Newsroom

January 24, 2025

The negotiating efforts undertaken by Mount Isa City Council and myself, as the Member for Traeger, in relation to the Mount Isa Rodeo have always been focused on returning the iconic event back to the local community.

This is not to discredit the situation of creditors, but to make clear that there is a much bigger picture at stake in regard to the event’s future and the protection of its legacy for years to come.

With this in mind, the agreement reached by Mount Isa City Council, administrators and creditors are, all things considered, a good outcome.

It is deeply frustrating and disappointing that our city and local businesses have been left in this situation by the previous, private rodeo operators, and that an administrator from the coast has attempted to sully the names of community leaders who have tried to salvage the rodeo on behalf of everyone.

It is important the public is aware that $2 million handed to the Mount Isa City Council by the Queensland Government, which is taxpayer money, is a redirection of cash promised by the previous Labor Government as part of the Mount Isa Transition Fund.

The purpose of this fund was always to “support job creation, strengthen the local economy and improve liveability and community resilience of Mount Isa” during and after the planned closure of the copper mine by Glencore, and not to prop up the failed business activities of Isa Rodeo Limited.

The fact that, after dogged lobbying by myself the local council, the new LNP Crisafulli Government agreed to hand this portion of money to the Mount Isa City Council to address the mess left by the previous operators is something I am very thankful for.

It is myopic and unfair to equate this provision of taxpayer funds to a direct bailout for the former, failed rodeo operators and a guarantee of income for the administrators contracted with dealing with the fallout.

It is extremely rare for a government to get involved, let alone stump up financially, in a liquidation process at all.

The fact that the council, alongside the newly appointed community rodeo committee, have found a way forward to host the rodeo in 2025 whilst providing creditors a significant portion of the cash they are owed by the former operators is satisfactory when all things are considered.

It is regretful that these creditors are unable to be paid in full whilst simultaneously protecting the future and legacy of the rodeo, and I admit this is a tough pill for our local businesses to swallow.

However, I am confident that, moving forward, the new community committee will be prepared to work with those creditors who have lost out, should they be interested in being associated with the rodeo again.

Now that an agreement has been reached, I hope we can all join in finding a positive way forward that sees our rodeo continue to be enjoyed by locals and visitors to our region for many years to come. 

Long live the Mount Isa Rodeo!