A Minute With The Mayor 27 June

Budget 2025–26: Building a Fairer, Stronger Whitsundays

Last week, Council handed down the 2025–26 Budget—my second as Mayor, and one that truly reflects the direction Councillors and I want to take as a region.

My first budget last year was delivered just weeks after we were sworn in. This year, we’ve had time to dive deep, confront the financial realities, and make tough but necessary choices to put us on a more sustainable path.

We uncovered a structural deficit in our general fund—around $10 million a year—partly masked by cross-subsidisation from water and sewerage revenue. That simply wasn’t sustainable.

At the same time, we’re facing rising costs, from roads to rubbish to insurance, and a $779,000 drop in state financial assistance grants. Like households, we’re feeling the squeeze.

That’s why this year’s budget includes significant reform, starting with how we fund our services. We’ve introduced a fairer, more modern rating system—built on principles of equity, simplicity, and sustainability.

For residential owner-occupiers, the average general rate rise is 2%, with utilities increasing by about 5%—an overall weekly increase of $2.92. For commercial and large industrial ratepayers, there’s a larger adjustment to bring their contributions in line with service use and property values.

We’ve also worked hard to reduce waste and improve how we operate by delivering $3 million in savings across areas like libraries, environmental services, communications, and internal functions. That’s allowed us to reinvest in core services, including an extra $2.5 million for road and footpath maintenance.

Importantly, we’re investing in the future, with a $114 million capital works program. That includes water and sewer upgrades, major road renewals, and improvements to parks, waste facilities, and community spaces.

Projects like the Cannonvale Community Hub, the Whitsunday Sports Precinct, and the Collinsville Hub are more than infrastructure—they’re a signal of confidence and a foundation for growth.

This budget is about balance—responsibility today, and ambition for tomorrow. It doesn’t fix everything overnight, but it sets us on the right track: fairer, more sustainable, and future-ready.

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