Toilet tax is money down the drain

TOWNSVILLE sporting clubs are anything but flush right now and the toilet tax is not helping the situation.

Accommodation providers and sporting clubs are slugged with a $945 pedestal tax per toilet annually, but since the coronavirus restrictions were put in place there has been little or no flushing.

Council charges the toilet tax to help offset the “higher than usual standard” cost for discharge into the Great Barrier Reef.

Townsville District Rugby Union director Terry Shiells said the toilet tax had always been a problem for the organisation, with its 17 toilets only being used one or two days a week.

But when coronavirus restrictions were put in place, the TDRU stopped using the toilets altogether.

Mr Shiells said the tax was based on seven days a week use, but he would rather it was set at a pro-rata rate, especially for sporting clubs.

Council has said in the past that the pedestal tax was not additional, but instead replaced sewerage charges.

Because the sewerage system cost money to maintain and build, the more toilets an organisation or business had, the more they paid.

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson wrote to Mayor Jenny Hill after several accommodation providers and sporting clubs raised the issue of paying for the tax despite having no customers or players.

“Many motel owners and sporting clubs have been in contact with me about this pedestal tax and the need for relief at a time when money just isn’t coming in,” Mr Thompson said.

“So I got in touch with the mayor asking her to have some compassion and waive the fee during this extremely tough time.”

Mr Thompson acknowledged that council had offered affected businesses rate deferrals, but said it wasn’t enough.

In comparison, Mackay Regional Council charges $898.40 per toilet each year and Cairns Regional Council charges $680.96.

“If these councils can afford to charge less, there is no reason for Townsville City Council’s exorbitant charge,” Mr Thompson said.

“I once again call on the mayor to do the right thing and waive these charges during this extremely difficult time.”

Cr Hill blamed the Federal Government’s high standard for discharge to the Great Barrier Reef.

In 2018/19, Townsville City Council raised $24.4 million from the toilet tax, which maintains a 1500km sewer network hooked up to six wastewater treatment plants.