Your rates pay for a wide variety of infrastructure and Council services that support our community and City.
Take a look at the full details of what we've achieved with past rates income in Council Annual Reports.
You can read how the Council plans to spend this year’s rates income in the Annual Plan and Budget Estimates. This plan underwent community consultation with residents and ratepayers of Burnie before its approval by Council.
See details about our key strategic deliverables (goals) for the future in the Council’s Plan 2022-2025.
Some of the services that rates help pay for are:
Waste and recycling collection and disposal
Animal control
Community facilities such as the Aquatic Centre and Cultural Centre
The Burnie Airport
Street lighting and cleaning
Local roads, footpaths and drainage
Stormwater disposal services
Operation of halls and community centres
Maintenance of parks, playgrounds and sports grounds
Youth, family and social services
Community events
Other works, programs and facilities
Rates include a general rate plus service rates and charges. The full Rates Resolution is available below.
General Rates
A general rate is a tax that reflects the land, capital or Assessed Annual Value (AAV) of the property. It may involve an additional fixed charge which applies equally to every property. A council may make a general rate whether or not it provides any services to the land upon which the rating is made.
Fire Services Levy
This is income that the Council is required to pass on to the State Government through the Tasmania Fire Service.
Under the Local Government Act 1993 Council is required to make a service rate in respect of fire service contributions it must collect under the Fire Service Act 1979, for the rateable parcels of land within the municipal area of Burnie.
Landfill Levy
You will notice a new levy on your rates notice this year called a Landfill Levy.
The new waste levy of $10.84 per property or tenement is a State Government levy that all councils are required to collect on behalf of the State Government Department of Natural Resources and Environment. The levy will be used to fund various waste management programs and projects across Tasmania to create a circular economy.
For more information refer to Landfill Levy FAQs
Service Charges
A service charge is a fixed charge payable on each property. The charge may differ depending on the type of service or circumstances in a particular area. In some situations, if a service is not provided or is unavailable, the prescribed rate or charge for that service may not apply
The Council levies service charges for:
- Municipal Waste Management;
- Kerbside Collection – garbage and/or recycling; and
- Stormwater Removal.
Remission requests for eligible properties (refer to the Rates and Charges Policy):
Discount for Early Payment
The Council provides a 2.0% discount of the total current rates and charges (excluding fire and waste levies) specified in a rates notice, where all rates and charges associated with the 2022-23 financial year rates and charges, as well as any arrears, are paid in full by 5.00pm on 31 August 2022.
Property Valuations
Properties in Tasmania are re-valued by the State Government through the Office of the Valuer-General under the Valuation of Land Act 2001, for local government rating and tax purposes.
General revaluations are issued every six years, with properties within the Burnie municipal next scheduled for valuation in 2026.
In 2022-23 an interim Adjusted Annual Assessed Value (AAV) has been provided by the Office of the Valuer-General to take account of the significant increases in property values since the last valuation occurred. These adjusted valuations are the values on which properties have been rated.
If you disagree with your valuation, you can lodge an objection with the Office of the Valuer-General within 60 days of the receipt of your valuation notice. Objections can be lodged online at www.nre.tas.gov.au/ovg. A form may also be downloaded from their website.
Fees and Charges
The 2022-2023 fees and charges were adopted by Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 28 June 2022. Click here for a full list of the fees and charges.
Concessions are available to eligible pensioners on their council rates.
To be eligible for the discount the ratepayer must live at the property and on 1 July each year hold one of the following: Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card.
Download: Rates Application for Pension Remission(PDF, 99KB)
Submit Pension Remission Online