Rates Enquiries

Calculating Your Rates

The Local Governemnt Act established the methods of revenue raising open to use by councils. The main sources of revenue available to the Council are rates, grants, (general & specific), loans, and various charges and fines.  Revenue from rates forms the largest single component of council funds making up approximately 77% of the Council's total income. For more about the Council's income click here.

As rates are in effect a property tax, it means the higher the value of your property the more you are likely to contribute to the amount raised by the Council in the form of rates.  The minimum any ratepayer can contribute is $729 per annum or the equivalent of $1.99 per day. This ensures all ratepayers contribute towards the provision of basic services at a reasonable level.

The 'rate-in-the-dollar' is a mechanism used by councils to determine what rate will be charged to ratepayers across the community. Although this mechanism has its limitations - because it does not take into account individual circumstances such as capacity to pay - it is currently the fairest way known to calculate rates.

Click on the links below for specific information about each:

• Rate Relief Options
• Postponement of Rates - Seniors
• Postponement or Remission of Rates - Hardship
• Rate Capping Rebate .......... Are you eligible?
• Further Information

 Rate Relief Options

Did your rates increase by more than 10% over what you paid last year? Will you face financial hardship making your rate payment this year?  Are you a senior and suffering financial difficulties?

 Postponement of Rates - Seniors

Over the past several years significant and in some areas uneven movement in property values has caused a substantial redistribution of Council rates amongst ratepayers within some Council areas. In response, Councils have implemented flexible payment arrangements and where appropriate rate capping measures. However, some seniors many of whom are pensioners, have found it difficult to pay their Council rates. Even though they own property and are "asset rich", their low income means they are "cash poor".

Recent changes to the Local Government Act provides the option for State Seniors Card holders to apply to postpone on a long-term basis part of their Council rates. The deferred amount is subject to a monthly interest charge, with the accrued debt being payable on the disposal or sale of the property. However, the debt may be paid at any earlier time at the ratepayer's discretion.

For more information regarding Postponement of Rates - Seniors, click here or phone the Senior Rates Officer on 8366 4554 for a confidential discussion.

Application Forms for the Postponement of Rates - Seniors can be found by clicking here or by contacting the Senior Rates Officer on 8366 4554.

 Postponement or Remission of Rates - Hardship

If you are experiencing long term and genuine financial hardship, you may apply for a remission or postponement of rates.  

For an application form for Postponement or Remission of Rates, click here or you can phone the Senior Rates Officer on 8366 4554 for a confidential discussion. 

 Rate Capping Rebate .......... Are you eligible?

A rebate of general rates for 2010/2011 will be granted automatically to residential ratepayers whose rates have increased substantially this year due to rapid changes in valuations.  The effect of the rate capping rebate is to limit any rate increase to 10% of the rates paid for 2009/2010 subject to certain conditions.  If you did not receive the rate capping on your rate account, and you believe that you are eligible, you can apply for the rebate using the link attached to the application form.

You are eligible for the general rate capping rebate if your rates (excluding the Water Catchment Levy) have increased by more than 10% of the amount you paid in 2009/2010 and that this increase is not as a result of:

• new building work and/or development activity worth more than $10,000, or
• the zoning of the land has changed since 1 July 2009, or
• a change to the land use of the property since July 2009, or
• a change of ownership of the property since 1 January 2009.
  

To access the Rates Capping Rebate Appilcation Form click here.

 Further Information 

For further assistance or more information please contact the Council's Rates staff on 8366 4532.

To find out how to pay your rates click here.