Rating review delivers level playing field, says Hill
MAYOR Jenny Hill has hit back at claims a review of rating categories is “bad timing”, saying the change is about creating a level playing field for similar businesses.
She confirmed some grocery store chains would see a 37 per cent increase in rates but said that large traditional shopping centres would see an average 21 per cent discount on rates.
Cr Hill said the previous rates categories saw identical businesses paying vastly different cents in the dollar rates.
“We have consolidated some categories and created a large retail category because previous categories were simply not fair or relevant,” Cr Hill said.
“For example, the city’s newer retail stores operated by major grocery store chains were previously treated in the same way as your local fish and chip shop or corner store, which was simply not right.
“There was clearly an imbalance that needed to be addressed. Similar size properties will now pay similar rates regardless of whether they are a large stand-alone shop, a homemaker centre or a traditional shopping centre.” She said the newer major grocery store chains had been placed on a level footing with other large retailers like the traditional large shopping centres and these 17 major grocery store chains would see a 37 per cent increase in their rates.
“With regard to comments about this being bad timing for these particular businesses, by all accounts, these are some of the only businesses that have experienced significant booms in recent times, especially during the lockdowns of COVID-19,” Cr Hill said.
“The city’s five largest traditional shopping centres have taken some big hits from this new style of retail and it is only appropriate that they all be on the same cents in the dollar.
“The move to do that has delivered on average a 21 per cent discount for those more traditional longstanding shopping centres.”
She said the changes provided a more modest 3 per cent increase for 16 large retailers, including large homemaker centres and a 6 per cent reduction in rates for some 4000 commercial properties.