January 28, 2021
Bundaberg Regional Council has quit the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation Of Councils (WBBROC).
WBBROC – whose members include representatives from the South Burnett, North Burnett, Cherbourg, Gympie, Fraser Coast and Bundaberg councils – has acted as a peak advocacy body for the Wide Bay-Burnett region since 1999.
However, on Tuesday Bundaberg councillors voted 10-1 to leave WBBROC and “go it alone”.
Bundaberg Council has not provided any reason yet for the decision.
However, southburnett.com.au understands it follows growing tensions within the organisation.
Some of these have been linked by observers to proposals over future allocations of water from Paradise Dam.
The dam, which has been identified by Bundaberg Council as key to its region’s expansion, was also mentioned in the $2m Burnett Water Feasibility Study – a joint South Burnett / North Burnett Council project – as a future source of irrigation water for the Burnett region.
Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey was elected chair of WBBROC last year, with North Burnett Mayor Rachel Chambers Deputy Chair.
Mayor Chambers has now stepped into the chair’s role following Tuesday’s announcement.
In a media statement released on Wednesday, Cr Chambers expressed regret at Bundaberg’s decision.
“The members of WBBROC respect Bundaberg’s decision to resign and thank them for their 20 years of working together on projects for the common good,” Cr Chambers said.
“By working as a united group, WBBROC was able to save our combined communities millions of dollars, and brought millions of dollars of investments into them.”
Cr Chambers said that in the recent past, working with key stakeholders such as the Wide Bay Burnett RDA and the Department of State Development, WBBROC was able to persuade the State Government to spend nearly $30 million on a gas pipeline to the Port of Bundaberg.
She said this was critical in helping Knauff Australia establish a production facility at the port.
Later, a 6000ha Special Development Area was also created around the port, Cr Chambers said.
And more recently, in collaboration with TMR, Sunwater and BOM, WBBROC had been able to secure $750,000 for flood warning infrastructure in the Burnett Catchment which would help ensure that Bundaberg has the best forewarning of potential flooding.
Cr Chambers said that despite Bundaberg’s decision, WBBROC would continue to work in the best interests of the remaining five councils.
South Burnett Mayor Brett Otto said he shared Cr Chambers’ disappointment with Bundaberg’s decision, but was committed to continuing to work with WBBROC.
He believed the organisation still offered significant value to its members, and would continue to do so in the future.
Mayor Otto said he was also exploring the possibility of forming a similar group with Noosa, Gympie, Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Cherbourg – councils that ring northern Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast – with the aim of exploring similar mutually beneficial relationships.
He said working in partnership with like-minded local governments had worked well for the South Burnett in the past, and he believed this would continue in future.
