Rates had moved far higher as an average per year under the four years of Labor than they would under the Liberals next financial year, according to the ACT Government. The Government issued suburb-by-suburb figures showing rates at 1991-92 and 1994-95 with percentage increases. The accompanying table shows those figures and the new figures for 1995-96. The Government is to increase rates by an across-the-board 4 per cent. There will be no new land valuations in 1995-96 so it means each householders will get an increase of exactly 4 per cent on last year’s rates _ fulfilling an electionpromise to keep everyone’s rates under the CPI.
The Opposition says it would in inequitable to move away from basing rates on current valuations. If there had been new valuations, rates would have gone down in some places and up by more in others to reflect values. This would have been more equitable. goes as blockline under rates table. The table shows average rates suburb-by-suburb. The percentage increase is between 1991-92 and 1994-95. The new average rates for 1995-96 are in the right-hand column. They are 4 per cent higher than the 1994-95 rate.