Shaping the future of our region

The North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) is seeking an energetic and adventure driven appointee to be their inaugural Regional Waste Behaviour Change Coordinator.

Reporting to the CEO to 30 June 2028, and based anywhere in North West Queensland, this split position will deliver two business functions for the benefit of NWQROC members and the broader communities they represent.

Carpentaria Shire Council is warning proposed changes to Australia’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) could make large-scale emergency responses such as coordinated fodder drops harder to fund in future disasters.

During major North West Queensland flooding earlier this year, the Australian and Queensland Governments jointly funded an initial $2 million emergency fodder support package, including Carpentaria Shire, followed by a $12 million Coordinated Emergency Fodder Support Package across 10 flood-affected council areas. The assistance supports extraordinary costs associated with getting emergency fodder to isolated livestock.

The North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) has lodged a formal submission to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) strongly opposing the Federal Government’s proposed Disaster Management Reforms, warning that the changes would leave remote communities exposed, delay recovery, and shift millions of dollars in additional costs onto councils and primary industries.

Cr Barry Hughes, NWQROC Chair & Mayor, Etheridge Shire Council

North West Queensland is used to carrying more than its fair share of the load when it comes to natural disasters. What we can't carry is a bigger share of the bill.

That's the message that shaped our agenda as the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils hosted a Disaster and Agriculture Roundtable in Julia Creek last week.