Mackay council meeting: $3 paper fees, due process, and drag shows

A spirited debate broke out at the May council meeting over a three dollar fee for paper notices, with one councillor calling the cost “beyond the pale” and another calling the debate “histrionics”.

A spirited debate broke out at the May council meeting over a three dollar fee for paper notices, with one councillor calling the cost “beyond the pale” and another calling the debate “histrionics”.

The newly reformed Mackay Regional Council covered much ground ahead of the all-important budget meeting next month, with one small cost leading to a spirited debate.

With a $5.4m deficit still expected in the upcoming budget, returning councillor George Christensen raised an objection to a three dollar cost of receiving paper notices rather than digital, part of a wide-ranging policy adjustment for council fees and charges.

“It’s a shame councillor (Peter) Sheedy isn’t able to join us because he wished to move this motion based on feedback he received during the election,” Cr Christensen said, with Cr Sheedy absent due to Covid and tech issues.

Councillor George Chistensen speaking at Mackay Regional Council chambers on May 22, 2024. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Karen May asked what impact removing the fee would have, with corporate services director Angela Hayes quoting a ~$400,000 cut to council revenue.

During debate, Cr Chistensen said it was “utterly beyond the pale to think that we can charge people for receiving their own rates bill”.

Speaking against the amendment, Marty Bella said he was bringing some “rationality” to “basically a lot of histrionics about it”.

“We’re neck deep in the computer age ... ultimately the preparation of paper notices in this day and age costs council, and if its costs council, it costs ratepayers,” Cr Bella said.

“Let me say I receive paper notices, I pay three dollars, and I’m happy to do so.

“Quite simply, user pays.”

Councillor Martin Bella. Picture: Duncan Evans

Cr May reiterated the fee is waived for pensioners and people in financial distress, noting “we know in our budget preparation how tight things are (so) I think it’s premature to be cutting the revenue by $400,000”.

The amendment was dismissed with four votes for and seven against.

Mackay mayor Greg Williamson said after the meeting he welcomed “a good healthy standard of debate”, noting the fee was created to encourage people to go paperless in their dealings with council.

Amendment not alternate: Chistensen stumbles on ceremony

Though only the third meeting of this council with six representatives new to its workings, Cr Christensen was corrected twice on council’s due process.

During a vote on the adult store proposed on Wood St, the mayor noted Cr Christensen had not raised his hand either way and informed him he could not abstain from the vote.

He was marked as voting against the development, which was approved.

And while raising his objection to the $3 paper fee, Cr Christensen initially asked for an alternate motion to be put forward.

Again Cr Williamson had to correct the new councillor, noting a small amendment to the wider set of fee policy shouldn’t need an entirely new motion to be drawn up.

Worldwide Rally for Freedom Mackay representative Rhonda Marriage. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Conspiracies of the “gender agenda”

Worldwide Rally for Freedom Mackay representative Rhonda Marriage reiterated her opposition to drag revue Briefs’ upcoming Brats Carnival show in Mackay, following a furore initially raised by Facebook posts in February.

“We are extremely disappointed to see the MECC has planned a drag queen show, men dressed as women, masquerading as a team of circus artists for children from four years of age and up,” Ms Marriage said.

“As a community we expect Mackay Regional council to stop this gender agenda.

Briefs co-founder Mark Winmill. Briefs is behind the family-friendly drag show titled Brats Carnival which is coming to Mackay in September, 2024. Picture: Contributed

“We ask again that this show be cancelled to prevent our young children being exposed to the concept of drag queens ... we want our children to enjoy what they’re looking at, not what the hell they’re looking at.”

Ms Marriage has previously pushed council to take action on conspiracy theories like ‘chemtrails’ and the 1984-esque interpretation of the ‘15-minute city’.

The mayor said the council had no plans to stop the Briefs show.

“Personally, this show’s been around for a long time and I can’t see any reason we should step in as an elected body to censor anything,” Mr Williamson said.