Hedland one of only three councils to decrease rates

The Town of Port Hedland is one of just three WA local governments to decrease its rates charges this financial year, the Minister for Local Government has told State Parliament.

Speaking on February 16, Tony Simpson said Hedland’s local government had decreased the rates it charged to its ratepayers for the 2015-16 financial year by an average of 2.95 per cent.

He said the shires of Ashburton and Meekatharra were the only other local governments in WA to also decrease their rates.

By contrast, 135 other local governments had raised their average rates charges for this financial year, according to the list tabled by Mr Simpson. His comments run counter to claims by a number of Hedland councillors in recent months that the Town’s rates charges were too high and that ratepayers were not getting value for money.

Three new councillors, with the backing of the Port Hedland Ratepayers Association, were elected in October on the back of a campaign heavily criticising the Town for its rates charges and its overall budget spending.

The Town hopes to earn $25.7 million from rates charges in 2015-16, including $260,449 less from residential ratepayers than in the 2014-15 financial year.