Mayor fails to pay $15,000 rates bill on $2.5m property
A Sydney mayor who voted to increase rates for residents living in apartments has been avoiding rates on his own $2.5 million house for the past six years.
NSW
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A Sydney mayor who last year voted to jack up rates for punters owes thousands of dollars in unpaid rates himself.
Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne – who is a close friend and former staffer of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – owes more than $15,000 in rates on a $2.5m property in Balmain.
The payments are outstanding from at least 2017, when he inherited the property from his deceased parents.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the popular Labor mayor was issued with further demands for payment in the past few months.
Mr Byrne pays an eye-watering 6 per cent interest on the outstanding rates.
“Only last year, he approved a large increase to minimum rates affecting over 35,000 units while paying no rates himself,” one Inner West Council ratepayer said.
“He determines policy and penalties about rates but does not declare that he pays no rates.
“The close relationship between the Mayor and the general manger is a source of concern … Could this rates debt be overlooked or quietly written off?”
Ratepayers fork out about $125,000 per year for Mr Byrne’s salary. He is also regularly chauffeur-driven to council events.
His closeness to Mr Albanese extends to holding a ratepayer-funded civic ceremony for Mr Albanese next week at Marrickville Town Hall.
But Mr Byrne defended his debt, saying he intends to pay it when the property is eventually sold.
“In 2017, my mum died leaving a rates debt on her home,” he said.
“The property is derelict and has remained empty since then.
“I haven’t lived at my deceased parents’ home for about two decades.”
Mr Byrne saids he had been trying, unsuccessfully, to obtain the deeds to the house “which I am still not in possession of”.
He said this had prevented the property from being put up for sale.
“Given the delay in the processing of the deceased estate, I have entered into a payment plan with the council, which includes paying the historic rates debt plus interest when the property is sold,” he said.
“This is a normal council process for dealing with deceased estates.”
Neighbouring properties on the street have been sold for $4.8m and $3.1m, according to property records.
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