Fair Go for All Queenslanders

Published on 04 June 2019

Mayor Strelow, Councillors and representatives from SMW and JRT join the petition signing.JPG

Rockhampton Regional Council today unanimously endorsed a new campaign which calls on all levels of government to encourage investment, population, jobs and business growth in regional Queensland.

The Mayor and Councillors were among the first to sign a petition going to the State Government asking for a Fair Go for All Queenslanders.

Rockhampton Region Mayor, Margaret Strelow, said now was the time to make the regions’ voices heard:

“Regional Queensland contributes vital goods, services, and GDP into our State’s economy. It’s clear to all of us that strong regions benefit every Queenslander.

“However, the trajectory we are on is putting this contribution in danger.

“According to government projections, 87% of new jobs created in the next five years will be in the South East Corner, leaving just 13% of new jobs throughout the rest of the state.

“20 years from now 75% of our state’s population is expected to be living in the South East Corner. This dramatic growth will suck population, money, lifestyle, health and education opportunities away from the regions.

“Queensland is at a real cross road right now, and I believe we must change direction.

“We need State and Federal level policy settings that actively nurture and sustain regions, grow jobs, and deliberately attract some of the two million extra people estimated to settle in the South East within the next 25 years to the regions instead.

“As part of this campaign we have launched an online petition asking the State Government to do exactly that.

“We need to build a robust future for our communities. Sign the petition, show your support online by sharing the petition or adding a facebook profile frame, and let’s get the message out there.

“This isn’t a Rockhampton Region campaign, this is a Regional Queensland campaign, so spread the word far and wide and show Parliament our passion.

“We have homes in the regions, we have connections in the regions, and we want to stay in the regions.

“It’s time for a Fair Go for All Queenslanders.”

The campaign video can be viewed on Council’s facebook page and downloaded (along with other collateral) here.

The petition can be found on the Queensland Parliament website, and hard copies will be available at our Customer Service Centres and at upcoming Council events.

To add a facebook profile frame click here and search for Fair Go for All Queenslanders.

The full Mayoral Minute reads:

THAT Council:

  1. Notes that according to Government projections, 75% of Queensland’s population is predicted to reside in the South East corner of the State in the next 20-25 years and that in the next 5 years only 13% of all new jobs will be created in regional Queensland; and
  2. Endorses the ‘Fair Go For All Queenslanders’ campaign; and
  3. Encourages and elicit support of residents and stakeholders across the Rockhampton Region and regional Queensland to sign the current Queensland Parliamentary petition ‘Investment, population, jobs and business growth in regional Queensland’; and
  4. Actively engages with all levels of Government to lobby for the implementation of long-term policy settings which encourage investment, population, jobs and business growth in regional Queensland.