What the business sector wants from the next council

COLUMN: The business community collectively can influence the direction the Toowoomba Regional Council takes to create a prosperous local business community.

Newly appointed Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl.

TIME is running out, and we want to hear from you, because your voice can influence policy.

We collectively can influence the direction the Toowoomba Regional Council takes to create a prosperous and thriving local business community.

The Toowoomba Chamber has started to collate key priorities to advocate for as part of the upcoming local government elections.

This week I wanted to touch on a couple recurring themes raised to date, leaving no excuse for any potential future elected officials not to be prepared for the mayoral candidates breakfast on March 10 or the council candidates forum on March 12.

Firstly, I do not think it will come as any surprise to anyone that a critical concern is council red tape. We know some regulation is essential.

But we also know that regulation can strangle business. Red tape is a cost of doing business. Red tape can delay projects. Red tape can discourage investment. Simply put, unnecessary red tape costs jobs.

Critical oversight needs to be given to ensure red tape does not spiral out of control, especially where there is no evidence of any benefit to anyone.

Unnecessary red tape needs to go. Simple as that. Will the candidates commit to red tape reduction? How would you go about it?

Secondly, there has been much discussion about infrastructure and, what is the next big piece of infrastructure to future proof the region.

What we know, is new and catalytic infrastructure grows the economy. The 2020 business case forecast for the Toowoomba Bypass estimated $2.4 billion boost to the Toowoomba's regional productivity.

The Inland Rail project is estimated to deliver over 2000 jobs locally during construction. But what is next? Who will commit to the next Council big infrastructure project to help catalyse the region? And what will it be?

The community have raised with the Chamber concerns about the lack of transparency in local infrastructure spend.

By that I mean, how much infrastructure dollars are being received by the council for roads, sewerage, community facilities and the like, and from which location and where is the money being spent.

Should the council publish online the value of infrastructure charges received, from which local area they receive them from and how and where these funds are spent? Who will commit to this transparency?

I hope that these two themes - red tape and infrastructure, gives candidates food for thought.

Keep your comments coming to [e-mail], they are greatly appreciated.

See you tomorrow night at Business@Dusk.

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