SEQ Rural Futures
SEQ is one of Australia's fastest growing regions with population projections indicating that an extra one million people will need to be accommodated in the region over the next 20 years.
Rural communities and agriculture are vital to the region, yet their contributions are often under-recognised. The things that typify rural SEQ - agricultural activities, areas of natural beauty and conservation value, water catchments, and many small urban and rural residential communities -are coming under increasing pressure, yet it is essential that they remain viable and sustainable.
The challenge for rural SEQ is to create a future which balances competition for land and natural resources between the needs of rural landholders, rural communities and the overall population of the region. This challenge has been met head on over the past few years through the development and implementation of two major Rural Futures initiatives:
- SEQ 2021 Rural Futures Project - under the 2001 Regional Framework for Growth Management
- SEQ Rural Futures Policy - within the South East Queensland Regional Plan (2005)
The SEQ 2021 Rural Futures Project
What the SEQ 2021: Rural Futures Strategy was about
The purpose of the SEQ 2021 Rural Futures project was to develop a strategy to ensure sustainability and viability of agriculture and rural communities in SEQ into the future.
The early stages of consultation undertaken in 2001 indicated that the 'old' ways of dealing with many rural issues were not effectively securing a long term future for many communities in the region. The SEQ Rural Futures Strategy sought new ways forward. Through a process of engagement, it became clear that consultation, cooperation and collaboration should be the new drivers of change.
The strategy focused on:
- providing planning processes that are informed by community expectation and values, and that facilitate the development of sustainable rural communities and industries in SEQ;
- Fostering economic prosperity and activity to ensure future rural growth and sustainability;
- Empowering rural people to engage with decision makers on policies and decisions that affect their lives;
- Optimising secure availability and use of existing and new water resources to sustain rural industries and the environment into the future; and
- promoting and preserving a balance between rural and urban values to ensure the sustainability of rural communities in SEQ.
The Strategy was not a 'blue print' which prescribed specific actions for any particular group, nor locations for development. It did, however, provide strategic direction that allowed all stakeholders to embrace the opportunities and challenges, and engage to work together for the betterment of the whole region.
The principles and practices included in the strategy provided the 'guideposts' to be used by all levels of government, the community, industry and individuals to ensure that there is a sustainable and viable rural future in SEQ in 2021.
The strategy was an action of the 2001 SEQ Regional Framework for Growth Management and was a component of the SEQ 2021 - A Sustainable Future project.
Rural values - what people value about rural SEQ
Different people value different things about rural SEQ and that means conflicting expectations about the future of the region. The challenge is to develop a better understanding of shared rural values as a basis for future planning for SEQ.
The SEQ 2021: Rural Futures Strategy described rural values from three perspectives: regional, rural communities specifically and landholders in particular.
Project Background
The development of the SEQ Rural Futures strategy brought together two projects. These being:
- The 2001 SEQ Regional Framework for Growth Management (RFGM) put forward as a priority action the "development of a strategy for agriculture in SEQ"; and
- The South-East Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (SEQROC) put forward the "SEQ Rural Enhancement Strategy".
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and SEQROC (with additional funding from the Commonwealth Local Government Incentive Program) coordinated the Rural Futures project, which incorporated the principles and objectives of both of these projects. [NB: SEQROC, as an organisation, has now been replaced by the Council of Mayors (SEQ).]
The strategy was developed through the combined efforts of communities, relevant industry bodies, and local, state and commonwealth governments and recognised the wide variety of social, economic and environmental values of agriculture and rural communities in SEQ.
Who was involved?
The project Steering Committee included representatives from the following bodies:
- Northern Regional Organisation of Councils (NORSROC)
- Southern Regional Organisation of Councils (SouthROC)
- Western Regional Organisation of Councils (WESROC)
Brisbane City
Council
Brisbane Region
Environment Council
Queensland
Fruit and Vegetable Growers (Growcom)
Queensland Chicken Growers Association
Queensland Pork Producers Incorporated
Department
of Primary Industries and Fisheries
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of
Natural Resources and Mines
Department
of Local Government and Planning
Department
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy
Department of State Development
Regional non-government sector
The project team also reported regularly to the SEQROC Rural Issues Working Group (RIWG) which consisted of a group of Mayors, Councillors and Council Officers from Local Authorities in SEQ.
Project Outcomes
The SEQ 2021: Rural Futures Strategy was endorsed by the Regional Coordination Committee (RCC) on the 11 November 2002. Click here to view the finalised Rural Futures Strategy (PDF-125kB).
The project steering committee and SEQROC Rural Issues Working Group worked together to explore options for the 'implementation' of the strategy. In May 2004, progress on implementation of the strategy was reported through the following document: 12 months on .. Implementation progress - rural futures strategy SEQ (PDF-193kB).
On 30 June 2005, release of the South East Queensland (SEQ) Regional Plan superseded the 2001 SEQ Regional Framework for Growth Management and organisational changes in both state and local government resulted in the above committees being disbanded.
However, the SEQ Regional Plan, which is a statutory based planning document drawing its powers under the Integrated Planning Act, 1994 (IPA), has a strong rural focus. Regional Policy No. 5 within the SEQ Plan specifically deals with Rural Futures and has built on the principles and strategies of the SEQ 2021 Rural Futures Project to develop a new Rural Futures Strategy.
The SEQ Rural Futures Policy
The SEQ Rural Futures Policy was released in June 2005 as part of the SEQ Regional Plan. Section 5.1 of this policy outlines a new Rural Futures Strategy. This new strategysimilarly recognises the significant role rural areas play in SEQ and seeks to ensure healthy and viable rural futures as well as enhancing the interdependence of urban and rural communities. The Strategy will form the basis for an integrated rural planning framework in SEQ across State and local government. It will build upon existing strategies, policies and programs and provide a whole-of-government approach to the future needs of rural SEQ
A steering committee has been formed and DPI&F, in its pursuit of profitable primary industries as the backbone of a strong and viable rural economy, will play an important role in implementing this new SEQ Rural Futures Strategy.
Watch this space for further developments!
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Last updated 04 June 2007
