Early Payment Discount

To provide an incentive for the payment of rates by the due date, Council will allow a discount for a period of 30 clear days after the rate notice has been officially issued. Council deems that there will be two rating periods in the twelve month period. Council offers ratepayers a discount of 10% on all current rates and utility charges for the following rates and charges categories:

  • General Rates;
  • Water Charges (Excluding any consumption charge or excess water usage charge);
  • Cleansing Charges;
  • Sewerage Charges

Such discount will only be allowed subject to:
a)  Full payment of any arrears (For the purposes of this section full payment of arrears and current levy does not include charges against the land) and the current levy prior to the expiration of the discount period;
b)  Such payment being receipted at or before 5:00pm on the stated last day for discount or directly deposited to Council’s bank account at or before 5:00pm on the stated last day for discount.

Allowance of Discount for Late Payments
It is Council Policy that the satisfying of all of the following criteria be considered by Council to be satisfactory evidence of circumstances beyond a person’s control under section 1021 of the Local Government Act 1993:

  • Criteria 1 - Prior Payment History as indicative of bona fides
    The person has had an exemplary payment history on the property or on other properties (of a similar size and annual rate bill) for the prior two financial years.
  • Criteria 2 - Payment of Current Rates and Charges as evidence of ability to pay the rates and charges
    Prompt payment of rates and charges in full (net of discount) is made at the time or prior to any request being made for allowance of discount.
  • Criteria 3 - Evidence of circumstances beyond person’s control relied upon
    The person is able to provide details of circumstances that were beyond their control which prevented them from ensuring that payment was received by Council by the due date. Such circumstances include, but are not restricted to:
    • Flood, fire or other natural disaster;
    • Death, serious illness or other similar unforeseen circumstances;
    • A major disruption in mail services at the point at which the mail is mailed or received;
    • An evident miscalculation in the net amount payable of the rates where a number of rateable properties are involved and the miscalculation is less than $500 in value.
    • Must be directly related to the person, their property or any agent of the person who would normally arrange the payment of the rates and charges; and
    • Where mail disruption is stated as the reason that this explanation is accompanied with the written corroboration of the relevant postal authority branch.
  • Criteria 4 - Timeliness of application
    Written application has been made for discount to be allowed under Section 1021 of the Local Government Act within 40 days after the due date for payment of rates and charges as stated on the rates notice.
  • Criteria 5 - Excluded matters
    That reliance is not made solely on any combination of the following factors which would normally be considered to be under the persons control:
    • Lack of availability of finances at the time
    • Alleged non-receipt of rates notice
    • Absence from property, area, state or country
    • Recent sale or purchase of the property