October 30, 2024
South Burnett Regional Council has called for all available technologies – including nuclear and gas – to be considered in Queensland to ensure there is sufficient energy available to meet current and future demands.
The SBRC submitted a motion to this effect at last week’s Local Government Association of Queensland Conference in Brisbane.
The motion, which was passed by the Council delegates present, reads:
“That the LGAQ call on the State and Federal government to ensure baseload production of energy is sufficient to meet current and future energy needs of all Queensland residents and businesses, considering all available technologies, including nuclear and gas.”
The SBRC submission stated that Council believed if power shedding occurred in the future, it would be regional and remote customers who would be first to lose supply and “this is not acceptable nor appropriate”.
The energy motion was one of six submitted by the SBRC to be considered at the conference, including two in conjunction with other councils.
The other five motions were also passed by the conference delegates:
1. “That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to initiate an independent cost-benefit analysis of current building legislation requirements and publish findings, particularly relating to accessibility and energy efficiency requirements with a view to support housing affordability.” (with Bundaberg Regional Council)
This motion questioned changes to the National Construction Code, implemented in 2023-24, which Master Builders Queensland have estimated have added up to $30,000 to the cost of building a new home during a period of high inflation and a statewide housing shortage.
2. “That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to improve regulation for large-scale renewable energy projects by developing a communication and engagement protocol (Code of Practice) to ensure renewable energy projects, including transmission projects, are planned, approved and constructed considering key social, environmental and economic regional considerations in proactive collaboration with councils.” (with Whitsunday Regional Council)
This motion sought “meaningful consultation” with developers and a binding Code of Practice regards to large-scale renewable energy projects.
3. “That the LGAQ calls on the State Government, through the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, to review provisions for Environmentally Relevant Activity and trade waste discharge with the focus of enforcement, to be the original point of entry into sewerage networks rather than at the point of discharge at the treatment plants.”
This motion sought greater support and assistance to identify – and where applicable, prosecute – illegal trade waste discharges at the point where they enter the sewerage system.
NB. This follows an incident in Kingaroy earlier this year where the SBRC was issued with an Environmental Protection Order after self-reporting a large inflow of fat, oil and grease into its Kingaroy wastewater treatment plant which led to a small discharge into a drain linked to Kingaroy Creek. The illegal dumping caused significant damage to Council infrastructure but the SBRC found itself in the position of potentially being prosecuted by the Department rather than whoever was actually responsible for the illegal activity.
4. “That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to review the Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012 to give councils greater ability to implement a special rate on properties that operate in a manner that affects the local road network, such that maintenance costs associated with heavy vehicle use can be recovered.”
The SBRC expressed concern that not-rateable industries, including logging, were damaging local roads through heavy vehicle traffic.
5. “That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to formally investigate the financial and resource impacts on Queensland councils as a result of the changes to traffic management standards, being the Queensland Guide To Temporary Traffic Management.”
The SBRC believes the recent changes to traffic management have put an excessive regulatory cost burden on councils.
