Premier

Delivering A Fairer Go For Victorian Ratepayers

19 December 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is making things fairer for ratepayers – setting the cap on Victorian council rate rises at 2.5 per cent, matching the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2019-20.

Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek said the Labor Government’s Fair Go Rates has ended the uncontrolled rate rises seen over the past decade and put the power back in the hands of Victorian families.

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) recommended that there be one cap across the state – and as per previous years, has applied the CPI forecast by the Department of Treasury and Finance.

An independent report by the ESC released last week found that nearly all Victorian councils complied with the 2018-19 rate cap – proving that Labor’s Fair Go Rates is working.

Fair Go Rates is encouraging councils to improve accountability and transparency, ensuring they are listening to their communities and delivering the services that matter most.

In the decade before Labor introduced Fair Go Rates, council rates increased by an average of 6 per cent per annum.

Since then, the rate cap has been in line with CPI – 2.5 per cent in 16/17, 2.0 per cent in 17/18 and 2.25 per cent in 18/19.

For more information on Fair Go Rates, including the advice of the ESC, visit delwp.vic.gov.au/fairgoratesExternal Link .

Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek

“Our Fair Go Rates cap is working – protecting Victorians from unfair rate rises and saving families money.”

“This new cap is about getting a fairer outcome for ratepayers and encouraging councils to work with their communities to deliver the things that matter most to locals.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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