MAYOR Karen Williams is calling for a more equitable way to allocate state government funding, with the Southern Moreton Bay Islands ruled out of some grants programs - such as Works for Queensland - despite high unemployment rates and geographical isolation.
Cr Williams said all of the Redlands was classed as part of metropolitan south-east Queensland, meaning the islands were ineligible for Works for Queensland.
"The fact that our community is not eligible... fails to recognise the unique challenges faced by parts of our city, in particular our island communities," Cr Williams said.
At the Local Government Association of Queensland conference in October, Cr Williams put forward a motion calling for targeted grants programs and an allocative formula based on levels of unemployment and disadvantage.
"There needs to be a more equitable way to ensure all Queensland councils with communities who are experiencing genuine social disadvantage and transport, infrastructure and isolation challenges can share in the funding support offered by the state government, regardless of their... proximity to the capital city," she said.
The Works for Queensland program is designed to help councils build community infrastructure and improve livability for residents while supporting jobs.
"Examples of eligible projects include improving parks and playgrounds, footpaths, roads, sewers, community and sports facilities and renewable energy initiatives - all the types of infrastructure and community building projects our island communities would most certainly benefit from," Cr Williams said.
"Some areas in Queensland with better employment than our islands have received tens of millions of dollars for projects, which reduces their reliance on rates. I have no issues with these communities accessing this funding... but our island communities... deserve to have access to this funding too."
At the 2016 Census, the SMBIs had an unemployment rate of 16.5 per cent - more than double the Queensland average of 7.2 per cent - with 32.2 per cent youth unemployment, compared to 13.9 per cent across the state.
"There are areas in south-east Queensland that are nothing like Brisbane," Cr Williams said. "Public transport to get into Brisbane can be upwards of three hours - you may as well be in regional Queensland."
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe did not respond to requests for comment by deadline but said in July that Works for Queensland had been successful in boosting regional economies.
Read more local news here.