North Sydney Council Rate Increase 87% - How to Complain?

slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 15:41

Next Monday, 10.02.25 my local council, North Sydney Council in NSW is voting to have a rate increase of 87%. I haven't missed a decimal point, that is eighty seven per cent!

Just to be transparent, I didn't get a wage increase of 87% this year or last, so I would prefer they aimed a bit lower. Of course this 87% is for ever, with the standard 5% CPI added on to it every year.

How do I object to this? They had a survey and the survey wouldn't let you go past half way unless you agree to their minimum amount of 65% (top figure was 111%). Is there a NSW or Federal department I can complain to about this?

The reason is half our local pool but also half a claimed backlog of work. We have been told that everyone is working hard on costs, but our Mayor still works at a legal firm, someone said one day at council and four at the legal firm. For the last 30 years the previous mayors have been full time because it is something like a $120m or $130m budget.

What should I do? Besides sitting here in anger stewing that someone can make me pay a 87% increase.

Financial Council Rates

Comments

  • holdenmg on 06/02/2025 - 15:44
    +10

    Offer them 0.85% and go to 8.5% if pushed.

  • JimmyF on 06/02/2025 - 15:46
    +2

    What should I do? Besides sitting here in anger stewing that someone can make me pay a 87% increase.

    A rate increase this much has to be approved outside the council. So put in your views to this body. In VIC this is https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/local-government/annual-council-r… not sure who does NSW.

    Out of interest, what sort of numbers are you talking? If you had cheap rates to start with then a 87% doesn't seem as bad as it first sounded. So are you talking $700 going to ~$1300 or $1600 going to ~$3000.

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 15:57

      $2400 roughly so would be $4488

        • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:11
          +1

          MSPaint, NSC is 10.9 km2 so tiny, and well established. They literally have a fleet of electric bikes to get around, as well as cars. The footpaths, oval, etc are all well established so literally nothing new being built (except redoing the olympic pool). Everything already exists here. What Council do you live in?

          PS how many m2 are you. That is on 350m2

          • coffeeinmyveins on 07/02/2025 - 08:12

            @slowlyslowly:

            NSC is 10.9 km2 so tiny, and well established.

            so literally nothing new being built (except redoing the olympic pool).

            You've sort of answered your own question here buddy.

            If the council wants to make more money and pay for huge costs like the pool, where do you think it's going to come from?

            Would you prefer that you get double density high rise apartments everywhere around you rather than houses to offset the rise?

            How long ago was the last rate rise?

      • ForkSnorter on 06/02/2025 - 17:45
        +3

        $4488

        If you owned an apartment with that level of rates, and you paid $10k in body corporate (this is pretty common for a 2-bed apartment), then the combined cost of rates, body corporate and water fees would be nearly what I was paying to rent a beautiful 2-bed apartment only 5 years ago.

    • brad1-8tsi on 06/02/2025 - 16:53
      +3

      A rate increase this much has to be approved outside the council.

      It's IPART. The Independent Pricing & Regulatory Tribunal.

      It's unlikely they will approve beyond 20%. They are fairly hard core.

      • JimmyF on 06/02/2025 - 17:12
        +2

        It's unlikely they will approve beyond 20%. They are fairly hard core.

        Sounds fair they knock it back. Anything more than 20% is crazy bad budgeting.

        Which is fair, they shouldn't just jack it up because they can't budget!

        • brad1-8tsi on 06/02/2025 - 17:19
          +3

          The government trading organisation I worked for would apply for a 10% budget increase for our maintenance programme or our capital works programme and we'd get punted to the sidelines all the time and get 3%-4%.

          So we'd reduce preventive maintenance programmes and "run to fail". Or for capital works, pull the scope back and build something that was a piece-o-junk (but won awards as a consolation). We had all the awards hanging in the entrance foyer to the office. I called it "The Wall of Shame".

          • JimmyF on 06/02/2025 - 17:41

            @brad1-8tsi:

            The government trading organisation I worked for would apply for a 10% budget increase for our maintenance programme or our capital works programme and we'd get punted to the sidelines all the time and get 3%-4%.

