It might have taken eight years, but the SEQ City Deal is one worth applauding.
The $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ) was signed earlier this week, and is an important milestone in the delivery of a shared vision and narrative for the region – one region; connected locally and competing globally.
SEQ’s City Deal commits all levels of government to a 20-year agreement, that includes 31 initiatives, 15 of them place-based and 16 of them region-wide. The initiatives are grouped under four strategic objectives including accelerating future jobs, a faster and more connected SEQ, a more liveable region, and creating thriving communities.
Property Council Queensland Executive Director Jen Williams welcomed the historic signing.
“This is a major achievement, and we applaud all levels of government for their commitment,” Ms Williams said.
“Since 2014, when the Property Council first proposed the concept of City Deals in Australia, we have been advocating strongly for an SEQ City Deal, having worked closely with all levels of government to build consensus around the proposal.
“Having reached this historic signing, the Property Council will now form part of the City Deal’s Industry Reference Group that will meet regularly to provide input to the Deal,” she said.
Initiatives in the Deal are identified as projects (such as Kangaroo Point Green Bridge), programs (such as SEQ Innovation Economy Fund) or pipeline (such as Ipswich-Springfield Public Transport Options Analysis). The flagship project is $450m for the Brisbane Metro-Woolloongabba Station. Other notable investments include the $285 million SEQ liveability fund, $210 million in a Growth Area Compact, $10 million to implement a strategic approach under the EPBC Act, and $5 million to establish a planning framework for future region-shaping infrastructure.
“Today’s signing is the first step in the 20-year Deal, with formal terms of agreement to be finalised by May,” Ms Williams said.
“A governance framework will be adopted shortly after, and the formal implementation plan is expected to be in place before the end of 2022,” she said.
Project delivery as part of the Deal will commence immediately, and milestones have been agreed to for annual reporting, along with a 3-year formal review and evaluation point.
“As this is a 20-year Deal with many programs and pipeline initiatives yet to be finalised, there is going to be scope for ongoing review and input to the Deal, and we look forward to shaping it, as well as seeing it take shape, for the benefit of all South East Queenslanders,” Ms Williams said.
City Deals, first pioneered in the UK, involve a long-term contract between levels of government, committing to a series of investments and initiatives which have been prioritised because of their potential to create jobs and improve productivity and liveability. City Deals have been strongly championed by the Property Council and rolled-out in Australia through the Federal Government’s Cities Agenda.
An advocacy timeline:
- In 2014 the Property Council first proposed the concept of City Deals for Australia.
- The Property Council helped co-fund the early business case development for a SEQ City Deal.
- In 2016, the Property Council released ‘What makes a City Deal a ‘Real Deal’? to inform the design of the first generation of City Deals in Australia.
- In 2018, released Creating Great Australian Cities thought leadership paper on how to leverage City Deals and other policy mechanisms.
- 2022 = A DEAL!
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