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New reporting requirements for local governments - rates and utility charges

Amendments to the Local Government (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010 and the City of Brisbane (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010, notified in the Queensland Government Gazette on 11 March 2011, require the mandatory disclosure of the following information in all council annual budgets:

• the percentage increase, based on a direct comparison between the budget and the previous adopted budget
• the change in the total value of all general and differential rates, separate and special rates and utility (water, sewerage and waste) charges, net of discounts and remissions.

This information must be expressed as a single percentage (increase or decrease).

These amendments follow a statement issued by the former Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships in Parliament on 25 November 2010 regarding the need for clearer reporting of rates by local governments.

• Ministerial statement Clearer reporting of council rates

The publication of this figure in council budgets increases transparency so that residents and ratepayers can better understand what is happening in their council budget from one year to the next.

Further information

The Amendment Regulations and associated Explanatory Notes are available to view online at www.legislation.qld.gov.au.

Last updated on Tuesday, 07 August 2012