
2023 COUNCIL COMMUNITY SATISFACTION RESULTS
OVERALL STATEWIDE PERFORMANCE
56%
DIRECTION OF COUNCILS
46%
(WORST RESULTS ON RECORD)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SNAPSHOT
$12 Billion in revenue per annum (VIC)
POOR STANDARDS & POOR ACCOUNTABILITY

"We identified: expenditure where it was unclear to us how residents and ratepayers benefited, practices that may not meet public expectations, non compliance with legislative requirements aimed at ensuring transparency over council practices to their communities and regulators.
Some individuals in positions of authority need to take a broader view of their obligations. They must appreciate that they are accountable to ratepayers and residents and consider how their communities may perceive their actions." Victorian Auditor General
Council Staff Turnover is an
increasing problem
(Source VAGO)

Councils with a complaints KPI
(Source Vic Ombudsman)

We are the only people's watchdog that hold Councils to account.
Disputing your Rates Notice - based on valuation.
It's that time of year again when we all receive our rates notices and open them to find (more than likely) that your rates have gone up substantially. Whilst the Government caps the amount of overall income a council can increase (this year at 3.5%) the rate cap does not apply to our individual homes. Valuations that fluctuate each year are what drives how much you will pay. This sees some people get unfair increases of 20-40% in a single year. Whilst you can't refuse to pay rates, you can get help with a payment plan if struggling. That aside if your valuation looks too high (Valuations are completed on 1st Jan every year) then you can object. We know that many properties across Victoria have seen a reasonable or significant decline in value since January 1st. So what can you do?
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You can use our form as a guide on how to object to your valuation Download Guide
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You can register with us for assistance (we have a qualified valuer who assists us)
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Head to the Vic government objection portal to lodge your valuation objection
The good news is, it's FREE!
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Whilst we don't charge or accept money for assistance, we are always appreciative of people becoming PAYING members or donating to us, after all, we are volunteers who do this for free to serve our community.
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