Who will pay more for rates after $3.1 billion Brisbane City Council budget

RATEPAYERS in Brisbane’s southeast will be hit the hardest in the $3.1 billion budget handed down by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk today. FULL LIST: CHECK YOUR SUBURB

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, with Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner, says the Brisbane City Council Budget will help set the city up for the future.

RATEPAYERS in the leafy suburbs of Brisbane’s southeast will be hit the hardest in Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s $3.1 billion budget.

The suburb with the biggest increase in rates this coming financial year will be Mansfield at 6.5 per cent — well above the citywide average increase for owner occupied priorities of 2.5 per cent.

Total revenue from rates, fees and charges is also expected to increase by about 5.34 per cent — more than triple the rate of inflation which currently sits at 1.7 per cent in Brisbane.

Commercial rates have also been given a hike at 4.1 per cent, while rates for non-owner occupied residential properties will jump by 4.5 per cent.

RATES 2018-2019: CHECK YOUR SUBURB HERE

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk defended the total increase in revenue from rates, fees and charges, saying it also took into account the future growth of the city.

“The reality is that we have to continue to work in Brisbane to make sure we have the infrastructure we need for the future,” he said.

“We are very careful in terms of the resources that we take from the ratepayers of this city.

“I understand the need to keep them down as low as possible, but we also need to progress Brisbane and people will never forgive the Lord Mayor that lets the build fall behind.”

The suburb that will have the biggest decrease in rates for owner occupied residential properties is Kangaroo Point at -3.8 per cent.

The Lord Mayor said his budget was centred on three themes of mobility, liveability and sustainability, with $1.6 billion to be invested on traffic congestion, new public transport measures and improving the city’s bikeways.

“This budget is one where infrastructure really does underpin the needs of a growing city,” he said.

“Underlining this budget is a fully funded Brisbane Metro.

“We see in this budget the completion of the inner-city bypass project as well as the Telegraph Rd upgrade.

“We will also see in this coming year substantial advancements towards the completion of Kingsford Smith Dr.”

The budget papers also reveal a decline in revenue from infrastructure charges in the next couple of years, which Cr Quirk says is due to a reduced number of development applications.

TOP 10 SUBURBS FOR RATE INCREASES

1. Mansfield 6.9%

2. Wishart 6.8%

3. Wakerley 6.8%

4. Seven Hills 6.6%

5. Sunnybank Hills 6.5%

6. Upper Mount Gravatt 6.4%

7. Mount Gravatt East 6.3%

8. Mackenzie 5.9%

9. Carindale 5.9%

10. Sunnybank 5.8%