Councillors’ cars rev up debate in the chamber

Councillors using ratepayer-funded vehicles was a hot topic, as Maranoa Regional Council voted to scrap having cars for local representatives.

Maranoa Regional Council will not provide vehicles like a Toyota Prado to individual councillors for business use. Picture: Supplied.

MARANOA Regional Councillors will no longer receive ratepayer-funded cars as part of their job, following a landmark decision in the chamber this week.

Five out of nine councillors voted to remove the option of having a council-owned vehicle from this term’s expenses reimbursement policy; essentially requiring councillors to use their personal vehicles for council business, or alternatively hire one of council’s fleet vehicle for business trips.

Under the new policy, councillors will be reimbursed 88 cents for every kilometre they drive in their personal car while doing council business.

Alternatively, they are able to claim the travel distance on tax, with the Australian Taxation Office now reimbursing 72 cents per kilometre.

Councillors cannot claim both the council and ATO reimbursements, they must pick one.

Councillor George Ladbrook, who voted for the new policy, said he did so because he sees no need for any individual councillor to have their own council car.

Maranoa Regional Council have debated the use of council-owned vehicles, ultimately deciding to scrap individual vehicles for councillors.

“Speaking in my personal capacity, I will be using my own car or a pool car this term,” he said.

“I was motivated to make this decision for the community, my feedback from the community is that they believe that council cars aren’t needed for councillors’ private use.

“The reimbursement rate, I think, is very fair for councillors. There will also be a pool system – so all councillors have to do is book a council car, and they will get one to use (on a specific day) so that they are able to do the work they were elected to do.”

“Other councils like the Murweh Shire use virtually the same pool system, the education department uses a pool system, and Queensland Health uses a pool system, so why can’t we?”

The cost of councillors’ private vehicle reimbursements ranges from a minimum of $4,400 if they drive 5,000km, right up to $26,400 if a councillor drives 30,000km.

As for council-owned vehicles, the expenses are only good value if the councillor in question is driving long distances.

Driving a council-owned car just 5,000km a year will cost $9,466, but driving it 30,000km a year will cost $13,439.

In a report tabled at the Maranoa Regional Council meeting, the estimated annual vehicle costs are:

Council owned vehicle

5,000km – $9,466

10,000km – $10,261

15,000km – $11,055

20,000km – $11,580

25,000km – $12,644

30,000km – $13,439

Private vehicle reimbursement

5,000km – $4,400

10,000km – $8,800

15,000km – $13,200

20,000km – $17,600

25,000km – $22,000

30,000km – $26,400

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