A key feature of effective consultation is genuine regard for multiple viewpoints.
Unfortunately, this principle has so far been abandoned in the rollout of the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan.
Despite inviting contributions from South East Queensland councils and the hosting of several ‘summits’ over many months, in my view the latest iteration of that plan – Shaping SEQ 2023 – remains a glaringly one-sided view of our region’s future.
Growth means nothing if it is not sustainable.
At every opportunity, Logan City Council has affirmed – and demonstrated – our commitment to support critical housing supply in our state.
We remain the only local government area to meet the housing targets already set for us by the government – despite an ongoing shortfall in the state-controlled Priority Development Areas of our city.
We have also explained often, and loudly, that the enormous disconnect between infrastructure costs of development and the Queensland Government’s cap on infrastructure contributions charged to developers is having a detrimental and irreversible impact on the financial sustainability of our Council.
It’s clear we will continue to do the heavy lifting for some time.
Being heard would be at least some kind of reward for our efforts.
The fact is, the population growth now being forced on local government areas such as Logan, Redland and Moreton Bay will be unachievable while infrastructure delivery lags behind, and construction costs soar.
If immediate changes are not made, our city’s incoming council will be faced with a difficult choice – to increase rates dramatically, or to borrow more money, and push the pain further down the road.
Our enviable City of Logan lifestyle will also be under threat.
Every dollar spent on critical infrastructure (roads, water, sewerage) that connects new housing to our city, is a dollar we can’t spend on the delivery of equally important social infrastructure for our existing, or growing, communities.
Providing people with a place to live is one thing.
Asking them to build a life – without things like local parks, sporting fields, libraries or other community facilities and services – is quite another.
Last Tuesday, Premier Steven Miles unveiled his government’s much-hyped_Homes for Queenslanders_ plan before the Queensland Media Club in South Bank.
Just 20km down the M1, here in the City of Logan, we got the headlines – ‘more homes, faster’, a ‘boost for social housing’ and more ‘support for Queensland renters’.
It sounds like a nice destination.
We await genuine action on the infrastructure that will help get us there.
