Rates: How Gladstone prices stack up against CQ neighbours

Glastone regional council increased general rates last year by 1.94 per-cent.

General Manager for Finance, Governance and Risk Mark Holmes helped deliver the 2019-20 council budget alongside Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett at Gladstone Regional Council Chambers on 17 July 2019.

AS GLADSTONE Regional Council prepares to hand down its 2020-21 budget today, we delve into the decisive issued of rates and what residents of the region pay in comparison to Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

Each September, councils throughout Queensland send their rate information to the Queensland Department of Local Government.

The current information provided by the department is for the 2019-2020 rate period, but some councils were able to provide projected increases.

According to the Gladstone Regional Council website “an individual property’s rates bill is governed by its value compared to other properties in the region and the fixed costs of its Council.”

The fixed costs include water, sewerage and general waste.

Gladstone Regional Council has 24 rating categories, which are defined by a variety of factors including land use and rateable value, number of dwellings, rural activities, commercial properties, different size shopping centres, land on islands, vacant residential land, major industry and mining.

The general rates for a category one land area, for residential purposes not exceeding $556,000 rateable value, in the Gladstone LGA are $1010.00, without any utilities.

According to council, the average residential rates increased by $30.20 in 2019-20 or 1.94 per-cent to $2855.89.

The average general urban residential rate in Bundaberg is $1372 for 2020, a council spokesman said.

Additional levies, the spokesman said, were $356 a year for waste, $416 for an unlimited flow of potable water, plus an additional $50 levy.

This takes Bundaberg residential rates for urban homes up to $2194 (water, sewerage and $50 levy only).

“A construction industry stimulus package is one of the highlights in this year’s (2020-21) Council Budget, which also delivers no increase in the general rate,” the spokesman said.

A Rockhampton Regional Council spokeswoman said the average general rate for the city was $2887 in 2019-20.

The spokeswoman said this includes the general rate and the environment, roads, waste and water charges.

Rates - 2020-21 General rates for an urban residence including additional levies.

Bundaberg - $2194 (waste, water and $50 levy only)

Gladstone - $2855 (2019-20)

Rockhampton -$2887 (2019-20)

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