Mayor Karen Williams has hit back at Transport Minister Mark Bailey after he took aim at Redland City Council in Parliament over increased landing fees for island ferry operators.
Mr Bailey told the house that the council's fees had almost doubled for the financial year and more price hikes were on the way.
It came after he pointed the finger at Cr Williams for "undermining" a joint council and state government project upgrading ferry terminals on the bay islands.
"This blatant revenue grab by the disgraced Mayor ought to be reversed if she has any respect for Southern Moreton Bay islanders ...," he said.
Cr Williams rubbished Mr Bailey's claims, saying the council had increased landing fees so ratepayers were not forced to subsidise commercial ferry operators.
In the four years before councillors voted on a new fee structure in 2021, ratepayers were estimated to have forked out about $1 million per year for the city's passenger and vehicular ferry transport network.
The new fees cover operating costs involved in maintaining and upgrading the council's jetties and landing facilities, including employee costs and overheads.
"I find it amazing that the Minister is advocating for our community to continue picking up the tab," Cr Williams said.
Cr Williams said Mr Bailey's comments on the fees were a "cheap political stunt" and accused the state government of continuing to cost shift transport responsibilities to ratepayers.
"We have had ongoing conversations with the state about landing fees, and I have written to the Minister twice this year alone offering to work with him to help reduce the cost for ferry operators," she said.
"Rather than taking up my invitation, he would rather attack me from behind the protections of Parliamentary privilege.
"People are tired of this sort of political mud-slinging and next time they're stuck in traffic, they can thank the Minister for being more focused on playing politics rather than actually fixing transport in this state."
Mr Bailey claimed in Parliament that fees had jumped from $72,000 last financial year to $136,000 in 2022-23, and would increase again to $346,000 in 2025.
Information released from Redland City Council suggests the landing fee has increased by about 37 per cent for the current financial year.
Mr Bailey singled out Cr Williams in his speech to Parliament, saying she was undermining ferry terminal upgrades currently underway on the bay islands.
As previously reported in the Bulletin, Redland City Council and the state government are contributing funding to the project.
"Amity Trader runs a ferry service from the mainland to Coochiemudlo Island. To do that, they pay landing fees to the council," he said.
"I was shocked to learn that under the council and the disgraced Mayor, these landing fees have spiked by 88 per cent for the financial [year]."
Redland City Council's landing fees also apply to SeaLink and Stradbroke Flyer services.
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