Toowoomba Regional Council defers infrastructure charges attached to Toowoomba Mosque rebuild after debate

The Toowoomba Mosque rebuild has been boosted by the deferral of $28,000 in infrastructure charges by the council.

Toowoomba Mosque. Wednesday, 30th Oct, 2019.

The Toowoomba Regional Council will defer more than $28,000 in charges attached to the rebuild of the Toowoomba Mosque, after it was twice the victim of arson.

Councillors voted at a committee meeting today to defer the infrastructure charges attached to the Toowoomba Islamic Charitable Trust’s 2019 development approval, which expanded on the existing rebuild of the mosque.

In its submissions to the council, the applicant highlighted the rebuild and the economic impacts of COVID-19 for why a deferral or waiver was necessary.

“The mosque had two arson attacks, and we are victim of crimes as result our community was forced to undertake the rebuilding of the burnt building,” the statement said.

“We are a non-profit charity organisation run purely on private donations.

“We are struggling to raise enough fund to complete the rebuilding as we are still in short of funding required for the project.

“COVID-19 has seriously limited our ability to engage in conventional fundraising activities

and significantly impacted on raising of funds.”

Fr Nandana Saparamadu (left) of St Patrick's Cathedral and Toowoomba Islamic Society president Professor Shahjahan Khan during a tour of the under construction Toowoomba Mosque on Mosque Open Day, Saturday, November 14, 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

While TRC senior planner Peter Swan recommended its rejection based on the fact there was no policy that applied to the request, Cr James O’Shea moved an amended motion to defer 100 per cent of the infrastructure charges based on the fact it was a not-for-profit entity.

“This is clearly a not-for-profit organisation, so this is why I speak against the rejection and I wish to move an alternate motion,” he said.

“The thing it comes back to is it’s a not-for-profit.”

While the council has granted several waivers, reductions or deferrals of charges for not-for-profit organisations in the past, this was the first time it had been submitted an application that was for a “place of worship”.

Cr Bill Cahill spoke against the deferral, saying it was inconsistent with the council’s previous decisions.

“I put the recommendation as the officer’s, because I believe we’re being consistent,” he said.

“Let’s not let emotion influence some planning decisions here.”

The alternate motion was carried six votes to five.