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Councillor Cameron Gow was one of the most vocal in favour of the request, contending the tourism benefits would outweigh any costs of the water. “If Warwick Polocrosse can’t access this water, it’s potentially another event cancelled so people won’t visit our region, which flows onto our tourism operators,” Cr Gow said. He was met with fierce opposition by councillors Andrew Gale, Ross Bartley, and Stephen Tancred, who all agreed the region’s drought status was too “desperate” to offer extra water to a sporting organisation. “I cannot, in the current dire circumstances w...

Premium Content Subscriber only Tensions ran high in this week’s ordinary meeting at Southern Downs Regional Council, with several issues sparking heated debate. The first point of contention at the Wednesday meeting came within the first half-hour, when Mayor Vic Pennisi and councillor Stephen Tancred both declared a potential conflict of interest in relation to a confidential agenda item. Revealing the closed discussion would relate to the sale of land at Emu Swamp Dam, Cr Pennisi was adamant he had no ties to the project that would influence the council’s decision. “I often questio...

Community members, local representatives and more turned out in force for the beloved annual event. SEE PHOTOS HERE:

Southern Downs councillors got riled up over a contentious vote on the future of the Stanthorpe Art gallery, with fears the upgrade would come at a $2 million cost to ratepayers. Councillors gathered this morning to vote on a range of options for a revamp to the Weerona Park site, including a minimal $250,000 upgrade, a 'modest' $1.5 million grade, the recommended $4 million expansion, or a new site costing $12 million. A vote to push the $4 million upgrade into the funding submission process was narrowly voted in by Mayor Vic Pennisi and councillors Sheryl Windle, Jo McNall...

All nine SDRC representatives stressed addressing a response to the coronavirus pandemic and water security as their top priorities. CEO ASSAULTED BY DISGRUNTLED RESIDENT When Killarney man Peter Lesley Smith pleaded guilty to assaulting former SDRC CEO David Keenan, he claimed six years of ongoing tensions drove him to the act. Smith became “agitated” during the confrontation, swearing loudly and banging his cane on the door before grabbing the then-CEO Mr Keenan around the neck in a brief struggle. At the time of the incident, then-mayor Tracy Dobie told the Daily News it was a “ve...