Brisbane rates to increase $1.14 per week, lord mayor reveals
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has announced, via social media, that average rates will increase 3.87 per cent this financial year – the equivalent of $1.14 a week.
In a video posted to Facebook and Instagram on Wednesday morning, the lord mayor said Brisbane's rates would remain the lowest in south-east Queensland.
'We've been able to keep rates down by only spending what we can afford,' he said, ahead of formally handing down the budget.
However, the rate rise – which amounts to an average increase of $55 a year – is above the city's 2.7 per cent annual inflation rate.
In comparison, the Gold Coast's rates will increase by 2.7 per cent but will include a one-off $10 levy to cover the Cyclone Alfred clean-up, and 3.8 per cent in Moreton.
In the council's last sitting before the budget, Schrinner revealed Brisbane residents would not be charged levies for damage caused by Cyclone Alfred, infrastructure, or transport costs.
Schrinner told Tuesday's council meeting he would honour his election commitment to avoid adding additional charges to annual rates.
'I can confirm we will not be introducing a cyclone levy, we will not be introducing an infrastructure levy, and we will not be introducing a transport levy,' he said.
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