We understand this year has been particularly difficult, especially for the council. We have had to make some very difficult decisions, which have not been easy. At the very start of our term, we had one very important decision to make; are we going to be a council that was just rates, roads and rubbish? Or are we going to be a council that did the job we were elected to do, which was to deal with the difficult issues and adopt some strategies for long term vision and betterment of the city.

We have looked at the strategic direction our city needs to travel in, to remain the city of opportunity, to ensure the longevity of our city and to most importantly ensure our city keeps capitalising and building liveability. It is important for the community to understand we have for the first time in many years, as a cohesive council come to the table for community. Most of us own and operate businesses, so when times are tough, we understand - because we too are part of those times.

We are a council which will not sit back on our laurels while there is work to be done. This year I was invited to be a part of the 2030 Federal Resources Taskforce – the only local government in Australia to be invited and we led the community sector for that taskforce.

Last month we spoke at Geoscience Conference and represented Mount Isa in discussing the future of the city, the challenges identified, and the support required from all levels of government for ongoing prosperity of the region.

The council has been working closely with the state government to support the North West Minerals Province Strategic Blueprint to advance the North West.  Much work has been done to support the initiatives of the Tennant Creek to Mount Isa Cross Border Commission, to promote the development of the Tennant Creek to Townsville Economic Development Corridor.

We have been actively supporting the Mount Isa to Northern Territory Gas Pipeline, a $1.3 billion project which has the potential to play a pivotal role in creating opportunity for future growth and creating and sustaining jobs in northern Australia. Good leadership is not easy. It is a hard road, and this council has and will continue to travel along it, ensuring we do everything in our power for a positive future.