Brisbane City Council Budget: Rates to rise 3.75 per cent as Brisbane ‘bounces back’

Residential rates for owner-occupiers will rise by 3.75 per cent after a rate freeze last year, as Brisbane City Council comes under pressure from a booming population. Here’s where your money will be spent.

Residential rates for owner occupiers will rise by 3.75 per cent after a rate freeze last year as Brisbane City Council comes under pressure from a booming population.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane’s economy was bouncing back from the Covid-19 pandemic as he announced on Wednesday a $3.6 billion balanced budget.

“I would summarise to actually say this is a blue and green budget,” Cr Schrinner said.

“It’s a blue budget because it’s balanced and responsible, it’s a blue budget because it funds infrastructure, it's blue budget because it deals with the needs of our growing population.

“But it’s a green budget because it deals with liveability, it deals with sustainability and it funds record amounts into those areas.”

Budget

Cr Schrinner said the budget would deliver a carbon-neutral council, invest in parks and fund a record amount of public transport.

Owner occupiers will see a $15.65 rise in their quarterly residential rates bill but the council has maintained its position for having the cheapest rates in southeast Queensland.

Cr Schrinner said the rise came after the average rate bill went backwards by half a percent in the past year thanks to the rate freeze and savings on Kingsford Smith Dr.

“It would be unreasonable to think that the economic circumstances we’re in, the economic climate, also natural disasters and pandemics do not impact on a city’s finances,” he said.

“The reality is, if you look through the past, that impact in past conditions has flowed on to the rates outcome.”

Cr Schrinner highlighted that the rate rise of 3.75 per cent was less than a 5.8 percent increase in the year following the global financial crisis and a 4.49 per cent increase after the 2011 floods.

He said a $350 million increase to infrastructure spending in 2021-22 came at a critical time with Brisbane still recovering from the pandemic while experiencing significant population growth.

Cr Schrinner said that growth would accelerate with the international borders opening and the potential to host the olympics.

“If we do not invest in infrastructure, our liveability will suffer,” Cr Schrinner said.

“And so today, that is the focus of this budget.”

In addition to a $215.2 million investment in parks, sports fields and green spaces, the council will spend $15.9 million laying foundations for the transformation of the old Victoria Park golf course.

Cr Schrinner said the golf course would close from June 30 and master planning activities were underway.

He also revealed $218.8 million would be spent on the Brisbane Metro project, including works in the inner-city and construction at the dedicated depot at Rochedale.

Services are expected to begin by the end of 2023 with works ongoing.

The budget also included the return of kerbside collection, 12 months earlier than expected.