City of Melbourne targets dog owners, zoo regulars and estate agents in budget fees blitz

DOG owners wanting to register their pooch face one of the biggest rises in the City of Melbourne’s next budget, as revenue from fees and fines will tip an extra $2.6 million into Town Hall coffers.

DOG registration, annual zoo parking and even estate agent advertising in the City of Melbourne will be subject to new or increased charges next financial year.

Revenue from fees and fines will jump by 24 per cent next year, tipping an extra $2.6 million into Town Hall coffers.

Dog owners wanting to to register their pooch face one of the biggest rises, while real estate agents will have to now pay more than $800 a year to display their pointer boards advertising auctions and open houses.

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A pointer board in Melbourne. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The rises outlined in the council’s draft budget comes on the back of the announcement that CBD parking fees would rise to record levels.

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The cost of dog registration in the City of Melbourne will jump by 20 per cent, from $150 to $180 or $50 to $60 for a desexed pooch.

Cat registration fees will also rise, up by 12.5 per cent. The council’s budget papers said the increases were “in line with market rates”.

Annual permits to park at Melbourne Zoo will increase.

A council spokesman said the new charges were benchmarked against surrounding councils’ fees.

Diane Shuwalow from the Kensington Dog Walkers group said 20 per cent was steep and a big hit in one go.

“Giving the large population of dogs in Kensington, this will hit nearly every household,’’ Ms Shuwalow said.

Real estate agents will have to pay to place pointer boards on street corners.

But the devoted dog owner did acknowledge the council’s provision of drinking stations and poo bag locations.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the fees were based on cost recovery.

“Many of the increases that you’re seeing are to bring it in line with what it costs to administer the fee,’’ Cr Wood said.

The dog registration fee offered a big discount for a desexed pet, he said.

“If you’re a responsible dog owner it will cost you $60 a year which I think is entirely reasonable,’’ Cr Wood said.

The City of Melbourne has just one dedicated off-leash park — Clayton Reserve in North Melbourne — and dog-free zones at seven other parks including Princes, Yarra and Royal Parks.

Dog owners will have to pay 20 per cent more to register their pet. Photo: Luis Enrique Ascui

Among other increases, the cost of annual parking permits at Melbourne Zoo will go up from $175 to $200, and at Ikon Park from $150 to $175.

And real estate agent pointer boards, which directing property buyers to the nearest auction or open house, will also be the subject to charges for the first time.

Each agency will have to pay a $210 application fee, and then $600 for an annual permit.

Alexkarbon North Melbourne director Charles Bongiovanni said he was unaware of the looming levy and would be concerned if other councils followed suit pushing his business’s total bill into the thousands.

A council spokesman said the fee was being introduced because the boards were considered advertising signs.

Deputy Lord Mayor and finance chairman Arron Wood. Pic: Stuart McEvoy.

“Fees are being introduced to improve regulation of these boards within public spaces and to protect council and the public by ensuring currency of public liability insurance policies in the event of injuries and/or damages,’’ he said.

Councils can only lift residential rates by an average 2.25 per cent, but no restrictions apply on other charges being inflated.

The spike in fees and fees, from $10.8 million to $13.4 million, is separate to the revenue from parking fees and fines which is also soaring.

Cr Wood announced last month that city parking charges would rise by 27 per cent to $7 an hour, gathering an extra $6 million for the Town Hall bottom line.

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@IanRoyall