Bundaberg council hits ratepayers with 6.5 per cent rates rise

Bundaberg residents will be paying more on their rates bills with the council slugging ratepayers in an effort to keep the organisation running in the black.

Mayor Helen Blackburn presenting the 2025-26 financial budget for Bundaberg Regional Council, June 30. Picture: Council livestream.

Bundaberg residents will be paying more on their rates bills in 2025 with the council slugging ratepayers with a 6.49 per cent average rates rise in an effort to keep the organisation running in the black.

Mayor Helen Blackburn handed down the rates rise as part of the council’s 2025 budget on Monday, calling it a “responsible, back-to-basics budget that returns Council to surplus and puts us on a more sustainable path for the future”.

Ratepayers will fork out an average of 6.49 per cent more this financial year, with the rise predicted to deliver an operating surplus of $8.2 million.

This was a sharp contrast to an “unsustainable” $16.7 million budget deficit revealed by the council in the wake of the March 2024 elections, Ms Blackburn said.

“We also undertook a review of our how we charge rates to ensure a fairer, more equitable model. For too long, residential owner-occupiers have carried the weight,” she said in her budget statement.

“This budget starts to correct that imbalance, with a focus on easing pressure on homeowners while ensuring income-generating properties, with the ability to tax-deduct, pay a fairer share.”

Community projects such as the new Anzac Park, the opening of the Bundaberg Aquatic Centre, and CBD upgrades were also funded by this year’s budget. Picture: Council livestream.

Bundaberg residents will be paying more for road, drainage and pathway maintenance, general development, Bundaberg airport works, and corporate services and governments compared to last financial year.

The minimal general rate will also be increasing for land that is not the owner’s principal place of residence, applying to around 28 per cent of residents.

“Many non-principal places of residence are unoccupied, at a time when the region needs more housing,” Councillor Deborah Keslake said.

“Owners have every right to manage property as they see fit — this differential rent recognises the community’s value of housing.

Mayor Helen Blackburn handed down the rates rise as part of the council’s 2025 budget on Monday, calling it a “responsible, back-to-basics budget that returns Council to surplus and puts us on a more sustainable path for the future”.

“A separate rate for this kind of ownership is not about punishing investors, it's about fairness and sustainability.”

The amount of rates money going towards parks, sports and natural environments, and community services and disaster management has dropped, among other changes in the budget.

“This budget is a major step in the right direction. It puts us back in the black and builds the financial strength we need to plan, invest and grow responsibly,” Mayor Blackburn said.

Community projects such as the new Anzac Park, the opening of the Bundaberg Aquatic Centre, and CBD upgrades were also funded by this year’s budget.

“We’ve slashed outdoor dining fees by over 70 per cent and will be working with local businesses to bring our vision for a vibrant, liveable community to life,” the mayor said.

“This is your money. We’re treating it with the respect it deserves.

“We are focused on delivering the essentials, maintaining your services and securing our region’s future.”

Originally published as Bundaberg council hits ratepayers with 6.5 per cent rates rise