Special Rate Variation

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Let's talk special rate variation

Council is investigating a permanent Special Rate Variation (SRV) to achieve financial sustainability.

Get Involved

Learn More

Council’s financial sustainability has been an ongoing concern since 2020. In 2022, in an effort to become financially sustainable, council successfully applied for a permanent 35.9% special rate variation (SRV) which came into effect over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.

Cost to Council pressures to date have further been exacerbated by the high inflation environment and an increasingly competitive employment market that has occurred post-COVID-19, as well as cost shifting from previously State Government funded services that are now at Council's cost (like the recently announced increase to the Emergency Service Levy), a continuation of rate pegging, and the normal increased service level expectations.

The findings of Professor Joseph Drew in the detailed financial analysis undertaken as part of the de-amalgamation business case review also identified the serious current underlying financial challenges faced by Council.

As a result, internal productivity savings and the 2022 SRV has unfortunately not been sufficient to achieve Council’s financial sustainability, so we are exploring opportunities to implement a new permanent SRV as part of a range of initiatives to make sure services can be delivered into the future.

Council’s funds are broken into three (3) main areas - General, water and sewer. General fund refers to all council activities except for water and sewer services.

At present, Council’s water and sewer funds are covering their respective costs. However, the General fund is experiencing a significant deficit which is projected to continue over the next 10 years.

Current modeling in Council’s 2023-2033 Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) shows that further rate increases are needed to enable Council to maintain current service levels, adequately fund ongoing asset maintenance, reduce Council’s reliance on external grant funding for asset renewals, and ensure Council’s financial sustainability.

Council’s LTFP includes three scenarios, all based on existing service delivery levels and maintaining our growing Capital base.

The assumptions made by implementing an SRV for the general fund have been developed with the primary aim of achieving a balanced operating position.

  • Scenario 1 (base case) shows Council's expected financial position with reliance just on the rate cap would be a continued deficit in excess of $4 million in its General Fund each year (before Capital grants and contributions). This scenario is not sustainable.
  • Scenario 2 introduces permanent 18% SRV increases over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26 (39.24% cumulated) which would show a return to a balanced operating budget (before hoped for grants and capital contributions) from year 2025/26 and an overall balanced budget with a slow increase in a small (<2%) surplus over the 10 year period to service any further cost shifting or unexpected new service deliveries as was the case during Covid.
  • Scenario 3 introduces permanent 12.5% increases (42.38% cumulated) spread over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 which would show a return to a balanced budget (before hoped for grants and capital contributions) from year 2026/27 and an overall balanced budget with a slow increase in a small (<2%) surplus over the 10 year period to service any further cost shifting or unexpected new service deliveries as was the case during Covid.

Income Consolidated (including water and sewer) - Net operating result before grants and contributions provided for capital purposes (LTFP 2023-2033). The increased rating level at the completion of the SRV Scenarios would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.

Financial year
2023/24
2024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/302030/312031/322032/33
Scenario 1 – no SRV, rate peg only

(1,444)(1,394)(1,585)(1,736)(1,886)(1,718)(1,766)(1,758)(1,572)(1,285)
Scenario 2 - 18% SRV over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26. (39.24% cumulated)

(1,444)4522,3922,3612,3132,5862,6452,7633,0634,962
Scenario 3 - 12.5% SRV over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27. (42.38% cumulated)

(1,444)(240)8292,2002,1482,4172,4722,5862,8813,279


Income General Fund (excluding water and sewer) - Net operating result before grants and contributions provided for capital purposes (LTFP 2023-2033). The increased rating level at the completion of the SRV Scenarios would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.

Financial year2023/242024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/302030/312031/322032/33
Scenario 1 – no SRV, rate peg only
(4,482)(4,105)(4,183)(4,245)(4,334)(4,212)(4,271)(4,277)(4,251)(4,152)
Scenario 2 - 18% SRV over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26. (39.24% cumulated)
(4,482)(2,259)(206)(148)(135)92104244383598
Scenario 3 - 12.5% SRV over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27. (42.38% cumulated)
(4,482)(2,951)(1,769)(309)(300)(77)(33)67202412


The SRV scenarios result in balanced budget which allows Council to increase its asset replacement reserves ensuring current expected services can be delivered into the future. In the long-term it allows Council to invest responsibly in infrastructure and avoids burdening future generations with excessive costs or excessive reductions to services.