            I get you need to do preventive maintenance programmes, but if you need to raise the budget 10% YoY, then that's a bit harsh for those paying the bill and I would question it too I guess :)

            Wouldn't you question if your rates go up 10-20% YoY?

    • RedHab on 07/02/2025 - 10:45
      +1

      What can you do? Most states have a law where a petition of 50% of ratepayers can force either a new local council election or for the state to temporarily take over the council.

      But most ratepayers are apathetic, so it won't happen unless you do something.

      • JimmyF on 07/02/2025 - 11:09
        +1

        What can you do?

        Well not roll over and take a 87% rate increase without a fight because the council is crap at budgeting.

        Will they give a 50% rate cut in 5 years time once everything is sorted or keep their hand out for the yearly rate increases?

        87% is just short of doubling the budget! Crazy!

        Most states have a law where a petition of 50% of ratepayers can force either a new local council election or for the state to temporarily take over the council.

        Generally if it gets to the point of 'forcing' something, having a council election isn't what you want, as they are just the same bunch of inbreeds who scratch each others backs regardless of who wins. It's all just a dog and pony show to make the rate payers feel like they had a choice in the outcome.

        No different to the feds now, the core policies of either major party is the same, screw the Aussies, mass immigration, lots of under the table kick backs. Either way, they all have jobs, no matter who 'wins'. The dog and pony show goes on.

    • JimmyF on 06/02/2025 - 15:52
      +1

      To be fair, they had 3.5% increase the year before and will have a 3% increase next year. So they're doing ok.

    • Some Guy on 06/02/2025 - 18:51
      +1

      Yeah that's trash that's riddled with asterisks, exclusions and gotchas.

      My rates for an IP in Banyule CC since 2019 (owned since 2008) suggest increases in real terms of about 5% year on average:

      2019 - $1,838
      2020 - $1,933 (5.16%)
      2021 - $1,986 (2.74%)
      2022 - $1,854 (-6.64%)
      2023 - $2,156 (16.28%)
      2024 - $2,299 (6.63%)

      • Poor Ass on 07/02/2025 - 11:01

        how big is your land?

  • Russell Dupsumtucka on 06/02/2025 - 15:49
    +5

    Feeling (half) your pain from the Northern Beaches, but apparently we're affluent and can afford it.

    • jv on 06/02/2025 - 15:55
      +3

      Effluent in the Northern Beaches ???

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:02
      +1

      I saw your increase and couldn't believe it, then our Council tops it. They also want the minimum rates up, so a bedsit would go from $700 to something over $1300

  • star-ggg on 06/02/2025 - 15:50
    +21

    Next headline: "North Sydney Council increases rate by 150% to pay legal fees from increasing rates to 87%"

  • ihbh on 06/02/2025 - 15:53
    -5

    How to Complain?

    Move else where? Complain with your feet and save your wallet.

  • Dollar General on 06/02/2025 - 15:57
    +1

    Run for local government

    • Gunnar on 06/02/2025 - 17:48

      MNSGA!

  • alvian on 06/02/2025 - 15:57
    +6

    Every year IPART decides a rate peg for each council in NSW which sets the maximum amount councils can increase the revenue they collect from rates. Councils must seek IPART approval to increase their rates revenue by more than the rate peg. To do this they apply to IPART for a special variation.

    You can get involved by making a submission to an open consultation, or by attending a public hearing. We thoroughly review all submissions and your opinion informs our draft and final reports.

    How you can have your say

  • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:00
    +2

    Alvian that is just what I need! Seems like the NSW version of what Jimmy posted. My whole street is pretty peeved.

    To be honest you couldn't imagine working for a private company and asking for an 87% budget increase unless you had doubled staff or similar

    • mrdean on 06/02/2025 - 17:02
      +3

      Councils now have CEOs. They have become aligned to a corporate model being implemented on a global scale, & are run as businesses.

