Community & Business
29 March, 2022
Chambers unite to bring business issues to light
LOCAL chambers of commerce across the region met for the first Far North Regional Policy Committee, a new committee designed to bring local issues to the attention of the State.
The chambers gathered Friday – one of many committees scattered around Queensland made up of the business groups in collaboration with Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ).
The Regional Policy Committees aim to provide local chambers and business stakeholders a stronger voice in discussions about the future of the economy and local communities, including raising important issues impacting their businesses.
They will share knowledge, provide direction, and inform policy related to business needs at the local, state, and national levels as well as contribute to policy submissions and work together to identify and address issues impacting businesses both at the local and state government levels.
Mareeba Chamber of Commerce president Joe Moro chaired the meeting with other chambers across the region including Cairns, Malanda, Ravenshoe, Western Gulf, Douglas and more – all members of the new Far North Queensland Regional Policy Committee.
Housing, crime, water security, road infrastructure and mandates were just some of the issues that were raised during the first meeting.
“Housing in relation to planning, water security for Cairns and the easing of mandates were some of the issues raised in the first meeting,” he said.
“These committees help bring the chambers together to discuss issues affecting them.”
“We can set priorities which then we feed into the state policy committee which then can be implemented from a state point of view - it’s about getting good coordination from a local level all the way up to the state.”
These issues have now been raised and forwarded onto CCIQ who will continue to advocate these issues on a state level. More than 100 chambers will meet every quarter part of 11 committees including South East, Darling Downs and South West, Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast, Far North and North, Mackay, Issac and Whitsundays, Central Queensland and Wide Bay.
CCIQ policy and advocacy general manager Amanda Rohan said there was an emphasis for committee members to represent the diverse business community in Queensland to bring all kinds of backgrounds, insights and ideas.
“Queensland is a diverse state economically, geographically and socially so we’re expecting a range of topics on the table,” Ms Rohan said.
“There’s no better way to understand local issues than to get into the regions and hear straight from chambers on the ground.”
As Mr Moro is the chair of the Far North Regional Policy Committee, he will meet weekly in a regional capacity with other chairs and quarterly with the Far North committee.
The next Far North committee meeting is expected to be held in June.
