News

A review has been undertaken of the Noosa Council 2022-23 draft budget documents published for community consultation on 23 May 2022.

The purpose of the review was to assess the potential positive and negative impacts of the budget on local businesses, ratepayers and the broader Noosa community. The Chamber is cognisant of the current challenges facing Noosa businesses including stagnant economic growth, supply chain and resourcing pressures, inflationary pressures in addition to increasing interest rates.

The decisions made by Councillors when adopting the budget can have significant implications for business operators, residents and ratepayers, and the Chamber has a responsibility to advocate where possible to maximise benefits and minimise impacts for its members and the broader Noosa community.

Please click here to view the analysis of the Noosa Council Budget (PDF 4MB)

As we enter this post-pandemic era the economic challenges will be significant: rising inflation annually, interest rates, government deficits and worldwide events all add up to an uncertain future.

As a local economy we need to be on our game.

The Noosa gross regional product has underperformed the Queensland average for 11 years, growing less than 50 per cent of the rate of inflation.

We have less jobs in Noosa shire now than any other time since 2015 as a result of the stagnating local economy.

Average weekly earnings is 20 per cent below the Queensland average, and with the current cost of living it’s making it impossible for employers and employees alike.

Council’s policy framework clearly demonstrates the unequal approach to economic considerations compared to environmental and social concerns. The Chamber attended the budget scene setting briefing to Councillors and subsequent to that briefing has made some initial representations. Watch your inbox for further details regarding Council’s 2022-2023 budget as once we have a firm view of what’s proposed we will provide a further update.

The Chamber is calling for our local economy to be taken seriously, for effective implementation of the local economic plan.

We are calling for bold leadership, the empowering of our shire’s business ecosystems, putting in place enabling infrastructure and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation.

We must act now to ensure we correct the lack of growth in our GRP and invest wisely so that we develop the right economic drivers and arrest the decline in GRP of our local government area.

Much has been said about this experiment that has been going on since 2019 but the lack of financial reporting has been of huge concern to the Chamber. Some see this as a worthwhile scientific experiment while others see it as a waste of money.

The Chamber along with seven other organisations made representations to Council and whilst Council decided to vote in favour of giving this project another 18 months to be able to claim $970,000 of ratepayers’ money, some safeguards were imposed on further negotiations.

Mayor Stewart moved an amendment to review the procurement and administrative procedures and key risks of this project. The motion was carried with a 4/3 vote.

Councillor Finzel moved an amendment to contact The Nature Conservancy in writing to request to see all receipts and financials. For instance, in their accounts they report spending $265,000 on volunteers/marketing etc. but does not disclose who were the contractors/recipients of these $265,000 of ratepayers’ funds.

The motion also calls for any future agreements or extensions of this agreement to include full and proper disclosure of the spending of funds and for this agreement to comply with Council’s own acquittal policy. This motion was also carried 4/3.

Councillor Lorentson moved a motion asking for community consultation. This vote was lost 4/3.

The three Councillors who voted against the above mentioned motions were Councillors Wilkie, Stockwell and Wegener.

The Noosa Chamber of Commerce and five other leading local resident and business associations have asked Noosa Council to end an “alliance agreement” with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) stating that its Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project has not achieved agreed upon milestones.

A joint letter and letter of support by the associations to Noosa Councillors expressing great concern about the project and requesting that, at this month’s meetings, the Council not approve an extension of the current three-year contract beyond its end date of 30 September 2022.

Council documents show that the Council has already paid more than $230,000 to the project and there is nearly a million dollars of taxpayers money still to come of the total $1.2 million grant.

Our associations are determined to see ratepayers’ funds used wisely for projects of the greatest priority and benefit to Shire residents and ratepayers, particularly in our current economic state and unsustainable eco-environment which has been adversely impacted by floods, storms, shortages of affordable housing, bushfires, and an ongoing pandemic. Immediate and urgent action on environmental risks such as un-treated stormwater entering the river and oceans is part of a long list that should have funding priority by council.

Our six associations are urging that the Council, when it meets this month, not to proceed further with funding this project, and to redivert taxpayer funds to more essential projects.

This important Council decision impacts all Noosa Shire residents and ratepayers, and we urge you all to make your voice heard by insisting Councillors vote against the Oyster project extension. The submitted letters were signed by and/or supported by representatives of the Noosa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Noosaville Business Association, Hastings Street Association, Peregian Family & Friends Association, Sunshine Beach Association and Eastern Beaches Protection Association.

fter key discussions at the Noosa Round Table, The Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hastings Street Association, the Noosaville Business Association and the Noosa Junction Association have agreed to make a fresh call to the State Government and Noosa Council to help recover and strengthen Noosa’s economy and community. 

The joint call focuses on four key actions that require the State Government to act immediately to save Noosa’s businesses. 

1. Cash flow compensation: A joint state/federal strategy is urgently required to immediately assist businesses who have been impacted by government trading restrictions and determinations around who can and cannot be served in some stores. The Business Roundtable has already devised a support strategy for businesses and was provided to the State Government in late 2021. We urgently demand it be assessed and initiated. 
2. Vaccine mandates: Business vaccine mandates have placed enormous difficulty on businesses on a number of fronts and contributed to tensions between employer and employee, and customer against business. We demand Federal and State Government policy makers engage with business groups and urgently consider targeted compensation for loss of trade (as per the BAS format) and review the impact and value of vaccine mandates. These mandates have been inconsistently applied, caused staff shortages and in some instances have been the cause of attacks on businesses by customers. 
3. Emergency Powers: We ask for clarity on the need for Emergency Powers as 2022 progresses past March and require certainty as to when all restrictions on business and our community will end. 
4. QR Codes: Noosa businesses need assurance that the mandatory QR code check-in be immediately canceled for all businesses. It is an unnecessary impost on business and businesses should not be the “policeman on the beat”. 

COVID-19 is now entering an endemic phase as we learn to live with the virus, so we consider it is now time for government to step back and allow businesses to manage risks with their community without the need for draconian restrictions imposed by government that cause significant damage to our economic stability.

Given the current housing pressures in the Noosa community and the requirement to provide innovative solutions to address a post-COVID economic recovery, the Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has proposed an initiative to Noosa Council to assist in fixing the problem. The Noosa Adopt-a-Worker program seeks to utilise existing accommodation throughout Noosa to provide a match-making service for employees of businesses that are hindered by staffing issues relating to lack of housing in the area. 

Our goal is to establish a match-making service that pairs businesses within Noosa with available accommodation and help reduce pressure on the business community in staffing due to lack of suitable accommodation options for potential hires. This program will get Noosa back on track with an economic environment that supports businesses and boosts the economy by putting income back into the pockets of people with accommodation currently not being utilised or being under utilised. 

Noosa Council has been receptive to our program proposal and we are hoping to see it come to life by June 2022. Stay tuned to our website and Facebook for any updates.

For further information about the program please contact us.