It is with pleasure that I present the Mornington Shire Council’s Budget for 2021/22 Financial Year.

Council finished the 2020/21 Financial Year with an estimated operational deficit of some 9% of total operational income.This compares to an average five-year operational deficit of some 30% over the past five years, and I acknowledge the excellent budget control that our team has shown, exceeding the estimated revenue with all expenditures well managed within the overall budget context.

As a new Council of Elected Members, we have used our first year to get a good understanding of Council’s financial position and a good understanding of living conditions and issues our community faces on Mornington Island. I have worked hard to bring the deplorable living conditions on the Island to the attention of both the State Government and the Australian Government, and the visit by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Indigenous Australians on the 13 June, and proposed visits by our Community Champions and the Premier of Queensland, are all evidence our message is getting across.

While our message is being heard, we must now turn that into action.

This budget sees some exciting new projects commencing and a greater emphasis on our existing service delivery. The new Council Administration Building to be constructed in Lardil Street, at an estimated cost of $5.642million, will commence, the Tavern will receive an outdoor stage, dancefloor and grassed amphitheater [$636 800], and we will be investing in the design and installation of a new high-grade water filtration system to improve the community’s water quality.

As a commitment to ensuring the Mornington Island Master Plan is progressed, we will be allocating $170 000 towards preliminary design and survey works to realign our airport runway. By realigning the runway, we will allow for safer operations under the prevailing weather conditions and an increase in the length of the runway so larger planes can land. Importantly, once the runway is realigned, this will allow for a further 100 residential allotments to be developed on the existing runway, which Gununa needs urgently for continued residential housing development.

We will also be working hard to see legal alcohol returning to the Island. this must be well managed but is crucial to have implemented as soon as possible so we can start to address the consumption of Home Brew which is crippling this community. Council is in the process of applying for a liquor license for the Motel and Tavern with the State Government’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.

This is a detailed process, but we are well underway and again Council will have more to say over the coming months. It is essential with the re-introduction of legal alcohol to the Island, that Council shows leadership in implementing with the Community Safety Plan. The State Government has now endorsed Council’s Community Safety Plan and intends to provide very significant funding for the implementation of the Plan. I extend my gratitude to the State Government for this great initiative.

I encourage you to take the time to read the full Mayor’s Budget Report for 2021/2022 after which I am sure you will be as excited as I am for what the future holds for our community.

Mayor Kyle Yanner