The Local Government Association of Queensland’s Regional and Economic Development Conference will open with Premier Campbell Newman unveiling the final Queensland Plan, a document aimed at giving voice to the community’s aspirations for the State over the next 30 years.

The conference, titled Regions on the Rise, will focus on how to help develop and maintain economically thriving regions and realise the Queensland Plan’s ambitious target of significantly increasing the number of Queenslanders living in the regions outside the southeast corner of the State.

LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said Queensland councils would like to see the State commit to direct investment in the regions.

“Regional Queensland will be best placed to enjoy strong, sustained growth if the Government does things like embrace a population policy and migration strategy, decentralise some of its administration and introduce tax incentives,’’ Cr de Wit said.

“The LGAQ has been pushing all of these proposals since its landmark inquiry into the need for a population policy in 2010.’’.

The conference follows Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney’s launch of the RegionsQ framework last week, which seeks to harness the State’s efforts to nurture liveability and attract investment to Queensland’s regions.

The event offers delegates the chance to discuss both the Queensland Plan and RegionsQ with key government figures, including the Premier and Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell.

Delegates will also hear from Assistant Secretary to the Northern Australia Taskforce Jason McDonald who will give an insight into the development of the Northern Australia White Paper and the Federal Government’s thinking on fast tracking investment in the nation’s north.

A total of 55 speakers over three days will debate the State’s future and showcase a number of best practise place based approaches, new resources and regional development tools – through a series of panel sessions with Ministers, senior government officials, chiefs of industry associations, regional development institutions, local government practitioners and economic development organisations.

The conference will be at the Hervey Bay Boat Club on Thursday 30 July and Friday 1 August.