Ipswich Council adopts $39 rural fire charge and new rates levies

Ipswich City Council has adopted a $39 a year 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 minimum annual charge of $65. The resolution was passed at the extraordinary council budget meeting on 30 June 2026, ahead of the 1 July start of the new financial year.

The charges were part of a broader 2026-27 budget package. Councillors also resolved that rates and charges, including the Emergency Management Levy, will be levied quarterly, and that overdue rates and charges will attract interest at 12.19% a year from 1 July 2026.

The Rural Fire Brigades special charge applies to rateable land that specially benefits from the service. The separate charge also applies across rateable land in the local government area.

The Ipswich Enviroplan separate charge is $68 a year. The Infrastructure Separate Levy is 0.00614 cents in the dollar on rateable value, with a minimum separate rate of $65 a year, and is for the funding of strategic infrastructure projects.

The same meeting also adopted the 2026-27 Budget, the Annual Plan 2026-2027 and a new procurement framework. Mayor Teresa Harding delivered the 2026-2027 Annual Plan and Budget Speech before councillors voted on the package.

Budget papers also confirmed waste management charges for 2026-27, including a household waste service charge of $553.00 and a non-household waste levy of $110.80. Councillors adopted a concession framework for eligible pensioners and granted a 100% concession of differential general rates for properties listed in Attachment 1.

The new charging arrangements take effect from 1 July 2026. Council also authorised instalment arrangements and discounts for early payment.

Council adopted the Debt Policy, Investment Policy, Financial Management Policy and Procurement Policy for 2026-27 at the same meeting.