Councillors knock back sporting user-pay fees after community backlash

PORT Macquarie Hastings Council has rejected moves to introduce a user-pay system for sporting fields following a spirited debate among councillors that highlighted the financial pressures facing local families, struggling clubs, and Council’s own increasing maintenance costs.

Cr Nik Lipovac put forward the successful motion at last week’s meeting, citing strong opposition from the community and hundreds of submissions received during the consultation process.

Cr Lipovac said the 72-page engagement report showed clubs across football, rugby league, cricket and other codes remain firmly against any form of user-pay model, despite Council providing additional information over the past 12 months.

“There is overwhelming opposition to introducing fees,” Cr Lipovac said.

“A dominant concern is that any new charge imposed on clubs would inevitably be passed on to players, forcing families, particularly those on low or fixed incomes, to reconsider participation.

“Parents and volunteers warn that even modest increases could exclude children from sport at a time when cost-of-living pressures are already high.”

Clubs also warned that new fees would be unaffordable, with some saying they would collapse.

Kendall Touch Football Association said its small competition “will 100 percent fold” if fees were adopted, ending almost 50 years of local sport.

The Mid North Coast Softball Association echoed that warning, saying the per-field model “would kill off our sport”.

Cr Danielle Maltman supported the motion, arguing that discouraging families from playing would erode the social and health benefits that community sport delivers.

Cr Rachel Sheppard moved an amendment seeking to have staff refine a single fee model for future consideration, including concession measures for low-income households.

Cr Sheppard supported user charges covering about 25 percent of Council’s $1.6 million sporting field maintenance bill, noting that 75 percent is currently funded by ratepayers.

Cr Lauren Edwards, who had previously expressed concern about affordability barriers, said she now believed “it is inevitable that we have to make this move”, but only with concession rates for those who need them.

Cr Mark Hornshaw argued user groups should contribute to the upkeep of fields, saying “not all ratepayers play sport” and that hobbies are generally not subsidised by Council.

Cr Hamish Tubman also supported the amendment and called for safeguards to protect disadvantaged families.

The amendment was defeated 5-4.

Councillors then backed Cr Lipovac’s original motion 5-4, opting to retain the no-fee model and consider allocating additional maintenance funding through the 2026-27 operational plan.

By Matt TAYLOR