South Burnett ratepayers hit with $100 rates hike in council budget

Waste, water, and rates were hot topics of discussion as the South Burnett Council handed down its 2025 budget. Here’s everything you need to know:

A balanced budget has been handed down, but ratepayers are set to feel the impact, with sharp rises in some categories, new levies implemented, and the fallout from major land revaluations all playing a part.

South Burnett ratepayers will need to dig deeper into their pockets this financial year with the council handing down a rates hike which will lead many paying about $100 more on their bills.

The rates rise was part of a budget Mayor Kathy Duff called “balanced” which included a new levy alongside changes to rating categories complicated by rising land valuations.

Mrs Duff said in her budget speech Wednesday morning the council had delivered a balanced budget without cutting into its cash reserves or operational funding.

“I am proud to say that in delivering this budget, we have not had to reduce any of our cash and our operations that covering our costs,” she said.

“So in real terms, our books are balanced.”

She also acknowledged the major challenge posed by recent land revaluations, which have significantly impacted how rates are applied across the region.

The change in valuations forced the council to alter many of rates to differing degrees.

Minimum general rates have increased on average by 8.73 per cent, with rates on residential, commercial and industrial land increasing by $100 per year, while the rate in the dollar has increased by around 2.25 per cent.

Rates for multi-unit dwellings have increased by just over 9 per cent, solar and wind farm have increased by 5 per cent, and piggeries and cattle feedlots have increased by around 10 per cent.

In addition, the waste management levy has increased by 15 per cent, water supply charges have increased by 6 per cent, and wastewater utility charges, which supply council sewerage systems, have increased by 3 per cent.

“I think we would all agree that the recent stage government revaluations have been incredibly challenging because they have been inconsistent across nearly every category of rateable land,” Mr Duff said.

“But because of the revaluations, I need to emphasise that there will be winners and losers.”

“There will be some areas across the region where ratepayers may even get a small reduction in their rates.

“However, some landholders, because of the large fluctuation in revaluations, will get a significant increase.”

The South Burnett Regional Council. From left to right: Jane Erkens, Linda Little, Danita Potter, Kathy Duff, Deb Dennien, Heath Sander, Ros Heit.

Mrs Duff said the council team have worked hard to make savings across the organisation, which included training their own staff to do work that would previously have been contracted out, like biosecurity officers to spray weeds and a traffic management team.

CEO Mark Pitt said the council had not borrowed any money in seven years, and had halved the organisation’s debt to about $20 million.

Mayor Kathy Duff at the Murgon Waste Facility in 2019.

Councillor Heath Sander voted against an increase in the waste management levy, which will be around $245 per property.

He said he believed the council needed to look at alternative ways to deal with the issue of increasing waste costs that did not include “putting prices up”.

Mrs Duff said the increased levy was needed to pay for services like council tips and waste transfer stations.

“We’ve kept all our rural tips and transfer stations open because we are very supportive of our rural areas,” she said.

“I know a lot of other councils have closed those rural transfer stations and I’m very conscious that we continue to support those areas and that (does elevate costs).”

The levy passed six votes to one, with Mr Sander the only dissenting voice.

The council has introduced a new $5 levy which will provide funds for volunteer and not-for profit run emergency services.

It will go towards emergency rescue services, and provide about $90,000 to operations like LifeFlight.

“Unfortunately, these services rely heavily on donations to continue operating,” Mrs Duff said.

A $5 levy will go towards emergency rescue services, which will provide around $90,000 to services like LifeFlight. Photo: LifeFlight

Councillor Danita Potter said this was an issue she felt really strongly about, and that she personally had three family members who were flown to hospital with LifeFlight services.

The $25 levy for rural fire services on “all rateable land not situated in an urban fire brigade area” remained the same.

It would generate an estimated $216,050 for rural fire brigades, the budget documents said.

A 10 per cent early discount remained for those paying their rates bills within 30 days.

Eligible pensioners can claim a rebate of 20 per cent, capped at $200 per property per year.

Originally published as South Burnett ratepayers hit with $100 rates hike in council budget