Brisbane City Council To Hike Rates Prices To Recover From Floods And COVID-19 Pandemic

The average Brisbane rates bill will rise by almost five per cent as the city tackles with the combined effects of COVID-19 and the recent floods.

Coming into effect from July 1, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the council budget would include an average 4.93 per cent rates price increase.

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The increase will see Brisbane’s minimum residential rates bill to be $818.84 annually, previously $780.

Inner-Brisbane suburb Grange residents will slug out for the highest rates hike of 7.19 per cent or a $166.86 annual increase.

Residents of Lota will be least affected, with an increase of 1.49 per cent or a $24.59 annual increase.

Lord Mayor Schrinner said the budget is “sensible and affordable” and was below Brisbane’s inflation rate of six per cent.

“Our budget guarantees Brisbane residents will get more and pay less than all the other south-east councils, even before most of them have released their budgets,” he said.

- Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner

The last time Brisbane City Council inflicted such rises in rate was in 2010-11 when prices were increased by 5.04 per cent.

Lord Mayor Schrinner said in his budget speech said Brisbane rate payers would be getting more, and still in fact be paying less.

"Given our exposure to global economic forces, the lingering financial impact of the pandemic, and now, the costliest flood in memory – particularly as we embark on our massive Rebuild and Recover Program – the upward pressure on rates and charges is significant," he said.

"Yet because of the decisions we’ve made in this Budget and because of our many years of responsible financial management, the increase will be nothing like the multiple six per cent rate rises delivered [previously].

"So despite being hit with Council’s biggest ever flood bill, despite continuing to invest record amounts in our suburbs, continuing to build much-needed infrastructure and continuing our flood recovery, Brisbane will still have the cheapest residential rates in South East Queensland."

Brisbane City Council’s net debt has risen to $3 billion from $2.8 billion and faces $330 million in bills to assist in flood recovery and $220 million of revenue loss from the last two years during the pandemic.

Through the new budget, council will invest more than $500 million over the next three years on its Rebuild and Recovery program following the floods in February.

Other expenditures from the budget includes a new Suburbs First Guarantee, and a $1.35 billion investment in infrastructure projects.

Brisbane City Council budget key spends:

Drainage projects - $131.4 million

Libraries - $76 million

Footpaths - $35 million

Road resurfacing - $83 million

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