Rates go up by a whopping 17% in Airlie Beach

Whitsundays Online

Airlie Beach will bare the brunt of the Whitsundays Regional Councils attempt to reign in debt with some owners about to cop a whopping 17% increase in rates.

According to Mayor 'Moscow' Brunker, a new rates system in the Shire was needed to help get the council out of a $27 million defecit. He said "Probably the biggest rises would be in the Airlie Beach area, at the top end which has been under rated over the years."

"There will be very small rises in Proserpine because they were paying higher rates than usual."

Mayor Brunker foretold the increase in an interview last week in which he said the council can no longer afford to build two new water and sewerage treatment plants."Now if we have to make that up, people are whingeing about 10 and 15 per cent rate rises - well hallelujah, she's going to be a lot bigger than that."

Full story by Penny Timms at ABC News
Image from first Airlie Beach webcam