Fit-for-purpose framework to protect mineral communities

Published on 17 October 2022

Queensland's largest resource region is vying for support to establish a framework to help safeguard communities from bearing the social and financial brunt from the new minerals sector.

Isaac Regional Council is pushing for a contemporary framework to ensure local governments are not left to deal with the social, economic and financial impacts from resource, renewables and clean energy projects.

Mayor Anne Baker said the push toward lower carbon energy, new minerals, gas and changes to traditional mining and investment in these projects needs to be managed through a regulatory structure.

“Key social sustainability principles should be cemented in the planning of all future investment in the resources, renewables and clean energy sectors,” Mayor Baker said.

“I firmly believe this will ensure future sustainability for industry sectors and the communities that support them.

“We know the narrative as we have real life experiences dealing with the impacts of these large scale projects with little support to help manage social, economic and governance challenges they bring to our regions.”

Mayor Baker said Council has long advocated for a strong and sustainable futures.

“Together we have faced threats of mine closures, downturns in industry and impacts to the social fabric such as the lack of medical services, housing affordability or small businesses closing,” Mayor Baker said.

Mayor Baker said by having a fit-for-purpose framework it would help local governments to protect their communities and ratepayers from footing the social and economic bill for these projects.

“It is in the interest of all Queensland councils that the impacts and benefits of these projects are managed responsibly by a contemporary framework,” Mayor Baker said.

Council is lobbying 76 other local governments to vote for its motion at the 126th Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) 2022 Annual Conference in Cairns this 17-19 October.

Visit https://www.isaac.qld.gov.au/homepage/283/lgaq-conference for more information on all five of Isaac Regional Council’s motions.