Somerset Councillors attend 130th LGAQ Annual Conference

Published on 23 October 2026

	Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt with Central Highlands Mayor Janice Moriarty, Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander, Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams and Toowoomba Mayor Geoff McDonald.

A DELEGATION of Somerset Councillors travelled to Cairns to attend the 130th Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Annual Conference from 18 to 21 October.

Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt, Councillors Brett Freese, Sally Jess and Stephanie Laycock, and Council Chief Executive Officer Andrew Johnson discussed local government opportunities and challenges with representatives of Queensland councils, State Ministers and presenters.

Cr Wendt said the conference explored topics relevant to local government, including planning changes, growth, disaster resilience, AI resources and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“There were councils from around the state under one roof, sharing ideas and showcasing disaster response, infrastructure and liveability improvements,” Cr Wendt said.

“Local governments welcomed the new State policies on depreciation which Queensland Premier David Crisafulli announced at the conference.

“We had a breakfast with Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander, where he spoke about opportunities to showcase sporting facilities for overseas teams ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Games.

“A roads and transport forum looked at enhancing disaster resilience and the State’s response to growth on state roads – an important topic in Somerset following our advocacy for upgrades to the Brisbane Valley Highway and D’Aguilar Highway.”

Councillors also heard from Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick on the state of democracy in Australia, former ABC analyst Antony Green on election trends, and Queensland Police Service on the safety of elected members.

“On the final day councils debated and voted on motions which will guide the LGAQ’s advocacy to the State and Federal Governments,” Cr Wendt said.

“Overall, this was a rewarding conference and we’re excited to share our insights, look at opportunities for growth and continue advocating for the Somerset region.”

Mayor Jason Wendt with Jessica Shannon from Containers For Change and Somerset Councillors Sally Jess and Brett Freese.

Councils debated motions on the final day of the LGAQ Annual Conference to guide advocacy to the State and Federal Governments.