      If you actually know the people in your street/neighborhood & have good relations with them, that is a pretty good start to forming some sort of resistance group. There might be some lawyers/barristers or others high up in the system that could advise on what to do.

      Or you could go full sov cit.

      • Bidet Mate on 07/02/2025 - 12:21

        "But what about the bins and roads"
        -People that don't know these account for <10% of most council budgets.

        I wish Hyper-Local Governance would become more cool so I could vote for it. Be a lot harder to ask for an 87% rate increase when you're living on the same block as your constituents.

  • Fredfloresjr on 06/02/2025 - 16:07
    +5

    Time to abolish this non sense Councils lol.

  • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 16:11
    +2

    Being Mayor or councillor in local government isn't a full time job (nor is it paid like one). The council will have a business manager being paid hundreds of thousands who is the equivalent of the CEO.
    The mayor and council appoint the business manager, but don't run the council.
    The pool works at North Sydney has been woefully mismanaged, and the council has spent much more than it should.

    My guess is this is a media stunt to pressure the state government to bail them out. Personally, I don't want my state taxes bailing out your mismanaged and badly funded council.
    You probably could have avoided this drama if there was more scrutiny a few years ago, but now the council you voted for has acted on your behalf and the bill is coming due.

    • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 16:17
      +1

      For context, the council with income of $150m committed to a massive redevelopment of the heritage pool, which has blown out to $122m.

      There was no need for such a lavish upgrade, and the mismanagement that has seen a massive cost ramp is terrible.
      https://northsydneysun.com.au/community-politics/north-sydne…

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:17
      +1

      mskeggs, for the last three decades since Ted Mack the mayors have all been full time. The pay is low for the job, about $110k, but enough to live on. I assumed people did it because they loved the area. You are right the GM is on $500k. My theory is don't apply if you don't want to work full time, especially if asking ratepayers to stump up an 87%, you could have given cost cutting your full attention

    • brad1-8tsi on 06/02/2025 - 17:07
      +4

      Being Mayor or councillor in local government isn't a full time job (nor is it paid like one).

      That would be incorrect. Plenty of Mayors are full time & well paid. EG: Clover City of Sydney.

      The mismanagement of North Sydney Pool has its roots in the Sports Rorts fiasco where the government of the day decided that North Sydney qualified for a "regional" grant. It's a bun fight and so many mistakes and bad decisions made.

      OP is having a cry but the rates in the area are comparatively cheap. If they are paying $2400 then their property is worth $2.7m-$3.3m and on a reasonable block of dirt. My wife's 2 bedroom house is in Crows Nest on 150sqm is $2k/yr in rates. I'm in City of Sydney and my apartment is $1700/yr.

      It's quite an affluent demographic in the area. The Median household income is $156k.

      • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 17:22
        +1

        I didn't realise Clover Moore was such a outlier in Mayoral pay.
        Sydney Lord Mayor is paid several times the North Sydney salary.
        https://www.remtribunals.nsw.gov.au/assets/psc/LGRT-2024-Ann…

        • slowlyslowly on 07/02/2025 - 08:54
          +1

          Interesting, this morning one of my neighbours pointed out that our Mayor is paid more per day than Clover Moore. The Lord Mayor is paid close to $300k but works 5 days, ours works 1 for $110k ($550k over a week). Worth pointing out both jobs have plenty of evening and weekend commitments

      • Caped Baldy on 07/02/2025 - 10:29

        And the contract was signed on NYE with ICON who built Opal Tower…

    • brendanm on 06/02/2025 - 17:40
      +3

      Our mayor is on $280k, not including the under the table cash.

      • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 17:58
        +1

        Wow, in NSW only the Sydney Lord Mayor earns more than $150k

        • coffeeinmyveins on 07/02/2025 - 08:13

          to be fair, compared to private, 150k is pretty low. I work with junior PM's that are on that.

