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Toowoomba First New Term Council Meetings

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Toowoomba First New Term Council Meetings

Toowoomba Regional Council’s first statutory meeting  will be held in The Annex at 10am on Thursday 23 April.  Mayor Paul Antonio said, At the first meeting Council will vote on the position of Deputy Mayor as well as assign portfolios to each Councillor.”

In addition to this, Council will be able to set a date for a Special Meeting of Council to be held, in which we will formally consider a raft of local economic stimulus and relief options.”

Following the Councillors being sworn-in to office earlier this week, TRC Mayor Paul Antonio said Councillors would work through an information session on Tuesday 21st of April, before the first statutory meeting of Council.

With all of the Councillors now sworn-in, Council is in a position where we can consider what local economic stimulus or relief options we can provide within the Toowoomba Region,” Mayor Antonio said.

The Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life around the world and added a new set of challenges for governments, businesses and the entire community.

There’s no doubt our top priority must be to examine exactly what assistance or relief local government can offer local businesses and families.

This is an important first step for the new Council and one which can’t be taken lightly which is why we will hold an information session prior to the first meeting of Council.

In the first instance, Councillors need to be informed about the long-term financial sustainability of Council and the reserves it has, including how much of those reserves are constrained and what the capacity is for discretionary use.

It’s also important for Council to consider the support packages available through State and Federal Governments as we don’t want to duplicate support. Council genuinely wants to identify local businesses that don’t qualify for support that is already available, and then allocate Council resources where appropriate.”

The information session on Tuesday in The Annex will also act as a dry run for using the technology now required to support Council at its first meeting in the same venue on Thursday.

We are in uncharted waters and want to ensure all technology has been tried and tested prior to the first meeting of Council so we can live stream that meeting to the public,” Mayor Antonio said.

It’s crucial we have these first meetings so Councillors fully comprehend what options are available before making any immediate decisions.

We will ensure our targeted response complements the economic relief packages that have been announced by the State and Federal Governments.”

Submitted by:
Brendan Steinhardt
Principal Media and Strategic Relations
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
Toowoomba Regional Council

Limit Trips To Toowoomba Waste Facilities

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Limit Trips To Toowoomba Waste Facilities

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is urging the community wherever possible, to limit trips, limit passengers and maintain social distancing to help avoid delays when visiting Council’s waste management facilities.

Graph of visits to TRC Waste Management Facilities 2019 and 2020 to date

TRC General Manager of Water and Waste, Mr Damian Platts said Council had seen significant growth in visits to Waste Management Facilities (WMF) since mid-March when the Federal and State Government’s directed the community to ‘stay at home’.

Council has recorded an increase of around 65% in visits to WMF’s when compared to the trend of long term weekly average visits**,” Mr Platts said.

In the week leading up to Easter 2020, Council WMF saw 9,754 visits, and this compares to 5,286 in the same period in 2019.  The pre-Easter figures are 1,441 higher than last year’s peak of 8,313 visits during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2019.

This significant increase in visits, the requirement for social distancing, as well as new procedures limiting the number of customers onsite means the community will experience delays when visiting our WMFs.

The community can avoid delays at WMF’s by limiting their visits, making use of Council’s kerbside collection service for general waste, recycling and green waste and also ensure they are carrying a full load, rather than making multiple visits.”

Council’s WMFs remain open as an essential service for community waste disposal, and only the tip shop at Greater Toowoomba WMF remains closed.” Also, with the extra time at home, if you’re decluttering, please make sure that you comply with what types of waste can go in your wheelie bins.

For more information about Council Waste Management Facilities, visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/waste

Michael Duff
Senior Media Relations Officer
Stakeholder Engagement and Communications
Toowoomba Regional Council
PO Box 3021, Toowoomba QLD
www.tr.qld.gov.au
 

 

 

 

 

Social Distancing At Toowoomba Swearing-In

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Social Distancing At Toowoomba Swearing-In

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) will follow strict limits on public gatherings when the new Council is sworn-in during a two-hour ceremony from 11.00 am, Thursday, 16th April 2020.

TRC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Brian Pidgeon said the rich tradition would continue with a swearing-in ceremony adapted to the current health directives in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Social distancing will be a priority with the Mayor and ten Councillors being sworn-in separately at 10-minute intervals,” Mr Pidgeon said.
While the ceremony will take a lot longer, and sadly won’t be the community celebration as in previous years, the importance of stopping the spread of coronavirus and protecting others is a priority.

The swearing-in of the Mayor and each Councillor will be live-streamed through Council’s webpage, Facebook and YouTube platforms, to allow the community to witness this historic moment.The swearing-in ceremony marks the beginning of the Council term with the newly elected Mayor and Councillors making the declaration of office. The declaration allows a Councillor to act in the office and must be made within one month of election or appointment.

This will be an important term of office for the Toowoomba Regional Council, and the Mayor and Councillors are keen to get to work making strategic decisions that will lead to the growth of our Region,” Mr Pidgeon said.

The swearing-in of Councillors is an important first step for the new Council, as is the safety of our community.”

For more information about the newly elected Mayor and Councillors go to http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/about-council/councillors-meetings/introducing-councillors

To view the live-stream of the Council’s swearing-in ceremony visit http://tr.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-publications/media-releases/14176-councillor-swearing-

Submitted by:
Michael Duff
Senior Media Relations Officer
Stakeholder Engagement and Communications
Toowoomba Regional Council

An Easter Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin

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An Easter Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin

Most Reverend Robert McGuckin DD MCL JCL is Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba  which covers the Darling Downs and South West regions of Queensland.

Bishop Robert shares a message of hope and faith with the people of the Toowoomba Diocese during this extraordinary Easter season.

