Capricorn Enterprise successful in lobbying for island and mainland lease relief
Posted on April 29th, 2020
Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham announced a waiver of more than $33.8 million in State land rent to help support business during the COVID-19 emergency. Read the official media statement here.
As part of the relief package, more than 6000 farmers, businesses, tourism operators, and community and sports clubs, won’t have to pay state land rent for six months under a series of measures to protect Queensland businesses and jobs.
“With the shutdown of travel across the world, our tourism sector particularly has been hit hard. There’s more than 90 tourism lessees across the state who hopefully can breathe a little easier now with savings on average of more than $30,000 each,” said Minister Lynham.
Capricorn Enterprise CEO, Mary Carroll, on behalf of the tourism industry gratefully welcomed Minister Lynham’s announcement today, which provided a waiver in land rent for farmers, tourism and clubs.
“On behalf of the entire tourism industry, I am extremely appreciative of State Government, in particular Minister Kate Jones and her department for this announcement, which will directly assist a number of key tourism businesses in our region.”
“This will include our Island and mainland operators, who have been hit extremely hard from the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. The news has been gratefully welcomed by operators including Great Keppel Island Hideaway, Great Keppel Island Holiday Village, Pumpkin Island, Freedom Fast Cats, Keppel Bay Marina and others.”
“When State Government initially announced a deferral of Island leases a few weeks ago, Capricorn Enterprise, together with our Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) colleagues, lobbied for greater support, feeling that a short-term fix would only create long-term pain.”
“I have been lobbying for key issues on behalf of our industry in very regular teleconferences for a number of weeks now with the State Minister for Tourism, the Department of Tourism, Tourism and Events Queensland and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council together with my RTO colleagues, and I am so very appreciative of our tourism teamwork in achieving these results at the very highest level.”
More information can be found atqld.gov.au/StateLandRentRelief or by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Pumpkin Island 
Great Keppel Island Hideaway 
Freedom Fastcats
