Division Two Councillor Kerri Cryer has defended her decision to vote in favour of Scenic Rim Regional Council’s 2026-27 budget which includes a significant rate rise.
At a recent Cuppa with the Mayor event on the mountain, Cr Cryer was confronted by a number of aggrieved residents, angry about the rate rise questions.
Cr Cryer was one of four Scenic Rim Regional councillors who voted in favour of the budget, with three voting against.
One residents who attended the meeting and did not wish to be named, said there were many retirees on acreage who had lived on the mountain for years and were now struggling financially and could not afford the extra costs.
Cr Cryer said residents had to pay for the privilege of living on Tamborine Mountain and that without the rate rise there would be no budget and the library would have to close.
However, Mayor Tom Sharp, who voted against the budget, refuted these statements, saying they were incorrect.
He reiterated his position that the rate rise was not needed, and the timing was not appropriate.
Another resident, Howard Rogers, said with the increased land valuation his rates had gone up 37 per cent.
Dr Rogers said he didn’t believe the councillors understood the enormity of the rate increase on some residents.
He argued there should be a cap put on rates, and they should not go up any more than the Consumer Price Index.
Mayor Sharp said a cap had been set at 15 per cent.
He said he didn’t believe the councillors understood the effect of the rate increase on residents.
When asked by Cr Amanda Hay, who also opposed the budget, if she would have voted yes at any cost to the residents, Cr Cryer said no.
However, she refused to say that she would not vote for a rate rise again next year.
No response
Both Cr Cryer and Council CEO David Keenan were asked by Tamborine Mountain News to respond to the claims made by Cr Cryer, with Tamborine Mountain News asking the following questions via a media enquiry:
Cr Cryer said at the meeting that without the rate rise the library would close. Is this correct?
She also stated that without the rate the rise there would have been no budget and if the budget wasn’t passed at that time supply would stop. Is this correct and what does ’supply would stop’ mean?
Cr Cryer did not want to comment further without seeing the article prior to print – a request which was refused by Tamborine Mountain News editor, Keer Moriarty.
A council media statement said, “As Cr Cryer has declined to respond, and as CEO David Keenan was not present at the meeting, Council is unable to provide any comment in relation to this matter.”
