Call for changes to FBT benefits

Cr Jarrod Marsden is calling on Cobar Shire Council to reconsider a previously passed motion asking for council to lobby the Federal Government to change fringe benefits tax (FBT) rules and concessions.

The credits relate to Fly-In/Fly-Out and Drive-In/Drive Out workers.

“CSC has already passed a motion supporting the approach, but it hasn’t been further actioned,” Cr Marsden said.

“The change would see any businesses who operate within a safe driving distance of a town or city that is capable of sustaining their workforce become ineligible for FBT credits for FIFO and DIDO workers, but instead would be entitled to FBT credits for expenses related to housing said workforce residentially (rates, water, power, rent etc).

“This change is aimed at a net zero impact/ change to both business spending and the government bottom line, but the change should encourage businesses to re-think their workforce strategy to be more residentially based,” Cr Marsden said.

He said in the 1990s the Howard Government introduced tax incentives in the form of FBT credits which were originally aimed at off-shore oil rig workers which have been slowly broadened to include all businesses.

“This caused a massive shift in how businesses operate, especially in rural and semiremote regions such as Cobar and Broken Hill.

“The FIFO/DIDO shift is unequivocally and undeniably bad for the fabric and prosperity of rural towns such as Cobar,” Cr Marsden said.

“This change represents an opportunity to move back towards a higher percentage of residential workers without any impact to business or government, but would be a huge win for towns such as Cobar.”

Cr Marsden’s Notice of Motion will go to next week’s Ordinary Council Meeting for discussion.

A little rain welcomed by local residents

There hasn’t been much rain to speak of over the past month and so the 7.2mm that fell in the Bureau of Meteorology’s gauge on Saturday night/Sunday morning was very welcomed by locals.

Cobar’s total rainfall so far this year is 119mm according to the Bureau’s figures. Daytime temperatures over the past week were varied with a warm 28.7 degrees recorded last Wednesday before the mercury dropped almost 10 degrees to a much cooler 18.8 degrees on Thursday.

Friday’s top temperature was 27.5 while Saturday was 26.2 degrees.

The thermometer dipped back down to 20.3 on Sunday while Monday’s top was slightly warmer at 22.8.

The Bureau is not predicting any rain for the week ahead and expects temperatures will remain mild and close to the average for this time of year (25.4 degrees).

A top of 26 is forecast for today, tomorrow is expected to reach 25 degrees while Friday and Saturday should be mostly sunny with 26 predicted for both days.

Sunday and Monday may be slightly warmer with 27 the expected top daytime temperature for both days.