Community
30 April, 2025
Plea over village rate rises
THE Retirement Living Council has written to Cairns Mayor Amy Eden “strongly opposing” the council’s proposed rating category changes for retirement villages which could result in an 800 per cent in rate rises.
Under the proposals, one property – the Oak Tree Retirement Village – will have its rates rise from $9603 a year to $82,613.30 or about $21 a week per unit extra.
The council says the proposal addresses the inequalities compared to other multi-dwelling properties.
Living council executive director Daniel Gannon said the changes if enacted “will have serious financial consequences for some of the most vulnerable residents in your community – older Australians, many of whom are pensioners and live on fixed, low incomes in our communities”.
He said the council’s proposal would directly increase costs for pensioners and retirees, forcing them to make impossible choices between essential expenses like food, utilities and healthcare.
“For a pensioner living on approximately $1100 per fortnight, an increase of even $75 per month is financially debilitating. The RLC urges Cairns Regional Council to immediately reconsider this proposal.”
