Cull mulls possible future tourism tax
THE possibility of a tourism tax to help protect Dunedin’s wildlife was hinted at by Mayor Dave Cull yesterday.
Mr Cull raised the idea of a type of tourist tax or a levy during a vote on funding for the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, during the deliberations on the Dunedin City Council’s 10year plan yesterday.
Councillors voted to contribute $50,000 a year for the next three years towards helping fund a staff member and medical consumables at the wildlife hospital.
While speaking to the motion Mr Cull said as the number of tourists visiting the city grew, some businesses profited more and more from the city’s wildlife, and the idea of a tourism levy or tax could be investigated at a later date.
‘‘There are some groups who benefit from that increase and in the future that is where I think this type of funding should come from.’’
Contributing financially to the wildlife hospital was part of the council’s responsibility towards sustainability in the city, he said.
Earlier in the meeting councillors approved a one off $250,000 contribution to Predator Free Dunedin to help it to achieve predatorfree status in about 30,000ha of the city.
The contribution will assist the group in its application for funding from the Government’s Predator Free 2050 initiative.
Councillors also approved subsequent $120,000 annual contributions for five years from 2020, to help fund equipment, staff and hardware.
Cr Christine Garey said the success of the Pest Free Peninsula project on the Otago Peninsula showed what could be achieved in the rest of the city.
Cr Mike Lord said as a farmer he could support any money spent killing possums.
Cr Doug Hall supported the contribution but said any pestfree goal needed a citywide approach, with all the city’s landowners and homeowners involved.
‘‘Without everyone in the city doing their part these jokers are going to be belting their heads against a brickwall.’’
Mr Cull said there were parts of the project which could not be publicly announced yet, but Cr Hall’s concerns were addressed in it.