Going Back to Basics While Building for the Future

By Cr Belinda Hassan

Following the recent adoption of Mackay Regional Council’s 2026–2027 Budget, there has understandably been plenty of discussion about rates and what council should – and shouldn’t – be spending money on.

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With an average residential rates increase of 7.16%, I understand why people are asking questions. I also understand the call for council to get “back to basics” – often described as “roads, rates and rubbish”. These are fundamental services, and they must remain a priority.

But I believe there is another important part of this conversation.

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With only about 54,000 rateable properties across our region, there is a finite number of ratepayers contributing towards an ever-growing cost of maintaining infrastructure and delivering the services our community expects.

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If we want to ease that pressure over the longer term, we need to grow our region.

That means attracting new residents, investment and development – expanding our economic and ratepayer base rather than expecting existing ratepayers to continually carry an increasing burden.

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Council’s Corporate Plan sets an ambition for Mackay to become the best region for liveability and livelihood and a number of our initiatives are designed with exactly that in mind.

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Our Facilitating Development in the Mackay Region Policy, for example, is specifically designed to attract investment and stimulate growth. It targets developments that create jobs and investment, improve housing diversity, strengthen our economy and provide important regional services. Eligible developments can receive assistance including a dedicated Council contact, accelerated assessment and, in some circumstances, incentives relating to infrastructure charges and other fees.

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Since 2015, the Invest Mackay Events and Conference Attraction Program has supported 313 events and conferences, injecting an estimated $221 million into our local economy. These events bring visitors who stay in our accommodation, eat in our restaurants and spend money with local businesses.

Sometimes the benefits are even more direct. Council’s partnership with the Gold Coast SUNS helped introduce Certainty Wealth to our region through a business delegation. The result? A planned investment of more than half a billion dollars over seven years, including residential development, retirement living, childcare and commercial centres.

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And securing the Australian premiere of Disney: The Exhibition – A Century of Magic, running in Mackay from December 2026 to May 2027, puts our region on a national stage and creates another opportunity to attract visitors and showcase Mackay.

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These initiatives may not fit neatly into the traditional definition of “roads, rates and rubbish”, but economic development is not about spending for spending’s sake. Done well, it is an investment in growing our economy, broadening our ratepayer base and strengthening our region.

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Going back to basics and planning for growth are not mutually exclusive. We need to do both – because building a stronger Mackay today is one of the best ways we can protect the affordability and liveability of our region tomorrow.

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