Statewide support for Council’s waste, water, safety reforms
Published on 02 November 2026
Councils across Queensland recently endorsed Toowoomba Regional Council’s motions covering calls for improved security for Mayors and Councillors, statewide business waste audits and school waste education, Councillor candidate election requirements and the restoration of state government-led fluoridation of public water supplies.
The motions were supported at the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) annual conference in Cairns.
Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald said he and his colleagues were pleased to see majority support for the matters covering important strategic items that would aid local government service delivery in critical areas such as waste diversion and water supply across Queensland.
“The annual LGAQ conference provides an opportunity for local governments from across Queensland to form policy positions and advocate to the Queensland and Australian governments on relevant matters,” Mayor McDonald said.
“The motions we put forward affect most of the 77 local government areas in Queensland, and we are pleased to see they have been strongly supported.
“Local government is committed to playing its part to meet State targets for diverting waste from landfill and our motion calls on the LGAQ to press the Queensland Government to establish, resource and fund a state business waste audit program.
“This will aid the assessment of waste generation, disposal practices and resource recovery opportunities across the commercial and industrial sector. The goal is to reduce commercial and industrial waste streams, which are among the largest contributors to landfill, while lowering businesses’ operating costs.
“A related motion also asks LGAQ to call on the Queensland Government to fund a coordinated, statewide program to deliver standardised recycling infrastructure and education across all schools to support improved waste outcomes.
“Both motions are aimed at reducing, reusing and recycling materials and directly support the Less Landfill, More Recycling 2035 Queensland Waste Strategy.
“Two additional waste-related motions that were endorsed include, making the Waste Transport Subsidy for Regional Councils permanent and reforming the Resource Recovery Boost Fund to aid the delivery of critical waste and resource recovery infrastructure across regional areas.
“An additional motion that was endorsed will seek to return responsibility for fluoridation of public water supplies to the Queensland Government, which recognises that the issue is a public health initiative and not a core local government function.”
Toowoomba Regional Council Deputy Mayor Cr Rebecca Vonhoff moved and spoke to a late motion calling on safety and security protections for local government elected members comparable to measures offered to state and federal elected representatives.
The motion, which was brought forward by the LGAQ Policy Executive, of which Dr Vonhoff is a representative, was endorsed unanimously, and was an acknowledgment of the rise in reports of abuse and intimidation, both in person and online, aimed at politicians, their staff and family members.
Cr Vonhoff said the endorsed motions were now binding LGAQ policy positions, engagement with ministers would now begin, moving advocacy toward action.