  • Gdsamp on 06/02/2025 - 16:18
    +6

    Due to war in ukraine, supply chain , middle east ETC

    • mboy on 06/02/2025 - 16:20
      +7

      Don't forget COVID /s

      • Gdsamp on 06/02/2025 - 16:41
        +6

        BTW Guys we flattened the inflation curve it's only 2.4%…. SOFT LANDING !

  • Cho0028 on 06/02/2025 - 16:37
    +4

    Is this the same inept council that blew out their budget on a pool refurb and decided to save their arses by raising rates?

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:40

      That is the one. They are claiming the pool is only part and they needed to anyway due to cost increases, work backlog, etc. I know they had a loan for some of the pool blowout, the aim being for pool revenue to slowly pay the loan back. Loan was $20m or simlar

  • tsunamisurfer on 06/02/2025 - 16:38

    Why are you comparing an 86% increase of rates with your income?

    86% of a thousand dollar or 2 is a few hundred.

    86% increase on tens of thousands or even over hundred thousand dollars is a huge amount.

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 16:44
      +1

      Because most expenses or even income go up by 10% or CPI, this is out of line with. Funnily enough everything in my life has gone up in the last few years, but this is out of proportion. In my case the increase isn't a few hundred but a couple of thousand, to me a large amount though possibly nothing to you.

    • R-Man on 06/02/2025 - 21:47

      "why are you comparing the % increase in one of your expenses, with the % increase on your income?"

  • neo on 06/02/2025 - 16:39
    +3

    It's all good, you'll get a

    café and gelato bar

    as well! /s

  • boomramada on 06/02/2025 - 16:53

    OP you can protest like these guys, https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/disgusting-outra…

    • CyberMurning on 06/02/2025 - 16:56
      +1

      Outrage as Northern Beaches Council votes to raise rates 40 per cent

      40 or 87 ???

  • Benoffie on 06/02/2025 - 16:55

    87%?! Wtaf?! 🙃

  • CyberMurning on 06/02/2025 - 16:55
    +2

    go strike just like those train drivers

  • askbargain on 06/02/2025 - 16:59

    was it 87% underpriced before

    • brad1-8tsi on 06/02/2025 - 17:13
      +3

      I'm quite familiar with the area and the rates are comparatively quite reasonable given land/house values. Better than what i pay for my apartment in the neighbouring municipality with a 40sqm footprint.

      The OP is correct in saying the council is incompetent. Such a massive stuff-up and you could see it coming from when the idea was first floated.

  • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 17:00
    +1

    Flaming torches and lynch mob is your best option. ; )
    Local govt are parasites. Wait till you see the waste in admin annual report, CEO wages and perks.
    LG has been dysfunctional and unnecessary since the 50's. It needs to be abolished.

    This shit (random example today) happens regularly across the country. It's a trough and springboard for poltical aspirants>

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-06/wa-premier-concern-as…

    • Jolakot on 06/02/2025 - 18:22

      Pay peanuts, get monkeys as they say

      • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 18:48

        LOL, check out the 'write your own cheque' salaries of council CEOs. And they are almost unsackaable, and get more $$ incrementally if they employ more staff, and change councils. Ergo the base rate is connected to the number of satff they have presided over.
        Rate payers pay bullion and still get monkey shit output.

        • Jolakot on 06/02/2025 - 19:56
          +1

          More so the councilors and mayor, should be a full-time job not some hobby side-gig or retiree social club, get rid of 3/4 councils and consolidate allowances to make it worthwhile.

          The CEOs do get paid decently, but still comparatively less than they would at a private company. Pay lots of peanuts, get an ape.

          • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 20:14
            -1

            @Jolakot: CEOs do get paid decently, but still comparatively less than they would at a private company

            You're forgetting the brown paper bags under the table.This is local govt we're talking about.

            And the CEO in a major company actually company does work,has responsibility,is accountable. CEO in LG, hand balls responsibility and work, ,denies blame,has legal protections well beyond private corps.It's a honey pot as as big as a trough

    • Caped Baldy on 07/02/2025 - 10:32
      +1

      Local governments have to deal with the shit that the state government palms off. As someone that has worked in local gov, there is a bit of waste and things could be more efficient. A lot of effort is wasted on the insane members of the public and NIMBYs having a cry and the councillors trying to appease the vocal minority and their vanity projects.

