Business Chamber looks to push through the bleakness
Chamber of Commerce
Douglas Chamber of Commerce president Jeremy Blockey has reflected on a challenging year in 2025 calling it “perhaps a year to forget”.
But with a reboot of the Douglas Chamber of Commerce front of mind, and with more than 40 attendees at the recent emergency meeting to determine if the chamber would continue, Mr Blockey has weaponised a “murky outlook” for the Shire in a bid to raise the voice of Douglas business owners.
“2025. So many challenges on so many fronts… perhaps a year to forget,’’ his President’s Report opened with.
“Sometimes I think it’d be easier to just put it all behind us, try and forget it, and move on; but life is not that simple, and we also need to learn from what we have been through, and are still going through.
“I spoke these very words at our last AGM 18 months ago in 2024, following two economy-lashing events: Cyclone Jasper and the ensuing floods in December 2023, and the closure of Mossman Mill.
“The mill closure and the cessation of the cane harvest last year remains a substantive issue that is impacting our Shire, notable for being our second biggest industry.
“A brief lifeline was held out by the State Government, but farmers at best treaded water and many were economic losers; it was said that not even Mulgrave Mill came out a winner; only one transport company not even based in our Shire became a short-term economic winner.
“The sugar ripple effect through the community is still playing out. 18 months ago I said this: ‘I don’t wish to crystal-ball what we’ll be saying this time next year, but it is hard to see a future in cane the longer the spiralling demise continues. So what then?’
“Here we are in 2026 and we are seemingly no closer to finding alternative agricultural endeavours to replace cane. But this is what we have to aspire to do, or face the prospects of diminishing value in primary production land, and by consequence even greater sole dependence on our mainstay of the tourism industry.
“The closure of the local sugar industry was estimated to threaten a $188 million loss in total economic output and 500+ jobs, highlighting the significant multiplier effect within the local economy.
“The business community needs to be backing our farmers, fighting hard for a fair go into alternatives, as well as advocating for possible new mixed land uses.
“Even though cane farmers do not constitute a large portion of our membership, our members should have a vested interest in a positive outcome to transition into new crops – and drive a thriving agricultural sector that drives demand for goods and services across the region.
“In the case of the other economy-lashing event, Jasper, the irony is that whilst there was a massive impact on all communities and all industries from Jasper’s disruption that still somewhat lingers on, the disaster recovery spending has been a bit of a windfall… at least for some. DRFA funding of over $180m has been received, much of that spent with local contractors and local employees, who will circulate their spending through the community, much like the sugar and support workers before them.
“It is remarkable that this windfall equates to what we are losing from cane! Think about that… Some businesses would have cashed in handsomely – and no-one would begrudge them that as they have put in a huge effort to reopen roads and water supplies etc.
“But the benefits have not been distributed evenly around the Shire, and there are plenty of losers. In my own community, a couple of accom establishments have literally made millions out of road crews in the past 18 months, while others have derived no benefit whatsoever despite the promise of Disaster Recovery agencies sharing the love. And the recent four-week ferry outage has added to such tales of woes and wins.
“That the DRFA $180m has coincidentally offset cane’s $188m loss, and masked a greater economic pain should be of grave concern to the business community and Council as the DRFA drip-feed is close to being turned off. What then?”
Mr Blockey outlined the geopolitical “murky straits” Douglas Shire finds itself in:
- Again, somewhat ironically, it is domestic tourism that is suffering from international events, with a growing volume of cancellations being felt especially with the caravaner/camping market due to the spiralling cost of fuel.
- Meanwhile internationals are faring pretty well – the peak season heading into July to October is looking strong, as most of these bookings have been made 6-12 months out, and to cancel now would mean forfeiture of booking costs as well as a huge rise in costs for re-booking next year.
“Depending on one’s market, we will have more winners and losers in the Shire. And that seems to be the economic message – Winners & Losers – but in the extremes,’’ he said.
“I provide this backdrop, not to create despair – I cannot sugar-coat our situation – but to highlight the challenges we are facing as a Shire and the need for us to rally together to get things back on track.
“To advocate for greater government resources, to provide support for more private investment, to reduce government red tape. To provide an environment where we can all be winners. To re-set the economic clock.
“Our small Chamber has been made up of some 60 members – though today that is not so certain as we have had a year in 2025 where we have struggled to gain traction. We have fallen short in engaging with members through online communication, we have not held regular member meetings, and we have had a couple of false starts in getting a coordinator on board to facilitate Chamber activities.”
Mr Blockey appealed to the meeting to get behind the Chamber to secure a collective business voice, increase interaction among peers in the business community and gain traction at the higher political levels.
