EXPRESS The
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Locally owned and proudly independent
What a
weekend!
The 66th annual Mareeba Rodeo and Festival did not disappoint with more than 13,000 people flocking to Mareeba Rodeo Grounds for a weekend of thrills, spills and rodeo fun. The weekend kicked off on Friday night with the downtown parade where 16-year-old Chloe Hampton (pictured centre) was crowned 2015 Mareeba Rodeo Queen. Caitlin Goodhew (left) was crowned Princess and Miss Popularity was awarded to Celeste Petersen (right). Saturday and Sunday followed with two full days of non-stop action, on and off the arena. Photo by Peter Roy Photographer.
Tur n to pages 6, 7 and 10 for a ph oto wrap and results from the weekend!
TRC time capsule
By Justin Fris
D
E-Amalgamation has been a major discussion topic amongst residents on the Tablelands in recent months. Two local Shire budgets have come and gone. MSC rate increases were relatively low at 3.5 per cent; while further down the Kennedy Highway in the Tablelands Regional Council jurisdiction, they were significantly higher at 12.64 per cent, once various add-ons had been incorporated. But in order to get a true snapshot on how deamalgamation has played out for both shires in recent years, context is naturally required.
Of the 16 original councils that were forced to amalgamate – only four were given the opportunity to de-amalgamate – brought on by the LNP Governments’ election promise; however it is our opinion that had all 16 councils been given the opportunity, all 16 would have chosen to do so. Prior to the de-amalgamation referendum in 2008, a designated document (endorsed by both the TRC and Queensland Treasury Corporation) was provided to ratepayers within Mareeba Shire Council. Several predictions were made on the likelihood of particular projects within the Mareeba Shire jurisdiction; and make for interesting view-
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ing in 2015. The figures used to calculate the costs of deamalgamation by the TRC and the Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) using a “Worst Case Scenario” were correct but clearly designed to frighten MSC ratepayers into voting “NO”. With the MSC now out of the picture, the reasoning behind TRC rate payers being slugged with a de-amalgamation levy further adds to the theory that, MSC rateable property owners were in fact propping up the Southern Tablelands; hence the need for the levy. On the likelihood of redevelopment of the Mareeba Airport, the document reads:
“It is doubtful a new MSC would continue the progress of this work.” Off the back of significant work put in by the former Member for Cook David Kempton and current MSC Mayor Tom Gilmore between 2011 and 2015, this project progress was eventually realised in April this year. To the tune of $13 million, the upgrade funding was made possible through the allocation of funds via the former Newman Government’s ‘Royalties for Regions’ program; an agreement which was upheld by the Palaszczuk Government. CONTINUED PAGE 3
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