Rockhampton mayor on budget: “We know the cost-of-living has hit hard”

Council has delivered a frugal $292m budget headlined by a minimal rise to residential rates. But not everyone will be cheering.

Rockhampton Region councillors deliver the 2025-26 budget.

Rockhampton Regional Council has delivered a frugal $292m budget for 2025-26 headlined by a minimal residential rates and charges rise of just .66 per cent.

The typical or average ratepayer will pay $4,410.40 next financial year, an increase of $28.91.

Mayor Tony Williams said council had applied a heavy focus on reducing the rate-rise impact on those residents reeling from the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

“We’ve seen this really difficult time over the last few years, both for the council with significant cost increases in our projects, electricity and insurance, as well as the community,” he said.

“We know the cost of living has hit hard. That’s why we’ve worked to keep rates low.”

Residential rate breakdown for typical Rockhampton homeowner in 2025/26 budget.

He described the budget as a “balanced, measured” and a “great result” after many months of “hard work” by staff and councillors.

“We will keep doing the projects and the services that the people need,” he said.

“They are important for our future. But we have really run a ruler over every capital project over the things that we are doing to ensure that we really do require and what we really do need here and now.

“That’s how we’ve been able to keep rates as low while keeping up with the infrastructure and services our community needs.”

Rockhampton Region Mayor Tony Williams

But not every rate payer will be cheering as there have been large fluctuations in some valuations that will lead to much higher rate increases.

“Valuations will have a real impact on people how they pay this year,” he said.

“We have tried to manage that the best as we possible. Unfortunately, as part of how we do our rates, they’re calculated and worked out that way. Where we can, so we’ve tried to introduce measure measures to try and soften the big changes.”

This includes 20% rate capping applied to some non-residential rating categories with large fluctuations in valuations

Budget highlights:

•  No reduction to Council services
• Prompt payment discounts maintained at 10% on rates charges
• $1.8m in concessions to pensioners.

Capital Budget key highlights

• $10.8m on various Airport capital projects, including airside and landside upgrades, completion of the solar installation, which will be offset by $1.1m in capital grant funding
• Council fleet renewal program – $10m
• $5.6m in Parks renewals and upgrades, including new playgrounds and renewals, landscaping and irrigation renewals, pathway renewals and Rockhampton Zoo enclosure renewals
• $2.7m on continuing works on the North Rockhampton Sporting Precinct, with offsetting funding in 2025/2026 of $2.5m
• $21m in Facilities renewals and upgrades, including works at cemeteries, community and Council facilities and amenities, libraries, Showgrounds, Council Depots, tennis courts, swimming pools and Pilbeam Theatre, which will be offset by $5.7m in capital grant funding
• $3.4m in Waste Management capital works
• Continuation of the Mount Morgan Water Security Pipeline Project with the majority of works to be completed during 2025/2026 – $18m, with offsetting funding in 2025/2026 of $2.5m
• Continued works on the North Rockhampton Sewerage Treatment Plant – $17.2m, with remaining works planned to be completed in 2026/2027
• Continued works on the Gracemere and South Rockhampton Sewerage Treatment Plan (including Diversion Pipeline and Transfer Pumpstation) – $12.2m with longer term works amounting to $148.2m in future years
• Continuation of Barrage Refurbishment works – $1m, with $12.5m allocated for longer term works
• Fitzroy River Water capital program – $14.1m offset by $2.8m in capital income $39.7m on road renewal, upgrades and rehabilitation program, offset by $23.2m in capital income.