Examining communities of interest to achieve ‘best-fit’ governance in Central Queensland

Local government reform has been an important governance issue across Australia for many years. In 2007, in Queensland, concerns surrounding the economic viability of many local governments triggered a shift in the direction of the Size, Shape and Sustainability (“SSS”) local government review. During the SSS process, the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development (ISRD) was commissioned to undertake a study on the implications of Council amalgamations for the Mt Morgan and Fitzroy local government areas in central Queensland: this paper describes this workand its relevance for regional governance. A key aspect of the project was an examination of the ’communities of interest’ within the study area. Communities of interest are an important consideration for local governments, particularly where boundary changes involve the amalgamation of previously separate shire areas and their respective communities. The purpose of this research was to ascertain (a) what, and where, communities of interest existed within the Fitzroy-Mount Morgan study region and (b) the implications of these for the communities of interest post-amalgamation. The research involved a literature review combined with an extensive community consultation phase, including face to face interviewing and a community survey. A number of communities of interest were identified, particularly with respect to areas of local government reform preferences, satisfaction with services, equity of services, financial connections, community wellbeing, and community characters. The research was conducted prior to the decision to amalgamate the Fitzroy, Mount Morgan, Livingstone and Rockhampton local governments into the Rockhampton Regional Council (subsequently ratified by the Queensland State Government and operationalised in March 2008). The lessons learned from this work can be applied to local governments elsewhere in Australia, since the work serves to highlight the importance of identifying and considering communities of interest when considering municipal boundary changes. In fact, this work demonstrates that communities of interest are equally as important as issues regarding (for example) economies of scale. The paper concludes by providing suggestions on actions that could be undertaken at both the regional and local level in order to encourage and strengthen existing communities of interest to the benefit of community wellbeing.