Mid West and Gascoyne towns set for rate rises as councils vote on proposed changes

Ratepayers across the Mid West and Gascoyne can expect a mixed bag of changes to their rates, after councils across the region proposed widely varying increases.

Ranging from one per cent in Cue to 10 per cent in Mingenew, councillors across the region will vote on their proposed changes ahead of their budgets being finalised.

In Greater Geraldton, councillors were set to vote on a 3.9 per cent increase to rates at the council meeting on Tuesday, June 25, after this newspaper went to print.

The proposed increases are expected to bring in total revenue of $54.42 million, up more than $2m on the rates collected in 2023-24 financial year.

Among the lowest rate increases in the region were councils in the Murchison.

The Shire of Cue had a proposed rate rise of just one per cent.

Shire president Les Price said ratepayers were already dealing with financial pressures, so keeping rates low was a natural response.

“We made a deliberate and conscious decision to minimise rate increases,” he said.

“You look at different factors like cost-of-living pressure, isolation, remoteness, we take those things into account for people within our town.”

It was a similar strategy adopted by the Shire of Mt Magnet, which proposed a 1.5 per cent increase to rates.

Shire chief executive Tralee Cable said with ratepayers already experiencing financial pressures, it was important to keep rates low.

“The shire is aware things are a bit difficult at the moment with cost-of-living pressures,” she said.

“Council is actively pursuing alternate income streams, bearing in mind it’s difficult to earn a living in the regions.”

Ratepayers in Carnarvon are facing a 4.5 per cent rates rise as the council aims to strike a balance between meeting its surging costs amid the cost-of-living crisis in the community.

Shire president Eddie Smith said the rising cost of living was having an impact on both the council and residents.

“The shire’s costs have all gone up, from construction costs to maintenance and utilities, but so have the living costs of our ratepayers, so we want to minimise the hit if we can,” he said.

“Council knows that we need to have some increase to be able to fund the service expectations of our community, we hope the community is understanding of this increase.”

Perenjori’s council voted on a model based on a 5 per cent increase in rates revenue, but also a 2.5 per cent reduction in the discount being offered for on-time payments.

Shire president Jude Sutherland said the 10 per cent discount for those who pay rates on time currently in place would be reduced to 7.5 per cent this year to cover rising costs, particularly for road maintenance and staff wages.

“We have tried to keep it at a minimum, but we just feel like we can’t go any lower than that at this stage,” she said.

“Until we get more Federal funding for road maintenance in our patch then we are going to have to increase the rates to ensure we can maintain and upgrade the roads, operate well as a shire and maintain infrastructure.”

The Shire of Mingenew on June 19 voted in its 2024-25 budget, which placed emphasis on road maintenance and safety, visible in a 10 per cent rates rise.

Shire president Gary Cosgrove acknowledged the fact that the rise was “on the higher end”.

“A lot of our sealed roads need a reseal. Our CEO is an engineer by trade so he understands the roads and one of our priorities is developing a program where our road maintenance is the best we can do with the funds we have available” Mr Cosgrove said.

Mr Cosgrove said the 10 per cent rates rise can be broken down as a “5 per cent general rate rise, and a 5 per cent contribution to the roads”.

The Chapman Valley, Northampton, and Dandaragan shires are yet to determine their rate changes for the upcoming financial year.

Proposed Rate Rises for 2024-25

Carnamah: 4.5 per cent

Carnarvon: 4.5 per cent

Chapman Valley: TBD, estimated between 4 and 6 per cent

Coorow: 5 per cent

Cue: 1 per cent

Dandaragan: TBD

Exmouth: 7.8 per cent

Geraldton: 3.9 per cent

Irwin: 5 per cent

Meekatharra: 1.8 per cent

Mingenew: 10 per cent

Mt Magnet: 1.5 per cent

Northampton: TBD

Perenjori: 5 per cent

Sandstone: 2.5 per cent

Shark Bay: 4 per cent

Three Springs: 7.5 per cent

Yalgoo: 2.2 per cent