Townsville City Council approve the 2024/25 budget with rate rise, parking fees increase

Parking fees are set to increase and property owners will pay more on their rates bill. See the breakdown here.

There is going to be a rate rise and parking fee increase.

A Townsville business leader is ropeable over a decision to introduce paid parking in new locations across the city, including The Strand, saying councillors had failed in their promise to be open and transparent with the community.

Townsville Chamber of Commerce President Miranda Mears described the move to introduce paid parking at The Strand, on Gregory and Palmer streets, and on Fulham Rd near the Mater Private Hospital as a “slap in the face”.

The changes to parking, which will be in place from the New Year, were introduced as part of the 2024/25 budget. Parking will cost an additional $1 per hour.

The council approved the budget in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, which also includes a 5.1 per cent rate rise.

President of the Chamber of Commerce Miranda Mears has described the council's decision to implement paid parking on the Strand as a 'slap in the face'. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Ms Mears said introducing paid parking in places like The Strand was going to have massive economic and social impacts.

She said this year, there had been the highest number of business insolvencies in a “long time”, with the majority of those in hospitality.

Ms Mears said there were many other increases that businesses were experiencing, including electricity and food.

She felt paid parking would discourage people from visiting The Strand, and it was taking a free meeting place away from the community.

“Paid parking in the CBD has not been successful,” she said. “There has been no consultation.”

Ms Mears said many of the councillors had run in the election on a transparency ticket.

“We’re seeing none of that,” she said.

The president added that it was a “slight of hand card trick” to highlight the paid parking in public communications about the budget to ”take attention away” from a “critical overspend”.

“The chamber will be raising a petition, … they (the council) can’t say it’s a job done,” Ms Mears said.

“They’ve made an arbitrary decision without transparency.”

Cr Paul Jacob. Picture: Evan Morgan

Acting Mayor Paul Jacob said it was “no longer sustainable” to keep costs low, forcing the council to increase rates and some fees, like parking.

Mr Jacob said in his budget speech that the rate rise would equate to an additional $3.70 each week.

The rates discount applied if residents pay on time will also be slashed from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

Land valuations from 2021, which included increases upwards of 40 per cent on some properties, are still hanging over the heads of some ratepayers, with the council capping increases at 10 per cent.

“There’s no denying it’s been a hard and fast learning experience for all of us,” he said.

“I won’t mince my words, today’s budget is bold,” Mr Jacob said.

In the previous years council has absorbed costs throughout challenging times for the community.

“Delivering minimal to no rate rises over the past decade with the goal of easing cost pressures on residents.

“But unfortunately this is no longer sustainable.

“We acknowledge these are challenging times.”

Mr Jacob said the council was vulnerable to cost of living increases, like its residents, and that this had added a “level of financial burden” through labour and materials.

The council sought to continue delivering on liveability and services, and did want to rely entirely on ratepayers, and so has also made increases to parking fees for the first time in 14 years.

Mr Jacob said parking would increase from a dollar extra per hour from July 29, and the revenue would be reinvested back into roads and utilities.

Additional parking meters would be installed in locations such as The Strand, which costs $6m annually to maintain.

Mr Jacob said additional paid parking in these locations would improve parking bay turnover and increase visitor numbers while also providing additional funding.

Originally published as Townsville City Council approve the 2024/25 budget with rate rise, parking fees increase