Capping your Council Rates
Capping your Council Rates
Capping your Council Rates
What we are proposing...
South Australians battling through a cost-of-living crisis will feel relief under a Hurn Liberal Government, with a commitment to cap council rates if elected in March.
Council rates are a cost-of-living pressure people cannot avoid. Some council areas have experienced a yearly rate increase of 10% or more over the last few years.
Regional and Rural councils will also receive support for higher infrastructure delivery costs through a $20 million annual Local Government Regional Infrastructure Partnership Program.
This will cover projects such as:
- Local roads and transport infrastructure
- Stormwater and drainage
- Community and civic infrastructure
- Asset renewal and life-extension works
- Coastal and marine infrastructure, including jetty renewal
This recognises the unique challenges of regional and rural local Governments, which often experience limited revenue growth and larger asset bases.
ESCOSA (Essential Services Commission of South Australia) will be tasked with setting a fair annual rate for each council that accounts for the higher capital burden in regional and high‑growth areas.
Rates will be determined by a number of indexes, including CPI, to keep rates affordable.
A State Liberal Government will also commit to a review of cost shifting between State and Local governments.
This is part of our plan for a more affordable South Australia.