Shoalhaven City Council Labor Councillors, supported by Liza Butler MP, Member for South Coast and Fiona Phillips MP, Member for Gilmore, have voiced their strong opposition to Shoalhaven Council’s proposed 44% rate rise.
Feedback from the Community has been overwhelmingly against a rate increase of this magnitude. What the community would like to see is Council commit to a vast range of cost saving measures instead of continuing a model of service that is obviously not working and is digging residents into a bottomless black hole that they are left to pay for.
Residents across NSW and the South Coast are facing a cost-of-living crisis and people just cannot afford to pay an additional 44% on their rates.
Local Labor representatives across all levels of government are urging the Council to focus on core services such as looking after our parks and gardens, fixing our local roads, and maintaining our existing assets that have been neglected while applying financial efficiencies and savings within the organisation.
Shoalhaven City Council's new CEO, Robyn Stevens, will begin work on Monday 12 February, two weeks after Councillors vote on the rate variation. As Council will have 17 months to make the required financial efficiencies before a final SRV rate application to IPART, it would be wise to allow Ms Stevens the opportunity to address the financial shortfall in the Council budget before forcing ratepayers into paying an additional 44%.
Achieving financial efficiencies will involve all Councillors assuming discipline in the nomination of priority projects and refraining from putting forward additional unfunded projects that affect Councils budget. Council needs to set financial targets for any cost saving measures and curb all overspending against the budget.
Labor Councillors John Kotlash, Matthew Norris, and Gillian Boyd, along with Liza Butler and Fiona Phillips, are calling on all Councillors to vote against this massive rate rise and for all Councillors to work together to achieve the best outcome for the ratepayers of the Shoalhaven.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO LIZA BUTLER
“We know that people are doing it tough in the face of rising cost of living pressures.”
“In New South the cost-of-living crisis is worse because of a decade of privatisation.”
“This is why the NSW Government provided more than $8.2 billion in support through more than 130 different measures in the 2023-24 Budget.”
“Importantly, the NSW Government is making responsible choices about how we spend public money to repair the state’s Budget and not add to inflation.”
“I call on the Council to adopt this approach and curb spending while finding cost saving measures instead of transferring the cost to the rate payer.”
“I urge all Councillors to vote against a 44% rate rise and instead urge Council to look for greater internal savings before voting for a rate hike of such magnitude.”
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIONA PHILLIPS
“I hear from local people every day who are struggling with the cost of living – worried about keeping a roof over their head and putting food on the table. A rate rise of this size is simply unaffordable.”
“What we need across all levels of government are sensible proposals which support those doing it tough, while continuing to temper inflation. This means difficult decisions have to be made.”
“I have spent years working hard to deliver significant funding support to Shoalhaven City Council – whether that be with disaster recovery funding, significant assistance to improve local roads, and local projects such as footpaths, hall upgrades and so much more.”
“What I want to see Council focus on is delivering projects that are already underway and getting back to basics across the board – Council must urgently restore trust with local people by demonstrating it can get control of its finances without placing undue burdens on those that are already doing it tough enough.”
“I remain hopeful that all Councillors can put politics aside and come up with a plan that is in the best interest of the whole community – because that is what local people deserve.”
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO JOHN KOTLASH
“Council needs to switch from building new things to maintaining old things. Council needs to adopt a minimal rate rise because our ratepayers are already bleeding. Ratepayers know that service levels will decline and expect that before rate rises Council will do more to save money. Council will not be building shiny new expensive things and asking ratepayers to pay for it.”
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MATTHEW NORRIS
“I have listened to the community, and they have spoken loud and clear, they want a council that goes back to basics and focuses on the assets we already have. They want to see our current assets maintained rather than brand new shiny assets we can’t afford. Our community should not be forced to pay such a hike in rates while the basics aren’t right.”
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO GILLIAN BOYD
“On 20 November 2023, Council resolved to take a proposed 44% rate increase to the community for response. In response, I have received a resounding NO. Council needs to dig deep to find efficiencies and deliver the basic services well and not live beyond the means of its ratepayers.”
