spoken and Ballarat's

controversial tourism

and economic develop

ment charge will stay

in place.

It will not please

everyone, but it now

must be accepted until

and unless circum

stances change.

One thing the out

come of the VCAT

challenge to the levy

has done is prevent the

imposition of a higher

residential rate to

make up for the

amount which would

have been lost.

The city had already

indicated it would im

pose such a rate in

crease as it needed to

maintain the funding

levels for tourism and

economic promotion.

Cities the size of Bal

larat need to be active

in their promotion of

business and tourism.

Business and tour

ism generate positive

financial outcomes

from the wages paid

and the money taken

from locals and visi

tors.

Cities cannot con

duct their vital

promotional work

without adequate

funding and it is pref

erable that such

money does not come

from the already

stretched resource of

normal rates.

There are arguments

that many business

who are forced to pay

the unsuccessfully

challenged levy gain

absolutely no benefit

from tourism.

The levy is not only

for tourism promotion

but also for economic

development as well.

However, the extent

to which tourism im

pacts on the wider

business community

can be easily under

stated.

The many people

who work in tourism in

Ballarat spend money

on other services.

Their children at

tend school, they buy

newspapers and petrol,

they need food and

clothing like the rest

of us.

The tourism busi

nesses also need the

services of trade and

other businesses

operating in the city.

There may certainly

be some business and

industry which

justifiably assert that

they get no benefit

from paying the levy.

There may be others

who do not have to pay

it that, perhaps,

should.

But many who think

they do not get a ben

efit from the levy un

doubtedly will do so

from the existence of a

vibrant tourism sector

and strong general

economy.

The city council has

a responsibility to at

least play a part in

ensuring that the econ

omy is strong.

The tourism and

economic levy may not

be the perfect way to

fund that activity but

the money has to come

from somewhere.