THE buck for digital television could be passed from the ratepayer to the taxpayer, if councils opt.

Federal Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd was informed by Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy’s office on Monday evening that councils could opt to hand over council-owned television infrastructure to the Federal Government and the Federal Government would upgrade the infrastructure.

Banana Shire Council was facing a bill of $170,000 per tower for three towers in its shire for an upgrade, which would have been passed onto ratepayers.

Banana Mayor John Hooper said the alternative was every household in the three areas of Taroom, Theodore and Cracow would have to fork out $1000 to put a satellite dish on their roofs to receive digital television.

"Councillor Vaughn Becker has received a quote of $1000 for his house in Taroom," he said.

Cr Hooper said the satellite option would mean households would be out of pocket by $600 as the subsidy was only $400 per household.

Mr O’Dowd had attended a meeting with members of the opposition, representatives from the Ministers office, Local Government Association of Queensland, Regional Broadcast Australia and Southern Cross Television.

He was advised broadcast companies would be footing the bill to upgrade the infrastructure for Agnes Water/1770 community.