MAYORAL MINUTES · Attachment 1 to the Ordinary Meeting Minutes dated 19 March 2026 - Noosa Council Submission_SCWA Bill 2026

In this context and noting that the Bill establishes a new statutory authority responsible for
strategic planning, infrastructure management and navigational access across the region, Noosa
Council seeks assurance that MSQ will continue to be fully resourced to deliver the functions it
retains under the existing marine safety and regulatory framework. The Bill does not displace
MSQ’s regulatory responsibilities in areas such as vessel safety, mooring administration,
compliance, aquatic event approvals, and marine incident response, nor does it displace local
government obligations under other Acts (e.g., Planning Act 2016, Local Government Act 2009,
Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995). However, the introduction of a regional
waterways authority may create uncertainty regarding resource allocation, program continuity,
and operational focus, particularly for location specific management programs such as the
NRMP.
Given the importance of the Noosa River’s environmental sensitivity, community values, and
safety considerations, Council respectfully requests that the State provide clear confirmation
that:
   1. MSQ will continue to be resourced at current or greater levels to implement the Noosa
      River Management Plan and associated compliance, education, and on-water
      management activities;
   2. The establishment of the SCWA will not diminish or reallocate MSQ resources away from
      Noosa River operations unless explicitly agreed through a structured transition plan;
   3. MSQ’s capability to deliver the NRMP—under its existing functions within the Transport
      Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994—will remain uninterrupted and fully funded during
      and after the SCWA’s establishment; and
   4. Any future coordination arrangements between MSQ and the SCWA will preserve MSQ’s
      operational leadership in vessel safety, moorings, on-water compliance and navigational
      regulation on the Noosa River.
Council emphasises that continued investment in MSQ’s on-water presence, compliance
functions and community engagement programs is essential to maintaining the gains already
achieved under the Noosa River Management Plan, and to ensuring the ongoing safety,
environmental protection and amenity of the river in accordance with longstanding community
expectations.


A14. Alignment with Catchment Action Plans
The SCWA’s 10year Waterways Management Strategy and 3year Waterways Management
Program should be explicitly aligned with the Catchment Action Plans (CAPs) currently being
developed through the SEQ Resilient Rivers Initiative. These CAPs provide a regionally
coordinated framework for improving waterway health, riparian resilience, sediment reduction,
landscape function and longterm catchment management. They represent the most
contemporary, science based planning for the region’s catchments and therefore should form a
foundational input into SCWA’s strategic and operational planning.

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