SEPTEMBER 2019

CEO REPORTIt is with pleasure that I present the Chief

Executive Officers Report of the Royal

Agricultural Society of Queensland for the

2018/2019 financial year.

The society recorded a trading surplus

prior to depreciation of approximately $

164 000. After depreciation is included we

will again record a significant shortfall of

$ 183 961. This is simply not sustainable.

The society will never generate sufficient

income to continue with its repairs and

maintenance let alone improve the venue

and continue to provide agricultural

excellence.

Discussions with both Toowoomba

Regional Council and the State

Government have been ongoing

throughout the year but unfortunately

we have made no significant headway to

ensure the Toowoomba Showgrounds

remains the premier community events

facility in the state and the largest not for

profit economic driver in the region. This

is very disappointing but the committee

is committed to ensuring a successful

outcome for the society moving into the

future.

The economic environment continues

to be challenging for everyone and the

ongoing drought throughout Queensland

and New South Wales will have an impact

on all agricultural related activities for

a long time yet. In fact, at the time of

writing this report, the showgrounds have

not received any rain since the show.

Unfortunately the show was again

severely impacted by bad weather with

Saturday an almost total washout. It is

very disappointing particularly for all the

competitors, site holders and volunteers

who put in so much effort in the months

leading up to the show.

We were however very fortunate to host the

Governor General of the Commonwealth

of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady

Cosgrove, who spent a number of hours at

the show talking to many of the stewards

and competitors.

We are grateful to all of our sponsors

but I would particularly like to recognise

Heritage Bank for their continued

support not only of the Royal Agricultural

Society of Queensland but so many other

community organisations in the region.

Heritage continues to be acknowledged

as one of the leading banks in the country.

The society was fortunate to receive a

number of grants and assistance from the

local and state governments. Toowoomba

Regional Council provided assistance to

purchase a new vehicle for use on the

grounds, install block out blinds in the

board room to attract more events, upgrade

electrical and lighting infrastructure

and continue the eradication of pear and

lantana on the southern and western

hills while the Queensland Government

through various departments provided

$60000 under the showgrounds subsidy

scheme for selected upgrades, repairs

and maintenance, $15000 towards the

purchase of a dual cab utility for use on the

grounds and $100000 for the development

of a cross country obstacle course.

Although over $110000 was spent on

repairs and maintenance this financial

year it does not take into account the

capital projects and purchases that were

undertaken as necessary improvements.

Although the Heritage Bank Toowoomba

Royal Show will always remain our

signature event, it is the year round

usage of the facilities that will allow us

to achieve a sound financial base. We

are very fortunate to have some very loyal

organisations conducting very successful

events capitalising on the unique facilities

the showgrounds have to offer and I would

like to thank them for their continued

patronage. In fact our major events

bookings for the 2019/2020 financial year

looks very promising with a number of

new events including the Resources and

Energy Expo, National Angus Youth Show,

National Cutting Horse Championship, 2

State Interschool Equestrian Events and 6

cattle sales already locked in.

One area that we continue to see excellent

growth in is the recreational travellers

sector with camping/caravan revenue

growing another 25% this year following

double digit growth over the past 3 years.

In fact camping revenue now equate to

15% of the societies total revenue. It

is imperative that new infrastructure

spending goes towards this growing area

with increased power, water services,

level areas and septic upgrades now a

priority.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held in the Rod and Helen Stirling Committee room at the showgrounds on Thursday 10th October at 10a.m.

All members are welcome and encouraged to attend. The meeting provides members not only the opportunity to ask questions of the board of management but also to share your ideas and thoughts on how we may be able to improve the show.

Annual reports will be available from the show office from 3rd October 2019 or on our website www.rasq.com.au

Although it is important to reflect on what we have achieved this financial year I believe it is more important to have a very succinct plan moving forward particularly in our current economic climate. To this avail the board is committed to the following:

•Securing a long term, recurrent agreement with both Toowoomba Regional Council and the Queensland Government to ensure the viability and continued improvement of the Toowoomba Showgrounds whilst protecting the history and traditions of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland.

•Develop further infrastructure to continue the growth in revenue from the recreational traveller sector.

•Investigate further business opportunities to provide regular income streams for the society.

•Ensure the Heritage Bank Toowoomba Royal Show continues to promote agriculture and educate our communities about its vital importance to the region.

•Provide a safe and well maintained community asset for all to enjoy, including staff, volunteers, user groups, patrons and the general community.

•Committed to ensuring all Work Place Health and Safety standards are to the highest level.

