Gympie farmer Jodi Wruck hit by 8 per cent rate rise

The rates hornets nest has been kicked once again, with rates bills dropping into mail boxes and inboxes this week and Gympie region ratepayers taking to social media to vent their anger and frustration as the rises continue.

An aspiring farmer is among the Gympie ratepayers who took to social media this week after receiving their rates notice and yet another unpleasant rate rise.

Veteran resident Jodi Wruck said the bill delivered to her this week revealed the charges for her properties had jumped $300 in the past six months, about 8.6 per cent.

This was on the back of an 8 per cent hike in 2019.

“We’re at $6800 each year after the discount,” she said.

“I know my pay is not going up every couple of years.”

Nor was she the only resident caught in that pinch – in fact, she was “probably in a better position than other people out there”.

Gympie Regional Council said residents could expect to pay about 3.2 per cent more on their bills this year, after the discount was applied.

Veteran resident Jodi Wruck says the constant rate hikes have made it impossible for her burgeoning cattle farm to record any sort of profit margin at all. Pictured: Generic angus cattle. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Ms Wruck said the continued rate hikes were wreaking havoc with her business dreams.

She bought the properties with an eye to starting a small cattle farm.

The repeated rate hikes made it impossible for her to move forward.

“There is no margin,” she said.

“I’m just moving money sideways … and making do.”

She said council may have been faced with a need to fix its budget, but there was no obligation to grab it back in one go.

“Take it back slowly,” she said.

Ms Wruck says the council may have to stabilise its financial shortfalls, but it did not have to do it all in one year.

“It’s almost like they want to take it back in one term.”

The rise stung another way as she was not connected to water or sewerage systems and lived on an unmaintained road.

If she wanted the road to be improved and maintained, she would need to pay out $35,000 – half the total cost.

Ms Wruck’s frustrations with her rates were shared by others online.

Sue Payne said she was now paying $1470 in Kilkivan on a one acre (0.4ha) block before the discount every six months.

Gympie council said residents would be paying about 3.22 per cent more on their final discounted bills this year, but Ms Wruck has been hit with another 8 per cent rise.

Renita Henry-May reported she was billed $915 for her 2ha property and it “used to be half that a few years back”.

Stephen Fraser said houses on the Tin Can Bay Esplanade were being charged $8000, and Helen White said even with paying $145 a fortnight she always had to pay extra every six months to make up the shortfall.

“The council needs to pull their reins in a bit, no more pay rises for two years is a good start,” she said.

Mr Fraser said these Gympie rates were three times higher, although his comparison did not include water and waste charges which are calculated separately in Gympie but not other areas.

The accusation is not unmerited though.

In 2014, research by Bundaberg Regional Council across 16 local government areas found Gympie charged the third highest rates in Queensland.