Queenslanders working together

Queensland industries, small businesses, universities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations continued to work together in 2016–17.

Queenslanders led by example in achieving outcomes for their local communities. Selected examples of community collaboration that aligned to the goals of the Plan include:

Working with traditional owners:

• NRL Cowboys House in Townsville, established to accommodate Indigenous students from remote areas of North Queensland while they attend high school in Townsville, has now been opened. The first intake of students from January 2017 are pursuing their high school education opportunities.
• Queensland Government is working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait People to resolve native title claims by agreement rather than litigation. Since The Queensland Plan commenced, there have been 37 native title determinations finalised, 34 of them by agreement.  For the 2016–17 financial year, all eight native title determinations were arrived at by agreement.

Collaborating in the regions:

• Toowoomba Together Incorporated launched with the aim of tackling domestic violence in Toowoomba through co-ordinating awareness and education activities as well as helping to find solutions on domestic violence issues.
• The Creative Tracks program partners with community members and organisations in Cherbourg, Woorabinda, Logan and HopeVale to develop young people’s skills in performing arts, video production and leadership. The program aims to develop their confidence and provide career pathways. It is coordinated by not-for-profit organisation, Human, which receives funding through Arts Queensland’s Organisations Fund and is supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation.

Community:

• The Stride personal project, a personal development weekend to empower recently arrived young migrant women aged 17–24, was piloted by Youth Without Borders and Multicultural Development Australia. This community initiative forms part of the Community implementation plan for the Queensland Government’s Women’s Strategy.
• The Community Hubs and Partnerships (CHaPs) progam, which aims to maximise the social and community benefits of infrastructure projects in locations across regional and South East Queensland engaged key government, business and community stakeholders in Caloundra South (Aura) to facilitate the bringing forward of a $31 million investment in infrastructure to support the rapidly growing community.
• The Queensland Government’s Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) trials in Logan were developed in collaboration with the Queensland Community Alliance (QCA). QCA worked closely with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to plan and deliver an extensive community consultation program to understand how DRT could help support the transport needs of the Logan community.
• The Emergency Services Cadets Program is delivered in partnership with the Queensland Police‑Citizens Youth Welfare Association (commonly known as PCYC). The program is offered to young Queenslanders from 12 to 17 years of age and aims to develop character, leadership and resilience. Participating emergency services include Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES), Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, Red Cross, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association, Surf Life Saving Queensland and Volunteer Marine Rescue Association Queensland.