The Bush Councils Compact, proposed by the Local Government Association of Queensland on behalf of its rural, regional and remote member councils, is an historic agreement designed to establish a new level of collaboration between the State and bush councils to guarantee minimum standards of service delivery and infrastructure for rural and remote communities.

The Compact impacts 45 councils across the state with a bush council defined as having a population of less than 50,000 people and/or a population density of fewer than 10 people per km2 and include Boulia, Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Diamantina, Etheridge, Flinders, McKinlay, Richmond and Winton Shire Councils and Mount Isa City Council.

The LGAQ has called on all political parties to commit to the Compact ahead of the October 31 State Election and to implement it within the first 100 days of the new Parliamentary term.

The Bush Councils Compact would require the next Queensland Government to: ensure special consideration is given to how every piece of legislation and every Cabinet decision will impact Queensland's rural and remote communities, publish an annual report on the State of our Bush Communities, which includes an independent assessment of government programs and service delivery to rural and remote communities, introduce a 'Bush Champions' scheme for Directors-General including Key Performance Indicators to ensure government program provision and service delivery to rural and remote communities are top of mind.

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LGAQ President Mark Jamieson said the Compact was designed to ensure the State Government never failed to consider how every Cabinet submission, everypiece of legislation and every policy decision might affect bush communities.

"Small populations, funding and policy uncertainty, the tyranny of distance and a high dependence on industries impacted by global fluctuations are combining to hurt our bush communities," Mayor Jamieson said.

"One-size-fits-all government policies only add to this frustration by ignoring any unique circumstances existing in rural and remote economies.

"We want a far greater understanding throughout government departments of the realities facing bush councils and their communities so they can make better decisions, provide greater revenue certainty and, of course, improve the quality of life of residents in rural and remote communities."

Mayor Jamieson said the Compact would be a formal partnership between the Queensland Government and the LGAQ and apply to 45 councils in rural and remote areas of Queensland.

"It's not a funding wish list but rather a high-level agreement providing greater policy and regulatory transparency for bush councils and a better understanding of their local circumstances," he said.

Queensland Farmers' Federation CEO Dr Georgina Davis welcomed the proposed Compact as a means to ensure essential services support and meet the needs of rural and remote communities; and encouraged the state's major political parties to lend their support.

"Queensland is the most decentralised of Australia's mainland states, with the agriculture sector of critical importance to these communities whereby they contribute to the state's food security, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity," Dr Davis said.

"Despite their contribution, Queenslanders in rural and remote areas do not receive the same standard of infrastructure and essential services as those living in metropolitan areas."

"To bridge the divide between the city and the country, while improving the quality of life of rural and remote residents, in the next Parliament, the government must guarantee minimum standards of service delivery and infrastructure for rural and remote communities."

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