A word from Brent, Managing Director and CEO | June / July 2023

A word from Brent, Managing Director and CEO Peak Services

Brent and LGAQ at Kowanyama Aboriginal Council

I am writing this article for News from Peak whilst I am engaging with our regional and remote councils at LGAQs Bush Council Convention in Goondiwindi. I am here with my executive team, Jess, Julian and Mike (who is experiencing his first ever bush conference and until now I don’t think had crossed the great divide – he is learning fast how it works out here).

It is great hearing firsthand about the many wonderful initiatives and challenges being overcome by councils and listening to the four young Goondi kids on the ‘if I were a Mayor for a day’ panel with Mayor Springborg, I know we have a lot to look forward to. Our youth are more than ever interested in the workings of local government, the opportunities this will provide for them in years to come and how they can step up as community leaders.

I had the privilege of introducing the winners of the 2022 Butch Lenton Bush Council Innovation Award, Balonne’s Mayor Sam O’Toole and CEO Matthew Magin. Not only did they take us briefly through the Country University Centre program that won the award, but they also highlighted the plan for enabling their community to be better positioned to transition to employment and further education – helping the most vulnerable of their community with an adult Language Literacy and Numeracy Program – so that no one is left behind. Learn Grow Become - this program has been supported with the $10,000 bursary that comes with the award.

Now we did hear that the name of the award is a bit of a mouthful, and not wanting to introduce yet another acronym to local government I am officially dubbing this award ‘The Oscar of Local Government’, a term I will credit to Mayor Sam O’Toole. For those that are not aware, we are currently taking submissions for the 2023 award which closes on 31st August and will be announced at LGAQ’s Annual Conference in Gladstone.

This week I am in the far south of the state, and last week I was travelling with LGAQ President Mark Jamieson, CEO Alison Smith and team, along with Hope Vale Mayor Jason Woiboi across some of the most northern local government communities in the Western Cape. What a privilege it is to travel to places that most people will never see, the ‘West Coast of Qld’ as Mark calls it, is as remote and stunning as you could imagine. Everyone should have this region on their bucket list.  It has been a while since I have stepped into these communities and of course, they have some challenges, particularly around a chronic lack of housing. What should be a basic right of shelter and a foundation for strong communities is a problem that needs much more attention and action from other levels of government.  Despite this though, like most remote communities these places punch well above their weight and provide community services that a lot of councils don’t have to. Housing, child care, aged care, airport management, supermarkets, tourism facilities, funeral services, guest accommodation, park rangers, biosecurity and so many other essential services that other levels of government rely on them for. It’s a real credit to them.

I also had the opportunity to see first-hand the impact of the recent IDF project that we funded in Kowanyama in conjunction with Telstra. For those that are not aware, the IDF is the Industry Development Fund, an initiative of Local Buy and Telstra and since inception we have collectively funded $5.8M in projects across Queensland communities – this is not well recognised by local government and an initiative that we are really proud of as we make a difference on the ground, in the communities where it matters most.

The Kowanyama IDF project provided increased connectivity between council sites that include the Airport, Women’s shelter, CEO House and Community Centre. This project was the first deployment of this technology for an Indigenous Council in Far North Queensland and since then 20 other councils have implemented the same solution which is what the IDF is all about. Funding innovation that supports broader outcomes.

It’s always wonderful to have the opportunity to engage with councils face to face, so right now, I’m back to Bush Councils.

See you out there,

Brent