Cassowary Coast Regional Council

The rates levied in the annual local government budget are a matter of great concern to all rate payers.

With the establishment of the Rating Advisory Committee council has not abrogated responsibility for rating decisions. We want the best advice and the widest input into rating discussions and have formed this Committee to actively engage the community in decision making.

We are facing a serious infrastructure back log, particularly in the north, a problem of huge proportions.

To make matters worse, the rates in the north are currently higher than the south, after years of the opposite being true. The state government requires the rates to be merged in the first four year term of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC). Merging the rate systems may result in ex-Cardwell residents paying more and seeing the money spent in the north. Unfortunately that is a reality of the post amalgamation situation.

I do understand why residents of the former Cardwell Shire are concerned.

However the needs within the new CCRC have to be prioritised and the water and sewerage in Innisfail are the region’s top priority, costing some $55 million, because of the urgency of the situation, with the Jubilee Bridge at some $20M also a very high priority, because of the vital transport access issues involved.

Cardwell’s sewerage scheme has already been the subject of an application for funding and the council’s contribution of some $6 million will be found.

South of Mourilyan the infrastructure needs are simply not as urgent as the present needs of Innisfail.

If the Mission Beach Sewerage Plant had not been built in Tully, Tully’s old system would be up there with Innisfail’s as a high priority. Unfortunately Innisfail does not have a Mission Beach down the road!

The CCRC must govern for the whole region and it is not appropriate to allocate capital expenditure on an area basis when very urgent needs exist. Funds have to be allocated on a priority basis for the whole region.

If the backlog in one particular area did not exist, the capital works program would be spent across the region.

In my view addressing these urgent needs is not an example of undue political favouritism but simply the reality of the situation…

There are a few mechanisms such as benefited area rates, special levies, phase-in periods and the like which could be considered, and we seek the input of the Rating Advisory Committee in considering these options.

I do not see the Committee as restricting council’s options. On the contrary it will hopefully increase the options. But at the end of the process, the decisions will be council’s and the CCRC will continue to make decisions in an open and transparent fashion.