Media Release: Rising Costs Fuels 2025-26 Rates Increase
Posted on July 11, 2025
11 July 2025
Rising Costs Fuels 2025-26 Rates Increase
Northern Midlands Council is budgeting for a 5.5 per cent increase in rates for the 2025-26 financial year.
NMC Mayor Mary Knowles said today the increase would be about $2-a-week or an average of $110 a year for most residential property owners across the municipality’s townships.
“We recognise that any increase is unwelcome, and some people will find it difficult, but unfortunately the increase is unavoidable due to rising costs faced by council and the need to maintain our roads and providing services,” Mayor Knowles said.
The Council’s budget was detailed at the Council meeting on Monday. Its main features include:
•Record capital works expenditure of $25.5 million to maintain, replace or build new public assets
•Operating revenue is $35.6 million and budgeted operating expenditure is $27.8 million
•An operating surplus of $7.7 million but a small underlying deficit of $1.16 million after accounting for capital grant revenue
•$8.03 million for depreciation of assets
Mayor Knowles said the rates increase was generally in line with other comparable Tasmanian municipalities.
She said despite this year’s small deficit Northern Midlands was still in an enviable strong financial position with no current borrowings.
Mayor Knowles said the council faced rising costs due to labour growth and the escalation of costs for materials and services, alongside rising depreciation costs due to increases in value of council assets and revaluations.
The municipality’s capital works program for the 2025-26 includes:
• Roads - $14.35 million
• Footpaths -$1.3
• Bridge replacement $3.53
• Stormwater projects - $1.22 million
• Community building improvements - $1,76 million
• Recreation facilities improvements - $1.71 million
• Vehicle fleet replacement - $1,07 million
• New plant & equipment - $295,000
• New information technology & other equipment $301,500
Some of the major projects for 2025-26 include:
• Campbell Town and Perth Urban Main Street Improvement projects,
• Bridge/culvert upgrades over Sheepwash Creek at Perth,
• Longford and Breadalbane pathway projects,
• Reconstruction of sections of Ashby Road,
• Detention Basin extensions at Translink Industrial Estate, and
• Development of Napoleon Street Playground.