Have Your Say: Advocacy and Leadership in the Whitsundays

At the Chamber, advocacy is about ensuring the voice of the business community is heard. It means contributing to decisions that shape our region, speaking up on issues that matter, and helping influence outcomes that affect our economy and quality of life.

When businesses engage, advocacy is stronger and outcomes are better for everyone.

A key message from the Chamber’s forthcoming Vision for the Whitsundays project is the growing importance of clear, effective leadership as our region expands and becomes more complex. As growth accelerates, how decisions are made – and who makes them – matters more than ever.

What We’re Seeing Across the Region

Through our research and engagement, the business community shared clear perspectives on the current state of the Whitsundays and the forces shaping its future:

• Diverse districts: The Whitsundays is made up of distinct communities, each with its own priorities and history, which can make unified decision-making challenging.
• Progress vs preservation: There is ongoing tension between protecting “how things have been” and embracing new opportunities.
• Major projects: Significant initiatives are underway, but there is concern that small and medium businesses may not always share in the benefits.
• Perception challenges: Some businesses feel the region is seen as slow to adapt or underutilised, which can impact investment and confidence.

Our research highlighted that decision-making is often influenced by political dynamics, power structures, and vested interests. These factors can affect outcomes, slow processes, influence resource allocation, shape risk-taking, and create cultures where lobbying or favouritism are perceived as normal. Combined with complex consultation processes and delayed decisions, this can discourage participation.

At the same time, there is strong support within the business community for bold, decisive leadership – leaders willing to take calculated risks and act in the long-term interest of the region.

Why This Matters Now

Whitsunday Regional Council is currently seeking feedback on future electoral arrangements ahead of the 2028 local government election. This consultation will determine whether the region continues with six geographic divisions, each represented by a Councillor, or moves to an undivided model, where Councillors represent the region as a whole.

This is a genuine opportunity for businesses to influence how our region is governed.

Council Electoral Arrangements: What It Could Mean for Business

Option 1: Divided Council (Geographic Divisions)

Pros

• Strong local voice: Each Councillor represents a specific area, helping ensure local issues, priorities, and community concerns are heard.
• Clear point of contact: Residents and businesses know which Councillor to approach about local matters.
• Support for smaller communities: Outlying towns and smaller areas are less likely to be overshadowed by larger population centres.
• Local understanding: Councillors often have deeper knowledge of the challenges, history, and needs of their own division.

Cons

• Siloed decision-making: Councillors may focus more on their own area than on what’s best for the region as a whole.
• Inconsistent outcomes: Policies, infrastructure priorities, or advocacy approaches can vary between divisions.
• Harder to plan long-term: Regional, big-picture planning may be more difficult when focus is divided.

Option 2: Undivided Council (Councillors Represent the Whole Region)

Pros

• Whole-of-region thinking: Encourages decisions that consider the needs of the entire Whitsundays.
• Greater consistency: Policies and approaches are more likely to be uniform across the region.
• Shared responsibility: All Councillors are accountable to all residents and ratepayers.
• Simpler governance: Can reduce division-based politics and encourage collaboration.

Cons

• Smaller communities may feel overlooked: Larger population centres may have greater influence.
• Less direct access: Residents and businesses may be unsure which Councillor to approach for local issues.
• Election focus: Candidates may concentrate campaigning in high-profile or densely populated areas.
• Less local detail: Councillors may have less in-depth knowledge of specific local challenges.

Key Questions for Businesses

Which model best supports:

• Fair representation across the region?
• Consistent and predictable policy settings?
• Strong regional economic leadership?
• Access to decision-makers when issues arise?

What the Chamber Is Considering

The Chamber has not adopted a formal position and encourages members to share their views.

If the divided model is retained, the Chamber believes there is a strong case for reviewing divisional boundaries to better reflect population change and emerging growth corridors ensuring representation keeps pace with economic activity and infrastructure demand.

Have Your Say

The Chamber encourages businesses to complete Council’s online survey by 22 February. These moments reinforce why a strong business voice matters especially when decisions about leadership and governance shape how well our region responds to change.

To continue the conversation, the Chamber will host an interactive discussion at our Business Breakfast Briefing at 7:30am on Thursday 19 February, giving members the chance to share perspectives and ask questions with Council officers.