Residents are in uproar as North Sydney Council proposes a possible 87% rate rise.
Witnessed by a gallery of outraged ratepayers during a Council Meeting on the 10th of February, North Sydney councillors carried a motion to submit a Special Rate Variation (SRV) application to IPART. The SRV application outlines a 45% rate increase for the 2025-26 financial year, and a 29% rate increase for the 2026-27 financial year.
Prior to the decision, concerned ratepayers packed Council chambers and 28 registered speakers addressed the matter.
The gallery vocalised their anger, saying they would rather have Council cut assets and services.
Councillor James Spenceley, Councillor Jessica Keen, and Councillor Efi Carr voted against the motion.
‘This budget is immature. It is just pushing the burden onto the rate payers, there is nothing smart or intensive about this business plan,’ said Cr Spenceley. ‘What you’ll hear tonight from the councillors is that there was community consultation, they will massage the results… it is flawed.’
Community consultation in the form of a survey completions, email submissions, and in person and phone responses found that 56% preferred Option 1, which detailed a cumulative rate increase of 65.38%.
Despite this, Council decided on a cumulative 87.5% rate increase application to the outrage of residents.
Mayor Baker and other councillors pointed to the failures of the previous “Liberal-aligned” Council, and how frivolous spending such as the bloated North Sydney Olympic Pool project has left Council in a financial crisis.
‘The failure of previous councils to address the structural issues of the minimum rate have all contributed to the current liquidity crisis and the need for the rate rise to secure financial sustainability,’ said Mayor Baker.
Whether the rate rise will occur for ratepayers is in the hands of IPART. Once an application is put forth by Council, the public are open to submitting their opinions on the matter.