Maranoa Liveability Strategy

Hi,
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to give a feedback on Maranoa livability.
I came to Roma about 2.5 years ago from Perth, WA.
I am really enjoying Roma but I am looking forward to have more sports facilities available for the public like free basketball court, free volleyball court.
Also, opening the cinema will be great.
We really need more care for families with kids like indoor playground, water park and theme park.
I wish to have ice-cream shop and other restaurants in Roma.
Thanks,
Amr

Dear Mayor Golder,
Have Your Say – Maranoa Region Liveability Strategy



Our organisations were pleased to see Council initiating discussions regarding liveability in the Maranoa region. Liveability is a critical feature of our community’s long term sustainability.

We are however, disappointed that this “Have Your Say” release, was the first engagement Council has had with stakeholders regarding a liveability strategy. We would have appreciated being able to provide input into the development of the AEC report. We also note that no effort has been made regarding consultation of the Bernard Salt report which was tabled at Council on 26th August 2020.

Council meeting minutes do not indicate Council’s position on either of these reports, and we would like to understand whether Council intend to endorse the strategies as is?

In terms of initial feedback on the content of the AEC report, we note the report was released prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anecdotally, feedback have been received that COVID-19 has, in some ways, positively impacted regionally liveability attractiveness. We also note the report does not consider social behavioural elements which play a key role in determining future liveability matters and direction.

Our organisations wish to understand Council’s next steps in relation to the report and are keen to cooperate with Council on joint priorities.


Kind regards,

Commerce Roma and Visit Roma

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Maranoa Liveability Strategy produced by the AEC Group.

While it would be fair to say that there is little to disagree with in the report, the following comments are offered to add some context to the focus problem i.e. long-term population decline. There is no disputing the fact that liveability is an important factor in a person’s decision as to where they will live. Generally speaking however, employment and economic opportunities play a far bigger role in that decision.

In the last 50 years, the Maranoa has seen a number of milestone events which have defined the continued decline in population. The “beef crash” in the early 1970’s, started an ongoing loss of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in the region and a parallel decline in urban residential and business population. In the primary industry sector (upon which this region is heavily reliant) this was followed by the virtual demise of the wool industry and the closure of the Roma Meatworks. From the mid 1980’s onwards severe cutbacks in government employment (eg. Railway staff, Telstra and a range of other services) exacerbated urban drift with a consequent constriction of retail and business opportunities.

This little trip down memory lane has been taken to emphasise the strong correlation between employment opportunities and population and the consequent need for the Liveability Strategy to support the Economic Development Strategy rather than be viewed as a stand-alone panacea. Were liveability to be viewed as the primary cause, there is a strong possibility that Council would make significant investments for only a limited impact on the problem. That said, Covid 19 has provided a new dynamic in working conditions as “working from home” has become accepted and areas of high residential density have become unpalatable (or worse in some areas). Activities 3 and 6 of the Liveability Strategy dovetail neatly with this changed environment and should be prioritized for implementation while these favourable conditions exist.

Activity 5.1 raises some areas of concern where it speaks of subsidizing home buyers. While Council can have positive impacts on housing provision (many of which are also outlined in Activity 5) housing construction should be driven by demand in the private sector. One only has to look back to the frenetic housing boom in the period 2008 to 2014 to see how demand drives new building work. While there will always be a need for public housing, its over-representation in the housing market can significantly skew a population demographic.

Finally, the inclusion of Isaac in the regional sample has arguably diminished Maranoa’s ranking in several of the key indicators. While there are similarities in the two regions, with 25 coal mines producing almost half of Queensland’s coal, Isaac is obviously in a league of its own. It does however, clearly demonstrate the impact that jobs and high disposable incomes have on a region.

What I find about Roma in particular, as I live here is that the rent and/or purchase prices are far too high for businesses. Some are forced to leave the region, so people lose jobs. Too many buildings here are privately owned and too many owners are too greedy. It would have been good if council owned more buildings to let for more affordable prices for businesses who want to start in Roma.

The report prepared by AEC starts with an assumption that Council should aim for a starting poulation of 20,000, after which growth is self fulfiling.
As I read through this document, I wondered whether AEC had engaged with local industry bodies, such as Commerce Roma and Visit Roma, or indeed the Gas Industry and the Agricultural Sector? There seems very little reference to any of those bodies, or the industries which are perhaps the most important to the Maranoa now, historically, and into the future.
There appears to be very little hard core evidence in the document which supports some of the arguments presented.
There are confused statements on Education, statistics on crime which do not relate to the lived experience of most, a suggestion that our average wages are low in comparison to other regions, at the same time saying that housing costs are also low. One would think that one would counteract the other.
There is suggestions that student/ teacher ratios are very good, but no indepth analysis of the options available.
There is inadequate discussion on Tourism as a business driver, a suggestion that Council undertake a marketing plan, without reference to the Roma Revealed marketing plan just approved by Council to do just that.
There is discussion on transitioning FIFO workers into full time residents, which Council has a plan in place for, which was developed by Cr David Schefe in consultation with the industry and endorsed by stakeholders and the Council in 2019. I ask, did AEC check any of these facts?
In 2019 community groups were invited to attend many discusions on the Connected Futures forward planning document. I am not sure whether the work involved in that was ever completed, but I note AEC have used it as part of their research.
Council can develop and maintain population growth in this region by concentrating on these main pillars;
Tourism Supporting the development of Major Tourism Infrastructure such as the Bigger Big Rig Project, through all stages to the finished product. Tourism has tremendous upside throughout the Maranoa. Grab it!
Agriculture. Maintain a priority road network to facilitate goods to market as quickly and efficiently as possible. Maintain the Roma Sales Yards as the best in the business by continuing to invest in the site, through improved access/ egress, competetive pricing structures, and utilising the enormous Tourism Potential for the location.
Business Activity; Work to reducing planning approvals. Engage with developers to promote quick planning approvals, by perhaps adopting a team of specialists to engage with developers throughout the process, thus becoming a partner with developers. Such engagement would encourage other businesses to look to the Maranoa for opportunities for growth.
Create High Class Recreational Facilities. Get moving on the Basset Park Master Plan. Create a venue that could be used for outdoor concerts, NRL and Australian Football Trials, as well as the Showgrounds, Racing Industry, and other sporting events. In other words, it is time to extract the digit, and move things along.
Built Environment: Invest in our parks, gardens, town entrances, business districts, industrial parks. Make the Maranoa Region one that is pleasant on the eye, reasonable on the pocket, with excellent health, education, sporting and recreational facilities.
Look at the regional towns for growth opportunities. Has Surat , Mitchell , Injune, Wallumbilla, Yuleba, Hodgson, Amby, Muckadilla got room to move? Is there opportunity for over 55's residential developments in these towns. Would that in itself promote businesses to support such developments? Is there opportunity for alternative housing options? Can we provide low cost housing options? Extra families in these locations at least maintains the levels of teachers in the schools, nurses in the medical facilities, workers in maintenance fields, builders, suppliers, electricians, plumbers, and professionals.
Council can encourage population increase in our region by pursuing some of these suggestions.
As the world emerges from Covid-19, the Maranoa could be well placed to create opportunities for education, trade learning, a safe environment to raise a family, with excellent health, sporting, and recreational facilities.
A recipe for growth throughout the region.
Should we do? Or should we talk?