2014-01-13 Deamalgamation Report Attachment

Section 1 – Background
In 2008 the Queensland Government amalgamated Noosa Shire Council, Caloundra City Council
and Maroochy Shire Council into a single Sunshine Coast Regional Council after the 2007 Local
Government Reform Commission recommended changes to Queensland local government
boundaries, names and electoral arrangements.

The former Noosa Shire Council and local community groups expressed strong opposition to the
amalgamation, and the Noosa Independence Alliance was formed. The Alliance consisted of four
community organisations from the Noosa area, with a total membership of around 5,000.

In 2012 the Queensland Government appointed a Queensland Boundaries Commissioner to
investigate the viability of former shires wishing to de-amalgamate from larger regional councils.

After reviewing the proposals from the Noosa Independence Alliance, the Sunshine Coast Council,
and in consultation with stakeholders, the Report stated that “a new Noosa Shire Council would be
financially viable and there were enough reasons to allow the people of Noosa to decide the future
direction of their local representation” and recommended that a poll should be held in March 2013.

Appendix 1:      Queensland Boundary Commissioner Report (proposed Noosa De-
                 amalgamation)

In March 2013 Noosa residents overwhelmingly voted to de-amalgamate from Sunshine Coast
Council, and in the following April the Queensland Government released the Local Government
(De-amalgamation Implementation) Regulation 2013 (the LDIR) as the instrument to guide the
process.

In summary, the purpose of the LDIR was to:

    Establish a new local government in Noosa
    Provide for elections for the new local governments
    Provide a transfer mechanism, including a transfer manager, transfer methodology and
     transfer committee
    Provide for financial matters relating to the de-amalgamation of the continuing local
     governments
    Provide for matters related to local laws and other instruments of the continuing local
     government and new local government
    Provide for matters relating to the continuing local governments

Appendix 2:      Local Government (De-amalgamation Implementation) Regulation 2013

The LDIR nominated the date of 1 January 2014 as the changeover day, when the new Noosa
Shire Council came into existence.




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