Toowoomba council to explore taking meetings in small towns, councillor concerned about its support

A Toowoomba councillor’s push for more representation in small towns has not gotten the support she wanted, leaving her concerned the concept could “fall into a black hole”.

A Toowoomba councillor has taken aim at her colleagues after her motion to bring ordinary meetings to small towns like Oakey or Pittsworth failed to get up.

Megan O’Hara Sullivan couldn’t get the support of her fellow councillors at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting to bring four sessions to regional locations per year.

The council will instead explore options for regionally-based meetings, including quarterly meetings, after Councillor Geoff McDonald successfully moved an alternate motion that would produce a report by September.

Ms O’Hara Sullivan said meetings in small towns would demonstrate the council’s commitment to areas outside of Toowoomba.

“It’s really going to go a long way to show we have heart in those communities,” she said.

Bill Cahill was one of the councillors to raise questions about the concept, including issues with connectivity as well as whether the move was the best way to engage with residents in small townships.

“Is it about the meeting or is it about engagement? If we take a meeting of this length, it doesn’t allow for much visitation or engagement,” he said.

“If it’s engagement, then we already have a very good and specifically-designed forum for engagement (the regular councillor visits).”

While Ms O’Hara Sullivan said she was happy the matter was on the agenda, she raised concerns that it could be stuck in development hell.

“I am disappointed, because my fear is it goes into a black hole and never happens,” she told The Chronicle.

“I understand we need to work out the logistics, but every time the election comes around, every politician says they care about the regions (but doesn’t follow through).

“We do community outreach, but to my mind, it’s hard for people to have contact with us.

“If we go to those places, it’s a commitment and people can go to a cafe and meet with us.

“I’m the only person who lives outside of Toowoomba, and people out there don’t know us.”

While most councillors live within Toowoomba, Mayor Paul Antonio has a property at Millmerran and Councillor Carol Taylor had lived in the old Cambooya shire until recently.

Mr Cahill lives at Highfields.