      • Protractor on 07/02/2025 - 10:47
        -1

        State govts should still be doing that fobbed off shit.Councils have become bullet proof tax collectors. Local govt is a cul de sac, no, a car park for productivity. We'd be better off with contractors doing the road,garden stuff etc.
        The citizen jury to state govt model is 110% better than the existing bottomless pit. But the worst part is the corruption and the agendas of councillors.RE sales ppl and developers on council? Hahaha.It's a trough.
        If any council lets a minority , NIMBY or Karen rule the roost it explains their obsolescence factor well.
        Across Australia there are no consistent laws and regs around local govt, no real cop on the beat and no productivity goals overseen. This is why it should be folded up, ASAP.
        If you want to retire at 25 get a job in local govt at 25.

    • mboy on 06/02/2025 - 17:28

      the budget must have been totally mismanaged over the last few years

      Yep, and I wonder how much of that budget they filled their own pockets with.

  • brendanm on 06/02/2025 - 17:36
    +1

    This is one of those cases where if every rate payer refused to pay they'd have to give in, but no one will do that.

  • Drakesy on 06/02/2025 - 17:47
    +1

    The North Sydney council mayor is only paid ~$80k a year so understandable that the mayor would like to keep working part time.

    However i'd expect more than 1 day a week as a mayor for that amount of money, closer to 2-3 days minimum.

    As for the uplift. This is what happens when successive councils do nothing, make the books look pretty then leave only to dump it on the incoming group.

    Happened at my work, not investment for a decade and now we have close to $100 million in backlogged work and no staff to facilitate it - luckily we have a slush fund to pay for it though.

    Unfortunately either the council goes broke and racks up a huge debt that will have massive interest payments or you pay. Yes its poor management but not a lot can be done.

    • slowlyslowly on 06/02/2025 - 18:53
      +1

      The $80K Mayor fee is plus Councillor allowance, I think up to $28k. I agree a better split timewise would be more reasonable. Being a Mayor helps her other job, she is a legal professional specialising in Local Government Law - https://www.wilshirewebb.com.au/profile_zoe_baker.html

      Interesting being mayor is listed as Pro Bono and Community Involvement, almost listing it as doing it for charity

      • Drakesy on 06/02/2025 - 20:40
        +3

        I'd like to see where her wage is going in that case.

        • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 21:36
          +1

          Crypto,LNP donations,plastic surgery.

        • slowlyslowly on 07/02/2025 - 08:28
          +1

          I think they are safe as the $110k would count under the Community Involvement - for the modest fee of $110k! That said , like you a couple more days applied to the mayor job would be good. I think half the Councils income comes from rates, say $70m, so 87% will be an extra $50m or $60M - probably enough to take a months annual leave to concentrate full time on this issue rather than slug the ratepayer $50m for ever

  • HuzzahIndeed on 06/02/2025 - 18:42

    How could they raise rates for one LGA by 87% without raising the rates for all other LGAs in the state. Councils don’t determine what makes up the brunt of your rate charge another Government department does, the value of your land makes up the largest portion of your council rates which is determined by the valuer general.

    • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 21:37
      -1

      Councils determine their own rates.It's a trough. Abolish it.

      • HuzzahIndeed on 06/02/2025 - 21:54
        +3

        It’s hard to tell with some of your posts whether you are being serious, or just joking, and are being sarcastic. Councils don’t determine their own rates for the most part. Like I said a large portion of everybody’s council rates are based on the value of their land which the valuer general determines. The council use a calculation formula which is heavily based on the land value, and also other charges they add in such as their waste charge, but the councils portion of the calculation makes up a smaller percentage not the a larger percentage like 87% that’s being discussed here.

