A Minute With The Mayor

Everywhere I go in the Whitsundays, I hear the same concern: insurance is becoming unaffordable. Whether it's families, small business owners, or strata property holders — the cost of protecting what matters most has blown out.

And during a cost-of-living crisis, those costs hit even harder. Too many people are being forced to go without insurance or settle for inadequate cover.

This leaves our communities exposed and underprepared — especially in regions like ours, where extreme weather events are a known risk.

What’s most frustrating is that we’ve done the right thing. Across Queensland, councils have invested heavily in flood mitigation, resilience infrastructure, and natural hazard planning to reduce risk and better protect our communities.

Yet, despite these efforts, we’re still seeing insurance premiums skyrocket by 100%, 200% — even 500% in some areas. It’s unsustainable, it’s unfair, and it’s leaving too many Queenslanders behind.

That’s why councils across the state, including Whitsunday Regional Council, are calling on the Federal Government to take urgent action.

We want to see:

Greater transparency in how premiums are set, including proper recognition of local mitigation measures;

Increased affordability and availability of insurance — for homes, strata title holders, and businesses alike;

A holistic review of the Australian Cyclone Reinsurance Pool, including extended claims periods and broader eligibility for cyclone and flood-related damage.

We are doing our part to make our communities safer and more resilient, but we need a system that recognises and rewards those efforts, not penalises them.

It’s time for a fairer insurance framework that supports regional Queenslanders, protects livelihoods, and strengthens our ability to bounce back when disaster strikes.

‍