Expansion debate is off the mark

LOCAL debate about the proposed Noosa Civic expansion is missing the mark, according to Noosa Shire Residents and Ratepayers president, Brian Stockwell, who is calling for higher order employment in Noosa.
According to Mr Stockwell, it’s not about the prospect of more supermarkets and the potential competition for small businesses that NSRRA is most concerned about, it’s what the community stands to lose in terms of the potential for higher order employment opportunities.
Mr Stockwell said he held concerns for the outcome of the expansion if the applicant, the Queensland Government’s investment arm, “has its way and is allowed to ignore the statutory master plan over the site”.
“What everyone seems to be missing is this is a State Government entity that owns land which is zoned for offices, research and development and technology,” he said.
“The State Government is no doubt the largest single consumer of such premises in the state, with numerous knowledge workers arms that could be relocated to Noosa.”
“NSRRA has done our research and found out that the Noosa Shire area has the lowest rate of State Government employees of any council area in South East Queensland.”
Mr Stockwell said data from the Public Service Commission showed only 1.5 per cent of Noosa’s population was employed by the State Government compared to the SEQ average of 3.5 per cent.
“I know from my time as a senior manager in the government there has been sizeable movements of staff out of the city to Ipswich and the Gold Coast in the not so distant past, and there is a clear case for Noosa to press a claim for the same opportunity,” he said.
“In NSW, they moved the head office to the Department of Primary Industries to Orange, so why not move the head office of National Parks Sports and Recreation to Noosa – it would be an excellent fit. Or perhaps a research arm of government which is struggling to find high quality staff who may be attracted to the Noosa lifestyle?”
Mr Stockwell said NSRRA was going to seek the support of the three local State Government members to advocate “decentralisation of an appropriate unit within government to Noosa”.
“The Shire Business Centre is an excellent site, but so too is the vacant State Government industrial area in Cooroy,” he said.
Mr Stockwell’s comments come as public submissions close for the proposed expansion.
More than 100 submissions were received by council through the Your Say portal, with CCIQ Noosa, Noosa Junction Association and the Noosa Homemaker Centre just some of the submitters.