Blueprint for the Bush absorbs criticism
By Anthea Gleeson
news@longreachleader.com.au
HAILED as a 10-year plan to build a sustainable, liveable and prosperous rural Queensland, Blueprint for the Bush has come under the scrupulous attention of Western Queensland councillors and CEOs since its release.
Last Friday Department of Communities disability services and seniors regional director Mick Shearer and Office of Rural and Regional Communities Blueprint for the Bush director Karel Duivenvoorden walked RAPAD (Remote Area Planning And Development) board members through the plan.
The RAPAD board comes together every four months, enabling the 11 shires to discuss pertinent issues affecting their region, such as skilled migration and housing.
At this meeting it was the Blueprint for the Bush session which garnered significant discussion and feedback.
Having already thoroughly studied the document, Ilfracombe Shire Council chief executive officer Vaughn Becker revealed his scepticism.
"There are so many reports and documents stating that they will make life better for all of us - will this be just another one?" asked Mr Becker.
"I’ve had 40 years in local government - and maybe the scepticism is starting to surface - but there is nothing in that document that the people of Queensland and local councils haven’t been telling the government for years.
"There’s one project around the Surat district that has been on its shire’s books since 1927, and suddenly it’s in [the Blueprint].
"It’s been looked at a number of times since and nothing has happened, yet it makes the list now.
"I hope the government is starting to listen to the bush because it’s no good just listening if they don’t pass on the funding."
The Blueprint for the Bush is touted as a 10-year plan to help regional and remote areas maintain or increase ‘sustainability and liveability’, through funding opportunities and generalised projects.
The launch of the document was held in Charleville last month, with Premier Peter Beattie and agricultural big-wigs coming together and signing off on the project.
Now Mr Becker feels unsure of what the next chapter is in the 10-year Blueprint saga.
"This is the perplexing thing; where do we go next?
"I think it definitely requires some timeframes and more specific information as to where the budgetary allocations are coming from."
Winton Shire Mayor Bruce Collins also admitted some suspicion of the blueprint after the meeting last week.
"I think there has been a fair bit of hype surrounding this document," Mr Collins said.
"The way that it has been put together I don’t think gives the people of Western Queensland much confidence.
"For example the blueprint states that the population of the bush is not declining, but it only draws on shires which are east of the divide and on the outskirts of a regional city, Toowoomba.
"I don’t think they are looking at the real bush, or what I would consider to be the ‘bush’."
Yet these inaccuracies appeared to be anticipated by the government, as visiting department speakers and Blueprint for the Bush advocates Mr Shearer and Mr Duivenvoorden said problem areas in the officially released plan are soon to be addressed, suggesting changes in Blueprint for the Bush may be on the horizon.
"We will begin our regional tour next month to begin to hear what’s missing from the document," Mr Duivenvoorden said to the RAPAD board.
"It’s time for some healthy cynicism.
"This is a 10-year plan and it’s just the beginning. We need to look at this document like an actual blueprint for regional centres.
"You can consider this a blueprint for a building and use it as a tool for each of your shires, to build from and enhance your communities."
RAPAD general manager David Arnold said he is impressed with the Blueprint and its 80 page outline for the future.
"I’ve got an open mind towards it and I am quite content to see that a number of RAPAD submissions have been directly addressed in the document," Mr Arnold said.
"But the devil is in the detail, we’ve got $150 million worth of new money to spend in the first few years, and even Karel and Mick don’t know exactly what it is going towards as yet.
"The Blueprint for the Bush definitely has the potential to benefit rural communities and the Central West should be a major beneficiary of this project."
news@longreachleader.com.au
HAILED as a 10-year plan to build a sustainable, liveable and prosperous rural Queensland, Blueprint for the Bush has come under the scrupulous attention of Western Queensland councillors and CEOs since its release.
Last Friday Department of Communities disability services and seniors regional director Mick Shearer and Office of Rural and Regional Communities Blueprint for the Bush director Karel Duivenvoorden walked RAPAD (Remote Area Planning And Development) board members through the plan.
The RAPAD board comes together every four months, enabling the 11 shires to discuss pertinent issues affecting their region, such as skilled migration and housing.
At this meeting it was the Blueprint for the Bush session which garnered significant discussion and feedback.
Having already thoroughly studied the document, Ilfracombe Shire Council chief executive officer Vaughn Becker revealed his scepticism.
"There are so many reports and documents stating that they will make life better for all of us - will this be just another one?" asked Mr Becker.
"I’ve had 40 years in local government - and maybe the scepticism is starting to surface - but there is nothing in that document that the people of Queensland and local councils haven’t been telling the government for years.
"There’s one project around the Surat district that has been on its shire’s books since 1927, and suddenly it’s in [the Blueprint].
"It’s been looked at a number of times since and nothing has happened, yet it makes the list now.
"I hope the government is starting to listen to the bush because it’s no good just listening if they don’t pass on the funding."
The Blueprint for the Bush is touted as a 10-year plan to help regional and remote areas maintain or increase ‘sustainability and liveability’, through funding opportunities and generalised projects.
The launch of the document was held in Charleville last month, with Premier Peter Beattie and agricultural big-wigs coming together and signing off on the project.
Now Mr Becker feels unsure of what the next chapter is in the 10-year Blueprint saga.
"This is the perplexing thing; where do we go next?
"I think it definitely requires some timeframes and more specific information as to where the budgetary allocations are coming from."
Winton Shire Mayor Bruce Collins also admitted some suspicion of the blueprint after the meeting last week.
"I think there has been a fair bit of hype surrounding this document," Mr Collins said.
"The way that it has been put together I don’t think gives the people of Western Queensland much confidence.
"For example the blueprint states that the population of the bush is not declining, but it only draws on shires which are east of the divide and on the outskirts of a regional city, Toowoomba.
"I don’t think they are looking at the real bush, or what I would consider to be the ‘bush’."
Yet these inaccuracies appeared to be anticipated by the government, as visiting department speakers and Blueprint for the Bush advocates Mr Shearer and Mr Duivenvoorden said problem areas in the officially released plan are soon to be addressed, suggesting changes in Blueprint for the Bush may be on the horizon.
"We will begin our regional tour next month to begin to hear what’s missing from the document," Mr Duivenvoorden said to the RAPAD board.
"It’s time for some healthy cynicism.
"This is a 10-year plan and it’s just the beginning. We need to look at this document like an actual blueprint for regional centres.
"You can consider this a blueprint for a building and use it as a tool for each of your shires, to build from and enhance your communities."
RAPAD general manager David Arnold said he is impressed with the Blueprint and its 80 page outline for the future.
"I’ve got an open mind towards it and I am quite content to see that a number of RAPAD submissions have been directly addressed in the document," Mr Arnold said.
"But the devil is in the detail, we’ve got $150 million worth of new money to spend in the first few years, and even Karel and Mick don’t know exactly what it is going towards as yet.
"The Blueprint for the Bush definitely has the potential to benefit rural communities and the Central West should be a major beneficiary of this project."
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