Visitor rates target

Andrew Mathieson
QUEENSCLIFF’S council could set higher rates for holiday homes and investment properties to encourage more permanent residents.
Borough of Queenscliffe chief executive Gary Price said the strategy to boost home occupancy was aimed at improving the community’s “social fabric”.
Mr Price said at least 55 per cent of Queenscliff houses were occupied parttime.
“What we’ve tried to do is look at some strategy to encourage them to live here more than they do,” Mr Price said.
“It’s been suggested there might be some means through the rate system to encourage people to live here and that’s something we’ll look at in the future.”
The rates plan is part of the borough’s economic development strategy. The strategy will also consider developing a marketing package to attract more families to live at Queenscliff, targeting regional executives and Melbourne seachangers.
Mr Price predicted the rates plan could be five years away but said it had already received “pretty positive” backing from the borough’s business community.
He believed raising rates on idle houses would stimulate Queenscliff businesses.
“They might have a proportionally higher rate – that’s a possibility but it’s not really about the money (to lure families). It’s actually more about having people be permanent residents than nonpermanent and in that way building more of a social fabric,” Mr Price said.
“But it does become a money issue if you’re without the social fabric.”
The borough’s business and tourism portfolioholder, Val Lawrence, said council was “keen to have a look” at the rates plan.
“I think there will be discussion on this,” Cr Lawrence said.
“I’ve got an open mind about it.”
Under the economic development plan, the borough is also considering new conference facilities, reviewing heritage restrictions in Hesse Street and lobbying to extend Geelong’s bypass to Queenscliff.