Mal For Bundaberg Community | Public figure

Mal For Bundaberg Community

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24.01.2022 Inaugural Function of Our Glad Assn with Mal, President Leonie Egan & Secretary Nina Nina Higgins. The aim of this Association is to bring "Our Glad" back to Bu...ndy. Gladys Moncrieff, born in Bundy was child star. Discovered at the age of 6 Gladys became one of Australia's highest earning vocalists. See more

15.01.2022 Launch of Bundaberg's Relay For Life in the CBD Pavilion. This year's event will be held at the Bundaberg Recreational Precinct on 13-14 August. I am honored to have been asked to be Patron for Relay for Life 2016

14.01.2022 Note from the Editor: Today it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to one of the best Mayors this Region has had in a long long time. MAL FORMAN, a man of honour, integrity and honesty. A True leader. It has been my greatest pleasure doing your Facebook Page for you. You have given so much to this Region, for that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I wish you well in your Retirement - you will be sadly missed. You will always be Numner 1 on my Ballot Sheet... Editor See more

10.01.2022 A recent happy family occasion!

10.01.2022 Recent contributors to the Letters column have been making baseless claims regarding Council and alleged incentives paid to developers and their clients specifically in the case of Masters. Amounts of up to $2 million are being bandied about. I can assure the residents of the Bundaberg region that no financial incentive has been secured by Masters or the developers associated with the project. An incentive scheme under the label of Bundaberg Open for Development was instiga...ted in September 2013 as an economic driver by Council in the wake of the 2013 floods which resulted in a large number of projects including Masters being incentivised by Council. The incentives offered discounts ranging between 75% and 25% for eligible projects to be commenced in the short term to drive the local construction industry. Under the scheme, Masters was eligible for an incentive of $1 million based on its infrastructure charges contribution. This incentive needs to be sourced by the project owner by initially meeting a determined start date and a completion date. Masters met its start date commitment of August 31, 2015 but, due to the announcement that the Masters store for Bundaberg is not proceeding, will not meet the construction substantial completion date of May 31 this year. The result? Masters will forfeit the $1 million incentive. The Bundaberg Open for Development initiative saw projects valued at more than $50 million brought forward at a time Bundaberg region required an economic boost. Bundaberg Regional Council is subject to stringent external auditing of it financial affairs. To make allegations that Council is engaging in suspicious activity shows a plain ignorance of the governance requirements to be met by Council and unfairly puts at question the integrity of Councillors and Council officers. Some people seem content to blow their trumpet through the local media while making a fanfare about totally unsupported allegations. Please check your facts before you put pen to paper or listen to street corner gossip. I have always maintained that I have an open door policy and if any ratepayer requires clarification on any issue all they need do is contact me. Cr Mal Forman Mayor Bundaberg Regional Council See more

06.01.2022 Council’s current debt position Mayor Mal Forman It is prudent and sound financial management for Council to share financial information with our community and ratepayers and advice of the potential cost of all projects and operations.... This provides our stakeholders with up to date information reflecting the current financial position of council. Council’s Debt and Net Financial Liabilities Ratio forecasts are based on the best information available to Council at the time of any assessment. Projected borrowings are planned years in advance. Since Council’s current Budget, adopted on 2 June 2015, and our audited financials of 2014/15, three main changes have occurred that have altered Council’s projected loans and debt levels. Council’s liability in relation to the restoration of its landfills has reduced from $60M to $25M in the audited financial statement from 2013/14 to 2014/15. REDUCED BORROWING $35M The original cost estimate for the construction of the Rubyanna wastewater treatment plant of $92.8 million has been revised down to $71 million as a result of a very competitive tender process conducted by Council. This is a great outcome for what is a very significant strategic project. REDUCED BORROWING $21.8M Council receiving grant funding from the State Government of $5M for the Multiplex facility and $5M for the Rubyanna Waste Water Treatment Plant. REDUCED BORROWING $10M This has greatly decreased our need to borrow previously estimated amounts and our revised current and future budgets will reflect these savings. Council commenced the 2015/16 financial year with total debt of $70.1M. With just $2M borrowed this year Council will finish the 2015/16 financial year with borrowings of $65.6M or a Net Financial Liabilities Ratio of 14.3%. The Net Financial Liabilities Ratio is an indicator related to debt versus assets and should ideally be reflected in a figure less than 60%. Council’s forecast debt in 2018/19 based on the projected capital works program will be around $90M and based on council’s forecast capital works program will be just under $100M in 2020 or a Net Financial Liabilities Ratio of 21.5%. Council‘s borrowings and debt situation are subject to intense scrutiny by Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) and are annually reviewed by independent auditors as part of an audit process. Borrowings are an essential and legitimate means of Council funding its capital works programs and the community can be confident that Council operates within its capacities to appropriately meet its debt redemption. While Council’s current and projected debt situations can be found in the pages of Council’s Budget papers and Annual Reports, the community should be aware that financial circumstances can change and alter projected figures. At each Ordinary Meeting of Council financial updates are presented which align Council income and expenditure with budget estimates.

