Brisbane Council criticised for hidden rate hikes on unit owners

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced an average household rate increase of 3.97 % for Brisbane in the June budget, but the figure applied only to freestanding houses. Data shows unit owners faced much larger rises – up to about 13 % between June and September, with the budget line for owner‑occupied units indicating a 14 % increase and non‑owner‑occupied homes rising 7.74 %. The widely promoted 7.5 % cap on rate growth does not cover owners paying the “minimum rates base”. Residents such as Suzanne Hall described the council’s communication as misleading and warned that the “tall, not sprawl” policy, which encourages apartment construction, appears to benefit the council’s finances. Schrinner defended the rates, claiming they remain lower than elsewhere in south‑east Queensland and would have been higher under a Labor administration.