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With all church services suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the main Easter services are being streamed from St Patrick’s Cathedral in Toowoomba.

The timing’s for the main masses are:

7pm Thursday 10th April – Mass of the Lord’s Supper;
3pm Good Friday 11th April – Passion of our Lord; and
7pm Saturday Evening 12th April – The Easter Vigil.

COVID-19 Testing Clinic Hours Change

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COVID-19 Testing Clinic Hours Change

Darling Downs Health’s drive-through novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing clinic, set up at the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus, has updated its opening hours during weekends and public holidays.

The clinic will continue to open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays, however on public holidays and weekends the clinic will now open from 10am to 4pm. Located on the corner of Burnview and Nicoll Avenues, the clinic is accessible by the Mort Street roundabout entrance to the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus.

A person is eligible for testing if they have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, and in the last 14 days:
• They were a close contact or a household contact of a confirmed case
• They had been overseas, including on a cruise.
Testing is also possible for people who have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms,
AND:
• Work in vulnerable settings such as healthcare, aged or residential care, military, correction facilities, detention centres and boarding schools.
• Live in an area where an outbreak has occurred
• Live in a First Nations community.

Darling Downs Health medical and nursing staff will be on hand to do a check for the virus, which includes taking your temperature, checking oxygen saturation level, pulse and respiratory rates, all of which can be done while you remain in your car.

In the event you are feeling unwell before attending the clinic and you fit the criteria described above, it is highly recommended that you have someone else drive you, in case the check indicates that further assessment is needed.

Be sure to bring a mobile phone as you will be required to speak with our staff before you enter the drive-through clinic, and if you have a mask please put it on before you drive through.

The best way to avoid the virus is to practice good hand hygiene, good cough etiquette and to remain vigilant about avoiding contact with people who may have been exposed to the virus.

For more information on testing visit www.queenslandhealth.com.au/coronavirus

TRC Election Result Firming As Count Continues

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TRC Election Result Firming As Count Continues


With the Electoral Commissiuon of Queensland having reached 73.20% of counting of votes in the Toowomba Regional Council poll the outcome is becoming evident.

With 10 Councillors required, the Top Ten candidates and their vote  tally is as follows:

Rebecca Vonhoff 51, 167
Geoff McDonald* 48,797
Megan O’Hara Sullivan* 46, 998
Carol Taylor* 46,522
James O’Shea* 45,293
Bill Cahill* 44,662
Kerry Shine 44, 352
Nancy Sommerfield* 43, 790
Melissa Taylor 39,062
Tim McMahon 31,716

*Returning Councillor

With less than 30% remaining to be counted,  and a gap of almost 7,000 votes to the nearest competing candidate, it is most likely when declared, the incoming council will be comprised of the 10 candidates above.

Trailing contenders in the 24 thousand votes category are Joy Mingay, Lizzie Adams, David Campbell and Garry Humphries. Informal Votes so far represent 1.21%.
(ECQ as at April 7, 2020 5:29 PM)

Paul Antonio has been returned as Toowoomba Region Mayor with 72.74% of the poll (65,891 votes), Christopher Meibusch (19.22% – 17,408) and Douglas Doelle (8.05% – 7,291 votes). (81.83% counted)

Lifeline Darling Downs Stores Temporarily Closed

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Lifeline Darling Downs Stores Temporarily Closed

Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland have announced their stores have been temporarily shut from Saturday 4th April.

This decision to temporarily close has been made to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and customers due to the impact of COVID-19,” CEO Derek Tuffield OAM said.

“I would also like to stress that our emergency relief and counselling services are still operating and will continue to do so. We have installed a toll-free number to ensure people can contact us which is 1800 951 052.”

Trading across the Lifeline Darling Downs retail network may vary, and customers are advised to check the website for specific store details. Individual store information can be found  at https://bit.ly/3dOSvqT

For more information visit www.lifelinedarlingdowns.org.au

Queensland’s Coronavirus Directive

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Queensland’s Coronavirus Directive

Home Confinement Direction
This direction applies to ALL residents of Queensland.

All people must stay in their homes except for:
1  shopping for essentials – food and necessary supplies;
2  medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements;
3  exercise with no more than one other person (unless from your household);
4  providing care or assistance to an immediate family member;
5  work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely.

Direction from Chief Health Officer in accordance with emergency powers arising from the declared public health emergency

A person who resides in Queensland must not leave their principal place of residence except for, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to accomplish, the following permitted purposes:

a)  to obtain food or other essential goods or services;
b)  to obtain medical treatment or other health care services;
c)  to engage in physical exercise, either alone or in the company of no more than one other person; or in the company of a family group who ordinarily live in the same Household;
d)  to perform work on behalf of an employer that is engaged in an essential business, activity or undertaking, and the work to be performed is of a nature that cannot reasonably be performed from the person’s principal place of residence;
e)  to visit a terminally ill relative or to attend a funeral, subject to any applicable restrictions under other relevant Public Health Directions;
f) to provide assistance, care or support to an immediate member of the person’s family;
g) to attend any Court of Australia or to comply with or give effect to orders of the Court; or
h)  to attend a childcare facility, school, university, or other educational institution, to the extent care or instruction cannot reasonably be obtained in the person’s principal place of residence.

A person who leaves their residence for a permitted purpose may be accompanied by members of their household or, alternatively, by no more than one person who is not a member of their household.

The Queensland Chief Health Officer may grant an exemption to part or all of these directions on compassionate grounds or for other exceptional circumstances.

This directive was promulgated on 29th March 2020
Dr Jeannette Young,
Chief Health Officer

 

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