The Chamber welcomes the 2024 Whitsunday Regional Council Budget’s focus on residential rates and addressing legacy issues while keeping cost of living, infrastructure and capital works, and housing affordability firmly in view.
The Council’s bottom-line forecast of increased profit is welcomed by the business community who themselves are fighting hard to meet their own profit expectations.
However, the Chamber remains concerned that the burden of increased Council revenues is being placed upon business and agriculture.
Particular concern is an 8% rate increase for commercial operations which is ahead of CPI.
Through this budget, commercial businesses will experience a 12% increase in Council utility charges. We also recognise utilities remain under pricing pressure, but it is disappointing such significant increases are proposed ahead of CPI rates.
Small business cannot carry an 8% rate and 12% utility charge increase without passing that onto the consumer.
Discussing the big issues for business