Paying Rates

The Shoalwater Bay Training Area is not a drain on the resources of Livingstone Shire Council and its ratepayers.

It is true that the Commonwealth Government does not pay local government rates for any of its Defence establishments around the country. On the other hand, Defence does not call upon local councils to supply a range of services within its precinct normally provided to ratepayers.

Within the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Defence looks after its own waste disposal, roads maintenance, fencing, erosion prevention works, fire management, weed and feral animal control, revegetation, water supply, sewerage and drainage, signage, planning and building control, and infrastructure as well as environmental management of the RAMSAR wetlands.

Hence, within it's fences it is totally self-supporting and not a drain on the resources of the Livingstone Shire and its ratepayers. From a rate paying perspective, the Shoalwater Bay Training Area could be thought of as part of the ocean or an adjoining Local Government Area - no responsibility or cost to Livingstone Shire to maintain it.

In fact to manage and monitor the environment at Shoalwater bay Training Area, Defence invests around $1 Million every year in addition to paying the salaries of a Senior Environmental Advisor, a dedicated Regional Environmental Officer, Data Management Officer and three Field Rangers.

Defence also contributes to the Livingstone Shire Council for its fair share of maintenance of the local access roads used by Defence vehicles. Further, the Federal Government has provided a grant of $7.4 Million to upgrade the main access roads to Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Whilst improving Defence entry, these upgraded roads will also be used by local ratepayers and visitors to access businesses and residents along the route.

Whilst the Federal Government does not pay rates, Defence employees who live in the region directly contribute to the provision of council services through payment of their own rates, either directly in the case of home owners or via a landlord for those who rent.

Further, Defence management and maintenance of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, as well as the training activities and subsequent tourism, creates an annual economic benefit of around $52.8 million in Central Queensland. This underpins an increase in social amenity for all in the community.