The Local Government Association of Queensland's public inquiry into the Need for a Queensland Population Policy will hold hearings next month in Dalby, Bundaberg, Townsville and Brisbane.

LGAQ president, Cr Paul Bell, said today individuals and organisations were invited to make submissions in person or in writing on issues of relevance to population policy in Queensland.

Cr Bell said submissions to the inquiry should cover:
• Issues which could be addressed by a state population policy
• Specific mechanisms or initiatives which could be adopted to enhance social, economic and environmental outcomes in Queensland, or
• Impacts on affordability, capacity to pay and the distribution of costs and benefits across sectors of the community and across the state.

The inquiry will be undertaken by an independent expert panel, Professor Peter McDonald, director of the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute at Australian National University (chairman), Professor Lyndsay Neilson, strategic analyst on Urban Policy, Planning and Governance at the University of Canberra and company director and former state Electricity Commissioner, Keith Hilless.

Public hearings will be held at:
Dalby: Thursday, March 11 from 10am to 3pm at Dalby RSL Club
Bundaberg: Friday, March 12 from 10am to 3pm at the Civic Centre
Townsville: Monday, March 15 from 10am to 3pm at Rydge's South Bank
Brisbane: Tuesday, March 16 from 10am to 3pm at Rydge's South Bank.

Cr Bell said an issues paper and further information was available on the inquiry website: www.lgaq.asn.au/web/guest/population-policy-inquiry. Written submissions may be made direct to the inquiry at populationinquiryqld@lgaq.asn.au or addressed to Population Policy Inquiry, Local Government Association of Queensland, PO Box 2230 Fortitude Valley BC Qld 4006.

Submissions would be placed on the inquiry website, he said.

Cr Paul Bell, AM
President
president@lgaq.asn.au    P: 07 3000 2222    M: 0418 791 596