The latest council budget was not without protest, with one successful motion scrapping a charge on farm shed applications.
The budget is the first annual budget of the new council term and strives to reflect key community priorities identified as part of the engagement process for the development of the new 2025–29 Council Plan, which is currently underway.
Cr Paton launched a bold last-minute attempt to freeze rates in a bid to ease cost-of-living pressures on local residents; however, it sparked a debate among councillors about balancing community support with long-term financial sustainability.
The alternate motion, raised during Monday night’s meeting as the council prepared to adopt its 2025–26 Budget, retained the original budget’s priorities but proposed freezing general rates at 2024–25 levels. It also included an optional second payment for ratepayers who could afford a 3 per cent increase—matching the State Government’s cap—and called for a breakdown of how rates are spent to be included in all notices.
Cr Paton argued the change would demonstrate the council’s willingness to stand with struggling families, pensioners, small business owners and farmers facing mounting bills.
“The State’s rate cap is a limit, not a target,” she said, urging councillors to show brave leadership and shift the status quo in favour of residents doing it tough.
“This change is calculated to disrupt the status quo and show our ratepayers we are serious about supporting them through difficult times.
“We expect the council staff to be brave and fierce, but it is up to us as leaders of this council to model that first.
“Are you prepared to fight for all the families, farmers, pensioners, single parents, small business who can’t pay the bills that they have now, much less the rates notice that is coming?”
Cr Ross, who seconded Cr Paton’s motion, highlighted the constraints the council now faces under rate capping and reduced funding.
“Council is under so much more pressure,” he said.
“Even with the rate cap, we’re going to grind to a halt in the end because it won’t be enough money to cover the council’s CPI, especially since many costs go well above the CPI.
“I think the rate cap, without government funding for so many other things, is really going to push council to make decisions that will slow infrastructure to a snail’s pace and force us to question different services that are much needed by the community.
Cr Nickell expressed support for the motion, saying it challenges the council to face difficult issues head-on.
“What it does is it pushes us all into a corner. And I like that. It actually sharpens up what we keep on saying and what all leaders in all sectors in Australia keep on saying,” he said.
“It forces us to come to terms with our unmade local road network through all the rural areas that for decades now has not been made and therefore costs us a bomb in maintenance year after year after year.
“To recover 3.5 mil is a reasonable ask for us as a leadership team for the next year. So in principle I support it and I’m up for the challenge.”
Seven councillors voted against Cr Paton’s alternate motion, with only two supporting it. In response, Cr Pomeroy foreshadowed a new alternate motion.
She moved a draft alternate motion to adopt the budget, adding a proposal to scrap the fee for “Application for a farm shed – exempt from building permit.”
The alternative motion focuses on opposing the introduction of a new $1,000 permit fee for farm shed applications amid ongoing drought conditions in Cardinia.
The motion urges the council to waive this new fee to help local farmers maximise benefits from the State Government’s on-farm drought infrastructure grants.
Cr Pomeroy’s alternative motion was ultimately carried, with eight councillors voting in favour and one opposing the motion.
Mayor Kowarzik said the council had worked hard to develop a budget that aligns with the aspirations of the community, responds to community needs and ensures responsible management of Council resources.
“Council’s 2025-26 Budget strives to deliver the services, projects and infrastructure our community needs, while ensuring we remain financially sustainable in the long-term,” Mayor Kowarzik said.
“We recognise the ongoing cost of living pressures facing our community, and we are committed to keeping rates and charges as affordable as possible while continuing to deliver essential services and projects.”
