A new financial year, a new SDRC budget. Not surprisingly, expect to pay slightly more for most things and substantially more for a few things. Ironically the good news is that the cost of internment, or burial, at many of the local cemeteries has reduced fairly significantly depending on location.
Most council fees and charges for residents are increasing by a number hovering just over 3%. That figure must be considered alongside other indexes including the annual inflation rate for 2024 which came in at around 2.4%; the consumer price index (CPI) which was 2.4%; and the Living Cost Indexes which increased between 2.8% and 4.7% across all households.
The number one question for many residents is whether rates are increasing and the answer is yes: residential 1 by 7.46% and residential 2 by 3.7% (both on average).
Here are some highlights of the 2025/26 budget.
Planning applications
A sampling of fees and charges in the budget is indicative of the general price rise. For instance, basic building fees are going up between 3.7 and 4.92 percent with class 10 buildings rising 26%. Alterations and additions to your home not exceeding 50 square meters will cost 21.59% more in fees. Inspection fees, building searches application fees, building removals applications are all increasing. Applications for preliminary approval of building works and related application are rising by around 3.78%.
Impact assessment for development fees are rising between 4 and 7.89 %; code assessments are rising between 2.06% (for a dwelling house) to 6 % (short term accommodation). Dwelling houses that are multiple code assessable which have commenced without development approval where a show cause and/or enforcement has been issued (in addition to the development application fee) will attract a $970 charge.
Reconfiguring a lot, or subdividing, will now cost between $1035 to $4665 with extra charges for additional lots.
If you need an application for an exemption certificate under the Queensland Heritage Act, the cost is rising by 35.14%
Pet fees
The various applications to keep or breed dogs and cats increase between 3.7 and 5.45%.
Burials and cemeteries
All types of burial fees are going up by roughly 3.7% yet, interestingly, some internment fees are declining by between 9% and 36%.
Mayor Melissa Hamilton told the Town & Country Journal that this decrease was to establish consistent internment/burial fees in cemeteries across the shire.
Music festivals and other entertainment events
The fees for a temporary entertainment event operation have gone from nil in last budget to between $607 and $1655. Council notes that the new fee covers the assessment of the application and “one site inspection by Council’s authorised officers” Any additional inspections or monitoring required will be charged at the charge out rate as listed in the schedule of fees and charges.”
Mayor Hamilton says that the new charges are not specifically a result of the Rabbits Eat Lettuce experience earlier this year. Instead, she says that councillors want to make sure that “ratepayers are not paying for compliance work that is required, and organisers are paying all of the costs associated with their events.”
Saleyard fees
The Warwick saleyard will see higher fees for most activities. For cattle sales, there is a 16.67% rise in EU pre-scanning and checking per head and a 7.14% rise in NVD scanning. Saleyard tag fees are rising by between 7.5 and 9.09%. Sheep and goats per head are rising 9.09% and horses yarded per head by 13.33%. Bull yarded per head will rise by 4.17%. Booking special sales will rise between 7.5% to 8.18%. Private weighing will rise by 13.33% and holding fees for cattle and horses per head per day will rise by 25%.
Community Hall rental
If you are renting a hall as a community group, you can opt for an hourly rate with a capped maximum daily rate, which may reduce hall hire fees for some activities.
Want to rent the Stanthorpe Civic Centre? The maximum daily rate will now be $500 or $50 per hour which does not include cleaning, setup or takedown. Cleaning fees will now cost $500 (refundable once final inspection is completed).
Again, Mayor Hamilton says, the fees are aimed at consistency across the region and the new hourly rates are to make hiring halls more feasible for community organisations.
Community Pools
WIRAC Pool passes will increase by between 3.3% and 6.67%; a 30-minute school swimming class is increasing by 8.33%. Monthly concession membership is increasing by 9%; 3-month gym membership is rising between 9% and 13.64%; 12-month membership is rising between 15.41% and 17.79 % . Want a sauna? That will cost between 25% and 50% more this year.
Outside of WIRAC, fees to the Allora and Killarney pools will rise between 2.94% (concession) to 12.5% (child).
Capital works
The new budget allocates $43.4 million in capital works but whether that number includes the approximate $20 million carry-over from the 2024/25 budget is harder to define.
“In that capital budget, there is already multi-year projects, plus some carry over. This will be clarified as the budget coalesces,” the mayor said.
Key spends include flood recovery works, road maintenance, a raw water pipeline from Leslie Dam, smart water meter installation, a wastewater treatment plant in Warwick, mains renewals, playground, park and cemetery improvements, a filtration system for WIRAC, stage four of the Warwick saleyards and waste upgrade projects.
Council talks up the budget
Council released several press releases that highlighted particular aspects of the 2025/26 budget.
One asserted that the draft budget “reflects a responsible and community-focused plan” that underscores the “priority areas” of flood recovery works, upgrading roads, renewing ageing infrastructure, sustainable water use and upgrading community facilities. Another announcement centred on a $12.4 million investment in long-term water and wastewater infrastructure and drought resilience programs. Rising operational costs have been noted.
Council also released a statement saying that the budget “delivers a strong commitment to enhancing community liveability and wellbeing” with $1.2 million in proposed upgrades to open spaces.
One contentious issue in council deliberations last year centred on pet hand-back fees and the ability of residents to surrender unwanted pets outside council hours. As part of the tranche of budget announcements, the SDRC says that pet hand-back fees will be waived for any residents experiencing financial hardship to ensure that cost does not prevent residents from handing back pets. A reading of the budget does not make this clear except for this clause: “Upon written verification of financial hardship, with evidence of reasons consistent with circumstances outlined in the Rates Concession Policy, approval to waive the private impoundment fee may be provided by the General Manager Planning and Environmental Services”.
“We don’t want people dumping animals because they can’t afford the fee,” Mayor Hamilton confirmed.
