Voice of Douglas Ratepayers shouts down Shire's Budget moves
Douglas Shire Ratepayers
The Douglas Shire Ratepayers Association has slammed Douglas Shire Council’s “big rate increases” while showing absolute resistance to organisational review aimed at improving efficiency and keeping costs down.
Ratepayers Association President John Sullivan, in a letter addressed to Council CEO Scott Osman and Councillors says while the association cannot change the budget, it has a role to raise concerns on behalf of ratepayers, many of whom are already struggling with cost-of-living increases and will be badly affected by Council’s decision to increase its rates and charges almost triple the expected inflation rate.
In his letter, Mr Sullivan says the concerns are exacerbated by the recent 2026/2027 Budget adopted by Council.
“In the past five years, prior to this year’s increase, average rates increased by 37 per cent. Effective rate increases for some in 2024/25 was 9.4 per cent and 2025/26 was 10.4 per cent,’’ the advice claims.
“While the total yield for rates and charges is around 8.5 per cent for this new financial year (2026/27), our calculations indicate that many ratepayers will experience increases well above this level.
“Indeed, the budget intention has left it to ratepayers, in residential areas and for pensioners, to carry most of the load for the Council’s insatiable appetite to increase revenues without equivalent increases in services.
“This year Council has reduced the number of differential rating categories resulting in big general rate increases in residential areas.
Douglas Shire Ratepayers Association provided “glaring examples” on a street-by-street basis of the increases showing residents in Port Douglas’s Sandpiper street cop a 14.41 per cent general rate increase (14.12% accounting for 300Kl of water) at a dollar figure of $712.29 extra for the year.
In Craiglie’s Millman Drive, the general rate increase is 14.59 per cent or $643.52; Bonnie Doon is 17.02 per cent or $599.77 for Barrbal St.
Harper St, Mossman pays an extra $450.82; Andrews St, Newell is at $304.21; Allamanda Drive, Cooya $358.74; and in Marlin Drive, Wonga the whopping 19.84 per cent general rate increase means an extra $377.71 a year.
The data represents more than half the ratable properties in the Shire.
“Properties in Newell, Cooya and Wonga have been insulated by total rate increases because they do not have sewerage services which have increased by 25 per cent in cost,’’ the statement says.
“The reality is though that the majority of properties have had general rate increases of between 12 per cent and 14 per cent when considering rates and service charges.
“The annual dollar value increases range from $304 to $712 per year. This is well above the current expected level of inflation for the coming financial year of 4 per cent - in fact three times the expected level of inflation.
“The plight for pensioners living in these areas, because the $350 reduction in pensioner remission, means their rates will increase between $654 and $1062 per year. And Council is predicting it will make things a lot worse for pensioners in the 2028/2029 year – the year after the next Council election – with pensioner remissions being reduced by another 34 per cent.’’
Services charges have increases by up to $370 in total, rising from $2669.58 to $3039.40 year-on-year.
“While the association cannot change the Budget decisions, it has a role to raise with concerns on behalf of ratepayers, many of whom are already struggling with cost-of-living increases and will be badly affected by Council’s decision, to increase its rates and charges almost triple the expected inflation rate, and well above most all local governments in Queensland,’’ Mr Sullivan said.