Thank you everyone, on behalf of the 35,000 people who call our region home, it is my pleasure to present the 2025-26 Western Downs Regional Council Budget.
I’m proud to stand with my fellow Councillors today, to present a Budget that keeps our thriving region moving forward.
We don’t get to where we are today, a strong, visionary Council leading a thriving, diverse and passionate region, just by clicking our fingers.
I’d like to pause for a moment or two and pay respect to the Councillors who have come before us, whose courage in making the tough calls, the right calls, the smart calls, allow us to today present a budget that is forward thinking and sets us up for a strong year ahead.
This Budget acknowledges the hope, faith and trust placed in our ability to lead and guide the communities of the Western Downs into the future.
This Budget is a responsible financial plan that delivers great liveability, quality infrastructure and improved services.
This Budget is proof of our Council’s continued commitment to operating within our means and sustainable planning for the future.
This Budget keeps in mind cost-of-living pressures.
This Budget is a carefully considered plan that ensures Council spends only what it can afford.
This $269 million Budget demonstrates Council’s healthy financial position, and we have already acquired $32.2 million in State and Federal grant funding and other contributions to help lower the cost of delivering essential services, new projects and reliable infrastructure.
Our region is growing, thanks to our strong, diverse economy, and Council is planning for future growth in the year ahead by investing in quality essential services and the delivery of modern infrastructure.
We have budgeted to deliver a humble surplus of $1.58 million this year with total operating expenditure of $186 million and a total capital investment of $83 million to deliver 150 projects across the region.
Keeping cost-of-living pressures front and centre, we’ve kept rate increases to the absolute minimum needed to deliver key services, capital projects and essential new infrastructure.
Rural, commercial and industrial businesses, and residential households will see only a 3.5% rates increase. Rates for renewable energy, resource and intensive agricultural industries will increase by 5%.
Council will continue to offer a 5% discount on rates paid by their due date.
We will continue to match the State Rates Subsidy Scheme, offering pensioners a 20% rebate on rates and charges excluding water consumption - up to a maximum of $200 per year.
With our strong economy, favourable climate, and reputation for being a great place to live and do business, the Western Downs will continue to grow.
Regional growth is both a challenge and opportunity, and that’s why we will continue to invest in our roads and fight for better road funding from the State and Federal governments.
Our roads keep us connected and drive our productivity, so we have allocated $53 million for maintenance and capital improvements to our local roads, bridges, footpaths and stormwater infrastructure.
Council will also continue to aggressively advocate to the State and Federal Governments to improve the condition and safety of the more than 1800 kilometres of national highway and state-controlled roads in our region.
Water remains our most single important resource on the Western Downs, so we’re investing more than $24.7 million into capital water supply, water treatment and wastewater infrastructure this year.
This includes the continuation of the Dalby water supply project and the commencement of the raising of Jandowae Dam Spillway.
Long-term water security and supply are critical for the growth of our region and economy, and Council will continue to aggressively advocate for and explore new opportunities for the provision of bulk water.
Our community will also see a $1.68 million in capital improvements to our waste transfer stations and landfills at Wandoan, Tara, Jandowae, Moonie and Miles.
Activating our communities and creating new places to gather, play, reflect and celebrate is another important priority for Council in the year ahead.
We want to encourage our community members and visitors to explore our backyard and enjoy our facilities, so Council has allocated $6.74 million in new capital projects and improvements to our sport, recreation and civic facilities.
Detailed design for a new cultural facility for Dalby continues, as we work towards kicking off construction for this exciting landmark project.
We are also in the detailed design phase for the construction of a new Chinchilla Aquatic Precinct.
We continue our 10-year plan for upgrading our regional pools and aquatic infrastructure, and this budget supports $3.5 million in capital improvements.
Council recognises the importance of our community parks, greenspace and cemeteries, and we are investing $5.2 million in capital upgrades to improve our parklands and open spaces.
This includes a new adventure playground for Thomas Jack Park at Dalby and new ashes interment gardens at the Tara and Miles cemeteries.
In the year ahead, we will support some of Queensland’s most exciting and unique destination events like the Dalby's Delicious and DeLIGHTful Festival, Miles Back to the Bush Festival, Opera at Jimbour, and our annual Words Out West Readers and Writers Festival.
Events like these showcase our culture and give our communities the opportunity to shine, bringing visitors and tourists to the region in droves and boosting our tourism revenue.
That’s why Council has allocated $446,000 in events funding and community grants to empower local community groups to deliver new and exciting initiatives in our region.
Council has also invested $2.8 million to strengthen our region's economic diversity and tourism attraction through the delivery of our new regional signage program.
We will continue to support our local businesses and industries in their planning for the future through the delivery of a new Regional Workforce Plan to address workforce shortages and skills gaps.
We also look forward to the return of our Youth Entrepreneur Summit and Manufacturing Conference.
It's been my privilege today, to share with you some insight into the exciting new infrastructure, services and liveability projects we will be delivering for the region in the year ahead.
I'd like to acknowledge the dedication and effort our Council team in preparing this Budget for the Western Downs community.
I really want to thank my fellow Councillors.
The respect you show and the heart you bring into the boardroom to achieve the best possible outcomes for our communities epitomises strong leadership. Thank you.
Thank-you for trusting in our collective ability to deliver exciting outcomes and continue this time of economic growth, prosperity and advancement for the Western Downs.
Together, we've forged a responsible financial plan that has been carefully prepared with community needs front and centre.
We are financially strong, and our track record for delivering great economic and liveability outcomes is widely respected.
This Budget sets us up to sustain future regional growth while investing in wonderful new capital projects to drive economic growth and elevate the liveability of the Western Downs for generations to come.