2021-06-16 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                    16 JUNE 2021


Submission Topic   Detail
                   One example is my car insurance is up $71 or 15% . Other increasing costs such as
                   private health insurance , petrol price and many others are way above our pensions
                   increase .

                   The council should ensure that the pensioners will not have their living standard
                   lowered , this council should increase the rate discount given to the elderly .

Heritage Levy      Submission 1:
                   Noosa Council took appropriate action to reduce the impost of levies on ratepayers
(1 submission      during the COVID-19 pandemic and is on the right track to lift those levies back up in
received)          2021-22. In particular, I note that, having being lowered to $5 last year, the Heritage
                   Levy will rise to $8.50 in the draft budget to be adopted at the end of the month.

                   In this submission, I propose that this particular levy be increased even further, back
                   to $10 per property per annum.

                   It is disappointing that the Heritage Levy is of little assistance to the Noosa Shire
                   Museum and there is no hypothecation of levy monies to that institution. It is my
                   contention that the extra $1.50 on the levy would not be felt by most ratepayers.
                   Directing that money to the museum would be of great assistance – especially if the
                   additional money raised was used by Noosa Council to engage consultants to consider
                   the future location of the building, while retaining this important institution in Pomona.

                   Such action would mirror the steps the council is taking to consider the future scope
                   and location of the Noosa Regional Gallery.

                   Such ‘visioning’ by the existing Cooroora Historical Society is not possible currently.
                   Obviously, the existing committee would need to be consulted in any such process, but
                   great strides could be made to consider a possible future site for the museum relative
                   to The Majestic Theatre and the Old Railway Station Gallery to form a ‘cultural precinct’
                   at Pomona, consistent with the objectives of the Noosa Cultural Plan 2019-23.

                   There are people at Pomona who would provide their support for the museum, and
                   revitalise its management, if Noosa Council were able to provide through a consultants’
                   report details of where the museum could be relocated. The existence of such a report
                   - funded by an extra $1.50 on top of the $8.50 proposed Heritage Levy - could also be
                   used to source state and federal funding for a purpose-built facility on the new site,
                   complete with additional gallery space, refurbished and better displays telling the
                   shire’s history, humidity control and better storage and research spaces; and
                   prominence in relation to the other arts and cultural institutions in the town. Please note
                   that I am not suggesting that the $1.50 extra paid by each ratepayer be consolidated
                   and provided to the Cooroora Historical Society as a grant, but retained by the council
                   and used for the purpose stated, in consultation’ with the Noosa Shire Museum
                   management committee.

Multiple Issues    Submission 1:
                   Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft budget. My comments are as
(5 submissions     below.
received)          1. The introduction of a bushfire resilience and response levy is not supported. This
                       is not new Council business and should be funded by a rise in general rates if
                       there is a need to improve or expand services. Otherwise the community needs to
                       know just exactly what is this levy paying for over and above the existing fire and
                       response services and budget? Levies increase complexity and administration
                       costs and hide rate rises. While recognising this and simplifying some aspects of
                       the rates in other parts of the 2021/2 budget Council is simultaneously adding
                       more complexity by introducing yet another levy.

                   2.   The introduction of new rating categories for transitory accommodation (short stay)
                        properties is supported, but the rise is not commensurate with the nature of the


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