aye. That's unanimous. Now up to Amendment 4, to which Councillor Wilson has got some wording. Councillor Wilson: No, I'm going to withdraw the amendment and we'll deal with the changes under the minor. Mayor Wilkie: Okay. Thank you. So that brings us back to the original motion to which only Councillor Wilkie has spoken. The original motion now has three amendments included in it. It's become part of the standard motion. Anybody else wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Wilson. Councillor Wilson: I'd like to say thank you for the improvements to the documents. It's much, much clearer now for everyone to understand.
01:48:00 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Wilson. All right. I'm waiving my right to speak. So I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? Councillor Phillips. Aye. Councillor Wegener. Aye. All that's unanimous. Thank you, everyone. Now, thank you, Director Rawlings and Lee. Brings us to Item 13.3, Councillor Representative on Tourism New Support, the CEO. Speaker 3: Okay, so Tourism News, under the Constitution, we have a councillor as an observer on the Board of Tourism and Nursing. Currently, that position is filled by Councillor Brian Stockwell. There's been a decision that Councillor Stockwell would like to step aside because he has appointments
13.3 COUNCILLOR REPRESENTATIVE ON TOURISM NOOSA BOARD ¶
01:49:00 in other represented groups. And we're now putting forward that Councillor Phillips take that position. And that to the group to wrap up. Mayor Wilkie: Move, Councillor Wilson. We have a seconder. Councillor Wegener. Speaker 3: I'll be the second. Mayor Wilkie: Councillor Wegener was quick out of the chair, Councillor Finzel. Councillor Wilson, you speak to the motion. Councillor Wilson: I think it's a great one. I think it's a great one. Mayor Wilkie: I think it's a great one. Brevity is the soul of wit. Okay. No further discussion. I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? Councillor Finzel: Yes. Sorry. Mayor Wilkie: That's carried unanimously. And we now go back to the confidential item, which is the Noosa Regional Gallery, the Detailed
01:50:00 Business Case and Considerations, which were referred from the- Happy to move. Councillor Wilson: Thank you. Oh, no, we've got a- Mayor Wilkie: I think that's- so, Councillor Finzel, you're moving. We're going into confidential. Speaker 6: Yes. Councillor Finzel: Happy to move. Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Councillor Finzel. Have a seconder for going to confidential. Councillor Phillips. I'll be the second. Councillor Wilson: Runner up all day. All in favour? Speaker 6: Yes. Councillor Wegener. Toshinanus.
12.2 CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE - NOOSA REGIONAL GALLERY Detailed Business Case and CONSIDERATIONS (rEFERRED FROM THE GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING DATED 6 OCTOBER 2026 ITEM 8.1) ¶
02:01:00 Thank you. Mayor Wilkie: Anybody care to move? Councillor Finzel: Happy to move. Mayor Wilkie: Move Councillor Finzel, seconded by Councillor Phillips. Would you care to read, well, Councillor Finzel, with your source rate, I'll read the recommendation, the motion on your behalf. I note the report for the Arts and Culture Management Committee dated 6th of October 2026 regarding the Noosa Region Gallery,
02:02:00 plus NRG, plus business case and project option B. Note the NRG, plus detailed business case prepared by Knight Frank Australia provided at attachment 1. C. Note the NRG and detailed business case analysis. D. Progress detailed investigation and feasibility analysis of option 5 for a further report to be funded through existing restricted funds donated to the project and existing operational budget reallocation to be managed through budget review 2. Any discussion? I'll put it to the vote. Those in favour? Speaker 6: Yes. Mayor Wilkie: I think that's unanimous. Just checking with you, Councillor Stockwell. Speaker 6: That was an aye. Mayor Wilkie: Yeah. Okay. That's a very staticky aye.
02:03:00 And that's carried unanimously. Thank you. That's the last item on the agenda. The next ordinary meeting will be at Council Chambers at 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin, at 10am on Thursday 19th of November 2026. I declare the meeting closed at 12.04pm. .
15 NEXT MEETING ¶
Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.
16 MEETING CLOSURE ¶
Council's recording ends before this item. Where a meeting resolved to close its doors, that is what the end of the recording means — see what council discussed in private.