REVEALED: The key details from the 2023-24 Whitsunday council budget
Mayor Julie Hall has delivered her first budget since her shock election and there’s some good news for ratepayers compared to Mackay, Isaac neighbours. Here’s why.
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Mayor Julie Hall has handed ratepayers from Proserpine to Bowen a sunny winter gift with her council voting in a low 2 per cent increase in rates for the 2023-24 budget.
The modest increase is below the 4 per cent and 3.8 per cent increases levied by the Isaac and Mackay councils and well below the CPI rate of 6.3 per cent, the standard measure for household inflation.
Ms Hall said the council had worked hard to deliver a “financially sustainable budget”.
“This is my first budget as Mayor and reflects my commitment to ensuring that council’s financial decisions reflect the needs and priorities of our Whitsunday community,” she said.
“We believe it is our responsibility to manage our finances sustainably while still meeting the needs of our growing region.”
The budget maintains pensioner rates concessions.
It also pays down debt, with $6m allocated to reduce the council’s current loans.
Mayor Hall said the council would end the next financial year with less than $64m in debt for a $1.2bn asset base.
“In simple terms that compares to effectively owing just $64,000 on a $1.2m home,” she said.
The budget also books in a number of capital works projects for the region, including a new $3.5m waste cell at Kelsey Creek and $2.4m to upgrade infrastructure at airports.
There is also $11.4m for stormwater drainage, roads and footpaths, including $2,4m for Stage 2 of the Bicentennial Walkway.
The Edgecumbe Heights walking track will get $500,000.
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Originally published as REVEALED: The key details from the 2023-24 Whitsunday council budget
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