Residents in Yeronga are set to experience a slight reduction in their rates, a notable outcome in the new budget that presents a varied financial outlook for homeowners across the city.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner handed down the budget on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. The changes are effective from October 1 for some new property owners and 30 June 2025, for land valuations.
Yeronga’s Rates Dip
While many Brisbane suburbs face higher costs, some, like Yeronga, will see a small percentage drop in their rates. This reduction, specifically 0.38 per cent for Yeronga, along with Tennyson (0.93 per cent down) and Mount Ommaney (1.87 per cent down), is attributed to recent changes in land valuations. This provides a minor financial reprieve for residents in these areas.
City-Wide Rate Changes and New Charges
Across Brisbane, the average owner-occupier residential rate increase is set at 4.7 per cent, translating to an additional $60 annually or $1.14 per week. The minimum increase is 3.87 per cent. Despite some land valuations jumping by up to 20 per cent in certain areas, rate increases will be capped at no more than 7.5 per cent. Suburbs experiencing the maximum rate increase include Algester, Bowen Hills, the CBD, Chermside, Fortitude Valley, Karawatha, Newstead, Robertson, South Brisbane, Stones Corner, and Taigum.
Fees and charges are broadly increasing by 4 per cent. A significant change for inner-city Brisbane unit buyers after October 1 is an additional $100 per year in rates, or $25 per quarter. This applies to properties within the “CBD frame,” encompassing areas such as Toowong, Milton, West End, Highgate Hill, South Brisbane, New Farm, Newstead, Teneriffe, Albion, Bowen Hills, Kangaroo Point, Herston, and Kelvin Grove. Council anticipates this change will generate approximately $1.4 million in extra revenue from around 7,000 unit sales annually.
Lord Mayor Schrinner stated that 90 per cent of the city’s ratepayers paid only the minimum general owner-occupier rate, and it was considered unfair that many owners of luxury inner-city units also paid this minimum.
A new city-wide rollout of green bins is also part of the budget. Ratepayers will be charged an extra $49.52 per year for these bins, even if they choose not to receive one or already possess one. This will increase the “universal” waste fee (covering red, yellow, and green bins) to $512.96 annually.
Council aims to divert waste from landfills to reduce payments to the state government, which the Lord Mayor described as a “large scale tax avoidance scheme” against a state government “bin tax.” Approximately 170,000 households, or half of all eligible properties, currently have a green bin.
Infrastructure and Community Spending
Significant funding is allocated to the Story Bridge, with $18 million for the next year. This includes $6.7 million for a new footpath deck, with hopes of reopening at least one path before the end of the year, $6 million for urgent repairs, and the remainder for a business case to upgrade the bridge.
In terms of community support, the on-time payment rates discount will continue, benefiting about 273,000 people and saving them a collective $47 million. The pensioner rebate is increasing by $50 to $1298, and the popular $2 Summer Dips council pool entry will also continue. Council notes $69.5 million for Brisbane Libraries and $33.4 million for Botanic Gardens. A key commitment is that 85 per cent of the $4.1 billion budget will be invested in the suburbs.
Locally, for Yeronga, the budget includes road resurfacing projects on Orlando Road, Orsova Road, and Utzon Street, along with ongoing restoration of the Yeronga Memorial Park Memorial Wall.
Community Concerns and Transparency
Despite some positive announcements, the budget has drawn criticism for its perceived lack of transparency and minimal investment in certain essential local projects. Council’s Labor Leader Jared Cassidy stated that Council seemed to “sneak through new taxes” to boost its finances and that increasing costs for apartment living made affordable housing harder in Brisbane.
He also pointed out that Council “gloated” about $470 million in spending cuts, which he claimed led to hundreds of staff losses over two years, while senior councillors reportedly took expensive overseas trips. A Council spokeswoman, however, indicated a net reduction of 142 staff since last July, disputing Mr. Cassidy’s estimate of up to 480 job losses.
From the perspective of Tennyson Ward Councillor Nicole, the 2025-26 budget is “lacklustre,” with minimal funding for crucial city-wide projects beyond basic infrastructure, such as only $13 million for the Story Bridge. She expressed concern over the lack of detailed program and project figures in the budget for the second consecutive year, suggesting a troubling lack of transparency.
Councillor Nicole highlighted specific “lowlights” for Tennyson Ward, including no new funding for new footpaths (city-wide), road upgrades, intersection upgrades, traffic calming, kerb and channel work, community street tree plantings, or new bikeways. She also noted only one dog off-leash upgrade, one new playground, and one park facility upgrade planned for the ward.
Financial Overview
The $4.1 billion budget for this year is projected to achieve a $298 million surplus, with net debt expected to decrease to $2.9 billion by 2028-29. Deputy Mayor Fiona Cunningham stated that assets have risen to $45.2 billion. She also claimed that rates would have increased by 30 per cent if Labor and the Greens had been elected last year, citing $3.5 billion in unfunded promises and no identified savings.
Ms Cunningham acknowledged that Queensland councils have been underfunded by state and federal governments for years and noted soaring construction costs, including a 40 per cent increase for concrete and 26 per cent for other building materials.
Published Date 24-Jun-2025
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