Lake Macquarie City Council approves revised stormwater levy

Lake Macquarie City Council has endorsed a revised Stormwater Management Services Charge Policy in an 8-3 vote. The motion was supported by Labor and Independent councillors, while Liberal councillors Jack Antcliff, Jason Pauling, and Matt Schultz voted against it.

Council manager of assets Dayne Harris described the changes as “largely administrative” and designed to improve “clarity, transparency, and governance.” The levy is intended to address a backlog of 166 facilities requiring action, a number that has recently decreased to 127.

Under the policy, residential strata properties are charged $12.50, while businesses are charged $25 per 350 square metres of property area, up to a maximum of $5,000. During the debate, it was noted that $2.44 million was raised from the levy in the 2025-26 financial year, with $872,000 spent and $1.6 million held for future projects. Opposing councillors raised concerns regarding the necessity of the policy, with some characterizing it as a “backdoor rate rise.”