REDLAND City Council has decided to continue negotiations with the state government over an $89 Translink levy on southern Moreton Bay island ratepayers.
Residents from the four southern Moreton Bay islands protested about the levy in their rates outside chambers before Wednesday’s meeting.
Macleay Island resident Robin Harris and Lamb Island’s Clem Ebber addressed council calling for the levy to be abolished and not to adopt the fee for a further two years in a confidential meeting.
They also asked council to back a push for a state government transport review and for the islands to be rezoned for less expensive fares under Translink.
Division 5 councillor Mark Edwards asked council to defer making a decision, which was slated to be discussed behind closed doors.
Cr Edwards said council needed to hold a workshop and discuss the matter with the state before voting on the issue.
In December 2012, council struck a deal with the state to extend the Translink public transport system to the bay islands.
Under the deal, bay island residents were able to use Translink’s go card on the ferries but were slugged $88 in an annual fee levied by Council.
At the time, mayor Karen Williams said the then $88 levy equated to 3c a day which island ratepayers would quickly recoup through reduced public transport fares.
She promised to reduce a $200 annual infrastructure charge levied on bay island ratepayers and investigate restructuring the islands’ rates to minimise the levy’s impact.
The then state MP for Redlands Peter Dowling said the city should be made to contribute to public transport provision in South-East Queensland, like Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast councils.
He said the state invested $1million every year in bay island transport and would contribute $500,000 to roll out Translink to the islands with a further $5million to upgrade facilities at Weinam Creek.
