funding · Ipswich City Council
Ipswich Council adopts 2026-2027 budget, rates and charges
Ipswich City Council adopted its 2026-2027 Budget at an extraordinary meeting on Nicholas Street, setting rates, charges and policies from 1 July 2026, including a $553 household waste service charge.
Ipswich City Council has adopted its 2026-2027 Budget at an extraordinary meeting in the council chambers on Nicholas Street, Ipswich, locking in the rates, charges and policy settings that will apply from 1 July 2026. The budget was adopted with the long-term financial forecast, forecast financial statements, revenue statement, revenue policy and financial sustainability measures.
Mayor Teresa Harding delivered the annual budget speech before councillors adopted the package at the 30 June 2026 meeting.
The council also adopted rating categories for rateable land across the local government area. The categories include rules for Brookwater and non-Brookwater residential land, owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied property, vacant land and multi-residential schemes. The resolution says each parcel will be assigned the category recorded in council’s rating files when a quarterly rating assessment notice is issued.
Council resolved to levy a household waste service charge of $553.00 and a non-household waste levy of $110.80. It also adopted a $39 annual Rural Fire Brigades special charge, a $3 annual Rural Fire Brigades separate charge, a $68 annual Ipswich Enviroplan separate charge and an Infrastructure Separate Levy of 0.00614 cents in the dollar, with a minimum annual charge of $65.
Rates and charges, including the Emergency Management Levy, will be levied quarterly. The timetable adopted by council sets payment dates of 20 August 2026, 19 November 2026, 18 February 2027 and 20 May 2027. Overdue rates will attract interest at 12.19% a year from 1 July 2026.
Council also adopted a concession framework for eligible pensioners and granted a 100% concession of differential general rates for the properties listed in Attachment 1.
Ipswich City Council also adopted the Debt Policy, Investment Policy and Financial Management Policy for 2026-2027. It approved a new Procurement Policy, Procurement and Contracts Manual and Annual Contracting Plan, all effective from 1 July 2026.
The Annual Plan 2026-2027 was adopted separately, including the Annual Operational Plan and Capital Works Program, while the City Annual Budget 2026-2027 was handled in a separate report. Councillors also adopted the annual plan before approving the budget and associated matters.
Reference minutes
Source: Ipswich City Council Extraordinary Council - 30 Jun 2026 9:00 AM - Budget minutes.
Key facts from the minutes
- Ipswich City Council adopted the 2026-2027 Budget and associated financial documents at an extraordinary meeting on 30 June 2026.
- Council adopted differential rating categories for rateable land, including separate rules for Brookwater and non-Brookwater properties.
- Household waste service charge was set at $553.00 and the non-household waste levy at $110.80.
- Council adopted a $39 Rural Fire Brigades special charge, a $3 Rural Fire Brigades separate charge, a $68 Ipswich Enviroplan separate charge and an Infrastructure Separate Levy of 0.00614 cents in the dollar, with a $65 minimum.
- Rates and charges will be levied quarterly, with payment dates set for 20 August 2026, 19 November 2026, 18 February 2027 and 20 May 2027.
- Overdue rates will attract interest at 12.19% per annum from 1 July 2026.
- Council adopted a concession framework for eligible pensioners and granted a 100% concession of differential general rates for properties listed in Attachment 1.
Why it matters
- The budget fixes the rates, charges, concessions and financial policies that will apply across Ipswich from 1 July 2026, and it also locks in council’s spending priorities and capital works for 2026-2027.