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Community acceptable development, that appears to be the big   challenge for our new council.  The   Rockhampton region needs to keep growing in population unless residents are   happy to pay higher rates and/or receive fewer services.  Costs are unfortunately going to continue to   rise, greater efficiencies alone in how Council business is conducted I imagine   won’t be able to prevent the need to raise more revenue or debt to provide just   the existing services.  The   mining/resources boom is looked upon as the saviour, either directly or   indirectly.  However, are we prepared as   a community to accept coal ports in Keppel Bay?    I, for one, am not keen on coal dust being blown over Capricorn Coast   beaches and beyond.  What if a viable   coal seam was discovered in the Hedlow district would we as a community be   accepting of CSG wells dotting this picturesque environment?
We look to our near neighbours Mackay and Gladstone and compare their   growth to ours, wondering why we are missing out.  However, are we as a community willing to   readily accept the social costs this development has caused?  If the mining/resource boom is the saviour   and ways were found to achieve community acceptance of certain projects, what is   plan B, if something like the carbon tax was to result in the coal companies   picking up their ball and going to China or Russia – what then? (Though all of   east coast Australia would find itself paddling upstream with just one paddle if   this happened.)  Basically we have made   too many mistakes in our past which have contributed to the situation the region   is in now.  Not enough diversity with our   industry base has been developed making our local economy strong enough to   maintain healthy growth should the mining/resource boom end. Of course   Rockhampton isn’t the only region in this boat.
From next week our new council has a big challenge to find that   acceptable balance of development, lifestyle and environment.  The Rockhampton Region is blessed with a   beautiful environment, as one mayoral candidate says, “one of the best places on   the planet”.  A day sailing around the   Keppel’s, driving to 5 Rocks, paddling on the Fitzroy or fishing at Stanage Bay   confirms this.  An environment that   provides us opportunities to enjoy a great lifestyle.  This is what we need to be aggressively   promoting and target the indirect benefits of the mining/resources boom, a place   for workers and their families to live, to play.  We need a pro-active council, with new   thinking to make this happen.  For   example – a council that holds talks with the lease holders of Great Keppel   Island (Towers Holdings) to see if there are opportunities to use the existing   infrastructure or the island to help house some of the workers on Curtis Island,   instead of leaving it just sitting behind security fences. Imagine what this   could stimulate.  A Council that   proactively collaborates with Gladstone and other regions to maximise the   benefits, short and long term, of its mining/resource boom, and determine ways   the regions can prosper after the boom. For example fast train infrastructure   connecting the regions to not only transport workers but develop tourism   opportunities. A pro-active Council that sets its own direction and tells the   State Government what is needed, like a high school for Gracemere or unique   foreshore development for Yeppoon, instead of waiting to see what it may be   offered to co-fund.
From next week the new council needs to do (or hopefully update) a   SWOR (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risk) analysis of the region.   Then armed with the information be pro-active in generating community acceptable   development seeking both state and federal government as well as private sector   support.  Our region has been too   reactive and narrow minded for too long. Today is an opportunity for a real   change.  A change that just might be up   to the challenge of stimulating community acceptable development, attracting   more people to the region, broadening our revenue base, putting on hold further   steep increases in our rates and/or debt.
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