How to assess the proposed SRV Options

An SRV is calculated on the Ordinary Rate only. This is listed as a separate line item on your Rates Notice. Please use only this amount to calculate the percentage increase applicable each year.

Your rates notice could also contain separate charges for Sewer, Water and Waste. These items are not impacted by any SRV.

At the completion of the implementation period for the SRV, annual increases return to a rate pegging amount only (typically between 1.5% - 2.5%) set by the State Government.

SRV Option 1 - The increased rating level at the completion of 2025/26 would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.


Average Rate Paid per property

SRV 18%
2024/25

SRV 18%
2025/26

Ordinary Business Rate

2,071.48

2,444.35

2,884.33

Ordinary Farmland Rate

2,705.38

3,192.35

3,766.98

Ordinary Mining Rate

3,174.23

3,745.60

4,419.80

Ordinary Residential Rate

907.39

1,070.72

1,263.45


SRV Option 2 - The increased rating level at the completion of 2026/27 would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.


Average Rate Paid per property

SRV 12.5%
2024/25

SRV 12.5%
2025/26

SRV 12.5%
2026/27

Ordinary Business Rate

$2,071.48

$2,330.42

$2,621.72

$2,949.43

Ordinary Farmland Rate

$2,705.38

$3,043.56

$3,424.00

$3,852.00

Ordinary Mining Rate

$3,174.23

$3,571.01

$4,017.39

$4,519.56

Ordinary Residential Rate

$907.39

$1,020.82

$1,148.42

$1,291.97








Rates Calculator

You can also use our online Rates Calculator to review the impact of the SRV scenarios on your annual rates bill. Please be advised that the rates calculator will calculate your new annual rate with the two (2) proposed SRV options. This calculation does not include any water, sewer or waste charges which also form part of your general rates notice.

Download the SRV Rates Calculator. Have your Annual Rates Notice handy, so you can enter your Property Value. If you do not have Microsoft Excel and/or are unable to download the calculator, contact Council on 1300 275 782 for assistance.

SRV Rates Calculator


Council is investigating a permanent Special Rate Variation (SRV) to achieve financial sustainability.

Get Involved

Learn More

Council’s financial sustainability has been an ongoing concern since 2020. In 2022, in an effort to become financially sustainable, council successfully applied for a permanent 35.9% special rate variation (SRV) which came into effect over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.

Cost to Council pressures to date have further been exacerbated by the high inflation environment and an increasingly competitive employment market that has occurred post-COVID-19, as well as cost shifting from previously State Government funded services that are now at Council's cost (like the recently announced increase to the Emergency Service Levy), a continuation of rate pegging, and the normal increased service level expectations.

The findings of Professor Joseph Drew in the detailed financial analysis undertaken as part of the de-amalgamation business case review also identified the serious current underlying financial challenges faced by Council.

As a result, internal productivity savings and the 2022 SRV has unfortunately not been sufficient to achieve Council’s financial sustainability, so we are exploring opportunities to implement a new permanent SRV as part of a range of initiatives to make sure services can be delivered into the future.

Council’s funds are broken into three (3) main areas - General, water and sewer. General fund refers to all council activities except for water and sewer services.

At present, Council’s water and sewer funds are covering their respective costs. However, the General fund is experiencing a significant deficit which is projected to continue over the next 10 years.

Current modeling in Council’s 2023-2033 Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) shows that further rate increases are needed to enable Council to maintain current service levels, adequately fund ongoing asset maintenance, reduce Council’s reliance on external grant funding for asset renewals, and ensure Council’s financial sustainability.

Council’s LTFP includes three scenarios, all based on existing service delivery levels and maintaining our growing Capital base.

The assumptions made by implementing an SRV for the general fund have been developed with the primary aim of achieving a balanced operating position.

  • Scenario 1 (base case) shows Council's expected financial position with reliance just on the rate cap would be a continued deficit in excess of $4 million in its General Fund each year (before Capital grants and contributions). This scenario is not sustainable.
  • Scenario 2 introduces permanent 18% SRV increases over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26 (39.24% cumulated) which would show a return to a balanced operating budget (before hoped for grants and capital contributions) from year 2025/26 and an overall balanced budget with a slow increase in a small (<2%) surplus over the 10 year period to service any further cost shifting or unexpected new service deliveries as was the case during Covid.
  • Scenario 3 introduces permanent 12.5% increases (42.38% cumulated) spread over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 which would show a return to a balanced budget (before hoped for grants and capital contributions) from year 2026/27 and an overall balanced budget with a slow increase in a small (<2%) surplus over the 10 year period to service any further cost shifting or unexpected new service deliveries as was the case during Covid.