All of the committees of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland are volunteer based and I would like to put on record our indebtedness to each and every one of them. In particular I would like to thank members of the Executive Committee who have done a significant amount of work particularly with both the negotiations with Toowoomba Regional Council and the Work Place Health and Safety charges.

I would like to thank our staff. They have performed over and above during the past 12 months. The showgrounds are now a 7 day a week operation with staff called upon everyday and at any hour.

We also have an amazing group of volunteers who help in the office and around the grounds on a daily basis. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Damon Phillips

Chief Executive Officer

EXTREME OBSTACLE COURSE TO BE BUILT ON THE SHOWGROUNDSA Queensland Government Grant through

the Department of Sport and Recreation

will allow the society to build an extreme

obstacle course on the southern and

western side of the showgrounds through

land previously inaccessible and unused.

Similar to a Tuff Mudder or Ninja Warrior

style course, the one at the grounds will

provide a new opportunity for athletes to

improve their fitness levels.

“As part of its charter, the RASQ

provides sporting opportunities and the

development of this obstacle course will

just add another element of activity at the

grounds”, RASQ CEO Mr Damon Phillips

said. The aim will be to build an 8 km

out and back course with approximately

10 obstacles that will be able to be used

in both directions. The course will start

and finish at the car park of the criterion

track.

A partnership has been developed

with the USQ to provide surveying and

engineering services while all the

obstacles will be constructed on site.

Work is due to commence later this year

with construction finished by the middle

of 2020.

The course will be open to the general

public or available for corporate, team

building or competition events.

CARAVAN STAYS INCREASE 25%

The recreational travellers business has

increased 25% this year, and now makes

up almost 15% of the society’s annual

revenue.

The showgrounds offer travellers plenty

of space to park and move around with

a variety of sites they can choose. From

waterfront views on the lake to panoramic

views from sideshow alley, this growing

revenue is forming an integral part of the

society’s business model.

“Travellers enjoy the extra space the

showgrounds have to offer as well as the

option to choose their own site”, RASQ

CEO Mr Damon Phillips said. “They also

require amenities to be of a high standard

and well presented”, he added.

The society’s long term master plan

includes more level space with additional

power and water infrastructure. In

addition each amenities block will be

refurbished on an annual basis.

A new septic system and dump point

specifically for caravaners will be installed

prior to the end of the year. It is also

planned to increase the number of solar

street lights around the grounds.

Following the success from this year’s

show, Paul West and Costa Georgiadis

have confirmed that they plan to return

for 2020.

“The Royal Agricultural Society of Qld

is committed to promoting agricultural

excellence, and educating young people

about where their food and fibre comes

from, and having both Paul and Costa

involved with the show is vitally important

in assisting us getting the message out”,

RASQ CEO Damon Phillips said.

“Paul and Costa are passionate about

sustainable agriculture, they also work

really well together and put on a great

show for our patrons”, he added.

Costa has also vowed to bring his Logie

on tour with him.

The Heritage Bank Toowoomba Royal

Show will be held from the 26th to the

28th March 2020.

SOCIETY FINED OVER WORKPLACE INCIDENTThe society was recently fined $100 000

for the workplace accident in 2017 in

which Josh Park Fing was tragically killed.

“Our thoughts and prayers have, and will

always be with the family and friends

of Josh, our RASQ staff, members,

volunteers and everyone who has been

impacted by this unfortunate incident”,

RASQ Chairman Mr Shane Charles said.

“We note that the prosecution withdrew

all allegations that the vehicle involved

in the accident was defective. There was

also acknowledgement that the speed at

which the vehicle was being driven at the

time of the accident was not attributable

to the RASQ and that the breach by the

RASQ did not in any way cause the tragic

death of Mr Park Fing”, Mr Charles added.

As a community based organisation the

RASQ is committed to a safe working

environment for all our staff, volunteers,

contractors and visitors and have

implemented numerous procedures to

ensure this occurs.

PAUL AND COSTA RETURN

“ENTRANCE TO OFFICE UNDERGOES FACELIFT”With the increased number of visitors to

the showgrounds the office doors have

been repainted, new signage has been

installed and hanging pots have been

erected giving the main building that

“homestead” look.

“After more than 30 years we felt it was

time to update the signage considering

the numbers of visitors attending the

showgrounds each day”, RASQ CEO Mr

Damon Philips said.

“In addition the doors and windows have

been repainted by one of our volunteers

Mr Terry Newcombe and thanks to our

Floriculture Chief Stewards Robert and Sue

Janetski, 8 new hanging baskets have been

attached around the veranda”, he added.

