On-street parking fees will remain unchanged and pensioner discounts will be retained as council reviews fees and charges for more than a thousand service offerings for the upcoming financial year.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said council always sought to keep all fees and charges as low as possible, with more than 60 per cent of fees set only for cost recovery or below.
“Council reviews our fees and charges for ratepayer services every year, to ensure we are delivering best value for money for our residents,” Mayor Harding said.
“This year most fees and charges will see a small increase of about 4.5 per cent, in line with the forecast Council Cost Index.”
The Council Cost Index is a specific indexation which reflects forecasted growth in the cost of council providing services to the community, calculated based on anticipated growth in wages, construction costs and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Mayor Harding said council provided a wide range of services to the community, with the annual fees and charges review focused on minimising cost impacts while ensuring council can continue to deliver services to ratepayer expectations.
“This year, council is introducing a new fee of $1.70 per quarter, applicable from 1 January 2027, to help recover the cost of providing paper copies of rates notices,” Mayor Harding said.
“Council provides electronic rates notices at no cost, and this small fee is designed to encourage the uptake of this free service, and assist in minimising paper usage. This fee is not applicable to pensioners.”
Waste fees
Finance and Governance Committee Chairperson Councillor Paul Tully said fees for waste services will rise from 1 July, with the fee for disposing of up to 500kg of domestic waste at Riverview Recycling and Refuse Centre to be set at $24 for ratepayers, and $19 for pensioners.
Waste disposal at Rosewood Recycling and Refuse Centre will be $24 for the first two cubic metres, or at $19 for pensioners.
Green waste disposal fees have been maintained at 2025 levels at $14 and $11 for pensioners.
“We know the community is doing it tough as Australia faces inflation, rising cost of living and the pressures of the international economy,” Cr Tully said.
“Council is working hard to keep costs as low as possible to our community, while delivering responsible and fair fees and charges for the many and varied services we provide to the community.
“Pensioner rebates across a range of services will remain, and discounts for timely payment of rates and dog registrations are other ways council can help keep costs low.”
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