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NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL
RATE HIKE PETITION
SAY NO TO MASSIVE INCREASES

North Sydney Council is proposing to introduce rate hikes of up to 84% to cover it's mismanagement.

SAY NO - please sign our petition.

Say NO to massive rate hikes from North Sydney Council

Dear Councillors and Minister for Local Government,


I, the undersigned, OBJECT to the proposed massive rate rises as outlined by North Sydney Council. In a cost of living and housing crisis, this is an unacceptable burden on property owners and businesses.


I urge Councillors to reject the proposal and show restraint OR I urge the Local Government Minister to step in and protect property owners' interests. Massive increases in rates due to poor financial decisions should not see the community burdened.


This is an unacceptable proposal.


North Sydney Council needs to come up with alternate options.

By submitting you agree to provide your details to North Sydney Council as part of the petition submission. Your details will not be given to any other party. Council Watch Inc will add you to future updates on this issue and you can unsubscribe anytime.

KEY points:

  • North Sydney Council is pushing for a dramatic rate increase next financial year, with minimum residential rates set to rise by 81% and overall residential rates increasing by 45% to 70%. Minimum business rates would climb even higher, with an 84% increase proposed.

  • Currently, 77% of residential ratepayers pay the minimum rate of $715. Under the proposal, outlined in a report for councillors to consider next Monday, these minimum Ordinary Residential Rates would rise to $1,300 in 2025/26. Minimum Ordinary Business Rates would increase from $715 to $1,400 over the same period.

  • Furthermore, ratepayers paying above the minimum would also face increases. Council is proposing four options, which would involve a choice of a 50%, 60% and 75% increase next year, and a 65%, 75%, 87,5% and 111% rise over three years.

  • Under these options, average residential rates are projected to jump from $1,040 in 2024/25 to between $1,511 and $1,762 in 2025/26—an increase of approximately 45% to 70%. Average business rates would surge from $6,724 to between $10,601 and $12,367, reflecting increases of around 58% to 84%.

  • “Council’s financial position is very weak, and the financial outlook is unsustainable, requiring significant structural reform,” the report states. “Existing revenue is insufficient to cover current service levels, loan repayments, asset maintenance backlogs, infrastructure renewals, upgrades, and the development of new assets to meet the demands of a growing and evolving population.”

  • The report attributes the financial challenges to the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced revenue streams by over $9.9 million (adjusted for inflation) compared to pre-pandemic levels. Further compounding the problem is the North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment, a project now two years overdue. Decisions to proceed without complete designs and adopt a high-risk contract strategy resulted in cost overruns, increased debt, and weakened liquidity, the report claims.

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