In an Australian first, Gladstone Regional Council has launched its 10-year economic transition roadmap to support and guide the region to becoming a renewable energy superpower.

The roadmap will see our community in prime position to respond to once-in-a-generation changes in the energy sector.

Developed in partnership with regional economic development agency, The Next Economy, the detailed plan is a result of two years of research and extensive engagement involving 220 community, government and industry stakeholders.

The Gladstone Region Economic Transition Roadmap will guide Council on what is required to adapt to a rapidly changing energy sector and support positive economic transition for the community over the next 10 years. Key themes of the roadmap include:

• Energy security and affordability
• Establishing a viable hydrogen industry
• Diversifying the economy
• Supporting and developing the local workforce
• Capturing the community benefits
• Protecting land and water resources.

Click here for more information on Economic Development in the Gladstone Region.

One year on from the Economic Transition Roadmap launch on 15 November 2022, the detailed plan for the Gladstone Region has been well received locally, nationally and internationally. Council is now working through the actions to achieve a positive outcome for the community. Read more here.

Council recognise that the unfolding changes in the energy sector pose both challenges and opportunities for the Gladstone Region as it faces a major economic transformation while industries grapple with the decarbonisation of the global economy. The challenges facing the region, and therefore Gladstone Regional Council, emanate from the need to manage the shift away from fossil fuels and manage the impacts associated with new energy industries.

Engagement provided an opportunity for the community to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns about the future.

Council invited residents to have their say to help us determine how to best support and influence the energy transition in a way that generates long term benefits for our community.

The results of this engagement will help inform and guide the region as it navigates changes to the energy sector. The roadmap will support the diversification of the regional economy and management of the energy transition, building on existing and emerging industries. The community forums explored how the region can pursue the following six objectives:

1. Ongoing energy security, stability and affordability
2. Support and develop the local workforce
3. Support industry adaptation, including infrastructure development
4. Diversify and strengthen the regional economy while maintaining the regions industrial heritage
5. Protect and regenerate land and water resources
6. Manage community impacts and maximise benefit sharing

Community feedback, along with industry and Council input, shaped the roadmap. The draft report feedback forum was hosted in September 2022, with the final report released in November 2022.

This is your chance to have your say on how you want to see these changes managed so the Gladstone regional economy is prosperous into the future. The options presented below were generated during seven community and industry forums with people across the region. We are keen to know if you share their views. There is an option to include comments in the open-ended sections.

If you would like to hear more about the changes in the energy sector, you can find a recording of a presentation from one of the forums, click here.

Thank you for participating in the online community survey. Having your say will help us determine how to best support and influence the energy transition in a way that generates long term benefits for our community. This survey will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Gladstone Regional Council's Economic Transition Roadmap has been nominated in the 2023 National Awards for Local Government in the Regional Growth category.

The ‘Regional Growth’ category recognises local government initiatives which:

• improve the liveability of a region and take advantage of region-specific opportunities;
• empower vibrant and connected regional communities that promote diversity and inclusion; and/or
• strengthen investment and development opportunities, share resources, build local capability, and create jobs.

Award winners will be announced June 2023.