5 Years
of
Rates Rises
Kwinana Rates:
Why are we paying more to get less?
If you’re struggling to pay for groceries, keep the power on, or put fuel in the car right now, you are not the only one. Times are incredibly tough. Yet, for five straight years, the City of Kwinana has bumped up our rates.
They tell us it’s “necessary.” But take a look outside. Look at your street. Look at your bins. Do you honestly feel like you’re getting your money’s worth?
“Shrinking Service”
Less for Your Rate Dollar
We are paying top dollar but getting the budget version of local services. How does this affect your day-to-day life?
The Bin Nightmare: They made our bins smaller, scrapped the regular verge collections, and replaced them with an “on-call” system that is a massive headache for busy parents to organise.
Messy Suburbs: While our bills go up, basic upkeep has gone down. The grass in some parks is overgrown, and basic street cleaning seems to have dropped right off the Council’s radar. Our kids deserve safe, clean parks to play in.
Where is the Cash Going?
While local families are cutting back on the basics just to survive, the Council’s own spending seems to be going through the roof.
More Staff, Bigger Salaries: Over the last six years, executive and staffing costs have climbed. Instead of showing us a clear, simple list of who gets what, these massive numbers are lumped together. Why make it so hard for a normal resident to see the math?
The Consultant Waste: Thousands of your hard-earned dollars are being handed over to outside “consultants” and fancy committees. We need that money spent on fixing our roads and looking after our suburbs, not on expensive corporate reports.
Decisions Made Behind Closed Doors
Major changes—like indigeous renaming of community buildings or funding new advisory groups like Boola Maara Aboriginal Consultative Committee—are being pushed through without asking the community what we want.
No Vote, No Say: You pay the rates. Why weren’t you asked if these projects were a genuine priority?
Hidden Costs: Money spent on “celebration days,” Indigenous consultation, and committee fees is buried deep inside massive budget reports.
If Council is so proud of this spending, why aren’t the exact costs to Kwinana ratepayers clearly listed on the front page of Council’s annual report?
We Are Not a Cash Cow
Kwinana families are not ATM machines. We deserve to know exactly how much of our latest rate rise is actually being spent on our streets, and how much is getting swallowed up by office bureaucracy.
It’s time to stop the spin. If you want your rate dollars spent on proper verge pickups and safe local parks—not on corporate perks and political agendas—it’s time to speak up.
ALWM Group: Keeping it Real. Demanding Transparency for Our Community.