Fairer Rates, Smarter Spending: Council Cushions the Blow of Land Revaluations

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Published
25th June 2025

Cassowary Coast Regional Council has delivered a no-nonsense, community-first budget for 2025/26, focused on fairness, stability, and delivering what matters most to residents.

In response to soaring land valuations issued by the State Government and rising costs across all areas of service delivery, Council has worked hard to limit the overall increase in general rates revenue to just 3.95%.

Mayor Teresa Millwood said Council have resisted the pressure to hike charges and focused on protecting ratepayers where it counts.

“We’ve kept the increase modest but unfortunately we know the impact won’t be the same for everyone," Mayor Teresa Millwood said.

"That’s why we’ve built a budget that’s realistic, responsible and focused on essential services."

Land valuation across the region have increased on average by 37.33% percent. These changes across the region mean individual rates will vary, while some rates will rise, others will stay the same or even go down.

“This year, due to the State Governments valuation, every property’s outcome will be different, but the total increase is staying low. Some residents will see higher rates, others will see less, a direct result of how land valuations play out,” Mayor Millwood said.

For the first time, Council has introduced rates capping for residential ratepayers. This means that even if a property’s land value has increased significantly above the average, the general rates charged will not rise by more than 15% compared to last year. These changes reflect the complexity of this year’s valuations and highlight the importance of taking a fair and financially responsible approach to setting rates.

To provide additional support Council will maintain:

  • A 5% discount for on-time payment
  • A $300 pensioner concession

The $197 million budget includes:

  • $81 million capital investment in infrastructure, disaster recovery, and liveability
  • $116 million to keep core services flowing – roads, waste, water, parks, libraries, and the other services our community have become accustomed to
  • A $2.9 million operating deficit that is non-cash, stemming from increased depreciation

In the coming year, the major areas of capital expenditure will include:

  • $22 million for water and wastewater
  • $36.1 million for roads, bridges, drainage and bikeways
  • $8.6 million to finish Tropical Cyclone Jasper recovery works
  • $4.5 million for community services and facilities; and
  • $5.1 million for Tropical Cyclone Jasper betterment funding of unsealed roads.

"This budget keeps our region moving forward, delivering the essentials, investing in our future, and making the Cassowary Coast the most liveable, tropical community."

To read the budget in full visit: www.cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au/budget