AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

SEWERAGE RATES ORDINANCE 1973

WATER RATES ORDINANCE (No 2) 1973

LAND RENT AND RATES (DEFERMENT AND REMISSION) 
ORDINANCE 1973

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 25 of 1973
No. 26 of 1973
No. 27 of 1973

SEWERAGE RATES ORDINANCE

	This Ordinance will permit the levying of rates for sewerage services supplied to or available for land at Oaks Estate in the Australian Capital Territory.  A sewerage system, linked to the Queanbeyan system, was recently installed at Oaks Estate.

	The rates levied under the Ordinance will be of two categories:

(a)	a capital rate of $17.20 p.a. covering the construction and reticulation costs of the system, charged for each parcel of land in respect of which it is certified that sewerage is available; and

(b)	a general rate calculated on annual running costs of the system; in 1972/73 the rate will be $10.  The general rate will be levied in respect of each flushing unit up to two on the land; each unit in excess of two e.g. in buildings containing flats, will be levied at the amount of the general rate.

	Both categories of rates are levied subject to the same controls e.g. as to who is to pay the rate; liability on change of ownership; as provided for Canberra householders under the existing Sewerage Rates Ordinance.

	The residents of Oaks Estate have accepted and agreed to the basis and amounts of the rates.

	The proposed Ordinance also provides for increases in the amount of sewerage rates levied in Canberra.  The basic charge for up to two flushing units is increased from $15 p.a. to $25 p.a.  The charge for each additional flushing unit in business premises is increased from $15 to $50 and in churches, private schools and charitable organisations, from $7.50 p.a. to $12.50 p.a.

	Increases of this nature will more closely align rates payable in Canberra with those payable elsewhere in Australia, and were planned as part of the 1973/74 Municipal Budget for Canberra.

WATER RATES ORDINANCE

	The Ordinance seeks to increase the amount of water rates paid in Canberra, and to convert the measurements used from imperial to metric units.

	The basic charge would be increased from $22.50 p.a. for 100,000 gallons (455 kilolitres) $27 for 455 kilolitres.  Excess charges would increase from 30 cents for 1,000 gallons (4.55 kilolitres) to 10 cents for one kilolitre, an increase of 3.41 cents per kilolitre.

	These increases also arise from the 1973/74 Municipal Budget.

LAND RENT AND RATES (DEFERMENT AND REMISSION) ORDINANCE 1973

	This Ordinance seeks to amend the Land Rent and Rates (Deferment) Ordinance 1970 to permit Social Security, Repatriation Department Pensioners and Superannuants who have pensioner medical service entitlement and totally and permanently incapacitated pensioner ex-servicemen a remission of 50% of general, water and sewerage rates.

	The Ordinance will also permit the Minister to remit these rates in cases of financial hardship.

	The practice of permitting remission of pensioners’ rates is observed in the States who reimburse the local authorities for the amounts remitted.  The A.C.T. Municipal Accounts would be similarly re-imbursed by Treasury appropriation for amounts remitted under the proposed Ordinance.

	The existing Ordinance permits pensioners to defer the total amounts of their water, sewerage and general rates, to be collected from their estates when the pensioners have died.  This facility will continue to be available to pensioners who seek to defer the whole amount of rates rather than to pay at the time half of those rates.

............................
Minister’s Initials