General rates pay for all Council spending that is not funded from any other source.
Council charges a relatively small, fixed charge per property (the Uniform Annual General Charge), plus a larger amount based on the property's capital value. This ensures that rates are collected broadly in proportion to property values while ensuring that all properties pay a minimum amount towards the running of the city.
In 2023/24, the Uniform Annual General Charge is set at $153.00 and the standard value-based general rate at 0.211986 cents per dollar of capital value.
The value-based general rate is charged differently to businesses and some farming properties because businesses are considered to put greater pressure on Council spending and remote rural properties less pressure.
These general rate differentials are set so that business properties pay a value-based general rate which is 2.220 times the standard value-based general rate. Remote rural properties pay a value-based general rate which is 0.75 times the standard value-based general rate.
Vacant properties in the central city area - the Central City Business Zone or the Central City Mixed Use (South Frame) Zone - where no active use is being made of the land, pay a value-based general rate which is 4.523 times the standard value-based general rate.
The criteria for the business, remote rural and city vacant differentials are set out in our Rating Policy.
Remote rural operational guidelines [PDF, 355 KB] are also available.