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Last Updated: Friday, 23 May 2025 10:36

Published: Friday, 23 May 2025 10:36

The recent Roma meeting (May 15, 16, 2025) of the Darling Downs and South West Queensland Council of Mayors (DDSWQCoM) highlighted how working together can achieve great outcomes.

DDSWQCoM chair, Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald, said one of the major opportunities was participation in the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into Volunteering.

“The broader region is coming off the back of a major flooding event which highlighted how important volunteers are during a natural disaster,” Mayor McDonald said.

“Mayors highlighted the importance of making it easier for people to be volunteers with recognised national status through an accredited volunteer passport and creating community hubs to support and encourage people to become volunteers.”

The two-day meeting of the 10 member councils that cover half of Queensland was an opportunity to troubleshoot, discuss and find solutions to common problems, in addition to hearing from speakers from peak bodies.

Mayor McDonald said a presentation by Insurance Council of Australia Chief Executive Officer Andrew Hall prompted a discussion on the significance of ‘ground truthing’ risk profiles of properties in flood prone areas against local government flood mapping.

“While councils across south-western Queensland have seen significant flood event, there has also been flood mitigation infrastructure that isn’t being considered in the risk profile of properties,” Mayor McDonald said.

“While it is okay for an area to say they have never had a flood, it is another thing to be asked to prove it through data.

“Councils will continue the discussion with the insurance sector to harmonise flood mapping data with the risk profiles of property with a goal to correct the insurance premiums through the region.”

Mayor McDonald said an added benefit of the forum was its ability to attract senior government stakeholders.

“The Roma meeting offered the chance for government officials and elected representatives to discuss the opportunities for the Darling Downs and South West region,” Mayor McDonald said.

“The meeting was a tremendous opportunity to advocate to the Queensland Government with the Hon. Ann Leahy MP, Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers, Trevor Watts MP, Assistant Minister to the Premier for Cabinet and South West Queensland and James Lister MP, Chair of the Local Government, Small Business and Customer Service Committee all in attendance.

“To have the Director General of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Sally Stannard, attend was invaluable. Our members know, that despite advocacy for increased rail and air connectivity, road is still the way that people travel and goods and services are delivered.”

Mayor McDonald said Regional Development Australia – Darling Downs and South West used the forum to launch their regional ‘Housing Audit’ that addressed the long-term prospects for increasing housing supply in regional areas.

“The audit tells the story of the housing needs in the region, the hurdles that areas face in constructing new dwellings for the community, and the workforce needed to service local industry,” Mayor McDonald said.

“The report provided case studies showing local initiatives that are working to increase housing supplies in areas across Queensland, sparking a discussion among councils on what is working in the broader region.”

Mayor McDonald said the keynote address of Juliette Wright, founder of charity GIVIT, showed that there is no doubt that the organisation was a trusted partner during the recent western Queensland flood events.

“When people find themselves in times of trouble, it is important to have a group that your community has confidence in to deliver the help required during a disaster, or in its aftermath,” he said.

Mayor McDonald said the meeting also included briefings from Inland Rail, CSIRO, UniSQ, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, Queensland Country Tourism, Trade and Investment Queensland, together with a telecommunications roundtable with Telstra, Optus and NBN.

Mayor McDonald thanked the Maranoa Regional Council for hosting the important forum.

“I and the fellow members look forward to the next Council of Mayors’ meeting to be hosted by Western Downs Regional Council on Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1 in Dalby.”

Background
The Darling Downs and South West Queensland Council of Mayors (DDSWQCoM) was formed in October 2015 to lobby for the needs of the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.

The Council of Mayors represents the communities of the Bulloo, Quilpie, Paroo, Murweh, Maranoa, Balonne, Western Downs, Goondiwindi, Southern Downs and Toowoomba regions and shires, covering an area the size of Sweden. The group represents one quarter of Queensland’s land area and carries around 25% of its cattle stock and produces 75% of its grain and pulse crops.

Caption: Below, from left: Cr Ben Hall, Mayor of Quilpie Shire, Hon Ann Leahy MP, Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers, Cr Bill Winks, Deputy Mayor of Balonne Shire Council, Cr Rob Mackenzie, Deputy Mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council, Cr Geoff McDonald (Chair – DDSWQCoM) Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council, Cr Wendy Taylor, Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council, Mr James Lister MP, Member for Southern Downs, Ms Sally Stannard, Director General of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Cr Shaun Radnedge, Mayor of Murweh Shire Council, Cr Suzette Beresford (Deputy Chair – DDSWQ) Mayor of Paroo Shire Council, Cr Andrew Smith, Mayor of Western Downs Regional Council, Cr Rebecca Vonhoff, Deputy Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council and LGAQ regional representative.