R’ton council debates a long-running rebate granted to a property

Why one particular rural property should continue to get a 100 per cent rate rebate after 15 years will be investigated by Rockhampton council after a councillor said it “didn’t pass the pub test”.

Hands counting out a stack of Australian One Hundred Dollar Notes. money cash generic

Just why one particular rural property should continue to get a 100 per cent rate rebate after receiving it for 15 years will be investigated by Rockhampton Regional Council after a councillor said the ongoing concession “didn’t pass the pub test”.

Cr Shane Latcham raised the issue as council voted on the rates concession policy while tabling the 2025/26 budget on Tuesday, June 24.

He said he couldn’t understand why the landowner should continue to receive a generous rebate for a property they “do nothing with” and asked that the rate concession for the property, located south of Rockhampton near Bajool, be removed from the budget.

Rockhampton Regional Councillor Shane Latcham.

“If you were to talk to any ratepayer, they wouldn’t support that someone gets something for free when everyone else pays rates,” he said.

“It doesn’t serve any special purpose, doesn’t have a contract with anyone and I don’t understand why a person can get a concession when everyone else in the region is required to pay on their land.

“I don’t think it’s fair or right.”

Council CEO Evan Pardon said to remove the item from the budget at this late stage would be very difficult and require council seeking legal advice that “would cost more than the concession”.

Rockhampton Region councillors deliver the 2025-26 budget.

Cr Marika Taylor also questioned the rates concession, asking that it be “brought to the fore and investigated”.

The section of the budget that relates to the property’s rebate states it was “offered on the basis that the payment of general rates will cause the ratepayer hardship”.

Cr Cherie Rutherford said it was her understanding the property met the concession guidelines.

Deputy Mayor Drew Wickerson said council should deal with the issue at a later stage (next financial year) and review the concession policy as a whole.

“It’s a bit late in the day to start chopping things out,” he said.

Council voted to approve the concession policy for the 2025 budget with Cr Latcham voting against it.

Originally published as R’ton council debates a long-running rebate granted to a property