Queensland Councils embark on US trade mission

The South East Queensland Council of Mayors delegation is a three-day international mission by the US, which aims to encourage foreign investment in Australia and discover new initiatives that Councils can implement at home.

The delegation starts on 30 January 2023.

For Redlands Coast Council, better transport and waste management solutions will be a key focus of the delegation.

Meanwhile, Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery is taking a lead through key technology start-up hubs across the country to market The Mill in Moreton Bay as a strategic investment opportunity.

“We will visit Colorado (Denver), Texas (Austin), Los Angeles and San Francisco (California) to promote Moreton Bay’s advanced manufacturing, innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities,” said Mayor Flannery.

“Our economic development team already has half a dozen strong investment leads coming out of the US that I’m eager to explore.

“Both Denver and Austin are strong cities with tremendous experience in technology, innovation and advanced manufacturing. So I’m eager for Moreton Bay to find ways to join their incubator programs to pioneer new research and development in these key fields.

“The Mill at Moreton Bay in particular represents a unique opportunity for investors to get their foot in the door in South East Queensland ahead of the Olympics, with opportunities here for large-scale development across hectares of mixed-use space.

“And before Brisbane hosts the Olympics and Paralympics in 2032, LA will host the Games in 2028, so I’m keen to see what they’re doing now and what we can emulate to give Moreton Bay a competitive edge.

“This is the perfect platform to showcase our proximity to Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane and the seamless logistics networks we have locally to trade with international markets, especially a close trading partner like the US.

Mayor Flannery said it was vital for the Council to maintain strong relations with the US, not only to explore new business leads, but to encourage international investment back into Moreton Bay.

“We have talent, we have opportunity and we have the critical growth needed to provide that compelling proposition to businesses looking to invest in Australia.”

On the mayor’s busy itinerary are meetings with the likes of Tesla in Texas, Australian Honorary Consul James Waddell, the Denver Sports Commission, University of Colorado Business School, the architects behind Denver’s Broncos Stadium (in time for the Dolphins’ first NRL game), and more.

Mayor Flannery will continue to join Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and the SEQ Council of Mayors on a tour of California and Canada to visit world-leading waste recycling plants, meet companies investigating how planes can become taxis, initiative housing affordability understood. strategies in some of the world’s most complex cities, and learn from the experiences of previous Olympic host cities such as Los Angeles and Vancouver.

While Mayor Flannery is away on his US trade mission, Moreton Bay’s Deputy Mayor, Jodie Shipway, will fill the role of Acting Mayor.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the South East Queensland Council of Mayors delegation would continue to push for better transport links ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Waste is also a priority for the Council, with Redlands joining an alliance of SEQ councils which are jointly exploring a local materials recycling facility which will deliver significant environmental and economic benefits.

“The delegation will also explore better waste solutions for South East Queensland, continuing our strong commitment to finding ways to reduce our waste to landfill, thereby delivering environmental and economic improvements.

Cr Williams will also visit a white water facility in Charlotte and receive a briefing on an emergency services rapid water rescue facility before the delegation.

“These facilities are world leaders in their respective uses and forming relationships with their operators will provide exciting opportunities for the Redlands Coast whitewater facility delivered in Birkdale,” Cr Williams said.

“This delegation is part of the regular international missions undertaken by the Council of Mayors. While COVID has prevented these missions for the past few years, their return will bring real benefits to Redlands Coast.

“International delegations like this have delivered initiatives on the ground for Redlands Coast in recent years, including using drones to manage mosquitoes and Karragarra Island hosting Queensland’s first ever autonomous vehicle on the road.

“Both of these innovations came from previous international delegations and I look forward to other great initiatives coming out of this month’s mission.”

The international mission was part of a report to Redlands Coast Council in December 2022.