Toowoomba Regional Council will put forward a motion to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly in Canberra this June, calling for improved coordination, better data sharing, and funding reform to help local Councils strengthen support for communities experiencing migration and humanitarian settlement, including ongoing secondary migration.
The motion to ALGA has been informed by local insight. Earlier this month, Council's Multicultural Advisory Committee brought forward a deputation to Council outlining current settlement coordination shortfalls and the practical challenges experienced within the community.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said the region has a long and proud history of welcoming new people from around the world, including those arriving under Australia's humanitarian, skilled and employer-sponsored migration programs.
"Our community values the many ways new residents contribute to our local workforce, our culture and social fabric," Mayor McDonald said. "To support people well, especially those rebuilding their lives or establishing themselves for the first time in Australia, local government needs clearer information, earlier engagement and the right resourcing."
TRC has demonstrated its long-standing commitment to inclusion and multiculturalism. The region has been a proud Refugee Welcome Zone since 2013, established a Multicultural Advisory Committee in 2021, undertook a Needs Analysis of Culturally Diverse Communities in 2023, and recently adopted Weaving a Collective Future - Intercultural Strategy 2025-2030 to guide future action.
The motion calls on the Australian Government to introduce a Settlement Location Protocol that ensures proactive, pre-arrival engagement with host Local Government Areas for humanitarian placements. This would include written notification about expected arrival numbers, timeframes and cohort characteristics at a local level, enabling Councils to plan more effectively.
Council is also seeking:
- Quarterly, forward-looking migration and settlement data at the LGA level, covering 12-24 months
- Better visibility of secondary migration trends which significantly influence local population change
- Reforms to settlement service funding, so resourcing reflects the actual number of people living in regional communities particularly those experiencing steady or increased arrivals.
The motion also asks for advance advisory information (where feasible and privacy-compliant) on employer-sponsored and other non-humanitarian entrants expected to settle in regional areas, as well as standardised data-sharing Memorandum of Understanding with local government under the National Settlement Framework. In addition, it also seeks dedicated funding to support local coordination capacity in regions that consistently welcome new arrivals.
The motion will be considered by delegates at the ALGA National General Assembly in Canberra in June.
