Submissions Invited On
Region’s Economic Plan

September 7, 2014

The South Burnett Regional Council is calling for public comments on its draft five-year Economic Development Plan which was launched last week.

The document was unveiled at the joint South Burnett Directions / Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry Small Business Week function held at the Kingaroy Town Hall Forecourt last Monday.

The plan, which was prepared by South Burnett Directions over the past year, aims to align the region’s long-term development strategies with similar plans already announced by the State Government and the Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils (WBBROC).

The State Government’s plan (3.9MB PDF) sets out 30-year goals for growing Queensland’s economy by focussing on “the four pillars” of agriculture, tourism, resources and construction.

WBBROC’s plan (2.4MB PDF) sets out a five-year strategy for the six councils in the Wide Bay-Burnett area (South Burnett, Cherbourg, North Burnett, Gympie, Fraser Coast and Bundaberg) which takes into account regional strengths and weaknesses.

South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said the purpose of the South Burnett plan was to guide sustainable economic development in the local region by focussing on long-term objectives that would ensure it was well-placed for future growth but without disrupting the community’s desire for a country lifestyle.

This would include ensuring the area had adequate infrastructure to cater for future population growth and an ageing population; fostering the development of an educated, skilled workforce future employers could draw on; and creating vibrant townships that attracted tourists and new residents to the area.

The plan also calls on the South Burnett to forge closer links with adjacent non-WBBROC councils including Toowoomba, Ipswich and Somerset, and more collaborative networking in the region’s business community.

The launch was attended by representatives from the KCCI, Nanango Tourism and Development Association, Murgon Business and Development Association, the South Burnett Tourism Association and the South Burnett Wine Industry Association.

Mr Phil Green, the Executive Director Small Business from the Department of Tourism, Major Events and Small Business, was also a special guest speaker.

He said long-range planning in modern government always needed to be underpinned by a documented strategy.

Copies of the draft South Burnett plan can be obtained from the South Burnett Directions office in Glendon Street, Kingaroy, or downloaded South Burnett Directions website (5MB PDF)

Public submissions on the plan can be made until Friday, November 28.

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The launch of the draft regional Economic Development Plan was preceded by one of the Kingaroy Chamber Of Commerce’s six-weekly Meet’n’Greet socials, which was held nearby at the Alford Street offices of G.J. Gardner Homes, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington’s office and Taste South Burnett’s cafe.

KCCI president Rod Steele said the Meet’n’Greet had been held on the same night as the strategy launch because most members were unable to attend on any other night, and Mrs Frecklington – who’d been called to North Queensland at short notice – regretted she was unable to attend.

• Franchisee Myles Montgomery, from G.J. Gardner Homes, told KCCI members his business had seen a distinct upswing in building quotes this year. While not all of these had translated into construction contracts, he believed this was an indication that local economic conditions were improving after the slumps caused by the 2011 and 2013 floods.

• South Burnett Tourism Association president Bernie Cooper, from Crane Wines, announced the SBTA would like to conduct a free “Tourism Ambassador” training course in Kingaroy before the end of the year. The course would be similar to a successful one held in Wondai last year. A similar course is also expected to be run in Nanango in a few months in conjunction with NaTDA.

• Taste South Burnett owner Shannon Scott said the firm’s move from Proteco’s premises in William Street to a shopfront in Alford Street in January had received a very positive reaction from local customers. The move had also allowed the business to take on extra local produce lines, including another local winery’s range which will be added to the store’s existing mix shortly.

  Council, KCCI