        • Protractor on 06/02/2025 - 23:49
          -2

          What I mean is every council determines rates for that LG area. They add to that all sorts of spurious reasons to tax you even more to maintain THEIR power and lifestyle, based on the opportunistic combination of the individual councillors. Sometimes installed by little, or no, uncontested votes.It's a trough.. Fact.

    • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 21:38

      This council is planning to apply for the massive increase. It won’t necessarily be approved.
      They are in trouble because they agreed to spend $65m on an unnecessary pool upgrade ten years ago that still isn’t finished and has so far cost $120m.
      For context, the whole council budget for everything is $150m.

  • KaTst3R on 06/02/2025 - 23:53

    Who should we fire?

    • holdenmg on 07/02/2025 - 04:24
      -1

      A. Trump.

      Q. How will that help?

      A. I never said it would help.

  • holdenmg on 07/02/2025 - 04:23
    +1

    Can you become a Sovereign State or maybe a Embassy.

  • SydneySwan on 07/02/2025 - 08:14
    -1

    NS council rates have for years been the lowest in Sydney, way lower than they should have been. The previous mayor Jilly Gibson was never interested in raising them. Jilly Gibson is the person who signed the pool contract without a detailed design being completed. That is the primary reason for the pool being way over budget. The budget should always have been much larger.

    I have lived in NS council area for 32 years and am inclined to support the rate increase as a catch up measure. I have enjoyed incredibly low rates for far too long.

    Feel free to neg. I won't be responding.

  • slowlyslowly on 07/02/2025 - 08:36
    +1

    Sydney swan, you probably remember when Ted Mack refused the Mayoral Mercedes and drove his vintage Citroen, to save costs. You would also have noticed how many more blocks of units have appeared in your area and how North Sydney Business District had doubled or more in size, mostly upward. So we now have way more ratepayers, but still the same 10.9 km2 and same amount of parks.

    Agree the pool has been shockingly mismanaged.

    The new tenants and developers in North Sydney are complaining it will devastate the business district
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/metro-brought-north-sydn…

    PS This isn't a catch up measure, this is for ever - plus CPI every year. I could live with a one off special levy

  • Goonda on 07/02/2025 - 09:05

    Simple. Vote out your Teals!!!
    The council are all connected.
    What did you expect when you elected them in?

  • slowlyslowly on 07/02/2025 - 09:21
    +1

    I didn't vote for Teals, Labor or fake independents! ( we have all of those) I voted for the councillors who are opposing the increase.

    • S2 on 07/02/2025 - 10:14
      +4

      I wonder who is negging all of your comments without any reply as to why. I think your Local Major has found you. Stay safe.
      I have not voted to balance out the negs yet just so they stay visible for now.

  • cktftw on 07/02/2025 - 09:44

    This will explain (not sure if it's your council)
    Ratepayers slugged $20k for council meeting to decide whether to bump up rates

  • Piratarzt on 07/02/2025 - 10:27

    Pretty affluent part of Sydney. Maybe you guys have not been paying the market rate prior to the increase.

  • mitchalbrown on 07/02/2025 - 10:45
    +1

    Man… imagine being one of the most resource rich countries in the world and somehow… the government still has to come to it's citizens, cap in hand, begging for more cash coz they have a whole heaps of local public services and facilities to pay for… It's crazy because you look at Dubai which has masive infrastructure and public spaces to maintain and all they charge is a GST, the rest of the money is coming from Oil. How aren't we managing this with all our coal/Gas/Iron/Lithium etc etc? where's that tax going?

    • Piratarzt on 07/02/2025 - 10:56

      Dubai uses tradies that come from poor nations and pays them peanuts as well as treat them like slaves. There's that.

      • mitchalbrown on 07/02/2025 - 11:30

        My point on billions of dollars of missing tax and royalties revenue is null and void then… thank you for clearing that up for me sir. carry on!

  • BigBirdy on 07/02/2025 - 10:47
    +2

    Prime cause is the ridiculously expensive ($90-110M) redevelopment of the local swimming pool, caused by the Morrison Liberal govt determining an inner city swimming pool refurb should be funded by Regional Grants (ie a pork barrel rort)

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