News & Advocacy

Media ReleaseIssued: Tuesday 31st March 2026Townsville Chamber Advocacy Response – Fuel & Energy Reductions Following calls from the Townsville Chamber of Commerce, we welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement of a temporary excise reduction, which will see 26.3 cents per litre taken off fuel prices at the bowser. The decision to also reduce the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months provides meaningful relief to the transport and logistics sector at a time of sharply rising operating costs. For a regional economy like Townsville, where freight costs are consistently among the highest pressures faced by local businesses, these measures offer welcome support. Whilst these measures are welcomed, the Chamber calls on the Government to provide the ACCC with additional powers to ensure that the full savings are passed on to consumers. The Chamber also notes the Queensland Government’s commitment to easing energy costs through the Crisafulli Government’s Energy Roadmap. Energy affordability remains a critical issue for small and medium enterprises across North Queensland, and steps that help stabilise or reduce power bills are strongly supported by the Townsville Chamber. While these initiatives are encouraging, all levels of government must remain attentive to the broader economic environment. Many small businesses in Townsville are operating on extremely tight margins, navigating persistent labour shortages, and managing ongoing cost of doing business pressures. Temporary relief is valuable, but long-term policy certainty and a continued focus on competitiveness, productivity, and workforce capacity will be essential to sustaining regional economic growth. Townsville Chamber President, Kevin Booth said: “Townsville businesses will welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to reduce the fuel excise by 26.3 cents per litre and temporarily remove the heavy vehicle road user charge. Our region is disproportionately affected by high freight costs, and any measure that eases that burden provides immediate and meaningful relief to local operators. These steps recognise the pressures facing regional economies like ours, where transport costs flow directly into the price of doing business.” Townsville Chamber CEO, Emma Peters added: “Members are telling us that any relief on fuel, freight and energy costs is welcomed, because these pressures have been biting hard across every sector in Townsville. Businesses are seeing their operating costs rise faster than their ability to pass them on, and many are working with extremely tight margins while still trying to retain staff and meet growing demand.” The Chamber looks forward to ongoing collaboration with government to ensure Townsville businesses remain resilient and well positioned during this unsettled economic period. For further information or interviews, please contact Emma Peters, CEO on 0407 796 858 or email: ceo@townsvillechamber.com.au 

This week our President, Kevin Booth, travelled to Brisbane with the delegation of Mayors and TEL to ensure our voices are being heard in the Capital. Topics such as Trade Shortages, Insurance, Electricity, Public Transport, and cost of doing business were discussed. Our advocacy is all about ensuring our Elected Officials understand the pressures Small Businesses are under and discussed ways to reduce the overall cost of doing business.

CHAMBERS CALL FOR ACTION TO IMPROVE INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY IN THE NORTH Townsville and Cairns Chambers of Commerce Meet with Federal Treasury on Cyclone Reinsurance Pool Review The CEOs of the Townsville and Cairns Chambers of Commerce met with representatives from Federal Treasury in Townsville this week to discuss the performance of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool (CRP) and its impact on North Queensland businesses.   Townsville Chamber CEO Heidi Turner said the Chambers welcomed the opportunity to provide local insights but remain concerned that the pool is not consistently improving insurance affordability or availability in northern Australia.   “We’ve seen some positive movement in strata and small business policies under $5 million, but outcomes remain inconsistent, especially for domestic and commercial property insurance,” Ms Turner said. “The community is effectively paying twice: once through taxes (GST and then Stamp Duty), and again through insurance premiums that don’t reflect the reduced risk that the Cyclone Pool covers.”   Key issues raised by the Chambers during the meeting included: Inconsistency across markets: Domestic and business premiums continue to rise, while strata and some business renewals (under the $5m cap for business) have seen only minor, inconsistent reductions. Limited coverage for SMEs: The $5 million asset threshold excludes most regional small and medium sized businesses and will prevent them from also benefiting from mitigation discounts due to be released in 2026. Low business participation: Only $20 million, just 2.7%, of the $717 million underwritten under the pool relates to business insurance, reflecting limited uptake and competition. Lack of insurer pass-through: With ACCC reporting reductions of up to 17%, and that not being the experience on the ground, there are concerns about whether savings are reaching consumers. No new commercial insurers: No new insurers have entered the market since the CRP began,  Need for clarity and consistency: Definitions of “flood” differ between councils and insurers Mitigation efforts must reduce premiums: Currently there is no clear cost–benefit link between mitigation investment and premium reduction, mitigation at this stage just reduces the risk of the insurance industry. Ms Turner said the Chambers support the continuation of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool, as it is still less than a year since the smaller insurers were required to join the pool,  but believe legislative adjustments are essential for it to meet its objectives.   “There have been excellent reviews and recommendations which have been produced based on inquiries and submissions made by many across the country, but we need to see action. Without reform, businesses will continue to face unsustainable premiums, or worse, operate uninsured while insurers report record profits,” Ms Turner said.   Cairns Chamber CEO Patricia O’Neill called for greater transparency and stronger requirements for insurers to pass through savings to customers.   “We need to ensure that any reduced risk to insurers translates into real relief for the people and businesses paying the premiums,” Ms O’Neill said. The Chambers, collectively representing over 1,000 businesses across North Queensland, will continue working with Treasury, insurers, and all levels of government to ensure fair, accessible, and sustainable insurance solutions for the region. WHAT'S NEXT We will be creating a submission that addresses these challenges to submit to Treasury, and welcome our members providing their experience around the affordability and accessibility of insurance and the impact on their business.  Real business examples good or bad, adds weight to our submission and we welcome you to share your experiences with us.  Please email members@townsvillechamber.com.au

WHAT A NIGHT! 350 people from our local business community out for a fun night of celebrating and elevating each other! Thanks to everyone who made it so memorable! And the winners of the QSG Townsville Chamber Business Awards 2025 are... BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Pickerings Group of Companies Lamberts Fresh Produce SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by QSG Getbranded MICRO BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by Gripfast Consulting Bartlett Master Jewellers BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION – Sponsored by Ringers Western Tiny Mountain Brewery EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Malpara Florist St Patrick's College Townsville YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by James Cook University Justin Bolgrer JB's Diesel & Mechanical EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Optus Alana Hopkins Workforce Abundance RAISING REGIONS – Sponsored by The Ville Resort & Casino Powerlink Queensland SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – Sponsored by Powerlink Queensland Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia