Most of you missed the point.
1. I have never advocated not paying for services ie reasonable landing fees for services provided - but a blatant rip off is unacceptable.
2. Have any of you actually used the services provided in Birdsville? Passengers usually use the toilet facilities in the Hotel NOT the airport. The runway and ancillary facilities were provided under the Commonwealth when we use to pay a set Air Navigation Charge for an Aircraft each year. Maintenance for this airport is not that excessive as it is in a generally dry climate (I speak from experience as I am also a Structural Engineer that specialised in Road, Drainage & Bridge designed which is allied to airport design)
2. For those that haven't been to Birdsville, apart from the $25 per person fee at the aerodrome there is another $20 to get into the race meeting - the race entry fee is reasonable considering what needs to be provided for the "punters".
So the total for anyone flying into Birdsville to go to the races is in actual fact $45 per person.
Whether people like it or not Australian Tourism is in very much a decline due to the $AUD, and anyone in the Industry will tell you it is very difficult for company's to attract clients to "see Australia" rather than go to Bali or the USA.
So when small towns that need every dollar in tourism they can get start down the road of excessive charges people vote with their feet. I surmise that this years race meeting, with a very much reduced attendance, is an example of what is happening.
It is time for the Diamantina Shire Council to re think their strategy and perhaps be a bit more user freindly to company's that actual bring people to their area to spend money and provide employment- especially ones that consistently operate throughout the year as well as for the "first weekend in September".