An Apple iPad Pro or a GoPro HERO6 are up for grabs as part of Redland City Council’s new ‘Get Ready’ youth video competition.

Redland City Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group chair Karen Williams said the competition aimed to involve young people of Redlands Coast with community messaging around storm and bushfire season preparedness.

“Each year, we run an extensive campaign to remind residents about the need to be prepared for natural emergencies, which, as recent years have shown, present real risks to our community,” Cr Williams said.

“This year for the first time, we are getting our young people involved and running a competition calling for 90-second videos promoting key disaster preparedness messages.

“Our hope is that we will be able to work with winning entries to create a final video for release in ‘Get Ready’ week in October.

“While it is a youth-focused competition, we encourage team efforts and the help of parents, teachers and other budding filmmakers in creating entries.

“We’d love to see some family and school entries, again giving the wider community an opportunity to devise new and engaging ways to share the ‘Get Ready’ message.

“There are great prizes on offer for the winning entries, so I encourage people to head to Council’s Your Say Redlands website to find out how to get involved.”

Videos must include four key disaster management messages: preparing your home, the need for a household emergency plan and emergency kit, getting to know your neighbours and how to be informed.

Entry is open to Redlands Coast residents of all ages, but at least one person under 18 years and a local landmark or icon should feature in the video.

The winning video may be used to promote ‘Get Ready’ community messages through a range of channels during storm and bushfire season.

Entries close 30 September 2018.  For details, including full terms and conditions, visit www.redland.qld.gov.au/getreadycompetition

How residents travel around the Redlands Coast was at the centre of two decisions made by Redland City Council in today’s General Meeting.

The first decision saw Councillors endorse the Draft Redlands Coast Transport strategy for community engagement, while councillors also unanimously supported a Mayoral Minute for Council to make a submission to a State Government inquiry into the future of transport technology.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the endorsement of the Draft Redlands Coast Transport Strategy would give residents the opportunity to have their say on the future direction of transport planning on Redlands Coast.

“Transport, both road and public transport infrastructure, is undoubtedly one of the most consistent topics of conversation in our community, which is why Council identified an updated transport strategy as one of our key priorities,” she said.

“In 2015 we held a series of transport forums across the city and this draft strategy is informed by those forums, as well as engagement with key transport organisations and providers.

“Our community has told us they want to be able to get around the city faster and safer and want to see the major roads in and out of the city upgraded along with key public transport infrastructure such as the Cleveland Rail line.”

Cr Williams said an important next step of the strategy was hearing from residents, businesses, schools and transport partners on what transport issues were important to them.

“As part of the consultation process we will ask residents what they think our priorities should be to help guide delivery of Council’s transport initiatives and advocacy to state and federal governments, transport providers and neighbouring local governments.

“State and federal MPs will also be engaged directly, and information will be provided to raise community awareness about the transport network and which level of government was responsible for which transport corridor and service.

“Our journey to a more effective and efficient transport network is just starting. This won’t be completed overnight, nor can Council take this journey alone.

“The State Government is responsible for many of the major transport opportunities across Redlands Coast, including the majority of roads in and out of the Coast, public transport and rail.

“This is why a key part of this strategy will be to advocate to other levels of government and encourage them to prioritise the projects, road upgrades and public transport services our community needs.”

“The Redlands Coast Transport Strategy will be followed by a series of implementation plans, which is where the rubber hits the road through the identification of on the ground priorities and projects our residents will see in their neighborhoods and along their daily commute.”

Cr Williams said Council would make the case for better transport technology to meet local challenges as part of their submission to the State Government Transport and Public Works Committee inquiry into Transport Technology.

“The Redlands Coast has some unique transport challenges and our submission will encourage the State Government to remove some of the existing barriers to the technology that may meet these challenges,” she said.

“An example of these technologies is Autonomous Vehicles, and we have been trying to encourage the State Government to trial these vehicles on our island communities.

“We will also use our submission to highlight the transport challenges and increased transport costs for our island communities, as well as the challenges our island based residents face in accessing employment and social services.”

