Redland rates rise in mayor’s ‘final budget’ before her federal bid

Redland ratepayers received low residential rates rises but copped a new Coastal Management levy, strong increases in waste charges and no major relief for pensioners or islanders.

It was swings and roundabouts for Redland ratepayers when Mayor Karen Williams handed down her latest budget, which could also be her final council budget.

While Redland ratepayers received one of the lowest residential rates rises in southeast Queensland, they copped a new Coastal Management levy, strong increases in waste charges with no added relief for pensioners.

Widening a major road near a proposed shopping centre along with money for a new sporting complex were some of the big ticket items stashed away in the budget for the next financial year.

It could be the last budget for Cr Williams, who has thrown her hat in the ring to run as an LNP candidate for the federal seat of Bowman, being vacated by the LNP’s Andrew Laming.

Redland Mayor Karen Williams.

LNP preselection for the seat is expected to be finalised this weekend, when voters will find out if Cr Williams meets all candidate eligibility requirements under the constitution.

Budget news for ratepayers was both good and bad, with the council tipping it will post a balanced budget surplus of $43,000 by June 30, 2022 following an expected $1.5 million deficit this year.

Cr Williams delivered one of the lowest residential rates rise across southeast Queensland in the $327 million budget, which also includes a $70 million capital spending program.

A typical ratepayer, on average, will pay an extra 1.7 per cent a year in general residential rates, which equates to about $22.88 a year.

In Ipswich the residential rates rise was 2.75 per cent.

That compared with Brisbane, which posted a 3.75 per cent rise in its general residential rate and Moreton Bay which posted a 3.9 per cent increase in its general rate.

Logan ratepayers received a 2.5 per cent rates rise, which is not a similar figure as it includes water charges unlike the Redland figure.

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Some of the extra funds Redland council expects to receive will go to paying for a long-anticipated widening of Panorama Drive and Wellington St at Thornlands outside the proposed $70 million Paradise Garden Shopping Village, on the corner of Boundary Rd.

A further $3.5 million will be spent on getting the Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct up and running at Heinemann Rd, Mount Cotton.

The much-touted complex is being marketed to include 13 touch football fields, three rugby league ovals as well as two clubhouses, a state-level BMX track and multi-use trails.

But the budget, which Cr Williams said was “responsible” will also tap ratepayers extra for rubbish collection, water connections, the environment levy and SES.

One of the big changes in the budget will be adding a Coastal Management fee to the current Environment Levy.

The current levy will go up from $116.32 to $148.92 and the landfill remediation charge will risefrom $30 to $47.88.

The Redland SES charge of $7.08 will also go up to $7.28 while the Rural Fire Brigade special charge will stay at $10.

Aerial view of Russell Island, is one of several Moreton Bay islands being developed.

There was no relief for bay island residents who have been paying nearly 6 per cent more than mainland residents for kerbside bin collections and the most for the service in southeast Queensland.

The mainland kerbside collection fee of $450.50 for a 240l bin will go up to $467.76, following the 10 per cent increase at the beginning of this financial year.

On the islands, the bin collection charges will rise from $476.50 to a massive $494.76.

There have been huge increases in kerbside rubbish collection costs in the past three Redland City Council budgets.

In 2018-2019, there was an 8 per cent increase in annual charges for red and yellow bins.

That dropped to an increase of just under 6 per cent in the 2019-2020 year before spiking up again this financial year.

The council awarded a 12-year $107 million contract to J.J. Richards & Sons Pty Ltd in 2017 which took effect in 2018.

The $280.48 water access charge also went up to $289.68 but the council retail consumption charge remained static at 61 cents per kilolitre.

Waste water will cost more with the charge rising from $28.52 to $29.84.

Pensioners did not win either, with no change to the rebates they receive from $335 a year for a full pensioner or to the part pensioner rebate of $167.50.

Since Cr Williams became mayor in 2012, the only change to the pensioner concessions was in the 2016-2017 budget when the concession was increased by $5 a year from $330 to $335 per year for a person receiving the full pensioner discount.