Community
30 July, 2024
Huge rates slug for marina
PORT Hinchinbrook residents will have to pay nearly $2000 a year more in sewerage costs than other Cassowary Coast Regional Council ratepayers.
They will be slugged with $3237 per property compared to $1126 in Innisfail and $1058 at Tully and Mission Beach.
Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said “understandably, Port Hinchinbrook residents were shocked to learn that the sewage charges for the Port Hinchinbrook scheme are unfathomably high in comparison to other locations as can be seen above”.
“I am advised by (the) council that the reason for the substantial cost, that will be passed on to only those Port Hinchinbrook ratepayers who directly benefit, is the $7 million funding shortfall for the construction of the new sewage treatment plant (STP),” he said.
“The shortfall has arisen in circumstances where construction costs and global material prices have risen exponentially and was an unforeseeable cost increase at the time of initial project planning.
“Council intends to satisfy the shortfall amount of $7m with financial borrowings. As can be seen from the council budget, repayment of the borrowings will be passed on to those residents and ratepayers who will directly benefit from the new STP. This will amount to residential ratepayers incurring an additional $1902 per year in their rates for sewerage.”
Mr Dametto said many would not be able to afford the increase.
He said he and the council had been lobbying Premier Steven Miles and Local Government and Public Works Minister Meaghan Scanlon for funds to reduce the margin of the shortfall.
A council spokesman said all sewerage was paid for by the properties connected to that scheme.
“Sewerage costs are not levied as part of the general rates,” he said.
“At the local government meeting in June 2023, council resolved to secure the debt funding of $7m, and endorse the principle of ‘user pays’ and the beneficiaries of the Port Hinchinbrook sewerage scheme would meet full cost recovery through amended sewerage charges to commence July 1, 2024.
“Consultation with Port Hinchinbrook residents was undertaken in October 2020 when it was indicated that the expected sewerage utility charge could be upwards of $3000 per year.
“The reason for this charge is due to the small number of users within the scheme.”