Roma Community Reception

Maranoa Regional Council, Mayor, Cr Tyson Golder and CEO, Ms Edwina Marks; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands on which we gather, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here today.

Thank you for joining us for this community reception. Graeme and I look forward to moving around the room and talking with some of you about community life, not just in Roma but also in surrounding towns including Mitchell and Amby where I believe some of our guests have travelled from today.

Looking around the room I can see representatives from various organisations I represent as Patron – a reminder of the breadth and depth of community life in the Maranoa.

There are also local emergency services personnel present, and I would like to acknowledge their dedicated and selfless service to the community. I know Maranoa residents, like all Queenslanders, are being urged to get ready for the summer storm season, particularly with a third consecutive La Nina likely.

And while the message is to ensure you’re doing everything you can do to prepare your homes and families, you can feel somewhat safer knowing that our highly trained emergency services personnel are standing ready, as always.

The Maranoa Regional Council has allocated significant funding for disaster preparedness and response, and I applaud them for their foresight.

We have truly been enjoying our trip to the Maranoa region so far.

Roma and surrounding towns have such a vibrancy, as a crossroads of the agriculture, energy and tourism industries, and a gateway to the stunning Carnarvon National Park and the outback.

This morning we visited the Council chambers for a briefing on community projects and events underway.

I then visited with the Queensland Country Women’s Association, of which I am Patron, and congratulated them on celebrating their centenary this year. 

Meanwhile, Graeme visited the Men’s Shed, which plays such an important role in community life, particularly in rural and regional areas, providing a safe, welcoming space and vital opportunities for social connection.

This evening, we’re looking forward to touring the Big Rig to learn more about Roma’s proud history as a centre of oil and gas exploration, and climbing those 195 steps to the top of the observation tower – I’m promised the 360-degree views are very much worth it!

And tomorrow, I’m off the Roma Saleyards, whose generosity I must immediately acknowledge.

Their donations to LifeFlight and the Royal Flying Doctor Service of sale fees totalling more than $87,000 from the two charity sale days this year is humbling.

As Patron of both these deserving organisations, and a medical doctor by training, I can appreciate not only how welcome that extra funding will be but how many lives it will potentially save.

The Roma Saleyards, and the entire Maranoa community, can be proud of such a generous contribution to these two organisations, which benefit all regional and remote areas in Queensland by airlifting sick and injured people and bringing critical medical care where needed.

Well, without further ado, we’d like to get around and meet some of you. Thank you again for providing us with such a warm welcome.