2021-06-16 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                  16 JUNE 2021


Submission Topic   Detail
                   the current Tourism Levy structure and continue to fund Tourism Noosa's operations
                   well into the future. Where will we see the current transparency around how our
                   Tourism Levy funds are used? With protection removed, there is no guarantee that
                   Council or future Councils will continue to use the funds for their purpose, or will even
                   fund Tourism Noosa for the purpose of tourism promotion. In this uncertain Covid
                   world, now more than ever before our tourism industry needs security and the work of
                   Tourism Noosa.

                   Submission 51
                   The Council collects a Tourism and Economic Levy from applicable rate payers
                   (tourism and commercial businesses, short stay homes and now AirBnBs) and pays
                   Tourism Noosa the set amount of $2.52M, not including the annual charge of a fee of
                   $80,000 for collection and distribution to Tourism Noosa. Toward the end of this year,
                   Tourism Noosa will be working with Council to negotiate a new contract for Tourism
                   Noosa to continue its operations in 2022 and beyond. In recent years Tourism Noosa
                   has been operating without meaningful Council input and without residents having a
                   say in how the money might be spent in their best interests, not just what suits the
                   industry. Now is the time to let Tourism Noosa be self-sufficient financially, like other
                   industry bodies. We agree with the section under KEY DRAFT BUDGET
                   COMPONENTS 1. Rates and charges. ‘Tourism and economic development activities
                   are now considered core Council business and are proposed to be funded by general
                   rates (to be applied only to those properties that are currently paying the Tourism and
                   Economic Levy).’ This statement provides a necessary change to the transparency and
                   protection of how Noosa Council accounts for ratepayers' Tourism Levy funds, and if
                   they are being used in the best interest of tourism and the economy, businesses and
                   community in Noosa. It provides council with the necessary power to decide the best
                   way funds are spent on promoting the tourism industry. Times are changing, top-heavy
                   tourism bodies are being replaced by more nimble media consultants which don’t have
                   the inbuilt inefficiencies of a cumbersome, publicly funded entity such as Tourism
                   Noosa. Council will now be able to make tourism in Noosa more on the terms that suit
                   the Shire, and can call tenders for tourism marketing services that meet these aims.
                   Plus, Council is committed to providing high-quality tourism infrastructure, and this is
                   at a substantial extra cost to ratepayers. Put simply, residents and ratepayers are going
                   without essential infrastructure at the expense of an industry which is not pulling its
                   weight financially. The Noosa community requires complete transparency and answers
                   on:
                   1. Can Council provide the exact breakdown of the total funds being provided to tourism
                   in Noosa, and how they plan to source that funding.
                   2. Since tourism as a core responsibility, when will specific tourism infrastructure
                   appear in the accounts so that the true extent of council’s spending on tourism is
                   evident?
                   3. Noosa Council should make a public commitment to reduce funding to Tourism
                   Noosa over the next five years with the aim that it become fully self-sufficient by then.
                   4. Noosa Council needs to audit the impact from tourism on our economy and support
                   alternative industries that don’t have the same impact on resident amenity.
                   5. When will Noosa Council fund improved traffic and transport options for tourism
                   precincts, including funds for permanent free buses and improved traffic management,
                   from the tourism levy?

                   Submission 52
                   I strongly object to proposed changes to the Tourism Levy, as outlined in draft Budget
                   papers, and disagree with the statement that "Tourism promotion has evolved into core
                   Council business". Tourism promotion has sat with Tourism Noosa for 20 years, an
                   organisation that professionally, transparently and strategically promotes the
                   destination, with great success. Our increasing visitor spend (reaching a record $1.2
                   billion in the months before Covid) and the recent Queensland's Top Tourism Town
                   Award (Tourism Noosa's submission) are 2 recent examples. I urge you to maintain
                   the current Tourism Levy structure and continue to fund Tourism Noosa's operations
                   well into the future.


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