Income Consolidated (including water and sewer) - Net operating result before grants and contributions provided for capital purposes (LTFP 2023-2033). The increased rating level at the completion of the SRV Scenarios would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.

Financial year
2023/24
2024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/302030/312031/322032/33
Scenario 1 – no SRV, rate peg only

(1,444)(1,394)(1,585)(1,736)(1,886)(1,718)(1,766)(1,758)(1,572)(1,285)
Scenario 2 - 18% SRV over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26. (39.24% cumulated)

(1,444)4522,3922,3612,3132,5862,6452,7633,0634,962
Scenario 3 - 12.5% SRV over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27. (42.38% cumulated)

(1,444)(240)8292,2002,1482,4172,4722,5862,8813,279


Income General Fund (excluding water and sewer) - Net operating result before grants and contributions provided for capital purposes (LTFP 2023-2033). The increased rating level at the completion of the SRV Scenarios would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.

Financial year2023/242024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/302030/312031/322032/33
Scenario 1 – no SRV, rate peg only
(4,482)(4,105)(4,183)(4,245)(4,334)(4,212)(4,271)(4,277)(4,251)(4,152)
Scenario 2 - 18% SRV over two consecutive years 2024/25 and 2025/26. (39.24% cumulated)
(4,482)(2,259)(206)(148)(135)92104244383598
Scenario 3 - 12.5% SRV over three consecutive years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27. (42.38% cumulated)
(4,482)(2,951)(1,769)(309)(300)(77)(33)67202412


The SRV scenarios result in balanced budget which allows Council to increase its asset replacement reserves ensuring current expected services can be delivered into the future. In the long-term it allows Council to invest responsibly in infrastructure and avoids burdening future generations with excessive costs or excessive reductions to services.

How to assess the proposed SRV Options

An SRV is calculated on the Ordinary Rate only. This is listed as a separate line item on your Rates Notice. Please use only this amount to calculate the percentage increase applicable each year.

Your rates notice could also contain separate charges for Sewer, Water and Waste. These items are not impacted by any SRV.

At the completion of the implementation period for the SRV, annual increases return to a rate pegging amount only (typically between 1.5% - 2.5%) set by the State Government.

SRV Option 1 - The increased rating level at the completion of 2025/26 would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.


Average Rate Paid per property

SRV 18%
2024/25

SRV 18%
2025/26

Ordinary Business Rate

2,071.48

2,444.35

2,884.33

Ordinary Farmland Rate

2,705.38

3,192.35

3,766.98

Ordinary Mining Rate

3,174.23

3,745.60

4,419.80

Ordinary Residential Rate

907.39

1,070.72

1,263.45


SRV Option 2 - The increased rating level at the completion of 2026/27 would then remain permanently and be the amount subject to any future increases.


Average Rate Paid per property

SRV 12.5%
2024/25

SRV 12.5%
2025/26

SRV 12.5%
2026/27

Ordinary Business Rate

$2,071.48

$2,330.42

$2,621.72

$2,949.43

Ordinary Farmland Rate

$2,705.38

$3,043.56

$3,424.00

$3,852.00

Ordinary Mining Rate

$3,174.23

$3,571.01

$4,017.39

$4,519.56

Ordinary Residential Rate

$907.39

$1,020.82

$1,148.42

$1,291.97








Rates Calculator

You can also use our online Rates Calculator to review the impact of the SRV scenarios on your annual rates bill. Please be advised that the rates calculator will calculate your new annual rate with the two (2) proposed SRV options. This calculation does not include any water, sewer or waste charges which also form part of your general rates notice.

Download the SRV Rates Calculator. Have your Annual Rates Notice handy, so you can enter your Property Value. If you do not have Microsoft Excel and/or are unable to download the calculator, contact Council on 1300 275 782 for assistance.

SRV Rates Calculator


Page last updated: 04 Dec 2023, 11:53 AM