Media response - unpaid rates

Published on 04 October 2022

Response to The Advertiser.

• I have some questions about unpaid rates owed to the council.

How many properties are in arrears of three years or more?
773

For those debts, what is the total amount outstanding?
$4.8 million

What is the largest individual debt incurred by a ratepayer and over what time?
Not available for publication.

How many homes have been sold by the council over the past five years to recoup the debt - can you pls provide an example if homes have been recently sold.
None

How many residents are on payment plans and has this risen over the past financial year?
1/7/22 – 27/9/22 = 563
1/7/21– 27/9/21 = 699 

Any other comment the council would like to make, please include.
COVID-19 has been active in South Australia since approximately March 2020, and as per previous Council resolutions we implemented a policy of not pursuing outstanding council rate related debts during the pandemic.

It’s worth noting that while the City of Onkaparinga’s outstanding debt figure for three years or longer seems high, it should be taken in context with the level of rates that we generate on an annual basis ($143m in 2022-23). The total amount outstanding of $4.8m equates to 3.3 per cent of total rates raised.

ENDS