Search

RAPAD Board meeting wraps up in Brisbane

RAPAD held its final 2025 face-to-face Board meeting and AGM in Brisbane on 2-3 December, wrapping up a busy program in the state capital.

The agenda included its AGM, as well as regional pest and weeds, roads and transport, and water and sewerage groups, and CEOs of the West (COWs) meetings.

We bring our meeting to Brisbane at this important time of year, ahead of the final Parliamentary sitting of the year and end of year schedules enabling the attendance of Ministers, Senior departmental representatives and key stakeholders. This year we were pleased to host our first Board meeting at Parliament House, with thanks to our host local member for Gregory Sean Dillon MP.

In addition to RAPAD and RFCSNQ program updates from the team, our agenda featured guests and presenters, including:

State Government update:

  • Sean Dillon MP, Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland

Regional Investigation and Risk Assessment Program update:

  • Hon Ann Leahy, Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers
  • Bronwyn Blagoev, Director-General, Dept of Local Government, Water and Volunteers
  • Cr Shaun Radnedge, Mayor Murweh Shire Council

Opals and National Parks:

  • Ben Klaassen, Deputy Director-General, Dept Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships

Water Plan review updates:

  • Jarrod Cowley-Grimmond, Deputy Director-General, Water Resource Management, Department of Water
  • Ingrid Fomiatti Minnesma, Executive Director – North Region
  • Hamish Butler, Executive Director – South Region

Regulated Air Routes:

  • Juanita Rechichi, Executive Director, Transport and Main Roads, Regional Air Services Engagement

Outback Futures:

  • Brett Sweeney, Business Strategy & Projects Lead, Outback Futures

Coexistence Queensland:

  • Warwick Squires, CEO, Coexistence Queensland

Trade and Investment Queensland:

  • Meredene Hill, Director of Migration, Trade and Investment Queensland and colleagues Shaz Gerchow and George Veneris

Department of State Development:

  • Darren Cleland, Executive Regional Director and Candace Vea Vea, Regional Director Central Region, Dept State Development

Waste Management Program:

  • Nathan Malin, Urban EP

Local Government Association of Queensland:

  • Alison Smith, CEO and Sarah Vogler, Head of Advocacy, LGAQ

 

Our final Board meeting of 2025 will be virtual on 19 December.

 

Friends of RAPAD 2025

RAPAD hosted its annual networking event, ‘Friends of RAPAD’, in Brisbane on Wednesday night coinciding with a week of meetings in the capital.
This annual event proved yet again to be a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our relationships and thank our many partners and supporters.
We were pleased to welcome Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie MP to our event along with Ministers Ann Leahy MP and Tony Perrett MP.

We thank the Deputy Premier for taking the time to address our guests and speak to the government’s support for our work and region. And our appreciation as always goes to Minister Leahy and Minister Perrett for their continued advocacy for our region and industries across a challenging and rewarding year.

With sincere thanks to our Member for Gregory, Sean Dillon MP MP for hosting our meetings and event at Parliament House this week, and for your continued commitment to our region.

We also thank Shadow Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd MP for joining us and her continued support of the local governments of the west.

And to the many senior departmental representatives, and industry, project and event partners, and other guests thank you.

It is a heartening reflection on the work we do together to have so many people join us to celebrate the year.

Thank you for the work you all do, and for being a ‘Friend of RAPAD’ and Central West Queensland and we look forward to another productive year ahead.