Rockhampton Mayor appointed to Regional Capitals Australia Board

Published on 30 October 2018

Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Margaret Strelow has been appointed as the Queensland representative of the Regional Capitals Australia (RCA) Board at the group’s Annual General Meeting last week.

Formed in 2012, RCA is an advocacy body which numbers more than 50 towns and cities around regional Australia and aims to narrow the divide between metropolitan and regional areas.

Mayor Strelow said with issues such as traffic congestion and high housing costs in capital cities dominating national discussion, now was the time for the regional capitals to make their case.

“It is becoming increasingly important for regional capital cities to push their case to state and federal government for recognition of the role that we play in providing services and support to our broader regional community,” Mayor Strelow said.

“In the same way as capital cities such as Brisbane are compensated in recognition that their services and facilities benefit the entire state, it is equally valid that Regional Capitals play a significant role in our regional communities as well.

“Indeed recent research has demonstrated very powerfully that the higher the level of services provided in a Regional Capital, that there is a corresponding increase in the level of services and development in the surrounding Shires and cities.

“It has never been more important for Regional Cities to collaborate and advocate as one,” Mayor Strelow said.

More information on Regional Capitals Australia can be found at http://regionalcapitalsaustralia.org/