Solution on airport rates expected

The council met with federal Local Government Minister Paul Fletcher, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s chief of staff and opposition infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Thursday.

Following the meetings, Mr Fletcher sent a release stating that the Commonwealth would engage an independent expert to assess what land the airport could be charged for, and  how much.

The expert will identify what airport sites were subject to ex-gratia payments, made in lieu of rates, value the land, assess what rates should be applied and calculate a suitable figure to be paid to the council.

‘‘The independent expert will provide the Commonwealth with a determination of the amount that Launceston Airport is required to pay to Northern Midlands Council, in accordance with the lease provisions,’’ Mr Fletcher said.

‘‘Once that determination is made – in the first half of 2016 – the Commonwealth is confident that Launceston Airport will pay Northern Midlands Council the determined amount.’’

Mr Albanese said he held concerns that the additional process would add red tape to the already conducted assessment by the Tasmanian Valuer-General.

Northern Midlands mayor David Downie said he believed the council had been given a fair hearing.

‘‘After we met with the Local Government Minister, we went to the Prime Minister’s office and met with his chief of staff and the political adviser for Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss,’’ Cr Downie said.

‘‘There was a process we thought we’d agree to with how to move forward to resolve this issue.

‘‘There were a few more steps involved than what the Local Government Minister mentioned, but we hope what we agreed to will be what happens.’’

He said he was unable to provide details of the agreement at this point, and thanked Lyons Liberal MHR Eric Hutchinson and Lyons Labor candidate Brian Mitchell for arranging the meetings.