Council - 30 Jul 2026 9:00 AM

Topics

• Rosewood Aquatic Centre opening hours to remain unchanged
  Council has rejected proposed changes and will keep the Rosewood Aquatic Centre’s current opening schedule and service levels.
  Residents retain the existing aquatic-centre access and service arrangements.
• Ipswich council challenges planned Amberley Post Office closure
  Ipswich councillors will ask federal ministers to reverse Australia Post’s planned closure of Amberley Post Office.
  The closure could affect postal access for Amberley residents, businesses and surrounding communities.
• Ivor Marsden planning work faces scrutiny over future costs
  Council examined early planning for the Ivor Marsden precinct while stressing that planning work would not itself commit future construction funding.
  Residents and sporting groups need clarity on whether early planning could lead to later capital commitments.

Decisions

• Rosewood Aquatic Centre services retained
  Council resolved to continue operating Rosewood Aquatic Centre under its current approved opening hours, months and service levels, with no changes to the operational schedule.
  Existing aquatic-centre services and opening arrangements will continue.
• Multicultural Advisory Committee advisor applications approved
  Council approved the expression of interest for external advisors to the Multicultural Advisory Committee, with amendments to eligibility, termination wording and a 23 August 2026 closing date.
  Eligible community, professional and business representatives can apply to participate in the advisory committee.
• LGAQ conference motions approved
  Council approved two motions for submission to the 2026 LGAQ Conference, including advocacy for additional Australian Government funding for increased citizenship ceremonies without reducing other council funding.
  The decision directs Council’s advocacy on ceremony capacity and federal funding.
• Council opposes Amberley Post Office closure
  Council resolved that the Mayor write to the relevant federal ministers seeking reversal of the planned 28 August 2026 closure of Amberley Post Office.
  Council is formally advocating to retain a local postal service.
• Petition referred for investigation
  Council received a petition opposing proposed Resolution C2026/00/214 and referred it to the relevant department for investigation and a report to the appropriate committee.
  The petition will receive departmental consideration, with a future report expected.

Discussion

• Sports-field fees and service-cost transparency
  Questions highlighted that Council cannot accurately calculate the actual cost of providing one hour of sports-field access. The cited $1.71 and $1.76 figures were based on total fees received divided by booked hours, rather than a full service-cost calculation.
  Residents and sporting clubs do not yet have a clear field-by-field or hourly measure of the subsidy provided through field-use fees.
• Sport and recreation planning priorities
  Council considered questions about the Ivor Marsden precinct, North Ipswich Reserve masterplanning, stadium capacity and event activation, with limited capital available.
  Future recreation and event infrastructure priorities may be constrained by Council’s capital funding position.
• Confidential budget discussions
  Council held confidential discussions about a matter relating to the local government’s budget; no public decision or financial detail was provided in the extract.
  The extract does not disclose the budget matter’s substance or any resulting financial impact.

Impacts

• Rosewood Aquatic Centre opening hours, operating months and service levels will not change.
• Residents and community groups can apply to become external advisors to the Multicultural Advisory Committee by 23 August 2026.
• Council will advocate for additional federal funding for citizenship ceremonies without reducing other council funding.
• Council will ask federal ministers to reverse the planned closure of Amberley Post Office on 28 August 2026.
• A petition opposing a proposed resolution will be investigated and reported to a future committee meeting.
• Future sport and recreation planning remains subject to prioritisation and available capital; no construction commitment is identified in the extract.

Places

• Rosewood Aquatic Centre (facility)
  Council resolved to maintain current opening hours, months and service levels.
• Amberley Post Office (facility)
  Council was asked to reverse the planned closure of the post office on 28 August 2026.
• Nicholas Street, Ipswich (road)
  The council meeting was held at the Administration Building on Nicholas Street.
• Ivor Marsden precinct (project area)
  Planning work and questions concerned the Ivor Marsden precinct and sports-field access.
• North Ipswich Reserve (reserve)
  A masterplanning question concerned stadium capacity and event activation.
• Central and Eastern service areas (service areas)
  Council discussed aggregated maintenance and operational expenditure across these service areas.

Next

• Relevant council department to investigate the petition opposing proposed Resolution C2026/00/214 and report to the appropriate committee meeting.
  Future appropriate committee meeting
• Expression of interest applications for external Multicultural Advisory Committee advisors to close.
  23 August 2026
• Mayor to write to Senator Katy Gallagher and Anika Wells seeking reversal of the Amberley Post Office closure.
  Following the meeting; closure was scheduled for 28 August 2026
• Submit the two approved motions to the 2026 LGAQ Conference.
  At the 2026 LGAQ Conference
• Hold the August 2026 Council Committee meetings from 9:00 am on 11 August and the Councillor Briefing Session/Workshop from 9:00 am on 13 August.
  11 and 13 August 2026

Extract

of 20 UNCONFIRMED MINUTES OF COUNCIL ORDINARY MEETING 30 JULY 2026 Held in the Council Chambers, Administration Building 1 Nicholas Street, Ipswich The meeting commenced at 9.00 am 1. ATTENDANCE AT COMMENCEMENT Mayor Teresa Harding (Chairperson); Councillors Jacob Madsen, Pye Augustine, Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic, Paul Tully, Marnie Doyle, Andrew Antoniolli, David Martin and Jim Madden 2. WELCOME TO COUNTRY OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Mayor Teresa Harding delivered the Acknowledgement of Country 3. OPENING PRAYER Pastor Billy Diehm (Raceview Congregational Church) At 9.04 am Councillor Jacob Madsen arrived at the meeting. 4. APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE Nil 5. CONDOLENCES Nil 6. TRIBUTES...