Redland City Council will use October’s Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Annual Conference to call on Queensland councils to unite against domestic violence as well as lobby the State Government for tighter regulations around community residences.
The two motions were supported by councillors at yesterday’s General Meeting after being nominated by Redland City Mayor Cr Karen Williams and Deputy Mayor Wendy Boglary. They will now be tabled at the 121st LGAQ Annual Conference in Gladstone, 16-18 October.
The first motion calls on the LGAQ to provide greater leadership in preventing domestic and family violence and increased support for councils dealing with domestic and family violence in their communities.
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Cr Williams said she hoped the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence motion would encourage councils from across Queensland to become leaders in their respective communities in standing up to and eliminating domestic and family violence.
“Local governments are closest to their communities and I passionately believe we should all be playing an increasingly important and vocal role in leading, educating and supporting our communities to eliminate domestic and family violence,” Cr Williams said.
“We are also seeking stronger advocacy to other levels of government through a unified state and nation-wide approach to domestic and family violence.”
The second motion, which seeks improved governance and greater oversight of Community Residences, follows Council first raising concerns about Community Residences with the then Newman Government in 2013.
Redland City Deputy Mayor Cr Wendy Boglary said the three-point motion called on the LGAQ to lobby the State Government to review the present provisions around community residences.
“We are particularly concerned with accommodation facilities providing transitional services such as drug rehabilitation and parole support and reintegration for past offenders,” Cr Boglary said.
“While recognising the need for these community residences, we’d like to ensure they are located close to public transport and areas of employment, address the impacts on existing residences and are established in consultation with the local government to ensure consistency with local planning policies.
“The community has raised a number of concerns regarding these residences, particularly those in residential areas; so we will again be asking the LGAQ to request the State Government conduct an urgent review to provide greater oversight, monitoring and transparency of these services.”
Mayor Karen Williams will be joined by Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell at the 121st LGAQ Annual Conference in Gladstone in October.
