Fraser Coast council awards markets contract to Rotary

The iconic Maryborough Markets is under new management after a decision at Wednesday’s council meeting which went in a different direction to the recommendation of officers.

MARYBOROUGH MARKETS: Fraser Coast Rotary will take over operation of the markets follwoing a majority vote at Wednesday’s council meeting. Photo: Stuart Fast

The iconic Maryborough Markets is in the hands of Fraser Coast Rotary Events after the community organisation won the management contract in a no-nonsense decision at Wednesday’s council meeting.

The vote to handover management to FCRE, a not-for-profit organisation made up of members from both the Hervey Bay City and Maryborough Sunrise, went against council staff recommendation to award Brisbane-based company Goodwill Projects the tender on the back of a strong submission.

All but one councillor, Zane O’Keefe, backed Councillor Paul Truscott motioned for the long-running event, previously managed by Fraser Coast Tourism and Events, to instead be run under the local management of Rotary which had also put in a bid.

Maryborough markets – Wayne Usher selling hardware items.

Mr Truscott said he did not like to go against officer recommendation, but believed strongly in councillors showing community support for the event that had been running for 25 years.

“If we have a local organisation that can do that job we should be putting our money where our mouth is and supporting them to do it,” he said.

Councillor Jade-Lee Wellings said she understood why Brisbane-based business Goodwill Projects had been favoured by council assessors but their bid could not outweigh the notion of supporting local residents.

“The Maryborough Markets is a local event for local people -they don’t exist for attracting tourists, they exist for local people,” she said

“Our local Rotary groups are made up of people we all know. Ultimately, Goodwill is a business.”

Councillor David Lee said the “value for money” principle in the procurement process should not be defined by price alone, which tipped him in favour of the motion.

“The real value will come from local availability – (the Rotary Club) have deep and abiding relationships with our community. (The markets) is a local institution – it can be best sustained through a local organisation.

“Local engagement is a mission critical in the sustainability of the Maryborough Markets.”

Before voting, Councillor David Lewis questioned whether the Brisbane-based company had been favoured by council staff on their submission alone, or on reservations officers had on Rotary managing the contract.

Council management confirmed that Goodwill Projects had the better submission, but that Rotary would be just as sufficient in the job.

Mr O’Keefe opposed the motion on the basis that ignoring council recommendations impact future tenders from outside the region.

“I think decisions made against officers’ recommendations will lead to discouraging other entities to tendering to council,” he said

“I believe the evaluation undertaken by the officers was robust and very fair.”

The motion was carried 9-1 in favour of Fraser Coast Rotary Events managing the contract, with Mayor George Seymour bowing out with a conflict of interest.

The Maryborough Markets transform Maryborough’s city centre into a bustling hub of local stalls every Thursday, with an average of 50 vendors across 90 sites each week since the advent of COVID-19.

Many stall holders are long term attendees.