Rate capping

The "Fair Go Rates" system limits the amounts Council can increase rates in a financial year. Each year the Minister for Local Government sets the rate cap for the next financial year. A rate cap of 3.5% applies for this financial year.

Each year, the Government sets a limit on how much councils can increase average rates. That means the total rates raised by the Council goes up by, in this case, 3.5%. Individual people’s rates may go up by more or less. If this cap prevents the provision of services and infrastructure, Councils can apply for a higher increase. Mount Alexander Shire did not apply for a rate variation for 2022/2023.

Probably not. The rate cap does not apply to individual rates notices. It also does not apply to waste charges or the fire services property levy. The rate cap only applies to general rates, which means the cap applies to the average rate charged by the Council across all properties.

We calculate the average rate by dividing the rates revenue for services by the value of properties in the shire.

Your rates increase might vary from the rate cap increase that has been set. This will depend on how we distribute rates between different types of property. For instance, farms pay a lower rate than residential properties, and residences pay less than businesses.

Your rate will also vary depending on how much your property changed in value.

The total rates we receive will increase by 3.5%. Property prices and property types determine how the community shares that increase.

For more, see our page on how we calculate rates.

No. The money Council receives is set in advance. Property values determine how that is distributed. More expensive properties pay higher rates than less expensive ones. All properties are revalued annually as at 1 January. Valuations are conducted by qualified, independent valuers.

Read more on property valuations.