FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2026 · Report

ORDINARY MEETING                                                                  15 OCTOBER 2026



Rates and Utility Charges
To the end of September 2026, Council had collected $57.6M or 50.5% of its $114.0M rates and
utility charges budget.

Rate Arrears
As outlined in the following table, at 30 September 2026, total rates arrears were $11.7M or 9.2%,
with arrears reducing by $3.9M during September.

Key Metrics - Total arrears

 Category                                        Totals

 Total rate arrears                         $11,717,752

 2026/27 Rates Revenue*                    $127,000,000

 Rates arrears %                                 9.2%

 Rates arrears % (prior month)                   12.3%

 Movement in arrears                        $3,933,622
* Estimated 2026/27 revenue is based on July 2026 levy revenue multiplied by two, rounded to the nearest
million dollars.

It should also be noted that rate arrears balances follow a predictable six-monthly cycle, increasing
after the July and January levy periods and decreasing in the months that follow.

In preparation for the commencement of debt recovery action under Council’s revised Rates and
Charges Debt Management and Recovery Policy, arrears balances were reviewed and
approximately 800 ratepayer accounts with outstanding rates and charges of around $7.0M are
expected to be referred to Council’s appointed recovery agent during October 2026. The initial
referral process has been targeted towards long-standing and significant arrears that are at least 12
months overdue, while excluding ratepayers with approved payment arrangements or active
hardship arrangements, thereby balancing the objectives of the Policy with principles of fairness,
equity and efficient resource allocation.
The subsequent analysis includes only those properties that exceed the specified thresholds.


 Classification                        Threshold
 Residential                             $1,000
 Non-Strata Residential                  $1,500
 Non-Residential                         $1,000
 Shopping Centres                      $300,000
 Other                                  $50,000
 Retirement Villages                    $30,000

The below tables detail the composition of outstanding rates balances.


 Category                                                   Totals
 Total rate arrears                                       $11,717,752
 Arrears above Policy thresholds (refer below)            $10,900,732
 Arrears below thresholds                                  $551,297