Mount Isa Council continues supporting local sporting clubs and community groups

Queensland's Mount Isa City Council continues to support its local groups from waiving food- licensing fees for sporting clubs earlier this month to rates discounts, grants and sponsorship programs as well as creating signage that encourages people do the right thing while at sporting or community venues.

Early in July, Council agreed to give a financial reprieve to sporting clubs that ran food canteens, with all applicable food-licensing fees to be waived for this financial year, representing a potential saving of up to $1070 per club.

The fees comprise a one-off approval application fee of $685, and an annual food licence fee of $385.

Councillor Peta MacRae advised “these clubs are run by dedicated and hardworking volunteers, are not-for-profit and do a great deal of terrific and under-appreciated work for and in the community.

“We as a Council recognise that and have agreed to go ahead with waiving these fees for them.

“We support these clubs and organisations through other ways too, such as our Community Grants and Sponsorship program, and the $200 rates discount we recently gave to 31 clubs and groups each, and in these particularly challenging times it’s important to help out in any way we can.”

Under section 48 of the Food Act 2006, food premises operated by a non-profit organisation and which involve, on at least 12 days each financial year, the sale of meals prepared by the organisation at a particular place, are categorised as licensable food businesses.

In line with the Queensland Government’s Return to Play plan to ease COVID-19 restrictions for sport and recreation activities, Council has also created signs that can be displayed at the entrance to sporting grounds, for example, or a community group’s premises.

The signs ask visitors to respect volunteers, follow directions and capacity limits, and practise good hygiene such as observing social distancing, washing hands regularly, using hand sanitiser, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Councillor MacRae noted that the signs have been designed to encourage people do the right thing while at sporting or community venues.

“It’s been a few months since we’ve been able to enjoy team sports in our community, but now that games and community groups’ activities are getting back up and running, we hope everyone gets out and starts enjoying local sports and recreation again.

“Mount Isa City Council is proud to help out local sports groups whenever we can.”

Image L to R: Mount Isa Basketball Association President Jerome Sopoaga, Councillor Peta MacRae, Mount Isa Rugby Union Secretary Jason Newell and Mount Isa Netball Association Treasurer Barbara Baker with the signs courtesy of Mount Isa City Council