Council today endorsed its Education and Training Industry Sector Plan 2018-2023, which supports the delivery of Council’s Economic Development Framework 2014-2041(EDF).

With the education and training industry being Redlands Coast’s third largest employer, contributing 4.5 per cent of the Coast’s economic output, the Education and Training Industry Sector Plan focuses on three areas:

• Fostering collaboration and strategic partnerships
• Growing higher education and alternative learning pathways and supporting emerging industries
• Growing international education

Mayor Karen Williams said the plan recognised the strength of the education and training industry sector in the Redlands Coast economy and the potential for further growth, with detailed actions to realise the economic benefits.

She said strategies and recommendations included growing international education and a university sector, establishing a centre of excellence in education for the ageing, developing a health and education precinct, and engaging the community in education and life-long learning.

“Redlands Coast is well placed to benefit from the education and training industry sector,” she said.

“We have an abundance of features that would be attractive to international students, including a beautiful, natural environment and access to Aboriginal culture, and we have significant goodwill from commercial and government organisations in growing international education.

“As our population grows and also ages, ensuring we have education and training facilities here will help retain our students as their needs expand.

“It will also meet the education needs of older people, the training needs for the workforce caring for a rapidly ageing population, and increase demand from outside the Coast.

“Our ageing population also offers significant opportunity to be a national leader in the provision of education and training services for older populations, particularly active and involved ageing in which life-long learning is embraced.”

Chair of the Redlands Economic Development Advisory Board Sam Kennedy said that the economic development framework, endorsed by Council in 2015, provided clear direction for business and economic growth and development on Redlands Coast.

“The EDF focuses on the key industry sectors of health care and social assistance, education and training, tourism, manufacturing, construction, retail trade, high value-add services and rural enterprises,” Ms Kennedy said.

Through the EDF, Council is committed to local economic growth, local employment opportunities, and ensuring the Redlands Coast community benefits from any improved local economic capacity.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams will meet with yet another Federal Government MP in Canberra later this month as Council continues to try and secure the Federal Government land in Birkdale for the community.

Cr Williams told today’s Council meeting that the recent Federal Government reshuffle would mean starting from scratch with new Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance Zed Seselja who she has asked to meet with in Canberra later this month.

“This is the fifth member of parliament I will have dealt with regarding this land since we started negotiating with the government in 2015,” Cr Williams said.

“While it is frustrating to have to start the conversation again I am committed to ensuring this land is not used for housing as outlined in May’s Federal Budget.”

Cr Williams gave the commitment during today’s General Meeting where Councillors considered establishing a Community Reference Group (CRG) to decide the future use of the land.

“Council’s current intention is that the land should be retained for community use, such as educational facilities and recreation, with detailed investigations and engagement likely to proceed when Council is able to secure the land.”

Cr Williams said the priority was to ensure the land was retained for the community in a way that protects its environmental and cultural significance.

“As part of their divestment process the Federal Government is undertaking a series of studies on the land, including cultural heritage and environmental significance and we will be able to use this information during our due diligence and community consultation.

“If negotiations progress and Council determines that a CRG should be formed, it is expected that an expression of interest process would also be run to allow community members to nominate to be part of the group.”

In May the land was identified for divestment in the Federal Budget, prompting Cr Williams to lobby the Federal Government to rescind its decision and sell the property to Council off-market.

At the time Cr Williams launched a petition on Change.org which was signed by 6,000 people wanting to save the land from being used for housing.

“In May we made our feelings known when more than 6,000 people signed the petition and told the Federal Government we don’t want this land used for housing,” Cr Williams said.

“Now we have to start the conversation again and so I am urging everyone to again make their feelings known by signing the petition, so we can secure the land and then undertake the necessary consultation and studies to ultimately ensure the land is not lost to the community.”

Cr Williams said during her upcoming visit to Canberra she would also meet with Air Services Australia regarding their parcel of land adjoining the ACMA property.

The properties, currently owned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and Air Services Australia, are located at 362-388 and 392 Old Cleveland Road East, Birkdale.