September 12, 2023
The Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Organisation Of Councils (WBBROC) will spring back to life after the South Burnett and neighbouring councils held an Annual General Meeting on Friday.
WBBROC is the Wide Bay’s peak local government organisation which works to raise cross-regional issues with the State and Federal governments.
It formerly consisted of the South Burnett, North Burnett, Cherbourg, Gympie, Fraser Coast and Bundaberg councils.
However, Bundaberg pulled out in January 2021.
Former North Burnett mayor Rachel Chambers (who resigned from the NBRC in December 2021) took over the role of chair, with Gympie mayor Glen Hartwig as deputy and Fraser Coast Regional Council CEO Ken Diehm as treasurer.
The organisation last met on July 26, 2022.
By early 2023, its main website and tourism promotion website had disappeared offline.
In April this year, South Burnett Mayor Brett Otto warned the South Burnett could miss out on flow-on benefits from the 2032 Brisbane Olympics because the State Government and the Premier wanted to work with broader regional organisations rather than individual councils.
Mayor Otto said without a functioning ROC, the South Burnett would be left behind in this space and many others.
“This is just one key area of opportunity for our region that we are unable to take advantage of because we do not have a functioning framework through which we can design and advocate for the infrastructure and the funding,” Mayor Otto said at the time.
He said it was “inequitable and inappropriate” that mayors should be dealing directly through local Members and Ministers on matters that the Premier and Cabinet had made clear should come from ROCs, the bodies designated to play that role.
At that month’s Liveability Standing Committee meeting, Councillors unanimously authorised SBRC CEO Mark Pitt to engage with neighbouring Councils with the aim of reactivating WBBROC “as a matter of strategic priority”.
Mr Pitt’s actions led to WBBROC holding Friday’s meeting, which was attended by representatives from the South Burnett, North Burnett, Gympie and Fraser Coast councils.
Mr Pitt, Acting Mayor Gavin Jones and Cr Kathy Duff attended to represent the South Burnett and put in an apology for Cherbourg Shire Council.
Cr Jones told southburnett.com.au the meeting had been “very productive” and delegates had resolved to revive WBBROC and use it as a vehicle to advocate for projects across the Wide Bay-Burnett.
Some issues – such as telecommunications and water shortages – affected large slices of the Wide Bay-Burnett, while others were more geographically limited but would benefit from support by neighbouring councils.
At the AGM, Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour was elected WBBROC chair and Fraser Coast CEO Ken Diehm was elected secretary/treasurer.
The group has resolved to hold its next meeting at the upcoming LGAQ conference in Gladstone, and hope to have WBBROC fully functioning again within months.
Cr Jones said the door would remain open for Bundaberg to re-join WBBROC at any time but its absence would not alter the group’s plans.
Related articles:
