council
Understanding Rates
council
Understanding Rates
Find out how your rates are calculated, how rate capping works and the rating structure for this financial year.

Announcement

For information on understanding your rates and valuation notice, you can read our 'Your 2022/2023 Rates Explained' brochure.

Rates are based on the capital improved value (CIV) of each property multiplied by the rate in the dollar.

The CIV is the total market value of the land, plus buildings and other improvements.

Council sets the rate in the dollar each year. This helps Council work out what your rates will be.

Rates cover the financial year from 1 July to 30 June and are generally issued by mid August.  GST is not applied to rates.

CIV x rate in the dollar = rates

There is also a Municipal Charge, this is the same charge no matter what type of property you have.

Council uses a differential rating system. This means there is a different rate in the dollar for different property types or categories.

For more information on council's differential rate definitions, please refer to pages 28-30 of the 2022-23 Budget.

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2022-23 Rates and other charges

The Capital Improved Value shown on your rates and valuation notice is the total market value of the land, plus buildings and other improvements.

Capital Improved Value (CIV) x rate in the dollar = rates

General Rate

0.00290802 rate in the dollar

Commercial/Industrial Rate

0.00407123 rate in the dollar

Farm Rate

0.00232641 rate in the dollar

Farm Rate guidelines and application: Classification as Farm Rate Application.

You may be eligible for a Single Farm Enterprise exemptions. See our Single Farm Enterprise Application.

Other charges

These other charges may also apply to your property

$237 - Municipal charge. For more details see explanation below.

$37 - Waste Levy (see below for an explanation of the levy)

$418 - 3 bin waste service - general waste, green waste, recycling

$365 - 2 bin waste service - general waste and recycling

$247 - Rural waste charge

Additional bin services:
$220 - Household waste (red lid)

$165 - Green waste (green lid)

$165 - Recycling

Choose how you receive your rate notice

We send your rate notice to the mailing address you have given us.

If you prefer, you can get your rate notice by email or through online banking.

Rate notices by email

You can now register to receive your rate notice by email. You will need a copy of your recent notice to locate:

1.     Your Council Assessment Number

2.     Name Details as shown exactly on this notice.

Register here and follow the prompts.

Your next rate notice will be automatically sent to your email address.

Rate notices in BPAY View

You can get your rates notice through your internet banking using BPAY View.

BPAY View lets you securely receive, pay and store your rates notices online.

Register for BPAY View:
  1. Log into your internet banking account.
  2. Look for the BPAY View or View Bills section.
  3. Register to receive your council rates notice by entering Biller Code 125864
  4. Enter your BPAY View registration number: (use your BPAY REF No. from the bottom of your rates notice)
  5. Enter your last name: your surname exactly as it is shown on your rates notice.

Your next rate notice will be sent to your internet banking account.

Concessions

To see if you are eligible for a Municipal Rates Concession, visit the Department of Human Services' rates concession page.

To receive a concession, your card address must be the same as the address of the property that you are claiming the concession on.

Health care card holders do not get a discount on their rates.

Eligible pensioners can receive the below concessions for their principal place of residence (including farms):

  • Council: $60.36
  • Victorian Government: up to $253.20
  • Fire Services Property Levy: $50

You must currently hold one of these cards:

  • Pensioner Concession Card
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card showing War Widow or TPI

Contact us for an application form.

Holders of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Cards for EDA and POW

The legislation relating to the Municipal Rates Concession does not allow councils to give concessions to holders of these cards.

The Victorian Government provides this concession directly to these cardholders, see the Department of Human Services rates concession page for details.

Levies - Waste Levy, Fire Services Property Levy

What is the Waste Levy Charge on my rates notice?

The Environment Protection Authority (VIC) is imposing an 18% increase to landfill levies. This applies to all waste disposed at Council's landfills.

This increase equates to almost $1 million in additional costs to operate our landfills in the 2022-23 financial year. The increase in fuel costs is also contributing to the increased costs of Council’s waste operations.

Council is taking a different approach to address the cost increases.

Rather than increasing the cost of disposal fees at waste sites, Council believes a $37 levy per property is more effective and equitable. Not increasing waste disposal fees will encourage residents to dispose of waste responsibly and help mitigate illegal dumping.

Farming properties that are part of a Single Farming Enterprise and are exempt from the Municipal Charge will also be exempt from the Waste Levy.

To support this approach, Council has not increased the price for kerbside waste collection or the fees at the waste sites. These fees would otherwise have seen a 7% increase. Council will also reduce the cost for the disposal of mattresses, as they are a commonly dumped item. The cost to collect and dispose of illegally dumped items falls back to Council.

EPA Landfill Levy Cost Per Tonne of Waste

Waste Category                                                       Year

                                               2020-21         2021-22        2022-23

Domestic                          $33.03          $52.95           $62.95

Commercial & Industrial  $57.76          $93.19          $110.79

Fire Services Property Levy

Key details about the Fire Services Property Levy:

  • The levy was a key recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.
  • Councils, rather than insurance agencies, now collect the levy to ensure all property owners contribute to fire services.
  • It applies to all properties in Victoria.
  • The rate of the levy is set by the Victorian Government.
  • All levy funds are forwarded to the Victorian Government.
  • Council does not keep any of the levy

See the Fire Levy website for more information.

Municipal Charge explained

The Municipal Charge is not a waste collection charge.

All properties have two components in the calculation of the rates:

  • A flat charge (Municipal Charge), and
  • a calculated amount (Rate in the Dollar calculation), which is determined by the valuation of the property.

The Municipal Charge being the same for all properties means everyone shares some of the Council operating costs equally.

The valuation component means the ratepayer is paying a component of rates proportionate to the value of the property, ie. the higher the value, the higher the rate.

Some farm properties are exempt from the Municipal Charge if they are part of a single farm enterprise.

Having a Municipal Charge reduces the amount that needs to be collected in the form of rates attached to a property's value.

No more than 20% of our total rate income can be generated through the Municipal Charge.

We generate approximately 14% of revenue from this charge.

Recent Municipal Charge amounts:

2022-23    $237

2021-22    $233

2020-21    $230

2019-20    $230

2018-19    $289.71

2017-18    $283.34

2016-17    $277.78

2015-16    $271

2014-15    $260

2013-14    $234

2012-13    $225

Victorian Government 'Fair Go' Rate Cap

The rate cap applies to council’s total rate and municipal charge revenue, not individual rate assessments.

If your rates increase by more than the advertised rate increase this is likely due to:

  • Your property value has gone up or down more or less than the average change in valuations for the same type of properties.
  • Other charges and levies not subject to the cap, such as waste charges, may have gone up more than the average rates increase. The cap only applies to general rates and the municipal charge.
  • The amount of rates levied from properties of that type (residential, commercial/industrial or farm) has changed through the Council’s application of differential rates.

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