It is planned to replace all the exterior

veranda lights prior to next years show.

NEW CABINETS TO DISPLAY TROPHIES AND MEMORABILIA Thanks to one of our volunteers, Mr Terry

Newcombe, there are now two large

trophy cabinets to display trophies and

memorabilia at the entrance to the Rod

and Helen Stirling Committee Room.

“Previously these magnificent trophies

have been put into storage all year and

only brought out at show time”, RASQ

CEO Mr Damon Phillips said. “Now they

can be put on display all year recognizing

the outstanding achievements of our

competitors and the contributions from

our many trophy donors”, he added.

SIZZLER JOINS SHOW TEAMSizzlers have joined the Heritage Bank Toowoomba Royal Show Team as a major sponsor of the Junior Classes in Photography, Leatherwork, Floriculture, Handicraft, and Cooking as well as the Schoolwork section for 2020.

“It is a great privilege to have such an iconic business such as Sizzler involved with the show”, RASQ CEO Mr Damon Phillips said.

As part of the sponsorship of the Junior classes Sizzler will also be providing every entrant with a discount meal voucher.

In addition the Sizzler Team will be cooking up there famous cheese toast over the 3 days with all proceeds going towards the RASQ Education Programs, “Little Hands on the Farm”, “Ag Discovery Day” and “The Edible Garden Project with Costa”.

Can I commence by saying what a wonderful honour it is to be President of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland which was formed in 1860. Next year we celebrate our 160th year in operation with our mission, as it was in 1860, to promote agricultural excellence in our region.

Our region continues to grow and Toowoomba is gaining increasingly greater national and international attention. Despite all of this, our community still see ourselves as a big country town. We are a service town for much of western Queensland and northern New South Wales and of course 60% of the goods that are exported from the Port of Brisbane come from Toowoomba and west. Your society continues to showcase what is the best of people and their craftsmanship, and their animals.

To be able to showcase the best of the best in agriculture, we need to operate an organisation that provides so many services for the community. We hold over 475 events at the grounds each and every year which attracts over 200,000 visitors to our region. The RASQ injects well over $15 million dollars into the local economy each year. Over 20 community organizations, which call

our grounds home, continue to ensure the Toowoomba showgrounds, all 99 hectares, are a vibrant hub of activity all year round.

The last few years have seen me comment upon the difficult operating environment we are governed by. I am sorry to say this has not abated. We continued to need our asset holding structure to keep pace with the times. The legacy of us owning our land under a Deed of Grant in Trust which places a great deal of limitation on what we can and cannot do with the land, is outdated and must change. How can we have 250 acres of assets that we have custody of, but are essentially handcuffed from undertaking any commercial activity on that land. We are grateful that we can hold community events, and host campers, but the reality is that revenue from these sources is not sufficient to keep up to date with the extensive repairs and maintenance required at the grounds.

In my last annual report I announced that we were in positive communications with both the Queensland Government and the Toowoomba Regional Council about these issues. I regret to advise that these negotiations have stalled. We are of course pursuing other alternatives but I repeat my message from last year

that without a resolution, I can see a day when your Society needs to transition to a different model of enterprise. I trust that common sense will continue to position the RASQ and our facilities to be a fantastic hub for community activity for many decades to come. This is such an important community asset and it needs to stay.

The RASQ could not exist without our loyal band of volunteers. Thank you is an easy word to say but hard to impress upon to those whom we thank, just how very grateful we are of your continued support. Whether it be the service clubs who assist at our annual show, or our volunteers who help out with gardening, events and other odd jobs, to our stewards, our committee members - everyone donates their precious time graciously with a spirit of fun.

The Heritage Bank are extraordinary sponsors of your Society. They are led so very well by Chairman Kerry Betros and CEO Peter Lock. The standards of excellence and their commitment of putting “People First” are filtered down from these two fine gentleman right through their organisation. Can I encourage you that if you are looking for a bank that really is part of your community, that you give the team at Heritage Bank

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR 2018/19 ANNUAL REPORT.

a call. I cannot recommend them more highly.

However, as you might appreciate it takes an army of sponsors to run a facility and an annual show. It is always overwhelming to see the support that the RASQ receives from the community we serve and we are extremely grateful.

This year saw our Annual Show again experience unprecedented rain. In fact, there has been next to no rain at all since the show! I wanted to thank in particular the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Societies. They have gone above and beyond this year to assist us in difficult times and their generosity has not gone unnoticed. Thank you.

