City Partnership Implementation Plan released on 17 July

The Council of Mayors (SEQ) and state and federal governments have released the SEQ City Deal Implementation Plan, which provides further details of the $1.8 billion partnership signed in March last year.  

The SEQ City Deal is an agreement between the three levels of government (local, state and federal) that that includes 29 commitments to be delivered across the region, including opportunities to partner with the private sector. 

The implementation plan released at the weekend provides further details on the timing and funding arrangements for each project, as well as criteria for funding programs. 

The funding commitments are included under four themes: 

• Accelerating future jobs for SEQ 
• A faster, more connected SEQ region 
• A more liveable SEQ 
• Creating thriving communities for SEQ 

The implementation plan also includes a governance framework that outlines how the initiatives will be monitored and delivered, including an Industry Reference Group which the Property Council sits on. 

Some of the projects outlined in the SEQ City Deal Implementation Plan include:  

• The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund – a partnership between government and either the private sector or councils to invest in capital projects to promote and grow SEQ’s innovation economy. 
• A Strategic Approach under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – strategic planning and capital investment to support the environmental preservation of the region.   
• Delivery of the Brisbane Metro Woolloongabba Station, as well as an investigation into improved transport connectivity between the Woolloongabba and South Bank precincts. 
• Planning for Future Region-Shaping Infrastructure – A coordinated plan that includes infrastructure and land use planning to inform investment by government and industry.  
• Several transport investigations, including the Ipswich to Springfield public transport corridor, southern gateway strategic corridor planning and regional road safety mapping.  
• A Growth Area Compact for Caboolture West – a coordinated approach to enabling infrastructure to support housing options in Caboolture West. 

You can read about each of the commitments here.  

The Property Council has been the leading advocate for an SEQ City Deal, having worked closely with all levels of government to build consensus around the proposal: 

• 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, 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.  

First pioneered in the UK, City Deals have been strongly championed by the Property Council and rolled-out in Australia through the Federal Government’s Cities Agenda.