Queenslanders pay more

The Courier Mail reports that Queensland councils rake in almost $800 more per person than local governments in any other state, Australian Council of Local Government figures show. Many ratepayers in Queensland face higher charges for rates, water and levies this year as a result of council budgets handed down in recent weeks, Rates rose by up to 10 per cent.

Councils argue the increases are necessary to pay for vital infrastructure and offset cuts to State Government subsidies, which smashed sudden holes in some council budgets. But figures prepared for the Australian Council of Local Government show Queensland council coffers were already in better shape than those interstate.

Queensland councils collected $1926 in revenue per person in 2007-08, including government grants, rates and charges, according to the Federal Government figures. That was $874 more than Victorian councils, $766 more than local governments in NSW and $778 per person above the Australian average. Collectively, Queensland's councils brought in more than $8 billion in revenue during 2007-08, just shy of NSW, and spent $6.6 billion of the cash collected, or $1584 per capita, higher than all states except the Northern Territory.