Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney
First Regional Plan Committee Meetings
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has set an ambitious timetable for development of the Statutory Regional Plans for the Darling Downs and Central Queensland.
Mr Seeney wants to have draft plans out for public consultation early next year and has set a target of August 2013 for the completed documents.
In the next fortnight he will convene meetings in both regions to forge ahead with development of the Statutory Regional Plans.
The Newman Government promised to deliver the regional plans to resolve land-use conflicts between regional communities, rural landholders and the resources sector.
The Deputy Premier will meet firstly with the Mayors of councils within the boundaries of each region and those meetings will be followed by the initial meetings of new Regional Planning Committees.
The first meetings will take place in Dalby on July 24 with the Mayors of Toowoomba, Southern Downs, Goondiwindi, Western Downs, Maranoa and Balonne councils.
That will be followed on July 27 with a meeting of Mayors of Banana, Central Highlands, Gladstone, Rockhampton and Woorabinda councils in Emerald.
The Mayors will be members of the Regional Planning Committees as will local Members of Parliament.
An Expression of Interest process is currently underway for business, industry and community involvement on the planning committees.
“These committees will be tasked with developing the Statutory Regional Plans for the Darling Downs and Central Queensland – both areas dealing with strong resource development,” Mr Seeney said.
“The end result will provide certainty to communities, business and industry by clearly identifying land uses across their regions,” Mr Seeney said.
