4.5% Kwinana Rate Increase:
We Pay more for Less Services?
We Pay more for Less Services?
Money is tight for families all across Kwinana right now. Prices are going up on everything, and at the same time, the local council keeps raising our rates year after year.
It makes you stop and ask a simple question: Are we actually getting our money’s worth?
The Bin Pickups: Is the New System Really Better?
The council changed how verge pickup works in Kwinana. They call it an “upgrade,” but let’s look at how it actually works.
The Old System:
Scheduled pickups 4 times a year. Big trucks came down your street on a set day, picked up everything at once, and cleared the whole suburb in one go.
The New System:
“On-call” pickups. You get a maximum of 2 bookings a year, with strict limits on how much waste you can put out each time. That means trucks are driving back and forth to individual houses all year round just for single pickups.
Why This Costs More
Think about it like this: instead of doing your big weekly grocery run, you drive to the shops just to buy a carton of milk, drive all the way home, and then drive straight back to buy bread.
Repeat all year long.
Would you shop like that?
Would you shop like that? It uses way more fuel and wastes heaps of time—yet this is the exact system our council has approved for our bins.
Sending heavy trucks to random houses all over town burns more fuel, adds wear and tear to vehicles, and takes more driver hours. That costs money—the same rate money that keeps going up.
Rates Comparison: Kwinana vs. Our Neighbours
Compare areas like Rockingham and Cockburn – Kwinana Rates have gone up higher over the last 5 years.
*Note: Neighboring councils froze rates during economic uncertainty while Kwinana pushed ahead with increases.
Higher Costs Less Services?
Other councils have managed to keep rate rises lower while still building big, useful community projects. Meanwhile, in Kwinana, basic things are sitting unfinished:
- The Kwinana Loop Trail: The 21km walking and bike track through the bush is still incomplete.
- Local Maintenance: Simple jobs like fixing leaking roof at the Recquatic Centre.
3. Transparency: Where Does the Money Go?
We all pay our rates, so we should be able to see exactly where that money goes.
But right now, it’s tough to get clear answers.
Office Costs & High Pay: Spending on staff and high-level council bosses keeps going up. Instead of listing these costs clearly, they get buried inside massive budget reports that are conveniently impossible to find.
Outside Consultants: $180,000 Spent on Waste Management Consultants
In July 2026, council approved $180,000 for external consultants to study a 3-bin rollout ($80k) and waste drop-off options ($100k)—spending ratepayer funds on advisory reports rather than directly fixing local roads, maintaining parks, or repairing the Recquatic Centre roof.
Source: City of Kwinana Council Meeting Minutes (July 2026).
Committee Spending & Consultation: Ratepayers are funding ongoing administrative costs and fees for subcommittees formed and endorsed directly by councillors—such as the Boola Maara Aboriginal Consultative Committee.
While this group meets monthly to advise council and suggest name changes for local community buildings, these decisions and their exact ongoing costs are rarely put to a direct community vote.
Ratepayers deserve total clarity on how much these advisory groups cost each year compared to spending on everyday local maintenance.
The Bottom Line
Local council is supposed to look after the basics: good roads, clean parks, working facilities, and reliable bin pickups—all at a fair price.
When rates keep climbing but basic jobs stay unfinished, residents have every right to ask questions:
- How much extra is this new bin pickup model costing us in Rate Dollars?
- Can we get a simple, clear list showing executive pay and consultant fees?
- When will key projects like the Kwinana Loop Trail finally be finished?
Ask Your Councillors Directly
You pay the rates, which means you have the right to ask questions and expect clear answers.
Let your Kwinana Council representatives know what matters to you and your neighborhood.