Redland City Council keeps $6 rural fire brigade charge on rate notices

Redland City Council has kept a $6.00 per annum per-lot separate charge for rural fire brigades after adopting its 2026-2027 budget at a special meeting in Cleveland on Tuesday, 30 June. The charge applies to all rateable properties in the city and is expected to raise about $455,000.

The resolution carries the name Redland City Rural Fire Brigade Separate Charge. Councillors voted 10-0 in favour. Cr Jos Mitchell was absent from the meeting.

Under the arrangement, the funds will be paid to the Local Area Finance Committee under the direction of the Queensland Fire Department.

Council says the money supports rural fire brigades that respond to fires, work with QFD staff on planning and preparation, including hazard reduction burns, use authorised Fire Wardens to manage fire permits, and help with community education on fire behaviour and prevention. The brigades are staffed by volunteers from the community.

The charge was already being levied in 2025-2026 as a separate charge, after previously being a special charge. Council has now kept the amount unchanged for 2026-2027.

The rural fire brigade levy was one of several fees and charges adopted in the budget. Council also approved higher rates and utility charges, with total revenue from those charges rising 11.23 per cent compared with 2025-2026.

In her budget address, Acting Mayor Julie Talty said the median general rate for owner-occupied Category 1A homes would rise by about 5.47 per cent, while commercial and industrial properties would rise by around 6.5 per cent.

For ratepayers, the rural fire brigade charge will appear on rate notices from 1 July 2026. It sits alongside the Environment and Coastal Management separate charge, which rises from $258.00 to $280.48 per property, the new $99.52 landfill remediation charge, and new rating categories for shopping centres and retirement and lifestyle villages.

Council’s 2026-2027 budget papers and revenue statement now set the framework for the coming year’s billing, including collection of the rural fire brigade funds across the city and payment through the Queensland Fire Department system.