05.01.2022 I note with interest the newspaper report refers to two larger projects as examples of contracts being awarded to out of town contractors. Council has previously informed the community that around $10 million of the $14.5 million multiplex contract... will be shared among sub-contractors locally. Cr Forman said he believed Council endeavoured to assist local business in every practical way and to drive economic growth and job creation. We understand that investing money locally helps create job opportunities and assists local businesses in maintaining its workforce. At times, the expertise required for a particular contract is simply not available locally. In instances where contracts may be awarded out of our region Council endeavours to ascertain the level of supply involvement an external contractor may seek locally. To date the State Government has been generous in supporting not only Council projects but getting behind major infrastructure such as the $19 million gas pipeline to the Port of Bundaberg. Cr Forman said he was delighted Member for Bundaberg Leanne Donaldson had requested Council take advantage of funding available through the State’s Building our Regions program. It’s great that the State government sees such value in supporting regional communities like Bundaberg with major infrastructure projects such as the multiplex centre and other Council shovel ready projects. See more

05.01.2022 Mayor voices support for fixed four year terms for State Government The positives associated with legislating the State Government to serve a four year fixed term far outweigh any negative arguments regarding the move from three year terms. That’s the view of Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Mal Forman who has swung his support behind the four year fixed term campaign which will be the subject of a referendum to be conducted in conjunction with the March 19 Council elections.... I fully support the move to four year fixed terms for the State Government as I believe it is in the best interest of our community. It will be more cost effective and brings the State into alignment with the term served by Local Government. I believe voters would welcome a move to conducting a State election on the last Saturday of October every four years. We live in an era of high volume interaction between State, Federal and Local Governments and it is apparent that four years is an appropriate time frame for a term of government prior to an election. Over the years I have been in local government I have witnessed the disruption and costs incurred by Council through snap State government elections and regular changes of government. Council, the community and especially the business sector requires certainty and stability and this is enabled through respective governments running full term, said Cr Forman. I am a solid supporter of the yes case being presented in favour of four year fixed terms and which will be decided by referendum on March 19. Elections are costly exercises and the current ability by governments to call elections at any time impacts on community life and can have a major negative economic effective on the tourism industry. Cr Forman said the proposed yes vote had wide support from all sides of politics, the unions and the business sector. The added time frame and fixed term certainty would translate into more efficient outcomes between State and Local governments. Modern Queensland is fast-paced and multi-dimensional. A fixed four year term is an appropriate time frame to allow government to plan, implement and fully deliver on strategies and commitments, he said.

04.01.2022 Upon my departure as Mayor I wanted to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to you all for your wonderful support and assistance. It is very much ...appreciated. During these past four years we have shared an outstanding community recovery following the natural disasters that struck our region. The contributions of time and talents by so many people across our Council area will be a lasting memory for me. Out of adversity comes good and we saw the real spirit of our community. The spirit of giving, resilience and helping one another has really united us as a community. Much has been achieved in the past four years with the many building blocks necessary put in place and truly established to take our region forward into a period of economic growth, development and employment opportunities. I have been proud to be at the helm of the Council ship for the past four years and with the continuation of the current momentum I know our region will prosper and will grow from strength to strength. Exciting times are ahead. I thank you for your friendships and on behalf of Joy and myself I wish you all success in all your endeavours and the gift of good health, joy, peace, prosperity, hope and happiness - all the good things. Sincerely Mal

03.01.2022 Congratulations! I wish to congratulate all who have been successful in being elected to the Bundaberg Regional Council. I wish them well in their responsibilities and look forward to continued growth and prosperity for our small businesses and community in our region.