Roper Gulf Regional Council likely to impose 3pc rate rise according to draft budget papers open to the public
Constituents of a regional council in the Northern Territory are facing the likely prospect of rate rises of up to 3 per cent, according to its draft budget. Read the details.
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Constituents of a regional council in the Northern Territory are facing the likely prospect of rate rises of up to three per cent, according to its draft budget.
The Roper Gulf Regional Council – responsible for Mataranka, Jilkminggan, Minyerri, Larrimah. Daly Waters, Numbulwar, Manyallaluk, Barunga, Beswick, Bulman, Borroloola, Robinson River, Ngukurr and Urapunga – has released the draft plan and budget for public consultation.
The plan outlines the council’s strategic and operational direction for the upcoming financial year, and sets out the key actions required to “enhance the region for our residents, workforce, businesses, visitors and the environment”.
As per the plan, constituents of all property types – residential, commercial and rural blocks – could see rates rise by about $40 per year – a three per cent bump.
Despite the jump, the plan said this rise was justifiable because rates remain “affordable and at very low levels [here] compared to other local government jurisdictions in Australia”.
“Rate revenue remains a small proportion of the council’s total budget, at less than eight per cent of the total operating revenue,” it stated.
In terms of the full budget, the Roper Gulf Regional Council, home to about 7500 people, will administer a budget of about $39 million.
Of this revenue, $21.4 million is expected to be sourced from grants, $10.8 million from government contracts and agency services, $3.5 million from rates and remaining amounts from other sources.
The Roper Gulf Regional Council, according to the plan, anticipates an operating deficit of more than $9 million – a $48 million spend overall.
For comparison, the City of Palmerston, home to about 41,000, will administer an operational budget of $51 million.
About $23 million will be spent on employee expenses, while $10 million will be spent on contracts and material expenses.
The council employs 272 in total.
Focusing on the council’s regional office specifically, the employee expenses show almost $8 million in expenditure for only 50 employees – equating to about $157,000 per employee (if they were all on the same wage, which is unlikely).
It was not made clear in the budget how this $8 million was being split among employees.
Zooming back out, council services and community engagement account for 215 employees; infrastructure services and planning, 13; corporate services and sustainability, 38; and office of the chief executive, four.
The full budget papers can be viewed here: https://ropergulf.nt.gov.au/sites/default/files/uploads/meeting/attachments/2025/Draft%20Regional%20Plan%202025-26.pdf
Feedback can be sent by email to: communications@ropergulf.nt.gov.au or by mail to: Communications Coordinator, PO Box 1321, Katherine NT 0850
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Originally published as Roper Gulf Regional Council likely to impose 3pc rate rise according to draft budget papers open to the public
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