Townsville City Council adopts 2025/26 budget: Full rates breakdown

While Townsville City Council has reduced the rate in the dollar charge, some people will still see an increase on their bill this year due to land valuations. HERE’S HOW IT WILL WORK

Rates in Townsville could go up or down, depending on land valuations Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Townsville owner occupiers could see a rate rise of up to 20 per cent, depending on their land valuations, while others will pay less this financial year.

Townsville City Council has adopted its 2025/26 budget, which includes an 18 per cent rate reduction.

The new rate in the dollar charge is 0.009054.

However, with recent land valuations, which drove an average increase of 27 per cent or $46,000 across the city, it is expected that 15,000 owner occupiers could see a rate rise of 4 per cent or more.

It is expected that about 15,000 owner occupiers will experience a rates decrease, and 18,000 ratepayers to experience a 0-4 per cent increase.

The council has voted to include a 20 per cent cap on rate rises, which is an increase from the 10 per cent last year.

This means that no matter how much land values increased, rates cannot go above 20 per cent.

The new valuations take effect from June 30.

Townsville City Council Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney.

Acting-Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said she thought it was a fair and equitable decision across the board.

“We couldn’t let the community see what would probably be a 22 per cent rate rise across a lot of properties,” she said.

“So us reducing the rate in the dollar and increasing rates by four per cent allows for quite a broad spectrum of properties to probably see a decrease in their rates.”

Some residents are still paying rate increases for the previous land valuation increase in 2022, in which land valuations went up significantly.

The council has also changed the way it delivers rates discounts to pensioners in the region, with some expected to be better off than they were before.

There will now be two categories, with all owners of the property on 100 per cent pensions to receive a $400 reduction.

When one or more owners is on less than 100 per cent pension, the property will receive a $200 discount.

The old discount structure will have a grandfather clause, with it formerly covering people on a 100 per cent pension up to $800, so anyone who has previously received more than $400 in discounts will continue to be covered to the same amount.

Cr Greaney said navigating the changes around pensioner discounts had been very confusing due to the different levies and rates around the pensioner subsidy.

“So what we’re trying to do is bring it inline probably with other councils as well, and it depends on whether you’re a DVA or Gold Card or things like that,” Cr Greaney said.

“What we’re trying to do, and in a lot of our fees and charges, our pensioner concessions and our concession policies is make it more fair and equitable across the board.”

Anyone who will be better off under the pay scale adopted this year will be moved over to the new scheme.

This is on top of the state government’s $200 rates assistance that pensioners receive.

There is still no cap on investment properties, however the council has introduced a new rate category for short-term stay providers.

This does not apply to owner-occupiers renting out rooms for less than 30 days a year.

The 5 per cent discount for paying your rates early is still in place.

Cr Greaney is standing by the budget being a financially responsible budget.

“As I’ve said we’ve about 12 workshops with the councillors and the staff, I don’t think we’ve left any stone unturned and where we can see stretching our dollar further,” she said.

“No one is happy to see a rates increase but it is a necessary thing that we have to do to ensure council services are improved and maintained as well.”

How to work out how much you will pay

Your Land Valuation – The state government decides the value of land independently, based on things like recent sales, how the land is used, rules for building, and how close it is to important places like schools or parks.

Rate in the Dollar – The council classifies properties into different categories like homes or businesses. Each category has its own ‘rate in the dollar’ which is set annually by the council. This rate represents the amount of money payable per dollar of the land valuation.

To calculate your gross annual rate, multiply the land valuation by the rate in the dollar (0.009054). This gives you the total amount of rates payable before any special charges, concessions or discounts are applied.

Originally published as Townsville City Council adopts 2025/26 budget: Full rates breakdown