28/08/2026
Apologies for the long post, but this needs to be said, Griffith City Council has proposed a new policy that would impose an annual fee of $1,200 on mobile coffee and ice cream vendors ontop of existing fees. This is being sold as a way to give access for food trucks by allowing them to operate on council land within the C*D making council money.
However, some food trucks currently operating are based on private property and registered with neighbouring councils. They do not currently pay Griffith City Council fees, and this proposal will not change that. It also won't affect smoko vans or coffee vans pulling into business carparks to serve you. Instead, this policy mainly impacts, family-run coffee vans and ice cream vendors that often operate as part-time micro-businesses. These businesses provide coffee and refreshments at weekend sports, school events, community functions and local gatherings. The proposed fee represents an increase of around 700%, a cost many operators simply cannot absorb.Mobile vendors already pay permit fees and must comply with a permit system containing 26 separate conditions. We are not competing directly with local cafés, as existing rules prevent us from operating within 100 metres of a café, making much of the C*D off-limits. Unlike cafés and restaurants, we do not have kitchens or extensive food offerings. We sell coffee and ice cream and, like all small business, face rising costs and reduced consumer spending.
Council is currently seeking public submissions on this policy, and we encourage everyone to consider how these changes may affect the community.
If these businesses can no longer operate on council land, what will that mean for local events? Fewer mobile vendors supporting community events. For many operators, if they cannot afford to operate on council property, they may simply stop operating altogether. It is about more than a fee, it is about preserving small family businesses.
