Your Community Advocate

Vote 1 Maria Suarez, 16th March 2024

Ease cost of living pressures

As more cost of living pressures are being felt by the community, Council should aim to keep costs to residents low. Increasing costs of building materials and shortage of labour make this a difficult task. However, I believe finding efficiencies within the budget and within our rating categories can result in a fairer system and ease financial pressures.

Everyone including council are feeling the pressure from increased pricing across the board.  Cost of materials and labour continue to go up and options are to either reduce what is delivered to the community with current rates or get efficiencies within the budget to continue to deliver what we do without requiring an increase in rates.

For residents I’d like to find more equitable rating categories.  I have managed to change rating issues which prevented some retirees from obtaining the pensioners discount due to their body corporate structure.