Advocacy

Noosa Chamber is committed to being a strong voice on behalf of its members and Noosa businesses, and to building trust, credibility & confidence with the three tiers of government and other key stakeholders.

Recent Noosa Chamber advocacy

Noosa Council's Destination Management Plan

Click to read the Noosa Chamber Submission which has been submitted in response to Noosa Council’s Destination Management Plan discussion paper. 

Our submission stresses that the Destination Management Plan should take into account:

• Noosa’s ongoing economic sustainability in the context of global uncertainty, South East Queensland population growth, Noosa Council’s UNESCO Biosphere and Queensland Small Business Friendly Charter commitments, and the vulnerability of Noosa’s economy.
• Tourism being a major economic driver that has a flow on effect throughout the Noosa economy.
• Noosa’s gross regional product (GRP) not keeping pace with inflation making small businesses vulnerable.
• UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere program's strategic objective “Contribute to building sustainable, healthy and equitable societies, economies and thriving human settlements in harmony with the biosphere.”
• Council’s commitment in the Small Business Friendly Charter to  “Actively engage and be mindful of small businesses, their issues and priorities when making decisions.”

Noosa Chamber also recommends that Council's Destination Management Plan include:

• Improve the road network to facilitate safe and efficient movement along main thoroughfares with linkages to park and ride sites and public transport to popular destinations.
• Facilitate construction of barely visible multilevel parking stations along transport corridors instead of sprawling tarmac car parks detrimental to the environment and visual amenity.
• Encourage and support development of five star tourist accommodation in line with the ‘value over volume’ policy.
• Exempt tourist resort unit owners from the Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted Accommodation Local Law to incentivise owners to not permanently let resort units.
• Support development of affordable housing for workers, taking innovative action such as releasing public land to community housing providers.
• Amend the Noosa Plan to allow relevant worker accommodation in industrial zones.
• Not proceed with limiting Tourism Noosa marketing to only certain businesses
• Not proceed with proposed Council interventions in the free market and the Noosa economy. 

You can click on Your Say Noosa to read Noosa Council's Destination Management Plan discussion paper and give your feedback to Council by 29 October 2023, including by completing an online survey and/or emailing a submission.

Addressing the affordable housing crisis

At Noosa Chamber’s September 2023 Sunset Drinks networking event, Rob McCready of Altum Property Group gave an interesting fact-based presentation urging ways to increase housing supply and build more affordable housing.

As context, Rob explained, “Noosa is the most expensive local government area (LGA) in the State. The median price of detached houses is $1,295,000 and units $960,000, and little is available for rent. Key workers, who are the backbone of our community, are unable to afford or find accommodation in Noosa Shire. Many employers face challenges attracting and retaining staff due to lack of affordable housing.”

Rob McCready offered a range of approaches for addressing the critical affordable housing shortage. On the Noosa Chamber website, you can read details of Rob McCready’s presentation

Noosa Chamber’s media release - Affordable Housing Supply Solutions

Rob McCready’s presentation slides Noosa Affordable Housing and Current Housing Crisis

Statement on continuing holiday car parking at Lions Park

11 April 2023

The Chamber 

The Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has strongly supported Tewantin Noosa Lions Club's ongoing management of paid parking in Noosa Heads Lions Park during school holiday periods, public holidays and long weekends, as originally recommended by Council staff and reject 4-3 by Noosa Council.

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Statement on the 2022-2023 Noosa Council Budget

01 May 2022

The Chamber called for our local economy to be taken seriously, for effective implementation of the local economic plan. It called for bold leadership, the empowering of our shire’s business ecosystems, putting in place enabling infrastructure and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation.

Read more

Recent Business Chamber Queensland advocacy

Noosa Chamber is a member of the state’s peak chamber body Business Chamber Queensland (previously CCIQ) which advocates about business matters vis-à-vis the State and Federal governments.

You can read about Business Chamber Queensland advocacy initiatives here:

https://www.cciq.com.au/business-voice/

You can read Business Chamber Queensland submissions to governments here

https://www.cciq.com.au/business-voice/submissions/

Recent ACCI advocacy

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) members include state and territory chambers of commerce (such as CCIQ), national industry associations and a council of business leaders from individual enterprises. You can read ACCI submissions about Federal matters here:

https://www.australianchamber.com.au/publication_taxonomies/submissions/