Regional leaders gather in Roma to shape the future of the region

More than 90 local, regional and state leaders met in Roma last week to discuss the future of the region.

The Community Leaders Council brought together landholders, local business owners, Traditional Owners and senior leaders from government, agriculture, energy and resources.

The event was hosted in partnership with Coexistence Queensland and the Maranoa Regional Council under the theme ‘Shaping meaningful coexistence outcomes in the Maranoa’.

Coexistence Queensland CEO, Warwick Squire, said the forum was a unique opportunity to bring a diverse group of leaders together.

“The Community Leaders Council provides a rare opportunity for people who do not always have the chance to sit around the same table to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing one of Queensland’s most important regional economies,” Mr Squire said.

“What we saw in Roma was a genuine willingness from participants to share perspectives, listen to one another and work together to identify practical solutions to support the long-term prosperity and resilience of the region and state.”

Maranoa Regional Council Mayor, Cr Wendy Taylor, said the event demonstrated the strength of leadership across the region.

“It was fantastic to see so many people investing their time to be part of an important conversation about the future of the Maranoa,” Cr Taylor said.

“We had community all contributing their perspectives, with decision-makers in the room listening to those perspectives.

“The discussions reinforced the importance of working together to ensure our region remains prosperous, resilient and well-positioned for future generations.”

Through a series of facilitated workshops, attendees identified coexistence priorities, actions, opportunities, challenges and innovations, before working together to agree on next steps and future areas of collaboration.

Following the event, Coexistence Queensland will develop a comprehensive Output Report based on the discussions and insights shared throughout the day.

The report will be made publicly available and formally provided to the Queensland Government.

Previous Community Leaders Council reports have served as a valuable source of intelligence, informing Coexistence Queensland’s work program and supporting local government planning, including land use and place-based community planning, infrastructure considerations and future regional development initiatives.