North Sydney councillors vote in favour of 87 per cent rate risk after furious residents protest

Angry residents are staring down the barrel of a massive rates rise after North Sydney councillors voted at a fiery meeting to apply to the independent regulator for an 87 per cent hike.

Furious residents are staring down the barrel of a massive rates rise after North Sydney councillors voted to apply to the independent regulator for an 87 per cent hike.

Incensed residents heckled councillors who voted in favour of the near-doubling of rates at a fiery meeting on Monday night.

Calls of “liar”, “shame” and “sack them all” rang out from the packed public gallery as multiple councillors spoke of their 10-year vision for the area, which included new infrastructure such as upgrades at North Sydney Oval.

At one point, the heckling got so bad independent mayor Zoe Baker, who supported the rate rise, said there had been “astonishing” disrespect shown and threatened to have members of the public ejected from the chambers.

“You’re happy to listen to the Liberal Party councillors but aren’t happy to listen to those who aren’t,” she said.

Jenifer and Phillip Russell, local residents for 24 years, protest outside the North Sydney Council meeting. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Well, start listening to us,” a member of the crowd yelled back.

Ms Baker, speaking in support of the rate rise, accused two Liberal councillors who voted against the motion of playing politics to increase conservative support for the upcoming federal election.

Protesters outside the council’s chambers. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Only three of the 10 North Sydney councillors voted against the rate hike, including Liberals Jessica Keen and Efi Car.

Ms Keen, speaking against the rate rise, said she believed the 87 per cent hike would provide $558m in incremental revenue for the council.

Deputy Mayor Godfrey Santer, who voted for the rate rise, said the financial crisis faced by the council had “been building up for years and is deeper than the (North Sydney Olympic) Pool”.

Mr Santer said he did not believe other options to raise income, including selling council assets, would improve the financial situation.

North Shore MP Felicity Wilson addresses the protest. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Councillor Shannon Welch said she knew there were some people who couldn’t afford the rate rise but voted in support of it anyway, saying the council would improve hardship measures.

Robert Stint, the chairman of the Lavender Bay Precinct advisory committee, spoke against the proposed rate rise, saying not a single councillor had mentioned the council’s financial crisis during local government elections last year.

“The council does not have an electoral mandate for this rate rise,” he said.

Earlier, moments before the council met to debate the proposed hike, more than 100 residents, some carrying placards, vented their anger outside its chambers.

North Shore MP Felicity Wilson speaks to residents outside the North Sydney Council meeting as they protest against the proposed rate rise. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Some yelled “vote them out”, while others detailed how they can’t afford such a large rate rise during a cost of living crisis.

North Sydney local Jocelyn Guy said the council had refused to look at ways to raise money, instead choosing “to almost double our rates” as its primary option.

“I see them having wasted so much money,” she said.

“They put money into supporting the ‘yes’ vote, they wanted to change the name of Ben Boyd Rd, they’ve got something on their website about mapping queer Sydney.

Resident Jocelyn Guy outside the North Sydney Council chambers. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“None of this has anything to do with the council. They should be sticking to their job.

“Why aren’t they looking at (ways to raise money) instead of just trying to shove money in their coffers so they can spend it in more incompetent ways.”

The rates hike, which would impact both homeowners and business owners, has been triggered by escalating costs associated with the North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment.

The project has been plagued by construction issues, delays and cost blowouts.

Originally due for completion in 2022, the pool remains unfinished and is now expected to cost $122m, almost twice the original estimate of $64m.

The council last year released four options to increase rates, ranging from 65 per cent to 111 per cent over three years.

Despite feedback being overwhelmingly against the high rate rises, the council chose a revised option of 87 per cent over two years.

This option would involve rates rising by 45 per cent in 2025/26 and 29 per cent in 2026/27, taking the cost of minimum residential rates to $1200 in 2025/26 and business rates to $1400 in 2025/26.

Originally published as North Sydney councillors vote in favour of 87 per cent rate risk after furious residents protest