Financial Information

Developing the Budget takes several months and involves careful and detailed planning. Council considers its economic conditions, available government funding, and the region’s priorities to ensure the Budget supports current needs and future outcomes.

As work continues, further information on budget trends, cost pressures were confirmed through the Budget process. The Fees and Charges schedule and Budget information has now been published on the website.

1. Global factors impacting costs

Global events are continuing to affect supply chains and increasing the cost of delivering everyday services and infrastructure projects. In particular, higher fuel and freight costs, rising prices for construction materials and ongoing supply delays are putting pressure on service delivery, project timelines and asset maintenance. 

• Higher fuel costs: The higher fuel costs are impacting Council services, such as waste collection, road maintenance, street cleaning, and parks and mowing.
• Cost of materials: Rising costs are most evident in energy-intensive and oil-linked materials, those used predominately in construction including concrete, steel, road surfacing products and PVC piping used across infrastructure.
• Ongoing supply chain disruptions:  Challenges including supply delays, increased freight and contractor costs, and limited material availability, are placing pressure on the timely delivery of major projects and the upkeep of community infrastructure and public spaces. 

2. Economic pressures on Council

Council’s budgets are developed on the best available economic forecasts at the time. However, inflation and broader market conditions continue to affect the cost of materials, contracts and services which place added pressure on Council's operating and capital budgets.

3. Inflation

Inflation pressures remain stronger and more widespread than previously expected, with Queensland experiencing particularly high cost increases. The Reserve Bank of Australia has indicated that inflation is likely to remain higher than expected in the near term before easing gradually towards its target range of 2-3% over time. This means Council as all individuals, families and businesses do, continues to face higher costs across a wide range of goods, services and infrastructure inputs.

Rates and charges are a contribution that each ratepayer makes towards the cost of maintaining and improving a wide range of community services and facilities. These include:

• transport infrastructure network, roads, footpaths and bridges
• local sporting infrastructure
• parks, recreation spaces and cemetery services
• waste services
• library services
• regulatory and environmental services
• planning and development services
• cultural services
• economic development and regional events
• community development and cultural services
• disaster management program
• Council and public facilities maintenance
• Corporate services

Rates notices also include:

• Environmental charge
• Transport Infrastructure charges
• Waste collection charge and waste disposal charge; and
• Charges collected on behalf of the Queensland Government, such as the Rural Fire Levy and the State Emergency Management Levy.

Rates, and charges are Council’s primary source of income, supplemented by government grants, developer contributions and Council borrowings.

Council considers affordability alongside service delivery and long-term financial sustainability in each Budget.

Other factors influencing changes in rates include, changes in land valuations conducted by the Valuer General and the use of the differential rating framework. Council applies different rates to different categories of land based on how the land is used, examples are residential, commercial and rural land categories.

Costs may rise if Council increases the number or level of services provided to the community, or if the cost of providing these services increase. An example of a level of service change could be that longer opening hours for community facilities are adopted by Council.

When the cost of delivering services rises, due to inflation or higher material and labour costs, Council needs to adjust rates to maintain service levels.

Council absorbs as much of this impact as possible, but some increase is necessary to meet its responsibilities as a local government.

Each year, Council aims to balance affordability for residents with the need to fund services, infrastructure and growth required to support our growing community.

Council has also sought to categorise rural and some commercial properties into better groupings, which reflect the anticipated future areas of economic and population growth. As a result, there are a number of new rating categories in 2026-2027.

Rural 

During the most recent land revaluation, the value of grazing land had increased at a greater rate than other rural uses, as well assessing the impacts of certain rural uses of the land. Council has used the identified specific land use codes from the Department of Resources to classify the rural use based on that information. Each of the new rating categories has a different rate in dollar but the minimum rates are the same for all.

These new rating categories will be further refined in future budget to differentiate rural land uses and the impacts on council infrastructure and services. 

Commercial 

In reviewing the commercial rating category for 2026-2027, and noting the different changes in valuations for commercial and industrial land uses, the industrial uses have been separated into category 19A to acknowledge the different impacts that industrial uses have on council infrastructure and services. The rating categories have different rates in the dollar but retain the same minimum rates.

Ratepayers are encouraged to review their general rate category on the rate notice against the differential General Rating table included in the Rates and Charges brochure issued with your rate notice.

If you don't agree with the rating category your property is in you must lodge an objection with Council via the Council's Notice of Objection Against Categorisation online form.   

Objections must be in writing and received within 30 (thirty) days of rate notices being issued.  In accordance with the Local Government Regulation 2012, the only ground for objecting is that the owner considers the land should belong to a different rating category.

Council has been working on both reducing expenses and improving revenue. Efficiencies have been identified across the organisation to help lower costs, while revenue opportunities including fees and charges have also been comprehensively reviewed. The improved financial position is the result of these combined efforts.

Local governments receive only a small proportion of Australia's overall tax revenue. Approximately:

• 80% of taxation revenue is collected by the Federal Government.

• 17–18% is collected by State Governments.

• 2–3% is received by Local Governments.

Despite receiving the smallest share of taxation revenue, local governments are responsible for delivering many essential community services and responding to a wide range of local issues.

Scenic Rim Regional Council relies on approximately 21,000 properties to fund the services and programs it delivers to the community. Unlike larger councils such as Logan, Gold Coast or Brisbane City, Scenic Rim has a much smaller ratepayer base from which to generate revenue.  

That places Council at a disadvantage in trying to maintain similar services with less revenue, to maintain the region's character and lifestyle compared to other parts of south-east Queensland.

Rate funds are pooled to pay for services and infrastructure across the entire Scenic Rim community, not individual households or suburbs. This shared approach ensures all residents benefit from a well-functioning region.

2026-2027 Budget

2026-2027 Register of Fees and Charges

2026-2027 Budgeted Financial Statements(PDF, 170KB) 

2026-2027 Long Term Financial Forecast(PDF, 224KB) 

2026-2027 Revenue Statement(PDF, 381KB)

2026-2027 Ten Year Capital Program(PDF, 344KB) 

Waste Charges 2026-2027 Commercial(PDF, 294KB) 

Waste Charges 2026-27 Residential(PDF, 295KB)