WHO WE ARE

We are seven mayors from seven regional Queensland local government areas.

On behalf of the people driving one of our core industries, beef agriculture, our councils are advocating for infrastructure investment to improve the roads that form part of the beef supply chain – Queensland Beef Corridors.

Our beef industry shares values we all endear… resilience, innovation, sustainability, and equity. It is an industry driven by people, young and old, women and men. 

Its product fulfils a basic need for consumers around the globe.  

We believe that investing in those roads does not only improve supply chains. It is an investment that unlocks potential that we already know our region holds. Potential for the wider economy, other industries, but most importantly for people and future generations. 

MAYOR SEAN DILLON

Barcaldine Regional Council

Our stakeholders consistently identify several problems caused by often poor roads they are forced to use, including lost productivity, lost time, vehicle damage and delays, impacts to their supply chains both ways and the safety risks to the users of those roads.

We are calling on the government to establish a robust direct focus on cross-regional council advocacy to direct taxpayer dollars north to upgrade our beef corridor road network.

The agricultural industry continues to keep Queensland moving during the COVID-19 pandemic and this has clearly demonstrated our regional resilience. However, this cannot be maintained without critical road infrastructure such as our beef roads. Our beef roads are equally as important and critical as any other state priority.  

MAYOR NEV FERRIER

Banana Shire Council

There are three meat processing plants in Central Queensland, two in Rockhampton and one in Biloela.

Between them they employ about 2,000 people rely on delivery of up to 3,000 head per day.

 We need to be able to get road trains from western Central Queensland to the Gladstone Port via the Capricorn, Burnett and Dawson Highways via Dululu, Biloela and Gladstone.

Queensland Beef Corridors will also benefit our tourism industry and other strong export commodities that are transported from western Central Queensland to the Gladstone Port like grains, mungbeans and chickpeas.

MAYOR TONY WILLIAMS

Rockhampton Regional Council

As the Beef Capital of Australia, Rockhampton depends on the transport of cattle for breeding, backgrounding, sales and meat processing. Ensuring reliable transportation is vital to the beef supply chain and the growth of local jobs.

Meat processing firms in Rockhampton including Teys and JBS are undertaking their own expansions to process more beef for domestic and international markets and will rely heavily on improved transportation from across Central Queensland.

Growth opportunities also exist at the Gracemere Saleyards which are currently at the mercy of a beef transportation system that hasn’t changed since the 1950’s.

We are calling on the government to establish a reliable and robust beef corridor road network that will assist Council’s across Central Queensland.

MAYOR josh weazel

Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council

Ideally, we will generate an invested interest from both state and federal governments on improving beef corridors and limit problems encountered in getting stock and products for sale. For Woorabinda this would mean flexibility to haul cattle and produce to relevant sales and increased numbers of cattle hitting the market from the region overall.   

MAYOR Anne baker

Isaac Regional Council

We are calling on the government to establish a robust direct focus on cross-regional council advocacy to direct taxpayer dollars north to upgrade our beef corridor road network.

The agricultural industry continues to keep Queensland moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this cannot be maintained without critical road infrastructure such as our beef roads.

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MAYOR MATT BURNETT

Gladstone Regional Council

The heavy vehicle access route into the Port of Gladstone incorporates the Gladstone Port Access Road, which currently does not allow for Type 1 Road Train access. Upgrading Type 1 Road Train access from the Dawson and Capricorn Highways into the Port of Gladstone would reduce logistic costs and time.

The Port of Gladstone is a gateway to the rich Central Western hinterland of Queensland and need efficient connections through the Queensland Beef Corridors.

Accessing the Port of Gladstone can open the door for beef export, as well as agricultural exports, straight to Asian markets and improved supply chains for agricultural imports and consumables.

MAYOR KERRY HAYES

Central Highlands Regional Council

Reliability creates confidence. Confidence drives opportunity. Opportunity creates investment and employment.

As a result, regions and communities revitalise and linkages between our communities improve capacity and sense of identity for our beef region.

Despite our resilience, innovation and early adoption of 21st-century technology and our incredible superiority in genetics, we are burdened with uncertainty and unnecessary cost that comes from an inexplicable lack of investment in road infrastructure.

Our communities deserve better by any measure of ambition or equity.