Housing, health, population growth and finance hot topics at Coast forum

In the region’s first forum of the year, Ministers, Members of parliament and forum representatives have come together to discuss the priorities, issues and possible advancements for the region.

In the first Wide Bay Burnett-Fraser Coast region forum of the year, Ministers, Members of Parliament and forum representatives have come together to discuss the priorities, issues and possible advancements for the region.

The first Regional Community forum for 2021 happened on Monday, where Ministers, local MPs and forum representatives discussed the biggest challenges and priorities for the Wide Bay this year.

Member for Hervey Bay Adrian Tantari chaired the forum, while Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders, and Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith were co-chairs.

Ministers also attended the forum, including Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey and Minister for Children and Youth Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard.

Sitting around tables, joining to create a discussion circle, Ministers, Members of parliament and forum representatives listened to sessions throughout the forum, which focused on different issues and priorities for the region throughout 2021.

Those who attended discussed mental health repercussions the pandemic has left on locals.

“Over the past year, forum members joined forces with the Queensland Government Regional Managers Coordination Network to better understand the mental health impacts of the pandemic,” Mr Saunders said.

They also acknowledged the region’s economic recovery.

“When our Regional Community Forums were last held in August 2020, we’d just launched the third stage of our Economic Recovery Strategy and we were preparing to launch our comprehensive Queensland Economic Recovery Plan,” Mr Bailey said.

“To-date, we have announced more than $11 billion in economic stimulus – including $7 billion in response to COVID-19.”

Discussions at the Community forum were on a wide-range of topics, including housing, health, population growth and finances.

“Today … The Wide Bay Burnett-Fraser Coast region explored affordability, accessibility and the initiatives supporting new jobs and infrastructure,” Ms Linard said.

The first session of the forum focused on housing affordability and availability with insight from the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre.

Mr Tantari said forum members then held an open discussion about the issues raised by the neighbourhood centre, and the impact of the unprecedented population surge in the area.

“(We were able to) discuss the priorities, projects and opportunities for our region,” Mr Tantari said.

The discussion from the Neighbourhood Centre follows the housing crisis, leaving a little tent city near Hervey Bay’s Community Centre, earlier this year.

A 25-year planning framework for the Wide Bay Burnett region will be provided by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, in about six to nine months.

The department provided the forum with an update on the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan.

The plan was said to be under review as the existing plan was created in 2011.

“The shift in the economic and environmental context of the region requires the regional plan to be updated to reflect contemporary factors, opportunities and challenges. The plan will also respond to projected population increase.”

You can register ideas for the region here, where you can also find out more about the plan.

An updated 25-year planning framework for the Wide Bay Burnett region is said to be provided by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, in about six to nine months.

Updates at the forum also included those about:

• Initiatives supporting wellbeing
• Regional tourism and history
• Vocational education and training

Other forums were also held in Central Qld, Darling Downs and South West Qld, Far North, North-North West Qld, Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday, and Western Qld, focusing on the state’s regions.

Originally published as Housing, health, population growth and finance hot topics at Coast forum