Your Rates Explained
Did you know:
- About 50% of our income is made up of rates and the other 50% comes from grants, user fees and charges, development contributions and interest on investments.
- The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal sets the maximum amount NSW Councils can increase their total rates by. For City of Newcastle (CN) this was 5.1% for 2025/26. CN has applied this increase in making its annual budget.
- Every three years the Valuer General is required to revalue all land within the Newcastle Local Government Area. The most recent revaluation took place during 2024/25. These land values have been used to calculate the 2025/26 rates.
- Councils across NSW are now absorbing a staggering $1.5 billion in cost shifting from State and Federal governments each year - a cumulative $11.3 billion over the past decade - according to a new report commissioned by Local Government NSW. Cost Shifting 2025: How State Costs Eat Council Rates was prepared by independent consultants Morrison Low. It reveals the $1.5 billion burden on councils is an increase of about $140 million (10 per cent) since the last report for the 2021/22 financial year, when the total cost shift was estimated at $1.36 billion.
New look rates notice
Residential rates
Business rates
Fees and charges register
Your rates at work
