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Sunshine Coast Council’s ‘difficult budget’ reveals rate hikes

The Sunshine Coast Council has unveiled its latest budget in the wake of an unexpected $20m deficit, with a hike to rates dividing councillors.

The Sunshine Coast Council city hall. Picture: Sam Turner
The Sunshine Coast Council city hall. Picture: Sam Turner

The Sunshine Coast Council has unveiled its latest budget in the wake of an unexpected $20m deficit, with a rate hike dividing councillors.

The 2025-26 budget was presented to the council for adoption at a special meeting held on Monday, July 7.

The $973m budget, presented by mayor Rosanna Natoli, revealed property owners in the region would experience a 7.4 per cent increase on general minimum rates.

Ratepayers will also receive an increase to the waste levy, by $2.35 per week, while the environment, and arts and heritage levies will not change.

The transport levy will be reduced by $3.08 per property.

The budget allocated funds to a number of projects, including $15.2m towards building the Caloundra transport corridor and $5.5m for the Moffat Beach seawall.

Ms Natoli referenced the miscalculation in depreciation, stating the error would not result in the reduction of any services.

Councillor Christian Dickson voted against the Sunshine Coast Council’s 2025-26 budget.
Councillor Christian Dickson voted against the Sunshine Coast Council’s 2025-26 budget.

Councillor Christian Dickson said he wanted to see levies reduced further, and criticised the decision to push back projects for his division.

“I’m very close on the budget,” Mr Dickson said, before stating he would not be supporting it.

Councillor Ted Hungerford said he wanted to see capital works projects delayed to help out ratepayers.

“I feel we could have gone harder on reducing the impact on the ratepayer,” Mr Hungerford said, revealing he too would be opposing the council’s adoption of the budget.

Councillor Maria Suarez said the “difficult budget” was set to produce a “skinny operating result”, while councillor David Law criticised the move to have plans for a library and services Nambour “kicked six years into the future”.

Councillor Joe Natoli referred to the miscalculation of depreciation and the impact on the council’s finances that they had unknowingly run “five consecutive deficits”.

“We knew cash was going out of this organisation and now we know where it is,” Mr Natoli said.

Mr Dickson and Mr Hungerford both voted against the budget.

Ms Natoli, Ms Broderick, Councillor Terry Landsberg, Councillor Tim Burns, Mr Natoli, councillor Winston Johnston, councillor Taylor Bunnag, Ms Suarez and Mr Law all voted in favour of the budget.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/sunshine-coast-councils-difficult-budget-reveals-rate-hikes/news-story/66b605d33a5f7c8d39bcad85507494aa