Queensland Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Management Plans
- Client Name
- Multiple Local Councils
- Location
- Queensland, Australia
Challenge
Councils across Queensland were tasked with the need to assess the feasibility of meeting the expectations in Queensland's’ Waste Strategy. A clear pathway was required as to how the goals of the strategy might be achieved, including costing, to allow Councils to set their own objectives to 2050, and to allow collaboration across each region in delivery. SLR delivered Plans for the North Queensland, Central Queensland, Wide Bay-Burnett, Greater Whitsundays, and the Darling Downs/South-West Queensland Regions.
Solution
Our team delivered Plans for the North Queensland, Central Queensland, Wide Bay-Burnett, Greater Whitsundays, and the Darling Downs/South-West Queensland Regions. Our team developed a stakeholder engagement approach to engage with all levels of local government from officer to Executive. Waste flow modelling, options analysis, multi-criteria analysis and cost-benefit analysis were undertaken to support decision making. Once councils had decided on the path forward, an implementation plan was developed which included timeframes, funding needs and roles and responsibilities. The outcomes of the strategic planning were captured in a project report and an executive summary, and presented to and agreed by individual councils and regional groups
Impact
The final waste plans set out a long-term and co-ordinated path for action and collaboration across councils to support the planning for and investment in waste and resource recovery infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions in the sub-regions. The work presented a clear understanding of the costs & benefits, and reasonableness of meeting the State’s 2050 recovery targets. Councils bought into and agreed to collaborate regionally, and with the state to achieve collective positive outcomes.
The plans included education as a primary focus, to promote better outcomes for communities, including the benefits of getting recycling right and will be used to support requests for funding and assistance from the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments.
The plans are currently being implemented across the regions driving collaboration and the drive towards greater recycling by 2030.
