Rate rise sting as population booms

The 2023-24 Budget was officially adopted at a special council meeting on Tuesday, June 13, along with the Operational Plan, with Mayor Andy Ireland noting the rate rise was kept below Brisbane’s CPI rate of 7.4 per cent.

Overall, 99.86 per cent of all rateable properties will pay an overall increase of 6 per cent or less before early payment discounts apply – which equates to an average weekly increase of $6.57.

There is a 10 per cent discount for those who pay their rates on time, along with 10 complimentary domestic waste vouchers.

Mr Ireland said the $161 million budget focused on leveraging strong economic growth, maintaining community assets, providing high level of service while considering the rising cost of living for families.

He also pointed out that when the current council came into office in 2020, Livingstone Shire had the second highest rates in Queensland but were now sitting at number 10, which was a ‘great outcome’ but time would tell whether the current Budget would impact that.

“Despite the challenging economic environment, including a soaring consumer price index (CPI), we have managed to keep the average residential rate rise to 6.5 per cent and the average commercial property and primary production rate rise to 4.5 per cent,” he said.

“It’s important to remember that this is an average only and that individual rates notices increases will vary depending on a property’s rating category as well as the land valuation, which is determined under the Land Valuation Act 2010.

“It is important to also note that 68 per cent of all properties will pay an overall increase in rates between 4 to 6 per cent.”

Some rural property owners are in for a bigger hike, with 71 owners to pay an overall increase in rates between 6 and 8 per cent and one rural property owner to cop a staggering 15 per cent increase based on their land value, while all other primary production properties will pay 6 per cent or less.

Mr Ireland said the council understood the Budget may be unwelcome news for residents and the increase in rates would put additional pressure on already-strained household budgets.

“It’s vital to council to bring relief in this budget for those really struggling and we have delivered a further 20 per cent reduction to ratepayers on three separate charges, including the road network charge, natural environment charge and disaster response levy, as we continue to phase them out over five years,” he said.

“We have also provided close to a million dollars in rates rebates for pensioners, sporting, and not-for-profit organisations.”

There was much debate around the council table as the budget and revenue statement were handed down.

Councillor Pat Eastwood spoke to both the revenue statement and the differential general rates during the meeting, explaining that while it was a tough move, without the rate rise the council would go into deficit.

“Initially I was adamant that I was going to keep rate rises below 5 per cent across the board and the further that we delved into it and looked at the financial situation and our future, I could see that was never going to happen,” Mr Eastwood said.

“We don’t only have this year to think about – we have the future of this council into the future and we need to make sure we stay viable forever and a day – we have a council next door that would probably love to see us rollover and we are just not going to let that happen.

“We need to make hard decisions and nobody wants to make these decisions, I have two properties myself that are going to be affected by the decisions we make today.

“All of us are probably in that same boat to some extent. We’ve looked at it pretty well and there isn’t really anywhere else to go.”

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Outside of the rate situation, the 2023-24 LSC Budget outlined a $51.1 million capital works program to cater for the region’s ‘rapid population growth’, with Mr Ireland saying council must invest in community infrastructure to meet the needs of current and future communities.

According to new population projection data, Livingstone’s population will increase by 57.94 per cent by 2046 compared to 2021, with a population of 62,990 predicted.

Of the capital works program, $15.1 million will be funded through capital grants and subsidies.

The biggest chunk of money allocated in the budget is $15.6 million towards improving Livingstone’s roads, drainage and bridge network, with another $14.3m invested in sewerage services and $11.6m in drinking water.

A further $1.6m will be invested in the shire’s land and site improvements, $3.3m in plant and equipment, $3.9m in buildings and facilities and $800,000 will go toward investing in land development.

Vital projects that received funding include:

• $4.4 million for the Emu Park Sewerage Treatment Plant ($6.7 million project total).
• $3.75 million towards the extension of Cell 3A at the Yeppoon Landfill.
• $1.6 million for ongoing restoration of sealed roads within the Shire.
• $1.6 million towards the renewal of unsealed road pavement.
• $1.5 million for works on Artillery Road via the Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) program ($7.7 million project total).
• $1.3 million towards the Normanby St upgrades ($4.5 million project total).
• $1.3 million towards pavement rehabilitation for Matthew Flinders Drive.
• $900,000 to upgrade Cooee Bay Swimming Pool ($13 million project total).
• $800,000 towards the Queen Street road upgrades.
• $725,000 towards Council’s Fleet Renewal Program.
• $600,000 for Etna Creek Road Pavement Rehabilitation Program.
• $490,000 towards the Emu Park Waste Transfer Station Upgrade.
• $475,000 to construct new drop off area and new off-road parking at Yeppoon State High School.
• $450,000 to replace sludge valves and isolation valves at the Woodbury WTP Clarifier Rake.
• $400,000 to replace the chlorinator at Yeppoon Lagoon.
• $356,250 towards Taranganba Road West Shared Pathway.
• $250,000 in upgrades concrete floodways to the unsealed road network.
• $205,000 to extend the footpath area near set down at Yeppoon State Primary School.
• $100,000 towards The Caves Waste Transfer Station Upgrade.
• $100,000 towards beach access upgrades.