By Dominique Tassell
While discussing a report tabled about the Federal Department of Agriculture’s tour of the Granite Belt at the 14 September Ordinary Council Meeting, Crs Ross Bartley and Cynthia McDonald highlighted the need for representatives to visit the northern sector of the region as well.
Cr Bartley suggested they could extend the invitation to the department, “to see what we’re doing in the broad acre and the livestock area“.
Cr Tancred said they had been on a three-day tour which had included Goondiwindi and Toowoomba.
Cr McDonald supported sending an invitation, saying she was unaware of the delegation coming to visit.
She said there were things in the northern area of the region that would be pertinent for the federal department to see, such as John Dee.
Highlighting that veterinary services were involved in the tour, she said that they may not have gotten much out of visiting a strawberry farm.
Cr McDonald suggested that given Cr Bartley extensive experience he may be a good host for a future tour.
Mayor Vic Pennisi stated that with events like these they are often given very minimal notice and are unable to suggest where they should go.
He said they don’t get the option of suggesting what they can do but are instead told what they will be doing.
“I’m happy to write to the department and expand and say ’look it’s great, next time you’re in the district just know that we’ve got the seven and a half square kilometres of ag land and it’d be great if you could spend a bit of time having a look at that’.“
Cr McDonald said she would endorse that, particularly regarding their cattle and sheep production and broad acre farming.
Chief executive Dave Burges said they would also encourage Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt to visit the region.
Cr McNally then asked if they had “pseudo-portfolios“ as the same councillors were being asked to look after certain areas though they don’t officially have portfolios.
She stated some of them are being “left in the cold“.
Mayor Pennisi stated there was no delegation from his office.
Cr McDonald asked whether they would normally make contact with the mayor of the area they are visiting, to which Mayor Pennisi stated visits happen all the time and they often do not know.
Cr McNally questioned whether Cr Tancred was part of the tour in a council capacity or through his business, to which Mayor Pennisi responded that Cr Tancred was simply sharing some information with them about the tour and had extended an invitation to the Council officers.
Cr Tancred said he was invited to the tour “as an expert“.
Cr Andrew Gale stated that they all “go about doing stuff“ and inform their fellow councillors when needed.
Cr McDonald and McNally expressed their disappointment about how the tour was handled, and that they had not been informed.
Mayor Pennisi stated “I think we’re reading way too much into this“ and said he was happy to extend an invitation to the department to visit the northern end of the region.
Cr McDonald said she disagreed that they were reading too much into it.
“I have no problems with what’s going on internally within our community at a local level, local government level, that’s fair enough,“ she said.
“But when you’re talking about a federal level delegation arriving and being received by one councillor and no other councillors around the room knowing about it, then I would have to question why the others aren’t actually informed.“
Mayor Pennisi said he didn’t believe Cr Tancred received them but was invited to attend.
Cr Tancred said the department set their own agenda, invited him as an expert, and had invited other people to a lunch and farm visit alongside him.
“I participated in a private capacity, not as a councillor.“
He stated that the acting chief executive had made representations on behalf of the council and his representations were “purely to educate“.
Cr Sheryl Windle stated that confusion may have been caused by the report being included in the wrong section of the meeting, and it being included in general business may have been more appropriate.