I thank the General Committee, and the Governance and Strategy Committee of the RASQ. The legal and financial obligations of running a community organisation are substantial, and because of the intricacies of our being a charitable organisation with an outdated asset holding model, the risks and challenges we face are even greater. The committee members are truly outstanding and I thank them for their support, wisdom and wise counsel. Of course, they are all volunteers and as such I thank them on

behalf of the community for the work that they do.

Damon Phillips has been at the helm of the RASQ for many years and continues to lead with a fierce commitment to our cause. Because of our circumstances, we continue to place budgetary pressure on him and the work that he and his team do. The Society is indebted to Damon for the work he and his team do under these pressures. Notwithstanding the challenges, they continue their hard work with good humour and continue to innovate and find new and better ways of doing things. The work you do is certainly not taken for granted.

As I draw my address to a close, I need to say that the thoughts of all involved with the Society are with those who are in the grips of drought. I fervently hope the weather forecasters are wrong and the soaking rain is headed your way. I am sure you all know already, but your extended community is certainly right behind you.

Thanks to all who have supported your Society – the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland and let’s all look forward to a bigger, better, wetter and more

prosperous year ahead.

SOCIETY RECEIVES STAR PARTNERSHIP RECOGNITIONUpon implementing a number of

initiatives with EcoBiz and the Chamber

of Commerce and Industry Queensland

the society was recognized as a 2 Star

Partner following a 27.7% reduction

in marginal energy consumption,

and a 26.6% reduction in waste

production. Several of the key initiatives

implemented included: work in reducing

waste, electricity and gas usage whilst

introducing a number of recycling

programs, installation of power metres,

installing energy efficient lighting,

upgrading hot water systems, waste

compacting programs and can recycling

stations.

SUPREME CHAMPIONHeritage Bank

GRAND CHAMPIONClive Berghofer Developments

Iron Jack

CHAMPIONQueensland Government

Toowoomba Regional Council

Vanderfield

RESERVE CHAMPIONShowtime Showbags

BLUE RIBBONARTC Inland RailGC Event HireGordon Bourke ConstructionsHomestyle Bake

LandmarkOrchy Tophorse

1300 Web ProWippells Autos

RED RIBBON Elders Prydes Easifeed Sedl Earthmoving

Toowoomba Motorcycles

YELLOW RIBBONAGLAvis Black Truck SalesClifford Gardens Shopping Centre Cracker Print & Paper EarthlifeElgasEnfabEquestrian QueenslandJEFOJJ Richards

Fitton Insurance Brokers Musictalk New Hope GroupNorco Foods RabobankRoyal WolfRussell Mineral Equipment Pro Active Service Solutions SizzlersViden

MEDIA PARTNERSABC Southern QueenslandQueensland Country Life Triple M Hit FM

Nine TelevisionSeven Queensland The Chronicle WIN Television

TH

E COUNTRY

C

OM E S T O T O

WN30 MARCH-1 APRIL

THE 2020 HERITAGE BANKTOOWOOMBA

ROYAL SHOW TEAM

Showing the Downs since 1860 • www.toowoombashow.com.au

ADW

ORL

D239

8

26-28 March

SUPREME CHAMPIONHeritage Bank

GRAND CHAMPIONClive Berghofer Developments

Iron Jack

CHAMPIONQueensland Government

Toowoomba Regional Council

Vanderfield

RESERVE CHAMPIONShowtime Showbags

BLUE RIBBONARTC Inland RailGC Event HireGordon Bourke ConstructionsHomestyle Bake

LandmarkOrchy Tophorse

1300 Web ProWippells Autos

RED RIBBON Elders Prydes Easifeed Sedl Earthmoving

Toowoomba Motorcycles

YELLOW RIBBONAGLAvis Black Truck SalesClifford Gardens Shopping Centre Cracker Print & Paper EarthlifeElgasEnfabEquestrian QueenslandJEFOJJ Richards

Fitton Insurance Brokers Musictalk New Hope GroupNorco Foods RabobankRoyal WolfRussell Mineral Equipment Pro Active Service Solutions SizzlersViden

MEDIA PARTNERSABC Southern QueenslandQueensland Country Life Triple M Hit FM

Nine TelevisionSeven Queensland The Chronicle WIN Television

THE COUNTRY

C

OM E S T O T O

WN30 MARCH-1 APRIL

THE 2020 HERITAGE BANKTOOWOOMBA

ROYAL SHOW TEAM

Showing the Downs since 1860 • www.toowoombashow.com.au

ADW

ORL

D239

8

26-28 March

home(n). the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family

Proud to call Toowoomba

home.

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