News
30 May, 2025
Mayors demand action
Moreton Bay and Somerset mayors Peter Flannery and Jason Wendt joined nine other South East Queensland (SEQ) mayors at Queensland Parliament on May 23 to call for stronger partnerships that empower, enable, and support councils grappling with the challenges of rapid population growth and cost of living pressures.
The eleven mayors of the Council of Mayors SEQ (COMSEQ) met with Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and 14 key Government Ministers, including Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations, Jarrod Bleijie; Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg; and Leader of the Opposition, Steven Miles.
The delegation came as new data from the 2024 SEQ regional economic dataset, developed by the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR), revealed SEQ’s Gross Regional Product reached $334.05 billion, up 2.1 per cent in the past year.
In its first official delegation with the new Crisafulli Government, the COMSEQ discussed the need for strong partnerships backed by funding. High on the agenda were cost of living impacts from natural disasters, the region’s infrastructure and public transport demands, and the effect of the waste levy, which is placing councils under more financial stress than ever before.
Moreton Bay Mayor and Deputy Chair of COMSEQ, Peter Flannery, said it was “critical” that local and state governments are “on the same page” and “work collaboratively” to deliver for residents. “We’re keen to see the collaborative approach of the State Government continue; all of us working together will drive what is needed for the fast-growing communities in SEQ,” he said. “It’s important that City of Moreton Bay partners with the State Government to ensure we have the infrastructure and associated funding required to sustain growth. We were pleased to meet with Premier David Crisafulli and Ministers to advocate for a collaborative approach to waste management, environmental matters, better roads, housing, public transport, and upgraded infrastructure among many other things.”
Somerset Regional Council Mayor, Jason Wendt, said some of the key priorities for the Somerset region include better roads and infrastructure, especially with the 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon. “SEQ is set to grow three times faster than global peers over the next 20 years, and that will only be accelerated by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said. “Somerset is well-placed as a tourism hotspot come 2032, but to make this a reality we need investment to continue in our region. Somerset Council’s partnership with the COMSEQ is key to our advocacy to the Queensland Government, and we look forward to working with Premier Crisafulli and his Ministers to deliver better roads and infrastructure for our region.”
The latest growth data underpins findings of the Council of Mayors’ independent Benchmarking South East Queensland (SEQ) report. The report highlights the importance of improving connectivity, collaboration, and the region’s global profile. Home to over 75 per cent of Queensland’s population, SEQ generates around two-thirds of Queensland’s Gross Regional Product.
