Just outside Gladstone there is a worker’s camp village, Homeground, that is claiming ‘remote’ status for a population of approximately 600 persons and up to 1,392 highly paid workers who also receive massive tax breaks for not living in the City of Gladstone itself.

They receive this ‘remote’ status and yet, are only twenty minutes from Gladstone. Homeground provides access to food and other facilities such as pools and gyms, negating the need to go into Gladstone for everyday services.

This camp village is having a huge negative impact on property owners, small businesses and the township of Gladstone in general.

Gladstone is now struggling with commodity downturn, great housing vacancy and oversupply. The town has seen a 1.6% increase unemployment in the last year. Homeground are depriving the Gladstone township of a legitimate income – and that is not to mention the dubious tax breaks provided to them. It is our understanding that it costs around $150 per night to stay at this full service camp, and that occupants or their employers are recouping up to half of this amount in tax benefits. Their employers do not have to pay the 49% Fringe Benefits Tax, if their workers eat and sleep at the camps but if they are in Gladstone the tax applies (Geille, 2016). How much of that could have potentially gone to the local council workers of Gladstone and building new facilities for the community?

“My property at Barney Point is within walking distance of the ferry terminal that transports camp workers across to Curtis Island every day. Workers have to literally drive past my vacant properties to get to work, whereas they could walk to work if they were renting one of my City Centre apartments” says property investor Ian Hosking Richards.

With large companies like Adani and Santos approved to start construction in 2017 in this region, these camps will only further deprive the economic livelihood of Gladstone, encouraging these employers to hire FIFO workers and not those from the local community.

Make your voice heard and fight against the destruction of once-thriving towns like Gladstone.#FightForGladstone

Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/FightTaxRortsSaveGladstone/

Here are some articles, you can read more about the issue:
http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/the-money-sitting-just-20-minutes-up-the-road/3055657/
http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/shrinking-pie-is-divided/2921796/
http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/breaking-outrage-over-lng-plants-fifo-workers-esca/3111962/