Brisbane news live: Ratepayers await Brisbane City Council budget
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Happy Brisbane budget day
By
Brisbane City Council's budget is no small fry – its $4 billion in spending last year was almost half that of the entire state of Tasmania.
We'll have reporters in the Brisbane City Council budget lock-up this morning, ready to give you all the roads, rates and rubbish news you need to know from 11am.
A rate rise is on the cards, but Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has promised costs will remain the lowest in the region and there will be no levy to pay for Cyclone Alfred damage.
The budget will include funding to redesign the 50-year-old tropical dome at the Mount Coot-tha botanic gardens, and there's likely to be a few surprises in the 2025-26 annual plan and budget.
We'll have to wait and see how much Story Bridge restoration cash is in this budget, but council wants the state and federal government to provide funding, so ratepayers should not expect it to be a large factor.
We're also interested to see council's plans for spending on roads, libraries, parks, public and active transport, and cost of living initiatives.
7.20am
Lord mayor rules out three rates levies in budget teaser
By Catherine Strohfeldt
In the council's last sitting before the budget is handed down, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has revealed Brisbane residents will not be charged levies for damage caused by Cyclone Alfred, infrastructure, or transport costs.
Speaking in yesterday's council meeting, Schrinner said he would honour his election commitment to keep Brisbane City Council rates the lowest in the south-east, and avoid adding additional charges.
'I can confirm we will not be introducing a cyclone levy, we will not be introducing an infrastructure levy, and we will not be introducing a transport levy,' he said.
'We will also make sure that residents keep their on-time payment discounts.'
Schrinner said despite many local governments in Queensland facing budget issues, the council would also renew its pensioner rebate scheme – which he said was 'hundreds and hundreds of dollars more than any other council provides' – and boost the payment by $50.
'Residents can expect a responsible budget, a balanced budget, a budget that only spends what we can afford to spend,' he said.
7.11am
Happy Brisbane budget day
By Felicity Caldwell
Brisbane City Council's budget is no small fry – its $4 billion in spending last year was almost half that of the entire state of Tasmania.
We'll have reporters in the Brisbane City Council budget lock-up this morning, ready to give you all the roads, rates and rubbish news you need to know from 11am.
A rate rise is on the cards, but Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has promised costs will remain the lowest in the region and there will be no levy to pay for Cyclone Alfred damage.
The budget will include funding to redesign the 50-year-old tropical dome at the Mount Coot-tha botanic gardens, and there's likely to be a few surprises in the 2025-26 annual plan and budget.
We'll have to wait and see how much Story Bridge restoration cash is in this budget, but council wants the state and federal government to provide funding, so ratepayers should not expect it to be a large factor.
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